Contra Callers

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4380 discussions

by Joe Harrington

The short version of this post is, how should I organize my dances? But, I'm sure if I ask that, the thread will have 100 replies and lots of confusion. My search of the list archives and web were surprisingly spotty on this question, with lots of anecdotes and no summary or comparison. And I'm not just asking for myself. While I've got a whopping 15 evenings of dance calling under my belt, I'm being called on to train some students to call for our college club, and they're asking the same question. So, I'm looking for one or more summaries from those wiser than I (ok, low bar!) of the kinds of systems for cards. This might better be asked as, what are the different approaches to programming dances, and what organizing systems make each of those easier? In a workshop of his last summer, Bob Isaacs related his system of colored cards for easy, hard, bouncy, flowy, sweetheart, and divorce-reconcile dances (I think those were the categories). Call easy dances first, call a sweetheart right after the break when they're most likely to dance with the person they came with. Save hard for festivals. Give them variety. But, I've wanted more categories, and what about finding the bouncy sweethearts? I'm really busy, so the idea of re-copying a hundred or more cards to make a new system doesn't thrill me, if I don't like my initial system. Maybe I'll get a database system to select dances with, and then have a set of alphabetized printed cards for the actual calling, though what if I'm wrong and need to change my program, as has already happened a few times when a ton of newbies shows up? I'm interested in hearing about anything particularly clever or efficient, especially if it doesn't involve a computer or tablet. A comparison of the different computer systems would also be welcome. I'm aware of programs by Will Loving and Colin Hume. I asked on one Facebook group for a comparison of these but got no response. Is the Caller's Box up to real-time dance selection at an event? That presumes wi-fi, of course, or at least cell signal. I'll toss in one amusing and possibly workable paper system, for a dedicated and extremely nerdy caller, which might be me... I heard recently (I believe from Angela DeCarlis) of a mechanical sorting system based on the Jacquard loom concept that became the Hollerith punched card system. I've never seen it in use. Does anyone do this? Figure out the ten or so characteristics you might want to sort on. For example, easy, medium, hard, bouncy, flowy, separates partners, sweetheart (keeps partners together), etc. Take a stack of cards and drill holes near the bottom edge, one per characteristic (you can drill a stack of cards if you sandwich them between wood and clamp them). Now, on a given card, punch out the rest of the paper between the hole and the edge of the card for each hole the card DOESN'T match. So, for an easy dance, you'd punch out the rest of the paper for the medium and hard holes (among others), but leave the easy hole intact. If you make a mistake, just fold a piece of tape over the gap above the hole to close the gap. Now, when you want to look at your easy, flowy, sweetheart dances, flip the stack so the holes are up, push a pencil or knitting needle through the "easy" hole and lift. Then, in the ones you pulled, push through the flowy hole and lift, and finally for that set poke through the sweetheart hole and lift. Those are the easy, flowy, sweetheart dances. If you want the medium or hard dances that are bouncy and that separate partners, you pull first the medium and then the hard dances, combine them, and then pull the bouncies from that set and the separators from that third pull. And so on. Good hole alignment and clean punching would matter, I think. If you are a real dance sorting fanatic, you could get like 30 holes around the card edges, but that would limit the writing space. I predict this will be all the rage, post-apocalypse...at least until we run out of cards. ;-) --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

Marking dance cards to highlight certain moments???

by Emily Addison

Hi fellow callers :) I'm doing a big reorg of my dance cards. This includes looking closely at the dances I have, hunting out new material to fill some gaps, and also rethink how I organize my dance cards (which are on paper). I have a related question.... Do you use any highlights, underlines, or other ways to visually emphasize specific moments in your dances? For instance, maybe you highlight swings or underline recovery spots in a dance? I'm currently wondering about marking the spots where movements stop/change. I remember being in a dance musician workshop with Andrew VanNorstrand long ago where he talked about the key points of the dance being where dancers stopped their flow in one direction. (I'm not phrasing the concept nearly as well as he did). ... ... think of the LLFB (that moment of being) or coming together for a balance. I'm feeling like those moments would be great to flag in a strong visual way so I can quickly see them as I think they impact the experience of the dance, tips to provide the musicians, etc. However, I'm interested in any visual cues you use on your cards to highlight key information. Thoughts on all this??? Thanks! Emily Addison Ottawa, Ontario

