Hi Jeanette,
Sorry, hash is a term used by square dancers to mean a dance
where there are no initial walk-through and no fixed pattern to the
dance - the caller calls whatever they want and the dancers respond
immediately (with the extra challenge in Modern Western Square Dancing
that the name of the move also defines exactly which way you face at the
end of the move!).
They often do a "tip" of two dances one after another with the
same partner (and indeed the same other six people in your square). The
hash call comes first, and then (brain now thoroughly melted away) you
are rewarded by a second dance which follow a simple repetitive pattern
(often referred to as a "singing call" since it is often done to a
popular song and everyone joins in the chorus).
So, in the example below, where it says "hash" against A1 and
A2, I call a different set of moves each time through the dance.
I usually choose three or four of the examples listed below that
I want to work on (let's call them Ax, Ay and Az. First I walk them
through any new moves, and B1/2. Then I call something like:
Ax, B1/2, Ax, B1/2, Ay, B1/2, Ay, B1/2, Az, B1/B2, Az, B1/B2, Ax, B1/B2,
Ax, B1/B2.
It makes new dancers learn how to listen and respond quickly to
a call, and allows you to focus on moves that are causing them a problem
(doing it within a much more controlled environment). Then we do a
normal contra (probably using some of the moves I just made them do over
and over again) and they usually find the contra really easy - gives
them confidence.
Of course all the above is aimed primarily at a workshop
environment for a group of (mainly) beginners, but our experienced
dancers seem to enjoy it as well.
I was also interested in whether anyone ever does a hash call in
a contra, i.e. get the dancers formed up, start the music, and just
start calling, but calling a different set of moves each time through
the music (maybe with some repetition to give some sort of anchor).
Hope that helps.
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-----
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 17:49:02 +0100
From: "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Medleys
Hi,
Do you include hash calls as a subset of medleys?
I often do hash calls with beginners to help them practice lots
of different moves. I make them into four couple sets and do something
like:
"Anything Goes" by John Sweeney
Four Couple Becket
A1: Hash
A2: Hash
B1: On the Left Diagonal: R & L Through; Straight Across: R & L
Through
B2: Gypsy Meltdown with your partner
Using a four couple set and a progression like the one in B1 means that
there are no end effects and the dancers get to practice their diagonal
movements in a controlled manner.
Then for A1/A2 I can call anything I like that is a null transform (i.e.
they end up where they started).
Examples:
Circle Left 3/4, Neighbour Swing on the side; Circle Left 3/4, Partner
Swing on the side
Balance the Circle, first corners cross; Balance the Circle, second
corners cross; Repeat
Balance the Circle, Petronella turn x 4
Circle Left; Circle Right; Star Right; Star Left
Circle Left; Star Right; Circle Right; Star Left
Circle Left; Star Left; Circle Right; Star Right
Balance the Circle; Ladies Roll Away with a Half Sashay (swap places
with Neighbour) x 4
R & L Through Across & Back; Ladies' Chain Across & Back
Ladies' Chain Across; R & L Through Back x 2
Ladies Chain Across; Full Hey (Ladies start with R Shoulder); Ladies
Chain Back
Half Poussette; Dosido x 2
Draw Poussette; Gypsy x 2
I haven't tried this for longways-for-as-many-as-will. They do
it all the time in squares, does anyone do it in contras?
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
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2010 06:43:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: Jeanette Mill <jeanette_mill(a)yahoo.com.au>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Medleys
Message-ID: <679985.90554.qm(a)web30703.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Thanks for your great replies everyone.
Now I have another question - what is a hash call?
cheers
Jeanette
Hi,
Do you include hash calls as a subset of medleys?
I often do hash calls with beginners to help them practice lots
of different moves. I make them into four couple sets and do something
like:
"Anything Goes" by John Sweeney
Four Couple Becket
A1: Hash
A2: Hash
B1: On the Left Diagonal: R & L Through; Straight Across: R & L
Through
B2: Gypsy Meltdown with your partner
Using a four couple set and a progression like the one in B1 means that
there are no end effects and the dancers get to practice their diagonal
movements in a controlled manner.
Then for A1/A2 I can call anything I like that is a null transform (i.e.
they end up where they started).
