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An idea whose time.... may not have yet arrived, but....

by Bob Green

A sample of a potential archive site. Checking to see if there is any interest. http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/ Bob

14 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] How much is too much? How little is too little?

by Greg McKenzie

Martha, This reminds me of a situation that sometimes comes up when I am calling to halls with lots of first-timers. It involves what I call "excessively helpful" dancers. These are folks who talk to their first-timer partners during the walk-through and will give them instructions while I am still calling. In the worst case these folks will shout instructions to dancers in a different minor set while leaving their own neighbor without a cue as to who they should be dancing with. This draws the confused dancer's attention in the wrong direction and makes many dancers in the general area nervous. Think of someone shouting: "NO! Star with THEM!" These folks are, of course, the very ones who come up to the stage looking frustrated, tell me the dancers in their set were really confused during the last dance, and insist that I need to call "more walk-throughs" or call longer. Sometimes these folks are aspiring callers themselves who feel a need to instruct newcomers. Almost all feedback to callers needs to be interpreted. Listen to the symptoms being described...and take the proposed solution with a grain of salt. My strategy is to: First, make sure that I am calling precisely, clearly, and with impeccable timing. Then I focus on keeping the entire situation light--working to establish an attitude that no one fails and having fun is more important than "getting it right." (Using humor, for example, to lower the stress level allows people to focus on what they are doing.) My third strategy is to walk up to the "excessively helpful" dancer during the break and tell them how much I appreciate the fact that they do not talk to other dancers during the walk-throughs. "That really helps me when I am teaching the dance," I tell them. "Thank you!" It doesn't often have a marked effect. But over time it might...particularly if other callers reinforce the message. Incidentally: Dancers and dancing callers on the floor can sometimes help verbally,...but never while the caller on stage is speaking. After the caller drops out those who can may, when it seems needed, call the dance in the set. But always use well-formed, precise, and timely calls please. And shut up immediately if the caller begins calling again. Just a thought, Greg ************ At 04:00 PM 2/11/2011, Martha wrote: >Thank you! > >This came up because someone told me I had dropped out too early in my dance >- or maybe they meant that some callers recently had dropped out too early, >and they felt they had to work too hard. The complaints were heartfelt, but >vague. > >My dances, as I said, were easy dances we've done tons of times, and I >called most of them 4+2 (four times with full calls and 2 times with >partials), and just a hint here or there after that - mostly after swings. I >tend to call pretty rhythmically, being a musician-type person and all, and >the dancers, in my humble opinion, looked great! There was one time a line >started to break down a bit in one dance so I came back in (called that one >14 times!), but for the most part, I saw nothing amiss -- and I was watching >like a mother hawk -- so I kept my mouth shut. > >The PROBLEM? One dancer told me there were several people who grumbled that >I dropped out. Unless they were grumbling that some other caller in recent >weeks had dropped out. I could never get specifics. > >So I started wondering. At Pinewoods, one famous caller had a policy of not >coming back in - he would just let the lines break down. I can see a small >advantage in that approach - there is a benefit in training your dancers to >be ready to pay attention and remember. That might work, but I have no plan >currently to be the first on my block to test that theory. > >I hasten to add that the dancers showed absolutely no signs of distress >(except during that one dance) -- yet our troupe of new callers said they >had to call the dance in the line or it would have broken down...WHA???? >How the heck is a caller supposed to know that there's a problem if there's >no problem? > >I mean, if a caller were to stop calling, as one friend of mine did, on the >first time in a no-walk-through contra "because it was going so well," that >would be too soon. And if you keep talking long after everyone knows the >dance, that would be too long. > >So, just to be able to say something like "Well the standard is to call four >times (two? six?) for an easy dance in a mostly experienced crowd," would be >useful. No one has to stick to that - there are too many variables. But I'd >still like to know what the common practice is. > >Funny, though - the complaint that callers were dropping out was aimed at >"the callers at the last 3 or 4 dances." I was at those dances, and I did >not have the same complaint - far from it! There were lots of beginners >(New Year's Resolution dancers?) and I had to work hard a few times, but I >take that as part of the fun, or at the very least, the small price I pay >for a steady stream of new and interesting people in my life. But that's >not a good answer to give to someone who took the trouble to give me >feedback. > >So maybe my question is "how long do YOU call easy dances at your regular >dance?" > >M >E > > > >On Fri, Feb 11, 2011 at 4:34 PM, <mhillegonds(a)comcast.net> wrote: > > > Thank you, Mac. I whole-heartedly agree with your approach. > > > > Even if one could formula-ize this, I don't have the brain power to work > > like that. I just try to drop out as quickly as possible after the first > > time through and watch for places I need to reinforce a bit more. > > > > Happy calling! > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com> > > Sender: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net > > Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 14:04:09 > > To: Caller's discussion list<callers(a)sharedweight.net> > > Reply-To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > > Subject: Re: [Callers] How much is too much? How little is too little? > > > > I take a much different approach. There are far too many variables to try > > to > > attach a number to anything. The most important is how the dance is > > designed - > > and I mean each transition - not the whole dance. That is far more > > important > > than the experience level, difficulty of the dance or anything else. For > > example: I often call one night stands with 100% beginners. One really > > popular > > dance is the Patty Cake Polka - a fairly complicated dance for new dancers. > > I > > can call it 2 or 3 times and stop because the dance flows so well. > > > > On contras I generally stop calling one part of the dance at a time - look > > for > > the transitions that are obvious - like going into most swings - everyone > > knows > > when that is coming - so don't call it. Then one by one I drop out other > > calls > > determined by watching the dancers and see what they are doing really well. > > For > > a well designed dance - it doesn't take long to stop altogether. If I see > > that > > some of the dancers are having problems or are late for a move - I throw in > > a > > couple firm calls to try to get them to pay attention to the timing. Some > > dances I never stop calling - but those are usually not the most fun > > dances. > > > > > > Don't try to make rules for this. Watch the dancers - their comfort level > > will > > let you know what you can do. > > > > Mac > > >_______________________________________________ >Callers mailing list >Callers(a)sharedweight.net >http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

