Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

33 participants
4404 discussions

by John Sweeney

Hi Beth, As I said at the beginning of my post, I apologise for anything I may have misunderstood. It looks as though I may have not understood exactly where you were suggesting that the lady should place her hand. And I still don't understand statements such as "make him pull her through the swing" and "holding on to the gent a little bit so that he isn't the only one working during the swing". If you both keep your own balance and work the swing with your feet, then the upper bodies should be an effortless, relaxed symmetrical, counter-balanced, coupling that both parties can enjoy. I suspect we won't get any further with this discussion unless we continue it on the dance floor. I am sure you are a wonderful swinger and I look forward to meeting you on the dance floor somewhere, somewhen - we vacation in the US every year and visit contra dance weekends and local clubs as much as possible. Yes, we do have high-energy contras in the UK - but they are much rarer than in the US. Yes, there are lots of more sedate swingers at the local Folk Dance Clubs - many of them are in the 70s and 80s - and many of them swing beautifully. The regular Ceilidh dancers would be most upset that you think them inexperienced - there are many who go regularly to ceilidhs and are excellent dancers. And there is a much wider variety of swings at ceilidhs, such as traveling swings and hornpipe swings (when the music is at 80bpm instead of 120bpm the buzz-step doesn't work - you need to do a step hop and need different connection), plus lots of stepping. And across all the different types of event on both sides of the Atlantic, I generally find that there is a complete range of swinging skills, from excellent to terrible. As in the US, there are lots of One Night Stand type events (barn dances (but often called ceilidhs) at weddings, parties, community gatherings, etc.) where virtually all the attendees are beginners. - - - - - Marianne then said: "I've found that the most comfortable position for my partner and me is for us both to have our hand on the other's shoulder blade (that is to say, on the back rather than the top of the shoulder)." I know lots of people who find that very uncomfortable - they can't reach, or can, but only by clamping down the man's arm. And it does, sadly, mean that a clockwise exit from the swing is dangerous, if not impossible. "Push gently there" WHY? You have just created a beautiful, relaxed symmetrical, counter-balance with your partner, the man's right hand is on the lady's left shoulder-blade to ensure that you stay connected when centrifugal force increases. Why push? If you push with your back it makes the other person's arm tired. If you push with your hand, no matter how gently, it causes discomfort. Why push? "the woman might have her whole arm draped down the man's with a bit of tension pressing down" No, you don't need to press down - it has no beneficial effect and causes discomfort - as does putting your hand on the side of his arm and pressing in - something that lots of ladies do - again, no benefit, lots of discomfort! "but I haven't seen it work well in contra unless the woman is experienced enough to dance upright and bear her own weight" You don't have to be experienced to dance upright and bear your own weight. We have all been doing it since we started walking! It only becomes a problem when beginners are taught to lean or misunderstand terms like "give weight". I always start a buzz-step swing instructional by getting the dancers to practise turning fast alone with a buzz-step, so that they learn to keep their own balance. - - - - - - - Sorry if I sound a bit passionate about this topic, but I love swinging, and have had so many bad experiences because of ladies who push, pull, lean, drag, lift, squeeze, strangle, clamp, grip, dig in or hang off the man! I have had two shoulder operations - I am hoping that I won't have to have any more! 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, Instructional DVDs and Interactive Maps http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