2 years, 6 months

Another Easy Contra

by Susan English

First contra for new dancers. Inspired by "Jefferson and Liberty" but doesn't drift down the hall and everybody learns B&S. Named for the black squirrels of Wooster. BLACK SQUIRREL CONTRA (Duple Improper) By Susan English 2023 A1 Star R Star L A2 Circle L Circle R B1 N. B&S (end facing down in line of 4) B2 Down in 4, turn alone Return, twos arch, ones dive under It takes teamwork to accomplish the arch and dive in time for the RH star with the next couple. Susan [image: 🎶] [image: ☺] 330-347-8155 woosterdance.com

2 years, 6 months

does this dance already exist?

by Tepfer, Seth

Hello callers and friends I needed a gentle warm up dance last night and riffed this on the spot. My assumption is that someone has already written and named this sequence: Formation: improper A1: Circle left; circle right A2: right hand star; neighbor do si do B1: Neighbor balance and swing B2: long lines; one swing, end facing next neighbors (down) Seth Tepfer, MBA, CSM, PMP (he, him, his) Senior IT Manager, Emory Primate Center

2 years, 6 months

Name for this dance? ... have been digging and haven't found!

by Emily Addison

Hi folks, I'm wondering if anyone might know the name of this dance? I've done some digging on caller's box but haven't been able to find it. N Bal & Box-the-Gnat N DSD N Al R 1.5 Robins Al L 1.5 P Bal & Sw Robins Chain LH Star

2 years, 7 months

dances for your consideration

by Tepfer, Seth

Have this dance been written before? Working title: The Bodacious Babe and her Fabulous Femmes (in memory of Donna Newman) Formation: Becket (barely) A1: Circle left 3 places (6), neighbor swing (10) A2: Long lines* (8); robins walk forward to make a wavy line of robins but on the 4th step twirl 180 degrees to give RIGHT hands to their opposite and end up with their back to their partner and facing their neighbor (4), balance the wave (4) B1: Robins turn contra corners (1st corner is neighbor they just swung, 2nd corner is next neighbor) B2: Robins pass right to partner swing; slide left to next couple Note: *In the long lines, one hand is holding current neighbor, other hand is holding next neighbor. These will be your corners. Seth Tepfer, MBA, CSM, PMP (he, him, his) Senior IT Manager, Emory Primate Center

2 years, 7 months

Contras with Grand R+L the set with Partner and shadows

by Julian Blechner

A dance this past Friday had a balance partner on the side, square Thru 4 and got me thinking: Do people know any dances with a grand R+L for the set, like 3,33-33, but with partner and 2 shadows? I checked Caller's Box, no luck. I'd love to add a couple to my box. Here's my tentative contribution: A1 slide L, Robins Pull By R (2,2)* NS (12) A2 R+L Thru (8), form ring Bal ring, spin R (4,4), face P, take RHs B1 P Bal RH, pull by R, Shadow 1 pull by L, Shad2 bal RH + Box Gnat (4,2,2,4,4) B2 Shad2 pull by R, Shad2 pull by (2,2,2) PS (10) * A1 could be a slide-circle-swing, but we have plenty of those, and I like the longer NS before a R+L through, for less-tight timing. In dance, Julian Blechner