14 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 78, Issue 14

by Jerome Grisanti

Chrissy, Seth Tepfer has (at least) two that might fit your needs: Perforated Corners<http://www.dancerhapsody.com/Calling/Dances.html#Corners>- contra corners with waves http://www.dancerhapsody.com/Calling/Dances.html#Corners Black Beards of Vernals<http://www.dancerhapsody.com/Calling/Dances.html#BlackBeards>- contra corners & rory o'more twirls http://www.dancerhapsody.com/Calling/Dances.html#BlackBeards --Jerome On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 11:00 AM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Rory O'More wave bals AND contra corners? (Chrissy Fowler) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:57:04 -0500 > From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com> > To: shared weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Callers] Rory O'More wave bals AND contra corners? > Message-ID: <COL113-W34B49E909FCDD7E294E1998DD10(a)phx.gbl> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > Hello callers, > > Curious if anyone knows any contra dance that contains both Rory O'More > type wave(s) *and* contra corners. (Besides the dance Rory O'More itself!) > My online and book searching thus far has netted nil. > > Thanks! > Chrissy Fowler > Belfast Maine > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 78, Issue 14 > *************************************** > -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com For the good are always the merry, Save by an evil chance, And the merry love the fiddle And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats

14 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Waves AND Contra Corners

by John Sweeney

We danced "Life, The Universe and Everything" by Carol Ormand somewhere recently (Berea at Christmas?). It had contra corners and diagonal waves. But I can't remember whether there was a Rory O'More in the wave. I believe that it is in the book "The Lizard Research Institute & Other Dances". Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Contra Dancing in Kent -----Original Message----- From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of callers-request(a)sharedweight.net Sent: 13 February 2011 17:00 To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Subject: Callers Digest, Vol 78, Issue 14 Today's Topics: 1. Rory O'More wave bals AND contra corners? (Chrissy Fowler) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2011 11:57:04 -0500 From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com> To: shared weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] Rory O'More wave bals AND contra corners? Message-ID: <COL113-W34B49E909FCDD7E294E1998DD10(a)phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Hello callers, Curious if anyone knows any contra dance that contains both Rory O'More type wave(s) *and* contra corners. (Besides the dance Rory O'More itself!) My online and book searching thus far has netted nil. Thanks! Chrissy Fowler Belfast Maine ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers End of Callers Digest, Vol 78, Issue 14 ***************************************