The more I read the comments in this discussion, the more I start humming lyrics to an old Bob Dylan song: "You're right from your side and I'm right from mine." Some folks are clearly on the side of not having newcomers' workshops at all. Others think they're fine but should focus on various social aspects of dance. Others think that a major emphasis should be put on teaching figures; some think that there should be a lot of figures taught; others, only a few. Some see it as vital that new dancers learn how to do a buzz step swing and others say, no, stick to just a walking step swing. What I like best about the discussion is that it indicates that callers are clearly thinking about these issues. To my mind, that's the most important thing. In the same way that it's possible for different dance series to have different visions of How The Dance Should Be, so, too, it's possible for folks to have a different vision for the start of an evening. When I'm asked to call at a location away from home, I sometimes am asked to teach a beginners' workshop and sometimes there's a local person teaching it. If the latter, I make a point to attend. Sometimes I cringe at what I hear and the approach taken; other times I walk away impressed at how effective the teacher was. Take another aspect of calling... on this list, I suspect that callers will say that they aim to call a few times through a danceI and then get out of the way, to let the dancers dance to the music without intrustive calls. Indeed, I've been thanked on occasion by dancers for efficient teaching and for such brief prompts. (On occasion, I'll teach the first part of a dance and then will just say, "And the rest will give you no problem..." and cut the walkthrough short. I've also been thanked by dancers for continuing to call: "Too many callers just stop calling after three or four times through the dance; I really appreciated the way that you continued to call... I was able to get through the dance without problems thanks to that." In short, there's more than one good way to approach these issues. Different dancers have different needs, and different callers find good-- and different-- ways of meeting those needs. David Millstone Lebanon, NH P.S. As a historical note, I think it worth pointing out the concept of workshops before the dances is a relatively recent phenomenon... maybe 25 years old, but probably more like 10-15 years. (I'd be interested to hear from others around the country on when they think these introductory sessions began in their neighborhood.) To be sure, going back into earlier centuries, there were dancing masters and classes, but I'm talking about twentieth century social dances, at least in the part of New England about which I know the most. People just came to the dance and learned as they went; that's certainly what happened at community square dances; where contras were done, which was a relatively small number of venues, there wasn't such an introduction in places such as Nelson, NH, and at Dudley dances throughout the late 1960s and into the 1970s, the events that (IMHO) were the primary jumping off point for making contras a much more popular dance form. It might be worth speculating on what led to the introduction of such workshops...why folks came to feel that they were necessary. Changes in the dance programs? In the folks coming to the dances? in the caller's expectations of what they hoped to accomplish in the course of the evening? broader societal / cultural changes? But all of that is grounds for starting a new thread, so if anyone is interested in picking it up, I hope they'll change the subject line.

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Re Swinging

by Marianne Tatom Letts

I've found that the most comfortable position for my partner and me is for us both to have our hand on the other's shoulder blade (that is to say, on the back rather than the top of the shoulder). Push gently there and you can get around as fast as you like without either person getting injured. I never, ever tell the woman to put her hand on top of the man's shoulder blade. This may be appropriate for ballroom, in which the woman might have her whole arm draped down the man's with a bit of tension pressing down, but I haven't seen it work well in contra unless the woman is experienced enough to dance upright and bear her own weight. It's a recipe for disaster for a beginner, IMHO, as is telling her to grab his arm. Beginners panic and start squeezing, harder and harder, if the swing is fast or they feel otherwise unsteady on their feet. When I teach my newcomers' workshop, I include "ways to hurt your partner": -woman's hand on the top of the man's shoulder, pushing down and throwing him off balance (draping the hand isn't any better, since that means he has to support all of her weight) -Vulcan nerve pinch (same as above but with directed pinching motion in that soft spot between the top of the shoulder and the neck) -woman's hand gripping the man's upper arm (gripping harder and harder if he swings faster) -woman pushing against the man's chest in an attempt to create distance (he's having to support her because she really will fall off otherwise) -man digging his fingers into the woman's lower back (going for the kidneys?) -either partner gripping the pointy hand, with or without a pumping motion (should be either relaxed, loose hold, if you're relying on the other hand/shoulder blade combo for support) or have light, positive tension Then there's all the ways people can position the rest of their bodies so it's uncomfortable for either or both. -crab walk (woman is somehow walking backwards; can be fixed by angling more toward the man) -man's hand on waist instead of shoulder blade (doesn't help with balance, can be painful and/or inappropriate) -woman's chest pressing against the man's arm or body (difficult to correct without saying "please get your boobs off me" -- and I suspect many men won't bother correcting this one, either because they're embarrassed or because they're enjoying it; it's awkward for me to correct verbally when I'm leading too) -head down, looking at feet (throws whole frame off and creates dizziness) -hopping and/or raising knees too high in an attempt at a buzz step (which is why I demonstrate the buzz step but suggest they keep to a walking step) -noodle arms I'm sure I'm leaving out things, but this is what springs to mind. I demo some of these bad moves (with exaggeration and humor) when showing the swing with an experienced partner, then correct around the teaching circle as needed. -Marianne