Examples:
Circle Left 3/4, Neighbour Swing on the side; Circle Left 3/4, Partner
Swing on the side
Balance the Circle, first corners cross; Balance the Circle, second
corners cross; Repeat
Balance the Circle, Petronella turn x 4
Circle Left; Circle Right; Star Right; Star Left
Circle Left; Star Right; Circle Right; Star Left
Circle Left; Star Left; Circle Right; Star Right
Balance the Circle; Ladies Roll Away with a Half Sashay (swap places
with Neighbour) x 4
R & L Through Across & Back; Ladies' Chain Across & Back
Ladies' Chain Across; R & L Through Back x 2
Ladies Chain Across; Full Hey (Ladies start with R Shoulder); Ladies
Chain Back
Half Poussette; Dosido x 2
Draw Poussette; Gypsy x 2
I haven't tried this for longways-for-as-many-as-will. They do
it all the time in squares, does anyone do it in contras?
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
I've used medleys at the end of an evening quite frequently, usually
with no walk-through (maybe some mention of a key move), sometimes
with no advance warning (and occasionally without advance planning!).
Usually I use just two very straighforward dances, with the idea that
either of them might be just a little boring by itself to go full
length, since it's mostly the experienced folks left, but that the
crowd has run out of the mental gas to really do anything much more
challenging. The dances are simple, but the dancers feel sufficiently
challenged by there being little or no walk-through, and the change in
the middle is another pick-me-up. The dancers haven't struggled, but
they finish feeling like they've accomplished something.
I agree that you need to be cautious about similarity between the
dances. If they're too similar, it's confusing and probably boring. If
they're relatively simple and mostly different, you won't need to call
too much, except to remind people what comes next after any similar
moves. If you don't have to call much, there's no conflict with the
band and their "hot finishing tunes".
~ Becky Nankivell
Tucson, Ariz. and Long Beach, Calif.
Luke wrote:
>Whenever you do them, it seems helpful to announce during the walk through
>of the previous dance that the next dance will be a medley. It gives
>experienced dancers a heads up to help out.
Thank you for that Luke. Announcing medleys in advance also gives
some of us the option of sitting out. Not all dancers like medleys.
I am also curious as to what you mean for the "experience dancers" to
actually do when they "help out?"
I would concur with those who recommend NOT doing a contra medley at
a regular, open, public contra dance. This is a different breed of
contra that is best limited to special events.
- Greg
On 9/20/2010 7:32 AM, Jeanette Mill wrote:
> I have a question for everyone about medleys - where, when and how do you find
> them most effective when incorporated in a program? Tips for teaching? Any
>other
> comments?
Several tidbits I've learned from experience:
* I think medleys are occasionally fine for a regular community contradance, if
done toward the end of the evening when you know most of the beginners have left
(or they're really into it and you've already danced each move that eve).
* Before you begin, make sure everyone calling and in the band is really clear
about how many times through each dance will go. If you have several callers in
the lineup, it's a good idea to designate one to act as MC, reminding each
person when her/his slot is coming up so the transitions go smoothly. Having two
mics is great for this too - one calling and one on deck.
* Michael Barraclough introduced me to the idea of planning a medley not by
simple ends/beginnings of dances but by diversity and smoothness of transition
between them. For my first medley at NBCDS Family Week this summer, I was
choosing dances that all began w/ Neighbor Balance & Swing, but he pointed out
that it's better to shake it up with radically different opening moves that also
flow well from the last closing move - for example, Neighbor Allemande to open
the second dance. Don't choose dances that are too similar, lest the dancers'
body memories lead them to unconsciously try to do the series from the previous
dance.
* If one of the dances has a more complex bit in it and you have a mixed crowd,
put that dance first and briefly walk it through before beginning the medley.
Who says a medley has to be all no-walkthru? This can build confidence and
momentum for the later switches.
I'm glad you asked about this because I'm about to do a short medley this
weekend too, and am always glad to 'hear' everyone's insights!
Tina
I really like Jo's insight from Nils about how simple alterations can open our
repertoire.
Thanks for that!
Tina
Jo Mortland said,
<<<But Nils showed me how to change from improper to Becket so you can use
both kinds of dances. Basically, it means looking at the beginning
moves of each dance, and the end moves. With enough attention to those
areas, it became easy to move from one formation to the other.
For example, let's say you are dancing in Becket, and the last move is a
partner balance and swing. If you can find an improper dance that
begins with a circle left one time around and swing your neighbor (like
Roll in the Hey), you could change that move, JUST THE FIRST TIME
THROUGH THE DANCE, to a circle left three places and swing your
neighbor. That way, from the partner balance and swing, you would move
everyone to the same side of the set as their neighbor for a swing.
Once I began looking at my dances with that goal in mind, I found many
more possibilities. It takes some creativity on the part of the caller,
but for me, that is one of the things I like about it.>>>
I have a question for everyone about medleys - where, when and how do you find
them most effective when incorporated in a program? Tips for teaching? Any other
comments?
