Here are a few:
Balance to my Lou - Becky Hill
Ellen's Yarns - Rick Mohr
Maliza's Magical Mystery Motion - Cary Ravitz
Salmonella Evening - Steve Zakon-Anderson
Tica Tica Timing - Dean Snipes (one of my favorites to call and dance)
----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Weiler (home)" <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org>
To: "Shared Weight" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 12:24:45 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: [Callers] B1 Petronellas
Hey SW crew,
I'm playing a gig this weekend with Notorious and one of my favorite
Larry tunes is "The Judge". I know that they like to save that tune for
a dance with Petronella balance and spin to the right at the top of the B1.
I'm hoping that you will share with me your favorite dances that have
Petronella moves in the B1.
Thanks!
Chris Weiler
Goffstown, NH
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
In large halls, another approach is to divide the hall in half
(longways). The dancers will need to remember to keep the lines
separate, but it does make for much shorter lines, and the chance to
be the active couple sooner. To keep things separate, I have used
"safety cones", which actually work pretty well!
The dance does need to be called longer than usual. This is mostly
because the active couples that come to the top may need the
additional reminders about what they need to do; as a new #1 couple
starts at the top, it is very helpful to call the dance at least
once. Unlike duple minor dances, we may not be able to drop out
entirely with some dance communities.
Worth the efforts!
warmly, Linda
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: contra chestnuts & Money Musk (Will Loving)
> 2. Re: contra chestnuts & Money Musk (David Millstone)
> 3. Re: contra chestnuts & Money Musk (Delia Clark)
> 4. Re: contra chestnuts & Money Musk (Delia Clark)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:24:28 -0400
> From: Will Loving <will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] contra chestnuts & Money Musk
> To: "Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>"
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <C5E7CDDC.31554%will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
>
> I don't know the head count at Greenfield last Saturday, but it was
> a very
> full night. Those who got a chance to be 1s enjoyed the dance, but
> I heard
> unhappiness from several people who started as 2s or 3s near the
> end of the
> set who never made it to the top. I think Money Musk will be more
> popular
> with dancers and responded to more enthusiastically if it's done as
> triplets, 6X through rather than longways sets - unless the sets
> are shorter
> than they usually are at Greenfield.
>
> Will
>
>
>> Delia Clark wrote:
>>> I haven't seen it posted so just want to be sure that you know, for
>>> the tally, that Nils Fredland called Money Musk just after the break
>>> at the Greenfield dance Saturday night too, with Tidal Wave
>>> providing
>>> the music. Not sure how many people, but there were 4 lines, for
>>> those of you who know the hall (most of you, I'm guessing).
>
>
> --
>
> Will Loving
> 7 Coach Lane
> Amherst, MA 01002-3304 USA
> will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com
> Tel: +1 413 253-7223 (GMT ?5)
> Fax: +1 206 202-0476
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: 19 Mar 2009 10:33:42 -0400
> From: David.Millstone(a)valley.net (David Millstone)
> Subject: Re: [Callers] contra chestnuts & Money Musk
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <116133988(a)retriever.VALLEY.NET>
> Content-Type: text/plain
>
> --- You wrote:
> I think Money Musk will be more popular with dancers and responded
> to more
> enthusiastically if it's done as triplets, 6X through rather than
> longways sets
> - unless the sets are shorter
> than they usually are at Greenfield.
> --- end of quote ---
>
> Good points, Will. In Norwich, we had folks form sets of 7 or 8
> couples, so
> everyone was able to be an active couple for at least a few rounds
> of the dance.
> (Greenfield dancers, as you know, are generally less willing to
> heed such
> requests from the caller.)
>
> I've also called it (and other triple minors) in four-couple
> longways sets, in
> the manner of many Scottish country dances. Do it twice and then
> the 1s drop to
> the bottom of the set. Eight times through and everyone has has two
> chances to
> play each role, plus the couple at the top waits out only once
> rather than
> twice.
>
> David Millstone
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:34:59 -0400
> From: Delia Clark <delia_clark(a)comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] contra chestnuts & Money Musk
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <582F5977-76AB-432C-B28A-324743A30DC5(a)comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
> format=flowed
>
> It was an interesting situation and I have been reflecting on it off
> and on since. The line I was in fell apart after a bit, on the end
> away from where I was so I couldn't figure out how to help fix it,
> and several couple just started swinging, once the line had mostly
> stopped dancing. Someone started shouting "Call the dance!!" which I
> assumed meant to call if off, call it quits, which is what Nils did,
> but I have since been wondering, especially after reading Chrissy's
> post about calling Money Musk in her sleep, whether they just wanted
> him to keep on calling longer, since they were unfamiliar with the
> dance. Much to ponder....