14 years, 1 month

Assistance needed with replying to thread topics...

by Sargon de Jesus

I know this has been discussed a couple times before, but I can't find the discussion. How can someone with the callers digest reply to a chain? Must it always appear as a new thread? Any suggestions or step-by-step would be great! Thanks! -Sargon

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation

by Sargon de Jesus

Hmm...lots of comments about teaching. I must say that I don't agree with all of them :-) First, about implied comments in a workshop. While I agree that nonverbal speech is important, we shouldn't promote it over the content of what is said. If we really go down that path, we might as well consider what clothes you wear, whether you speak with an accent, and what side you part your hair (anybody else remember some people mentioning that was why Al Gore lost the election in 2000?). Should your nonverbal speech overpower the things you say -- it's just as likely it's because of the things you're saying as it is your nonverbal impressions. Furthermore, if a dance is setting aside time for an introductory workshop and organizers advertise it in promotional material, then having new dancers go through figures is absolutely positively not a "waste of time." Honestly, as a dancer -- if I'm going to bother to cut my dinner short so I get to the dance early, I'm not expecting to sit around and listen to a pep talk of how wonderful the dance is going to be. I want to know what I'll be doing and how I'll be doing it. If I wanted to learn on the fly, I would have showed up at the start time at the dance. There is an implicit understanding that if people show up early they want some value added...someone to show them the ropes in a low-pressure situation. While we understand all contra dancing to be low pressure, first-time dancers (especially those who have never danced anything but the Macarena) are petrified...as testified by many of my friends and colleagues I've tried to drag to dances. We owe them a physical heads up on what to expect just as much as we ought to build up their confidence. Second, I'm surprised at all the suggestions about weight, buzzstep, and eye contact. Personally, when I do introductory workshops, I want to equip new dancers with the tools that will make them more likely to succeed. I don't think giving weight and eye contact are necessarily a part of that. And having them go through the motions of "buzzstep" can be an instant turnoff for many people who feel as though they "can't dance." As experienced dancers, those are the things WE value in a great dance or great dance partner...the smoothness, the connection -- it's exciting TO US. But I think by and large, beginner dancers want to just be at the right place at the right time. We can all remember countless movie scenes, where the incompetent dancer leads his partner into every nearby couple, who proceed to glare disapprovingly. That's every non-dancer's nightmare. So my vote is to get them to face the right direction during a swing, walk with their feet facing the right direction, and where to end up when it's over. All the bells and whistles of contra can come later. That's not to say I wouldn't mention the concepts of weight, buzzstep, or eye contact, but they are not central to a beginner's learning and doesn't make them more or less able to do a dance. Alert them to the existence of such things, but then leave it to them to pick it up instinctively throughout the night. They'll be dancing with dozens of partners who can impart the suggestions for more eye contact, weight, or other enhancements to the dance. It behooves other dancers to coax them along with those details, but from the get-go, I think those topics are about as useful as telling them that it's customary in circles for the gent's hand to be on the bottom and the lady's on top --- they'll figure it out! For my part, I try to use as many "location" type verbal cues especially early on in my calling: up/down/across. Get newbies cued in to how to find where they are and where the calls suggest they go. I try to remind them about how to locate themselves, where to stand, gents left/ladies right -- basically giving them the tools so that even if they're lost in the *figure* of the dance, they're not lost on where they are on the floor. The "contra grid" is so etched in our minds, I think it's often hard to realize there was a time we didn't understand it :-D Anyway, enough of my diatribe...just had to comment on this thread! -Sargon

