People have been saying that you don't give weight in box stars, but
they are missing the point. It is not about giving weight, it is about
connection.
I hate the term "giving weight" anyway, it is much too easily
misunderstood and abused.
First, please don't call it a wrist-grip star. There is no grip - the
thumb is supposed to be on top along with all the fingers. There are
lots of other good names: box star, pack-saddle star, wrist-hold star,
wrist-lock star (especially when you have a star for six and it looks
like the lock that sword-dancers make!).
Choreography has changed. Most old dances that have a Star or a Circle
include a second one in the opposite direction. It doesn't matter how
far you travel in the Star Right as long as you travel the same distance
back in the Star Left. But modern choreographers use sequences such as
Circle Left, Star Right. Both moves are in the same direction so you
have to travel two full circles to get back to where you started.
This is much easier if you have connection and can help each other.
Types of star:
1. The bunch of bananas/lump of limp lettuce:
Sadly this is probably the most common type of star. Everyone just
sticks their hand in the middle, possibly grasping some random part of
someone else's hand. Looks a mess, can feel unpleasant, and really
doesn't help with connection!
2. Right Hands Across:
You take a handshake (actually just hooked fingertips) with the person
opposite. This gives good connection (but only for two pairs of people)
and is especially useful if the next move involves the men dropping out
so that the ladies can chain across. Also best if you are in waltz-time
or balancing the star. I don't believe that it is as easy as a box star,
for example you can get fumbling as you decide which pair of hands is on
top, or exactly which hold you are going for.
But the biggest failure of the Hands Across star is the lack of
connection between the couples. If the star needs to go faster to meet
the demands of modern choreography then there is nothing you can do
about it - if you accelerate you can affect the person across from you,
but you both just crash into the backs of the slower moving pair.
3. Palm Star:
(From Callerlab) "Place all hands together with fingers pointing up and
thumbs closed gently over the back of the adjacent dancer's hand to
provide a degree of stabilization. Arms should be bent slightly so that
the height of the handgrip will be at an average eye level."
Very pretty, but absolutely no use whatsoever for connection.
And I really don't like the bit about thumbs. I dance dozens of
different dance styles and have never ever found any circumstance in
dancing where you should use your thumb. Thumbs hurt and prevent people
letting go (I have seen dancers get their arms wrenched in a Grand Right
& Left because the person they just passed won't let go - they shouldn't
be holding on in the first place!).
4. Box Star
Each person hooks their hand (thumbs on top with the fingers) over the
wrist of the person in front. Now we have connection between all four
people.
Once people have learnt this it is by far the easiest good star to make
- you start walking and place your hand in a pre-defined position with
no question as to where it is supposed to be. If you are coming out of
a Ladies' Chain or a Right & Left Through then the man just moves his
hand to the lady's wrist and you have half a star before you even start
the move.
But the connection is the key - you are linked together so that you move
at the same speed. If someone realises that the star needs to move
faster then they can accelerate, helping the person behind, who just by
the connection is automatically helping the person behind them, and the
person behind them, and the person behind them - oh! that's you! It is
all one - you share the energy and you get to your destination together
and on time. Beautiful!
If you want to read more about connection see:
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#connection
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
I agree with the previous posts. The "good" dancer will adapt to the conditions. I find that when dancing with an experienced dancer who maintains a good frame and gives good weight the buzz-step is the most satisfying swing (with the right partner, nirvana) If I am swinging with a partner who gives too much or too little weight, the walking swing is more comfortable, allowing me to complete my swing on time and stay on my feet.
Donna Calhoun
On Mar 11, 2012, at 12:00 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:36:44 -0400
> From: John W Gintell <john(a)gintell.org>
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] American with Style
> Message-ID: <10176864-3A9D-4F00-893C-083973EDB3DC(a)gintell.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>
>> Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:08:08 -0400
>> From: Bronwyn Woods <woods.bronwyn(a)googlemail.com>
>> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] American with Style
>> Message-ID:
>> <CAC+nW6+1u7uAcbJ_FZz6zEhBY=gFRF4MxHOVhcmu5SfZTjhcOA(a)mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>
>>>> I'd like to see the phrase "good contra dancers use a buzz-step swing"
>>>> changed--I'd say really good contra dancers sometimes use a buzz step
>>>> and sometimes use a walking step, depending on the choreography or
>>>> music; medium-good contra dancers use a buzz step for all swings.
