Contra Callers

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21 participants
4391 discussions

by Joe Harrington

I've been calling less than a year, so I'm still learning. One problem I have is that, when looking at a written-out dance, I'm consistently underestimating the difficulty for newbies. My group is about 50% newbies every week, and it isn't large, usually about 20 dancers at peak. Last week, I thought Al's Safeway Produce would be accessible, as it has just allemande, swing, circle, long lines, and star. But, the star-to-star progression was more than they could do, because the stars were poorly synchronized and we're gender-neutral, so people didn't realize whether the people coming at them were the right ones to dance with or not, and stars quickly started having the wrong members and the wrong number of members. (I should have given up after six walkthroughs, I didn't, and that's another lesson learned.) So, I'm looking for a better set of rules to identify an easy dance than the set I'm currently using, which is basically: glossary moves only, mostly connected moves, and enough recovery moves (long swings, etc.). A recent thread generated a list of such dances, which has been useful. But, I'm going through lists of dances people like (like the ones posted on this list, the CDNY list that Bob Isaacs compiled, and others posted online) and looking for ones I can call to my group, especially early in the night. What would you add to this list of rules that, if satisfied, indicate a dance is likely easy-peasy? Easy-Peasy Dances Suitable for New Dancers Right Out of the Lesson... Have only very basic moves found in most dances, or at most one more that is simple to teach. Have mostly connected moves. Have at least two moves where dancers can recover from recent mistakes (e.g., balance and swing). Don't spin too much (at most one 16-count swing, better none). Are improper or possibly Beckett (if the dance is quite simple). Keep the dancers within their minor set until the progression. Have a simple progression. Have a progression where the neighbors are likely to be there. Have a progression that recovers easily if messed up (e.g., followed by recovery move). Progress at the end of the dance. What else to add? Thanks, --jh-- Joe Harrington Organizer, Greater Orlando Contra Dance Faculty Advisor, Contra Knights, the UCF contra dancing club contraknights.org FB, Ig: Contra Knights contradancerjoe(a)gmail.com

2 years, 6 months

Contras for a Crowd that does not Swing

by Rich Sbardella

Friends, I have been asked to lead an intro to contra dance session at a square dance convention. I will have time to lead 3-4 contras, and I am looking for suggestions. My main concern is that most modern square dancers do not swing, they simply twirl under. With that in mind, I need contras which have no more than an eight count swing yet reflect the spirit of the modern contra scene. One major difference between contra dance and MWSD is square dancers are not trained to dance to the phrase of the music. I will most likely begin with a circle mixer to encourage a full 8 count swing and to emphasize dancing to the phrase. I am not looking for contra dances with MWSD basics, but rather typical contra basics. Any suggestions? I can certainly find some among my collection, but perhaps there is a gem I might miss. Thanks, Rich Sbardella Stafford, CT

2 years, 6 months

Re: Dances Crafted for a Tune

by John Rogers

Here’s one I wrote in 2006: Jump at the Sun A1)Cir L 0.75, Pass through, next N DSD 1.25 A2) Rory o More: Balance in wave, Slide R, Bal wave, slide to L. B1) Pull by that N by RH to start a full hey B2) Same N AR 0.75, W cross by LS, P Sw. Written 2006, at the suggestion of Emil Olguin, specifically for the jig of the same name. However, I have called and danced it to other music, and haven't found anything that doesn't work. (Rory O'More and Petronella work very well.) I have had discussions with other callers as to whether the the first move in B1 is a half allemande or a pull-by, and I have come to realize that men and women experience this move differently. For the men, it is a pull-by, leading into a hey with no direction change. Women, after the move in question, need to turn to their right to face in for the hey, so to them it feels more like a half allemande. Certainly, teaching it as a half allemande establishes the floor pattern unambiguously. However, when watching the dancers, I see that they tend to use a shake-hands grip (forearms parallel to the dance floor) during the dance. Because of the different grip required, I teach the dance as noted above. Both work, take your pick. Sent from my iPad > On Mar 8, 2023, at 8:02 PM, Don Veino via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > I'm looking for recommendations for contras written to specifically match a given tune, square or crooked. Obviously, there's singing squares, the Chestnuts and some well known examples like David Kaynor's Cherokee Shuffle. I'm looking for other examples of excellent "modern era" dances perfectly crafted to fit an outstanding or unusual tune - such that it surpasses the standard "pick the dance, then a suitable tune" approach to foster dance floor joy. > > I've written a few such dances but would love to augment my repertoire with others. > > Thanks, > Don > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net

2 years, 6 months

The Spiral Dance

by Hannah Chamberlain

Greeting callers! I am calling a friend's wedding this weekend and she requested "the spiral dance," a circle dance where at some point one person leads everyone into a spiral (or, optionally, anywhere around the hall?). I think I've danced it before, but I'm having a hard time finding a name or notes on how to call it. Can anyone share a version with me? Thanks in advance, Hannah Chamberlain (outside of) Portland, ME