14 years, 1 month

Re Swinging

by John Sweeney

What a great discussion - some wonderful ideas and quotes to use. But I am afraid that I don't agree with everything that has been said, and I see some people have also already sent in some dissenting comments to some of the statements that have been made. Please forgive me if I have misunderstood anything, but the written word is not the best way to communicate, and American English v UK English can sometimes be a challenge as well. Someone said: "The ladies put their left hand over the gent's shoulder" I don't believe that it is a good idea to tell the lady to put her hand over the gent's shoulder. 1) Quite often the length of the man's arm and the relative heights and position of the bodies mean that it is not easy for the lady to reach there, so she ends up pulling him too close. 2) What is she going to do with it when she puts it there? She shouldn't be using it to hang on with as she should be keeping her own balance. 3) If you want to add any interesting variations, during the swing, or on the exit, then the lady's hand being stuck behind the man means you are very limited in what you can do without dislocating her shoulder. A MUCH better position for the lady's hand is resting gently on the man's upper arm so that she can turn in either direction easily. "and lean back very gently." I find it VERY dangerous to suggest to anyone that they should lean in any part of the dance. A swing should be an effortless, relaxed symmetrical, counter-balanced, coupling that both parties can enjoy. You are responsible for your own balance at all times in a dance. If you let go in a swing then you will move backwards because of centrifugal force, but you shouldn't fall over. Leaning back commits part of your weight to your partner who then has to waste their energy trying to stop you falling over; it takes them off balance and is very tiring. "If they can't hold themselves up, their hand is in the wrong place." They shouldn't be trying to hold themselves up by using their partner - that is what their legs are for! "Then I place the gent's hands and point out to the ladies that if it's uncomfortable they should tell the gent, as he probably won't know if you don't tell him." Absolutely, but you should also tell the men to let the ladies know if it is uncomfortable. The ladies can be just as bad - I have met ones who push, pull, lean, drag, lift, squeeze, strangle, clamp, grip, dig in or hang off the man! "Push gently against those pointy hands." Why? The connection is through the man's right hand on the lady's left shoulder-blade. Any tension you put into your other hands is wasted energy, and prevents interesting variations and exits (see article reference below). Someone else said: "The upper back remains essentially upright," Yes. "but pressing into the hands wrapped around them." Why? The man places his hand gently on the lady's left shoulder-blade. They spin. Centrifugal force will generate some pressure at the connection point. Why do you want any more? Pressing in causes discomfort and is completely unnecessary. I prefer to say gentle counter-balance rather than counter-weight - changes the emphasis to be more positive. The swing should be relaxed and the only tension you need to put into it is the minimum necessary to overcome the centrifugal force. It is dancing, not wrestling! :-) There have also been lots of references to "giving weight". This is a technical dance term, useful in a dance studio for certain dance styles when there is plenty of time to teach what it really means; but it is too easily misunderstood, resulting in people thinking that they have to lean backwards or pull. I try to avoid the term. I swing very fast and do countless variations of entry, swing-type, and exit. But only if my partner is balanced and relaxed! Otherwise I go for a slow swing and try to protect myself from injury. For a much fuller description of how I teach swinging please see: http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#swinging And more about technique in the article below it: http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#connection If you like either of those articles and want to use them you will find a downloaded PDF just below each article. If you want to improve your twirls (as in Ladies' Chains) and swing variations/entries/exits then you may find this article useful: http://www.modernjive.com/history/tension.html It was written for a different dance style, but the principles still apply. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England <mailto:john@modernjive.com> john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 <http://www.modernjive.com> http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events, Instructional DVDs and Interactive Maps <http://www.contrafusion.co.uk> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