>>>
>>>
>>> Would other people like to comment on that one?
>>
>> Most (but not all) people I've seen either use the buzz step or the
>> walking step rather than switching between them. But some of my very
>> favorite partners use a walking swing. If they dance with a nice
>> smooth swing, I often can't tell the difference when I'm dancing with
>> them unless I look at their feet. I would be very hesitant to say
>> that "good contra dancers use a buzz step". It is true, at least
>> where I dance, that _most_ dancers use the buzz step.
>>
>> -Bronwyn
>
> I'm an advocate of promoting a walking swing to beginners. It helps cure the tendency for new dancers to think you have to bob up and down. Also then they don't have to think about it at all and eye contact with their partner is a bit easier.
>
> John
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:43:48 -0400
> From: "Bree Kalb" <bree(a)mindspring.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] American with Style
> Message-ID: <AC252987060940C38A7FD80E9A5C3259@BreeHomeLaptop>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=response
>
> I would suggest saying "most" contra dancers" rather than "good." I think
> good contra dancers adjust to the person with whom they are swinging. I
> agree with David that one can do a walking swing while the other does a buzz
> step but I often switch to a walking swing to match my partner or neighbor.
>
> Bree Kalb
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Colin Hume
> Sent: Sunday, March 11, 2012 3:42 AM
> To: Caller's discussion list
> Subject: Re: [Callers] American with Style
>
> On 11/03/2012 05:41, Read Weaver wrote:
>> I'd like to see the phrase "good contra dancers use a buzz-step swing"
>> changed--I'd say really good contra dancers sometimes use a buzz step
>> and sometimes use a walking step, depending on the choreography or
>> music; medium-good contra dancers use a buzz step for all swings.
>
> Would other people like to comment on that one?
>
>
> Colin Hume
>
> E-mail: colin(a)colinhume.com Website: http://www.colinhume.com
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 91, Issue 19
> ***************************************
I ran a workshop on "American with Style" on Sunday and I've now put the
notes on my website at
http://www.colinhume.com/dtastyle.htm
I'd be interested to know what people think. Just bear in mind that
it's aimed at dancers in England, so don't give comments like "Everybody
knows that"!
Colin Hume
-----
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> Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2012 10:08:08 -0400
> From: Bronwyn Woods <woods.bronwyn(a)googlemail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] American with Style
> Message-ID:
> <CAC+nW6+1u7uAcbJ_FZz6zEhBY=gFRF4MxHOVhcmu5SfZTjhcOA(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
>>> I'd like to see the phrase "good contra dancers use a buzz-step swing"
>>> changed--I'd say really good contra dancers sometimes use a buzz step
>>> and sometimes use a walking step, depending on the choreography or
>>> music; medium-good contra dancers use a buzz step for all swings.
>>
>>
>> Would other people like to comment on that one?
>
> Most (but not all) people I've seen either use the buzz step or the
> walking step rather than switching between them. But some of my very
> favorite partners use a walking swing. If they dance with a nice
> smooth swing, I often can't tell the difference when I'm dancing with
> them unless I look at their feet. I would be very hesitant to say
> that "good contra dancers use a buzz step". It is true, at least
> where I dance, that _most_ dancers use the buzz step.
>
> -Bronwyn
I'm an advocate of promoting a walking swing to beginners. It helps cure the tendency for new dancers to think you have to bob up and down. Also then they don't have to think about it at all and eye contact with their partner is a bit easier.
John
Michael wrote: "... The way to swing..." and went on to describe a buzz step swing.
In my opinion, this is one way to swing, not _the_ way to swing. A walking swing
is traditional in parts of the country-- the southern Appalachians-- for example
and that carries over to many contra dancers in that region. Sure, the buzz step
is the norm in most modern urban contra settings, but it's possible to have a
great time (and to be a fine dancer) without utilizing it.
A walking swing is also, IMHO, far more comfortable when a band is playing very
fast.
As a side note, it works just fine to have one dancer doing a walking swing while
the partner is doing a buzz step.
David Milltone
Lebanon, NH
P.S. And then there are communities with rich square dance traditions-- e.g.,
Missouri and the Ozark region of Arkansas-- where dancers are continually doing
a lively jigging step to music played at very fast-- e.g., 140 beats per minute--
tempo. Amazing to watch...