2 years, 7 months

A New Dance & a Sling Shot Hey

by Erik Hoffman

Hi All, A few years ago I was playing with what I called a "Slingshot Hey." The effect is almost the same as Ricochet Hey in that it reverses the direction of a pair of dancers, but with an allemande instead of a push off. When the Ricochet Hey gained popularity, I tabled it until a couple days ago. We choreographers have recognized if you want a Ricochet segue into a swing the hey better be passing left in the middle and passing right at the edges. Passing left at the edges the ricochet when meeting in the middle leading to a swing just doesn't flow. In the dance I came up with having a half hey with a "reversal" to a swing and demanding the ladies/robins start the hey passing right shoulders a Ricochet Hey goes: ladies/robins pass right partners pass left gents/larks ricochet into a partner swing -An Ugly Flow, Forget About It!... But having the gents/larks "slingshot"-allemande left-back the their partner to swing worked fine. Now we choreographers can create dances using the "Slingshot" version when a hey needs to start with dancers passing right in the center. December 24 Erik Hoffman Becket but Robin on Left, Lark on Right A1 with Neighbor's Right Hand: Balance, Box the Gnat Right & Left Thru (A1 is All Across, then Back) A2 Half "Slingshot" Hey (Robins pass Right, Partners pass Left, Lark Allemande Right once to: Neighbor Swing B1 Give & Take-Larks bring Partner to Lark's side Partner Swing B2 Facing across: Petronella Balance and Spin with an Over Spin to Face Next Neighbors Up and Down (Progression) to: Petronella Balance & Spin, end facing across First danced on Christmas Night and the annual Christmas Night Dance in Santa Barbara, 2022 Note: the Balance, Box Gnat, Right & Left Thru is borrowed from Square Dancing. Erik Hoffman Oakland, CA

2 years, 7 months

Re: A New Dance & a Sling Shot Hey

by Erik Hoffman

Yes, Tricontracller is correct. The Slingshot Hey should be: ladies/robins pass right Neighbor pass left gents/larks ricochet into a neighbor swing All I can say is, “oops.” From: Tncontracaller <tncontracaller(a)gmail.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2022 10:04 AM To: Erik Hoffman <erik(a)erikhoffman.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] A New Dance & a Sling Shot Hey I believe the A2 is robins pass right pass neighbor left.Sent from my iPhone ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ External (tncontracaller(a)gmail.com<mailto:tncontracaller@gmail.com>) Report This Email<https://protection.inkyphishfence.com/report?id=bmV0b3JnZnQxNTA4MDU5L2VyaWt…> FAQ<https://www.godaddy.com/help/report-email-with-advanced-email-security-40813> GoDaddy Advanced Email Security, Powered by INKY<https://www.inky.com/protection-by-inky> I believe the A2 is robins pass right pass neighbor left. Sent from my iPhone On Dec 27, 2022, at 12:30 PM, Erik Hoffman via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: Hi All, A few years ago I was playing with what I called a “Slingshot Hey.” The effect is almost the same as Ricochet Hey in that it reverses the direction of a pair of dancers, but with an allemande instead of a push off. When the Ricochet Hey gained popularity, I tabled it until a couple days ago. We choreographers have recognized if you want a Ricochet segue into a swing the hey better be passing left in the middle and passing right at the edges. Passing left at the edges the ricochet when meeting in the middle leading to a swing just doesn’t flow. In the dance I came up with having a half hey with a “reversal” to a swing and demanding the ladies/robins start the hey passing right shoulders a Ricochet Hey goes: —An Ugly Flow, Forget About It!… But having the gents/larks “slingshot”—allemande left—back the their partner to swing worked fine. Now we choreographers can create dances using the “Slingshot” version when a hey needs to start with dancers passing right in the center. December 24 Erik Hoffman Becket but Robin on Left, Lark on Right A1 with Neighbor’s Right Hand: Balance, Box the Gnat Right & Left Thru (A1 is All Across, then Back) A2 Half “Slingshot” Hey (Robins pass Right, Partners pass Left, Lark Allemande Right once to: Neighbor Swing B1 Give & Take—Larks bring Partner to Lark’s side Partner Swing B2 Facing across: Petronella Balance and Spin with an Over Spin to Face Next Neighbors Up and Down (Progression) to: Petronella Balance & Spin, end facing across First danced on Christmas Night and the annual Christmas Night Dance in Santa Barbara, 2022 Note: the Balance, Box Gnat, Right & Left Thru is borrowed from Square Dancing. Erik Hoffman Oakland, CA _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net>

2 years, 7 months

Re: the Yemenite dance step

by K P

All this grapevine chitchat got me thinking: Krikey, this is one of those instances where you don't realize something changed until much later. Kind of like trying to remember the last time you rolled down a grassy hill as a kid. We used to do the grapevine-ish step when circling when I started contra in Ottawa about 25 years ago - kind of as a way of allowing one to look both forward and back. I have no idea where or when that stopped. Weird! Ken Panton

2 years, 7 months

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