14 years, 1 month

Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation (Was: Head Mikes and Mike Heads)

by Greg McKenzie

I meant to post this to the entire list. Here it is. - Greg ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 9:50 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Head Mikes and Mike Heads To: Lewis Land <lewisland(a)windstream.net> Lewis wrote: I have to ask, what's the point of newcomers instruction if you're not going to teach a few basic dance figures to the novices? I can testify from much personal experience that some of those newcomers would end up standing frozen, terrified, and immobile after the music starts if they haven't had adequate instruction about the most common dance figures. I can only assume that Greg calls to a much more experienced crowd, where there are more seasoned dancers who can assist the novices. Good question. The answer is an involved area which can't be addressed here in any depth. But here are a few things to think about: Whenever a speaker talks to an audience it is the nonverbal component of her speech that has the greatest impact. Explicit instructions carry little weight compared to the implicit messages in the speaker's demeanor, voice inflection, tone, word choices, and actions. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say.” As human beings we always look for hidden or implied messages in what others say. This is a natural part of how we communicate. We look for implied messages because they tell us what the speaker is really thinking, rather than what the speaker wants to present as a public persona. This is how cognitive frames are communicated and learned. You cannot not communicate. I don't want you to think I'm being critical or making too many assumptions. But it might help to examine some of the implied messages in your own comments. They are typical of most callers. Here are some conclusions one can make about the mental frame you have activated concerning first-time contra dancers: - At least some first-timers are likely to be "frozen, terrified, and immobile" at their first contra dance; - First-timers need to have either a "seasoned dancer" to assist them or separate "instruction" in order to avoid embarrassment or public failure: - "Seasoned dancers" are not readily available and/or are not inclined to partner with first-timers. This framing, and these ideas, are common amongst callers. The assumptions are that there will be many first-timers dancing together. Please put aside, for a moment, your opinion about whether or not these ideas are "true" and focus on the effect of these ideas upon those in the room who are looking for your implied messages. If you "believe" these ideas then there is no way you can conceal that fact from the dancers. None of us here is that good at deception. Your nonverbal and implied meanings will be obvious and almost everyone in the room will pick up on the implied messages and respond accordingly. The frame you have thus evoked in the brains of the dancers is, frankly, a rather dreadful one. For first-timers it is a frame in which they may very well fail and embarrass themselves in a public dance hall. Those who could help them are not that inclined to do so and this is why newcomers need separate organized instruction to reduce their chances of failure. Some of them, nevertheless, will fail. For your regular dancers the frame is also rather bleak. A small group of "seasoned dancers" are encouraged to partner with first-timers and should view this, not as an enjoyable experience, but rather as a duty. There is a good possibility that their novice partner will fail, and the "seasoned dancer" will then be a part of that. If you are not a "seasoned dancer" you should probably avoid partnering with first-timers. This is a self-fulfilling prophesy in action. Your expectations are being projected into the hall because of the frame you have activated in your own brain. How can you avoid this situation? The answer is to change the frame in your own brain to one that will assume the success of everyone in the hall. Assume that anyone with one night of experience dancing contras is qualified to partner with first-timers and that you will make that an enjoyable and successful experience. Assume that all of the regulars enjoy partnering with first-timers who are confident and ready to learn. Assume that all of the first-timers are fully prepared to partner with the regulars without any separate training. Assume that you will call appropriate dances so precisely and clearly that everyone will be able to dance confidently after only one walk-through. Making these kind of assumptions could be called delusional. It could also be called leadership. It depends upon the frame you are activating. These assumptions are not "true" or "false." It is about crafting a positive vision of the regular dancers, the first-timers, and the entire evening and projecting that vision into the room. It is about inspiring confidence in others by assuming your own success. It is, actually, the only way you will be able to accomplish your goal of calling well. Now, back to your question. If you are successful at making the above assumptions and if you are successful at adopting that frame about the regular dancers, the first-timers, and your own calling, you will recognize that teaching figures to the first-timers in a separate orientation is not only a wast of time. It also sends negative messages to all of the dancers in the hall. When you assume that all of the first-timers are going to be partnered with regular dancers, you will know that teaching the figures will take no longer than the time it takes for you to call out the name of each figure. Actually, it is the regulars who will "teach" the figures--and they will do it much more quickly and effectively than you could in any separate orientation session. Many of the comments and actions of callers are based upon expectations about the dancers that are not positive. If you think the dancers don't pick up on these implications you will not be able to call well. All callers need to foster a positive view of the dancers in the hall. When those assumptions are a part of your framing the situation will change and the implied messages being projected into the hall will also change. This is a powerful strategy to integrate the dance hall and to make your task as a caller much easier. Just a thought, Greg McKenzie