I was told that 120 bpm feels good because it is the natural speed that
we walk at - it is a really good tempo for other dance styles that use a
smooth walk as well.
Going up to around 125 for the occasional dance is OK.
Likewise an occasional dance at 106 is good as long as you have really
good music that makes you want to dance - a good example is Wild
Asparagus - On The Danforth (from "Live At The Guiding Star Grange").
But mostly 114 - 120 works really well.
I keep a stopwatch in my pocket, but only time six beats - press on 1,
count "and 2 and 3 and 4" - press on 4. If the stopwatch shows 3 seconds
then it is 120 bpm (a habit formed from using rowing stopwatches to
count strokes per minute when I was coaching - the old rowing
stopwatches were actually calibrated in SPM rather than in seconds).
2.90 = 124
2.95 = 122
3.00 = 120
3.05 = 118
3.10 = 116
3.15 = 114
3.20 = 113
3.25 = 111
3.30 = 109
Subject to greater error due to the short duration, but usually accurate
enough, especially if you take a couple of samples.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Ice Cream in the Sink..... Kathy Hirsh
Circle mixer
A1) Into the center and back
Into the center, gents turn to face partner, pousette back
A2) Do-si-do partner
Right Allemande partner
B1) Left shoulder do-si-do partner
Left Allemande partner
B2) Promenade the ring, gents turn back
Swing new partner
A few years ago a caller ended our annual weekend event with this. The great partner interaction gave us a wonderful 30 second interlude to wish all of our partners farewell.
Sent from my iPad
On Mar 3, 2012, at 3:41 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
>
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2012 12:51:03 -0500 (EST)
> From: Dhuntdancer(a)aol.com
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Sharing Mixers
> Message-ID: <63b8b.b41e244.3c83b407(a)aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> I enjoy mixers as well. But IMHO the majority of mixers don't appeal to
> the MUC dancers mostly because nearly 1/2 of the dance consist of into
> middle (repeat), circle R and L.
>
> I love "Love and Kisses" by Ted Sannella but I find that it doesn't get
> the dancers "mixed up" enough around the circle. Lucky Seven is better for
> moving folks around the circle quickly and meeting new dancers.
>
> I wonder if any of you would like to share your favorite mixers and perhaps
> we can build our repertoires?!
>
>
> Love and Kisses Ted Sannella Circle Mixer
> A1. 4,12 Partner balance, & swing
> A2. 8 Ladies to center and back
> 8 Gents to center and return to form wavy ring
> (L hands with partner and R with corner)
> B1. 4,4 Balance, partner allem L
> 8 Corner do-si-do ? give R to corner (#1)
> B2. 16 #1 pull by R, #2 pull by L, #3 pull by R, #4 allemL,
> #3 pull by R, #2 pull by L
> Lucky 7 Greg Frock Circle Mixer
>
> A1. 4,12 Partner balance, & swing
> A2. 16 Partner promenade
> B1. 8 All forward and back
> 8 Partner do-si-do ? give R to partner (#1)
> B2. 16 Grand Right & left passing six people and stopping at 7
>
> Donna Hunt
> "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should
> dance." -unknown
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 91, Issue 8
> **************************************
Donna, your "Ice Cream in the Sink" (at the bottom of my post) varies
quite substantially from what's published in Zesty Contras (1983). Who
did your version come from?
See http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/327-ice-cream-in-the…
I like to include a circle mixer and usually put it as the second
dance of the evening, rather than the third. I have no problem with
using them for social engineering. I use simple mixers, so I figure
this is something appropriate for quite early in the evening. I just
don't run them very long.
As a dancer, I personally really enjoy the whole-hall feeling of a
circle that especially comes from those simple circles and into the
middle. I find there's special challenge and enjoyment to dancing a
simple dance zestily. Some halls and crowds are not so conducive to
them. I do like them at the end of dance weekend for that same feeling
that Donna mentions.
I like:
- Ted Sanella's "Cabot School Mixer" (already mentioned here)
- traditional "La Bastringue" (though this is simple, it's got a long
swing, so pros & cons for beginners)
- traditional "Circassian Circle" (I use this more when there is a
high proportion of beginners)
- a dance I got from "Lars" in Fairbanks in 1983:
I call it "Fairbanks No-name Mixer"
starting formation: gents face out, ladies face in
A1: In your inner or outer group: Circle left (away from partner), Circle right
A2: Partner dosido, Corner ("somebody new") see saw (left shoulder dosido)
B1: Corner balance & swing
B2: Same one promenade
(Ladies continue in this direction to circle, Gents reverse direction)
Note: this formation needs a good number of dancers, and may be useful
if your hall is more full, however, encourage the men to step right
out to the dosidos, and to step back in for the circles. Typically the
ladies struggle a bit to form their circle; encourage them not to stop
moving at the end of the promenade.