14 years, 4 months

Happy as a Warm Pig in Cold Mud

by kheine＠twcny.rr.com

Have any of you ever called this dance by Mike Boerschig? It's been in my box for years, and I've never called it because I haven't been sure about who should go to which star. It was published one way in Midwest Folklore (see below), but the two YouTube videos I've seen of it have a shorter partner allemande, ending with the first woman and second man (i.e., second corners) starring above, while the second woman and the first man (first corners) star below. If you've called this and have an opinion about how it's best danced, or if you've found it challenging to teach, I'd love to hear what you have to say about it! --Katy Heine HAPPY AS A WARM PIG IN COLD MUD by Mike Boerschig dpl imp A1 Neighbor balance and swing A2 Men allemande left once and a half allemande right partner once and three quarters so men are facing in, women out B1 Star left away from partner, 1st corners star up, 2nd down; reaching across to shadow in star swing partner B2 Circle left three quarters balance in that circle, California twirl partner to face next couple

14 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] How much is too much

by Martha Wild

Andrea, My sentiments exactly. I like your batter analogy, and each dance is different - and even changes during the dance, as you point out, if a raft of beginners from the bottom suddenly hit the top at the same time. Martha Wild

14 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] How much is too much?

by Martha Wild

I think you don't need to consider all the assumptions below, because I doubt that there is any hard and fast rule. What I find easiest in terms of dropping out is to wean the dancers off the cueing fairly rapidly. The first time through, if there are lots of beginners, I use a lot more words - e.g. face across and right and left through, or long lines forward and back. The next time I might say "right and left" or "long lines", and then the next time just "lines"). For most dances you can pretty quickly stop bothering to say "swing" - people tend to remember that they are supposed to do that. If there is a really good sequence that makes sense, I may call just the first call into it and leave the rest out pretty early. In the first few dances of the evening, you may have to call more times before you are able to drop out completely because the beginners are less experienced and are all dancing. Then they tire out and by dance three or four you can often drop calls out very quickly. But it also depends on the dances you are calling and the time of night and the heat of the hall. Heat and lateness will tax the brains of the dancers, and towards the end of the evening, especially in the summer in our non- air-conditioned hall here in San Diego, I often find that I have to start prompting much more again. And some dances, particularly those with two swings, may require almost continual prompting specifically after each swing, especially late in the evening, when the entire set may suddenly, in an amazing display of solidarity, all launch into lines forward and back, which was supposed to come after the second swing, not the first. It's a great chain reaction to watch, one person puts their hands out and the whole line telegraphs the motion and chaos ensues. Another thing I watch out for is beginners who are becoming #1 couples, especially if the ones and twos do different things and their 2s aren't able to help them much. Even if I haven't been calling at all for a while, I might pop in briefly with a cue for the clueless at a critical moment the first time they do it. And of course there are the occasional brain teaser dances that require more cueing than others. We have had a couple of callers come through here that were of the opinion they should call the dance through twice and then ignore the dancers, even if the dance was not going smoothly, and the dancers were not happy about it. I've heard the dancers yell out "Keep calling!" I do like to have people dancing to the music, not to me, so I try to call dances with good flow that can dance themselves, so to speak. I also like people to have a good experience dancing, a confidence-building experience. Weaning the dancers seems to be a good compromise for me to the "sink or swim" sudden cessation of prompting. Martha On Feb 11, 2011, at 9:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. How much is too much? How little is too little? (Martha Edwards) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:58:28 -0600 > From: Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Callers] How much is too much? How little is too little? > Message-ID: > <AANLkTimGd63hMVFo73i4yrBQ+k=Na7bz2A1Dtg+PKU=s(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 > > We had a discussion the other night - not about how many > walkthroughs, but > about how many times the caller should call before dropping out. > > Obviously, it depends. > > So, for the purpose of this discussion, let's assume a new-dancer to > intermediate dancer to experienced dancer ratio of 1:2:1. If > everyone were > evenly scattered by dance level, each group of four would have two > intermediate dancers, one beginner and one very experienced > dancer. Let's > not assume that the dancers are evenly scattered, but are slightly > clumped, > so that beginners do encounter each other occasionally, sometimes > with only > a couple of intermediate dancers to help them. > > Let's further assume that the dance is in the part of the country > where two > walkthroughs is considered appropriate - where, even if the first > walkthrough goes just fine, the second one cements the learning and > leaves > you in a position to "dance it from here." Let's further assume > that the > dance lasts about nine minutes (17 times through). > > Here's the question: If you have taught an easy dance clearly, *and > the > dance appears to be going well*, how many times through the dance > should you > call? Once or twice with full calls ("join hands and circle to the > left"), > once or twice with shortened calls ("circle left") and then > nothing? Or five > times through with full calls, three times with shortened calls, then > nothing? > > How much is too much? How little is too little? > > M > E > -- > For the good are always the merry, > Save by an evil chance, > And the merry love the fiddle > And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 78, Issue 9 > **************************************