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation

by Marianne Tatom Letts

When I teach a newcomers' session, I focus on feeling that connection with the other dancers through shared weight. Generally we have 30 minutes scheduled but it takes enough time to get a quorum that I have only 15-20 minutes to teach the basics. 1. stand in circle, hold hands, raise toes to feel that the other dancers are helping support your weight 2. walk around the circle with slightly tensed arms, then noodle arms, to convey the difference 3. face partner around the circle and practice feeling the same kind of "positive tension" via allemandes (progress to new partner several times) 4. swing demo with experienced dancer in the middle so all can see that hands are on shoulder blades and right feet are lined up 5. if available, have trusted, experienced dancers go around to correct what people are doing in their swings (I do the same); progress several times; emphasize how to decline a fast swing by dragging feet slightly or using a walking step, or saying "I'm getting dizzy"; also emphasize hydrating and looking at a fixed point on the partner's face 6. if time permits, line up for a contra dance and go over progression with small circles rotating, then balancing, then passing through 7. if time permits, face across the set for ladies chain and R/L through (explained as "only the ladies change places" or "both couples change places"); this allows me to show the corkscrew twirl (with a trusted, experienced dancer I know won't hurt me) and how either party can decline a twirl At the end of the teaching session I tell them they've passed Contra Dancing 101 and it's time for a real dance. I like to call a dance with a hey for #3 on the program so I can give my famed hey tutorial. 1. take the place of someone in a set with otherwise experienced dancers 2. demo the hey with all weaving/looping 3. feign look of terrified new dancer, walk across in a straight line, turn and come back while the others weave around me, emphasizing that if you come back to where you started then you've done a hey 4. have the sets practice the hey once, then finish the walk-through and progress so they can practice with a new group; I almost always do two quick walk-throughs and then start the dance w/o rolling back. Cheers! -Marianne (Seattle)

14 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

Following up on posts by Greg and Michael, I, too, don't focus on figures. Careful introduction of figures during the course of the dance allows new dancers to learn gradually the vocabulary of figures. More important than figures at such a pre-dance session is: Welcome! We're delighted you're here! followed by some tips that will help folks have a good time. I try to keep the tone light, with lots of humor. "At some point in the evening, probably near the start, you'll find yourself being asked to dance by someone you don't know. You first instinct may be to protest, 'I don't know what I'm doing!' Believe me, they already know that. [inevitably leads to a laugh from the dancers] That's why they asked you to dance. That's how we all learned. No one in this hall was born knowing how to do this." "It's possible that some of you are thinking, 'I don't want to ruin it for everyone in the hall.' All I can say about that is that you must have a pretty strong ego, to think that you have the power to ruin this for everyone else!" "At some point in the dance, you may get completely lost. This happens to all of us at some point. Here's my three-step guide for what to do when that happens: Smile. Keep your head up and your eyes open. Hold out both hands like this. [demo] That makes it easier for the folks around you-- your partner or your neighbor-- to help you get to where you need to be." David Millstone Lebanon, NH

14 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Heys Where Partners Meet

by David.Millstone＠VALLEY.NET

In Chris's extensive list, I noted Ted Sannella's dance "Bonny Jean." Named for Ted's wife, Jean, the dance was composed in 1975, and Ted said that as far as he knew it was the first modern contra dance to incorporate a hey for four. In my experience, heys didn't start to enter the contra repertoire very much until the 1980s, when it could take a very long time indeed to teach the unfamilar figure to dancers. Similarly, Ted's "Fiddleheads" incorporated a Petronella twirl decades before others started to explore that possibility. I'd recommend to any callers on the list who are not familiar with his two collections-- "Balance and Swing" and "Swing the Next"--that they obtain copies. They're available from CDSS and are very useful additions to any caller's library. David Millstone Lebanon, NH

14 years, 2 months

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