These (above) are the four circle mixers I use the most (I don't call
often enough in one place for them to become boring -- I think!).
- a dance I got from Susan Michaels of L.A. that I don't have a name
for, either. It's initially slightly more challenging for beginners
who don't have their left and rights sorted out.
A1: partner (right shoulder) dosido, allemande left the one on the left
A2: partner (left shoulder) seesaw, allemande right the one on the right
B1: partner balance & swing
B2: partner promenade (8 counts); [ladies turn back &] gents move up
to next partner
An interesting mixer that I collected when Susan Michaels called it in
the second half of a dance once was this (and I don't have a name or
author for this, too...?):
Starting formation: Varsouvienne hold, facing LOD
A1: Promenade forward, turn to reverse
Promenade back and form a wavy ring (keep R hands with ptnr,
ladies face in)
A2: Balance R&L, slide Right; Balance L&R, slide Left
B1: Partner turn by Right 1-1/2
previous partner gypsy by LEFT shoulder
Partner pass by Right
B2: Next person balance & swing
I have a whole 'nother set of stuff for one night stands & family dances.
~ Becky Nankivell
Tucson, Arizona & Long Beach, California
Donna Calhoun wrote ( Sun, 4 Mar 2012 09:22)
Ice Cream in the Sink..... Kathy Hirsh
Circle mixer
A1) Into the center and back
Into the center, gents turn to face partner, pousette back
A2) Do-si-do partner
Right Allemande partner
B1) Left shoulder do-si-do partner
Left Allemande partner
B2) Promenade the ring, gents turn back
Swing new partner
A few years ago a caller ended our annual weekend event with this. The
great partner interaction gave us a wonderful 30 second interlude to
wish all of our partners farewell.
Ice cream in the sink. I have had this in my collection for many years. I am not sure where or when i collected it. When I first began collecting dances I was less diligent about getting dance names and authors.
>
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2012 13:37:48 -0700
> From: Becky Nankivell <becky4dance(a)gmail.com>
> To: Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Sharing Mixers
> Message-ID:
> <CA+vO6xbCwyZmt3dPdjFedUOm+kpAbikT1ipZYW72HTic1JOh-w(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Donna, your "Ice Cream in the Sink" (at the bottom of my post) varies
> quite substantially from what's published in Zesty Contras (1983). Who
> did your version come from?
>
> See http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/327-ice-cream-in-the…
>
> I like to include a circle mixer and usually put it as the second
> dance of the evening, rather than the third. I have no problem with
> using them for social engineering. I use simple mixers, so I figure
> this is something appropriate for quite early in the evening. I just
> don't run them very long.
>
> As a dancer, I personally really enjoy the whole-hall feeling of a
> circle that especially comes from those simple circles and into the
> middle. I find there's special challenge and enjoyment to dancing a
> simple dance zestily. Some halls and crowds are not so conducive to
> them. I do like them at the end of dance weekend for that same feeling
> that Donna mentions.
>
> I like:
> - Ted Sanella's "Cabot School Mixer" (already mentioned here)
> - traditional "La Bastringue" (though this is simple, it's got a long
> swing, so pros & cons for beginners)
> - traditional "Circassian Circle" (I use this more when there is a
> high proportion of beginners)
>
> - a dance I got from "Lars" in Fairbanks in 1983:
>
> I call it "Fairbanks No-name Mixer"
> starting formation: gents face out, ladies face in
>
> A1: In your inner or outer group: Circle left (away from partner), Circle right
> A2: Partner dosido, Corner ("somebody new") see saw (left shoulder dosido)
> B1: Corner balance & swing
> B2: Same one promenade
> (Ladies continue in this direction to circle, Gents reverse direction)
>
> Note: this formation needs a good number of dancers, and may be useful
> if your hall is more full, however, encourage the men to step right
> out to the dosidos, and to step back in for the circles. Typically the
> ladies struggle a bit to form their circle; encourage them not to stop
> moving at the end of the promenade.