Jeanette
"When we eat from the industrial-food system, we are eating oil and spewing
greenhouse gases."
- Michael Pollan
Thank you Andrea! I've been wishing we could talk in general about our
voices - how to make them stronger, yet more pleasant. Vocal health would be
a good starting place. These are great ideas (and completely unknown to this
non-singer!).
Then there must be exercises - relaxation exercises, loudness exercises,
stuff like that...
Any ideas?
M
E
On Mon, Sep 20, 2010 at 3:56 PM, Andrea Nettleton <twirly-girl(a)bellsouth.net
> wrote:
> On the subject of vocal inflammation, which is the reason you lose your
> voice, I have more experience as a singer than as a caller. If you are
> truly very ill and the bug is in the tissues perpetually renewing the
> inflammatory response, there isn't a whole lot you can do in the short term,
> but I have had success with: ice (cold takes down the inflammation quickly,
> but it doesn't last long, so count on keeping it up), cooled ginger tea,
> cooled mint tea, ginger and mint both have antinflammatory properties,
> honey, thai coconut soup, slippery elm lozenges, salt gargle, or if you are
> out and can't do a home remedy eat salty food that is a little oily (like a
> salad with fish or chicken and vinaigrette, or a good soup or stew), drink
> icy drinks and get some halls or something to get you through till you can
> really take care. It goes without saying, that rest is the preferred
> remedy.
> Yours,
> Andrea
>
>
>
> On 9/20/2010 3:54 PM, Mortland, Jo wrote:
>
>>
>> An experienced caller once told me that medleys are useful is when there
>> aren't a lot of dancers, maybe towards the end of an evening. It helps
>> keep a dance interesting, and you can run it longer. I've tried this
>> and it works well.
>>
>> This past summer, I had the pleasure of sharing the bill at the dance
>> festival with Nils Fredland. One of the workshops was an hour long
>> medley, and I learned a lot about medleys from Nils. Before that, I had
>> put dances together based on formation (becket or improper) and the
>> first moves of the dances being similar.
>>
>> But Nils showed me how to change from improper to Becket so you can use
>> both kinds of dances. Basically, it means looking at the beginning
>> moves of each dance, and the end moves. With enough attention to those
>> areas, it became easy to move from one formation to the other.
>>
>> For example, let's say you are dancing in Becket, and the last move is a
>> partner balance and swing. If you can find an improper dance that
>> begins with a circle left one time around and swing your neighbor (like
>> Roll in the Hey), you could change that move, JUST THE FIRST TIME
>> THROUGH THE DANCE, to a circle left three places and swing your
>> neighbor. That way, from the partner balance and swing, you would move
>> everyone to the same side of the set as their neighbor for a swing.
>>
>> Once I began looking at my dances with that goal in mind, I found many
>> more possibilities. It takes some creativity on the part of the caller,
>> but for me, that is one of the things I like about it.
>>
>>
>>
>> On another note, and while I have your "ears", I have a question. As
>> callers, if you feel you are losing your voice, or you have a cold, is
>> there anything you have found that can help clear your throat?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>>
>> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
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>
--
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
> Where, when and how do you find them most effective when incorporated in a
>program?
>
The Medley is a special case of the "no walk-through" slot which incorporates
more than one dance. For my money, a nice mini-medley is three dances
coordinated with the three tunes that the band plays. By "coordinated" I only
mean that when the tune changes, the dance sequence changes, too.
When do you program them? During an "Experienced Only" evening, anytime (except
maybe the first slot, when the sound system is still being balanced). During a
community dance (lot of beginners -- mixed/low level of dancing), never.
The general rule is that you want to ADD fun, excitement, spontaneity and energy
to the event. If you wind up adding frustration, panic, anxiety and failure to
the event, then you have chosen the slot poorly.
> Tips for teaching?
Since they are no-walk-thru, you don't teach them, per se. However, excellent
and special calling is required of no-walk-thru dances. I have led a workshop
at NEFFA describing how you do this, and here are some highlight
recommendations:
1. Get the call out early, and fill in with patter to preserve the timing.
Usual prompt: ___ ___ ___ ___ THOSE two LAdies CHAIN acROSS
No walk-thru: ___ ___ ___ ___ LAdies CHAIN acROSS the SET
2. Put recovery information in between calls:
PARTner SWING [ on the men's home side ]
3. Keep the calls up, especially for similar sequences.
> Any other comments?
Make sure you select material that is achievable by you (as a caller) and the
dancers without a walk-thru. Keep it straightforward (embracing contra tropes)
and fun.
Dan