14 years, 4 months

New(?) dance

by Luke Donev

Hello all, I think I've written a new dance, but I like to check. Anyone recognize this as pre-existing? Rory's Chewing Star by Luke Donev A1 Right Hand Star 1x Neighbor Do-si-do to a short wavy line A2 Balance Right and Left, slide Right Balance Left and Right, slide Left B1 Neighbor Allemande R 1/2x Men Allemande L 1/2x Partner swing B2 Men Allemande L 1 1/2x Women join in for a hands across Left hand star 1x Other comments also welcome. The name is from my niece's nickname. She's almost 1, and likes to chew on things. -- Luke Donev http://www.lukedonev.com Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com

14 years, 4 months

Ring Around the Daisy (was Dance Name)

by J L Korr

This is indeed a modified version of Shawn Brenneman's "Ring Around the Daisy," named by a dancer named Daisy who won the right to name it at a fundraising auction. I called the original version of the dance at a weekend in September 2009 that Nils was at, so it's possible he picked it up then and later modified it. Shawn's version was as follows: A1: Lines of 4 forward and back Ladies grand chain to diagonal opposite. [After the courtesy turn, turn away from that diagonal opposite to face corner.] A2: Corner gypsy x1, come back to diagonal opposite Swing diagonal opposite B1: All eight circle left 1/2 Four gents star L x1 while ladies walk CW 1/2 B2: Partner balance & swing --Jeremy > > From: Rich Goss <richgoss(a)comcast.net> > > Subject: [Callers] Dance Name > > To: "Shared Weight" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > > Date: Thursday, February 3, 2011, 1:11 AM > > > > > > Danced a 4-face-4 dance tonight that Nils Fredland called. I wrote > > down the > > moves but forgot the name and author. I do remember that the author > > is from > > Chicago. Here are the moves: > > > > A1: Lines of 4 Forward and Back > > Ladies Grand Chain (to Opposite) > > > > A2: Opposite Balance and Swing > > > > B1: 8 Circle left 1/2, Gents in center, walk single file CCW > > 1x, > > while Ladies walk CW 1/2 > > > > B2: Partner Balance and Swing > > > > > > Anyone recognize it. > > Thanks

14 years, 4 months

Good grief, yet another cure

by Gary Shapiro

The conversation here about those petronella into swing dances inspired me to look through my collection and I found this: A1 Neighbor balance & swing A2 All four balance, petronella twirl and an immediate allemande left 1/2, 1/2 hey B1 Partner balance & swing B2 All four balance, petronella twirl and an immediate allemande left 1/2, 1/2 hey Anyone have a title and author?

14 years, 4 months

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