>
> These (above) are the four circle mixers I use the most (I don't call
> often enough in one place for them to become boring -- I think!).
>
> - a dance I got from Susan Michaels of L.A. that I don't have a name
> for, either. It's initially slightly more challenging for beginners
> who don't have their left and rights sorted out.
>
> A1: partner (right shoulder) dosido, allemande left the one on the left
> A2: partner (left shoulder) seesaw, allemande right the one on the right
> B1: partner balance & swing
> B2: partner promenade (8 counts); [ladies turn back &] gents move up
> to next partner
>
> An interesting mixer that I collected when Susan Michaels called it in
> the second half of a dance once was this (and I don't have a name or
> author for this, too...?):
>
> Starting formation: Varsouvienne hold, facing LOD
> A1: Promenade forward, turn to reverse
> Promenade back and form a wavy ring (keep R hands with ptnr,
> ladies face in)
> A2: Balance R&L, slide Right; Balance L&R, slide Left
> B1: Partner turn by Right 1-1/2
> previous partner gypsy by LEFT shoulder
> Partner pass by Right
> B2: Next person balance & swing
>
> I have a whole 'nother set of stuff for one night stands & family dances.
>
> ~ Becky Nankivell
> Tucson, Arizona & Long Beach, California
>
> Donna Calhoun wrote ( Sun, 4 Mar 2012 09:22)
>
> Ice Cream in the Sink..... Kathy Hirsh
> Circle mixer
>
> A1) Into the center and back
> Into the center, gents turn to face partner, pousette back
> A2) Do-si-do partner
> Right Allemande partner
> B1) Left shoulder do-si-do partner
> Left Allemande partner
> B2) Promenade the ring, gents turn back
> Swing new partner
>
> A few years ago a caller ended our annual weekend event with this. The
> great partner interaction gave us a wonderful 30 second interlude to
> wish all of our partners farewell.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
>
One comment was that some mixers don't allow you to meet enough new
people.
This is a traditional English dance (I am told) that has been claimed by
various other countries. It is easy, fun and only 16 bars, so you dance
with twice as many people:
La Chappeloise
http://www.webfeet.org/eceilidh/dances/la-chapelloise.html
And this one has you dancing with FIVE people for each 32 bars:
Moving Along by Ray Dawson
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greenery/BarnDances/BigCircles.html
I wrote this one where you get to dance with the 2nd and 4th people as
you move around the circle. It is for more experienced dancers.
Two & Four (by John Sweeney)
Circle Mixer
A1: Circle Left
Into the middle and back with a Neighbour Roll Away with a Half
Sashay (Man rolls Lady from Left to Right)
A2: Into the middle and back with a Neighbour Roll Away with a Half
Sashay (Man rolls next Lady from Left to Right) - face this one:
New Partner Allemande Right 1 & 1/2 to Alamo Wave (Men facing out)
B1: Balance the Wave (R/L); Rory O'More
Balance the Wave (L/R); Rory O'More
B1: Swing Through (1/2 Allemande R; 1/2 Allemande L)
Swing the Next
Or if you want something different, get the band to play something with
a Latin feel and try this:
Pa' Bailar III (by John Sweeney)
Circle Mixer
Start in Wide Hold - face to face, both arms stretched out horizontally
facing around the circle - men on the inside
A1: Tango counter clockwise and back - wide hold: Feet go: Side,
Through, Side, Behind, Side, Through, Side, Tap - repeat to return
A2: Partner Two-Hand Turn; Partner Dosido
B1: Partner Allemande Right 1 & 1/4 to an Alamo Wave - Men facing out,
Ladies facing in
Balance the Wave L/R/L/R (Left is your New Partner)
B2: New Partner: Slide past into a Gyspy Meltown - finish facing around
in Wide Hold
You may know the move in A1 as a Grapevine or a Columbian or a Zigzag.
I encourage improvisation, for example shimmy down and up instead of
swinging!
This one mentioned earlier I have as Cincinnati Reel:
A1: partner (right shoulder) dosido, allemande left the one on the left
A2: partner (left shoulder) seesaw, allemande right the one on the right
B1: partner balance & swing
B2: partner promenade (8 counts); [ladies turn back &] gents move up to
next partner
See http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greenery/BarnDances/BigCircles.html
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
