Contra Callers

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4417 discussions

by Dan Pearl

I don't know Coleman's March, but the transcription has a timing problem. If you want to get your sequence to work better, try: A1. LL F&F, W almd L 1-1/2 A2. Bal & sw pt B1. Cir L 1/2 (4 cts); gypsy pt R-sh about 3/4 (4 cts); W gypsy Lsh while M orbit clockwise to home side (8) B2. Gypsy N R sh, swing N

14 years, 10 months

Help with "Coleman's March"

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

Hi all – I’m new to the list and grateful for the good stuff I see here! I hope you can help me with this dance called “Coleman’s March” by Ted Crane. The way I have it written, there is no progression and I can’t figure out what is wrong. This is what I have: A1 – LLF&B, Women Allemande L 1.5 A2 – Partner B&Sw, Circle L 1x B1 – Partner Gypsy ½, Women Gypsy while men orbit. B2 – Neighbor G&Sw Can anyone tell me what is wrong? Thanks, JoLaine Jones-Pokorney Gainesville Oldtime Dance Society, GODS

14 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Childgrove dance video archive

by Becky Nankivell

Any reason that squares are not included? ~ Becky Nankivell Tucson, AZ Bob Green wrote: Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:53:49 -0600 From: Bob Green <bobgreen(a)swbell.net> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] An idea whose time.... may not have yet arrived, but.... A sample of a potential archive site. Checking to see if there is any interest. http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/ Bob

14 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Help with "Coleman's March"

by richgoss＠comcast.net

Robert's version is as it is on Ted's website. http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/DisplayContra.com?KEY=COLEMANS_MARCH&X=E Except for B1. Gents orbit CW, and Ladies don't necessarily go back to place, but rather they flow into the B2 N Gypsy and Swing. I've never called this one, or danced it. Looks like fun. Seems like to progression would be a bit awkward going from a N swing to a Right Hand Balance with the next N. But, to accomplish the primary figure of this dance it's probably unavoidable. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Golder" <robertgolder(a)comcast.net> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 7:43:17 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Help with "Coleman's March" Coleman's March by Ted Crane, as I understand it: A1) N R-hand balance, N box-the-gnat; Gents Alle L 1.5 A2) P B&S B1) Circle L 1X; P Gypsy R only 1/2; Gents orbit CCW to cross the set while Ladies Gypsy L & back to place B2) N Gypsy & Swing

14 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Help with "Coleman's March"

by Dhuntdancer＠aol.com

You might consider asking Ted. I got his email address _www_ted2(a)tedcrane.com_ (mailto:www_ted2@tedcrane.com) is off his web site _http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/_ (http://tedcrane.com/DanceDB/) which is a great source for finding callers and bands and dances. Donna Hunt "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance." -unknown In a message dated 2/15/2011 10:22:59 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, jolaine(a)gmail.com writes: Hi all – I’m new to the list and grateful for the good stuff I see here! I hope you can help me with this dance called “Coleman’s March” by Ted Crane. The way I have it written, there is no progression and I can’t figure out what is wrong. This is what I have: A1 – LLF&B, Women Allemande L 1.5 A2 – Partner B&Sw, Circle L 1x B1 – Partner Gypsy ½, Women Gypsy while men orbit. B2 – Neighbor G&Sw Can anyone tell me what is wrong? Thanks, JoLaine Jones-Pokorney Gainesville Oldtime Dance Society, GODS _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

14 years, 10 months

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, 10 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, 10 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, 10 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, 10 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, 10 months

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Contra Callers