2 years, 6 months

Dreamed of a dance?

by Luke Donforth

I'll admit, I occasionally dream calling nightmares. Not usually in line with anything that has or may happen, just awkward situations where I'm calling and things are problematic. Last night the dream was that a member of the band kept stopping the dance to explain to the dancers how the dance SHOULD go. Really weird and not an issue I've actually had. Even David Carpenter (rest his soul) who had strong opinions about chestnuts and would opine from behind his fiddle before playing but not stop a dance in motion. Anyway, upon waking at 4 am and processing said dream, I tried to figure out what dance I'd been calling. It wasn't a challenging dance, and I eventually constructed that it was Becket, ccw A1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right, face new couple A2 (16) Neighbor balance and swing, end facing partner B1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right, B2 (16) Partner balance and swing It reminds me of Midwestern Folklore by Oracle Johnson (and Will You Marry Me by Seth Tepfer) in that it's sort of a half length dance you do twice with neighbor and partner. It would work as an Indecent dance too (although I'm pretty sure I was calling it in Becket) : A1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right A2 (16) Partner balance and swing B1 (8) Long lines forward and back (8) Balance the ring, petronella one place to the right, face new couple B2 (16) New neighbor balance and swing You could even line them up improper and then sneak them into indecent, since the first partner swing fixes it for them. Although if you did that, some folks would probably worry that the twos and ones weren't where they started after one walkthrough; and folks should wait out indecent. Anyway... Looking through my cards, and the online Callers Box, I can't find this dance in either place, in either form. Anybody recognize it? Thanks all. And sweet dreams.

2 years, 6 months

Contras of unusual length?

by Bob Morgan

Hi folks, Any favourite unusual length dances or dances that do unusual things with timings - across the music or unusual figure lengths? I'm thinking dances like Money musk at 24 bars and Major hey at 40 bars for instance. Thanks, Bob

2 years, 6 months

Another dance FOR other playful strategies?

by Michael Fuerst

Here is a dance of mine (which I have called several times) where partners say together, but the calls at a critical moment determines direction and distance of progression. http://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#Unconsoled

2 years, 6 months

Re: Spilled Milk analysis (was Re: Do you add a 'do anything' move into a contra? OR other playful strategies? :) )

by K P

I dunno nuttin but, seems tuh me, iffen a dance needs a PhD dissertation for the explainin, maybe it otta be... given to Maistre Sam for "safekeeping" in the secret library. :) Reminds me of the dance, The Hobbit, which caught me eye but, for the life of me, I can't understand how the end effects are, uh, effected. I sometimes wondered if there's a secret decoder ring that, if worn, illuminates everything. Hey, Baby Rose... wanna dance? :) Ken Panton

2 years, 6 months

Questions about It's a Pirate's Life for Me

by Emily Addison

Hi folks, For those who call It's a Pirate's Life for Me, I'm wondering if you might be able to help with a few questions? 1. I don't have language for describing the A1 very well. I get what's happening for sure but I think there could be little tricks to help cue dancers in flowing through all that action. Might you might have some insight? 2. I have two B2 variations, one attributed to Lisa G and another to Seth T. I'm wondering what B2 you enjoy calling? ROB DSD 1.5 THEN N R shoulder round ! then onto next N ROB Right shoulder round 1.5 /// N R Shoulder round and then onto the next (to begin again), can also do with Als 3. Finally ... the funny question! I remember being at a dance on International Pirate's day. I vaguely remember people yelling 'yarrrrs' at a certain point during this dance. Have you ever experienced this??? It seemed pretty darn fun. :) Thoughts? Thanks for any insight! :) Emily in Ottawa

2 years, 6 months

Re: Spilled Milk analysis (was Re: Do you add a 'do anything' move into a contra? OR other playful strategies? :) )

by Bill Baritompa

Hi Jim and all, This dance intrigued me and I thought I'd try and use a program I wrote ages ago to analyse it. It proved a bit tricky until I realized that the dance really begins with Shadow Bal and Swing. Starting with P Bal and Swing might be what confuses the dancers. Of course as it is a mixer, Partner and Shadow change each time. This link gives screen shots of the dance which illustrates Jim's points. https://youtu.be/pWC51unqhvs Larks shift clockwise 3 places each time, Robins 1 place. With 6 couples dance repeats after 6 times. Over that cycle swing with everyone at A1, swing with 3 at A2, allemand left with the other 3 at B1, chain with everyone at B2. For an odd number of couples, will meet everyone at A2 and B1. What makes this a mixer is that after the first time A1 New Partner (which is the Shadow) bal and swing. This has the effect of moving the Larks one more place clockwise and the Robins one less place than the progression distance of the dance. (eg 3 and 1 resp for Spilled Milk) Any becket that starts with P bal and swing, can be turned into a mixer by replacing with Shadow bal and swing. (It won't necessarily have the nice flow of Spilled Milk, also if the becket is only single progression, the Robins will stay in the same spot!). Cheers, Bill

2 years, 6 months

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Contra Callers