>
>
>
> On Mar 19, 2009, at 10:24 AM, Will Loving wrote:
>
>> I don't know the head count at Greenfield last Saturday, but it was
>> a very
>> full night. Those who got a chance to be 1s enjoyed the dance, but
>> I heard
>> unhappiness from several people who started as 2s or 3s near the
>> end of the
>> set who never made it to the top. I think Money Musk will be more
>> popular
>> with dancers and responded to more enthusiastically if it's done as
>> triplets, 6X through rather than longways sets - unless the sets
>> are shorter
>> than they usually are at Greenfield.
>>
>> Will
>>
>>
>>> Delia Clark wrote:
>>>> I haven't seen it posted so just want to be sure that you know, for
>>>> the tally, that Nils Fredland called Money Musk just after the
>>>> break
>>>> at the Greenfield dance Saturday night too, with Tidal Wave
>>>> providing
>>>> the music. Not sure how many people, but there were 4 lines, for
>>>> those of you who know the hall (most of you, I'm guessing).
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Will Loving
>> 7 Coach Lane
>> Amherst, MA 01002-3304 USA
>> will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com
>> Tel: +1 413 253-7223 (GMT ?5)
>> Fax: +1 206 202-0476
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
> <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
>
> Delia Clark
> PO Box 45
> Taftsville, VT 05073
> 802-457-2075
> delia_clark(a)comcast.net
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:35:53 -0400
> From: Delia Clark <deliaclark8(a)gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] contra chestnuts & Money Musk
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <8649B5E7-2FDB-4090-B741-C3707EC196BC(a)gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; delsp=yes;
> format=flowed
>
> It was an interesting situation and I have been reflecting on it off
> and on since. The line I was in fell apart after a bit, on the end
> away from where I was so I couldn't figure out how to help fix it,
> and several couple just started swinging, once the line had mostly
> stopped dancing. Someone started shouting "Call the dance!!" which I
> assumed meant to call if off, call it quits, which is what Nils did,
> but I have since been wondering, especially after reading Chrissy's
> post about calling Money Musk in her sleep, whether they just wanted
> him to keep on calling longer, since they were unfamiliar with the
> dance. Much to ponder....
>
> On Mar 19, 2009, at 10:24 AM, Will Loving wrote:
>
>> I don't know the head count at Greenfield last Saturday, but it was
>> a very
>> full night. Those who got a chance to be 1s enjoyed the dance, but
>> I heard
>> unhappiness from several people who started as 2s or 3s near the
>> end of the
>> set who never made it to the top. I think Money Musk will be more
>> popular
>> with dancers and responded to more enthusiastically if it's done as
>> triplets, 6X through rather than longways sets - unless the sets
>> are shorter
>> than they usually are at Greenfield.
>>
>> Will
>>
>>
>>> Delia Clark wrote:
>>>> I haven't seen it posted so just want to be sure that you know, for
>>>> the tally, that Nils Fredland called Money Musk just after the
>>>> break
>>>> at the Greenfield dance Saturday night too, with Tidal Wave
>>>> providing
>>>> the music. Not sure how many people, but there were 4 lines, for
>>>> those of you who know the hall (most of you, I'm guessing).
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Will Loving
>> 7 Coach Lane
>> Amherst, MA 01002-3304 USA
>> will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com
>> Tel: +1 413 253-7223 (GMT ?5)
>> Fax: +1 206 202-0476
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
> <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
>
> Delia Clark
> PO Box 45
> Taftsville, VT 05073
> 802-457-2075
> deliaclark8(a)gmail.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 55, Issue 11
> ***************************************
--- You wrote:
I think Money Musk will be more popular with dancers and responded to more
enthusiastically if it's done as triplets, 6X through rather than longways sets
- unless the sets are shorter
than they usually are at Greenfield.
--- end of quote ---
Good points, Will. In Norwich, we had folks form sets of 7 or 8 couples, so
everyone was able to be an active couple for at least a few rounds of the dance.
(Greenfield dancers, as you know, are generally less willing to heed such
requests from the caller.)
I've also called it (and other triple minors) in four-couple longways sets, in
the manner of many Scottish country dances. Do it twice and then the 1s drop to
the bottom of the set. Eight times through and everyone has has two chances to
play each role, plus the couple at the top waits out only once rather than
twice.
David Millstone
Jill Allen called Money Musk on March 14 in Kansas City Kansas.
She wrote to me:
"We did Money Musk last night. I taught a little session on it at the
break and when we danced it, it went well. People seemed to get into it.
Only problem, the band couldn't play it fast enough because it's a really
hard tune... But, we did it! Thanks for the reminder."
--
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
Money Musk called and danced at the Wescustogo Grange Hall, North Yarmouth, Maine.
First dance after the break - about 10:30pm.
Dancers: Five sets of 6 ccouples - 60 dancers
Band: Perpetual eMotion (Ed Howe & John Cote)
Caller: Chrissy Fowler
Did a workshop before the dance, with about 30 dancers. All were enthusiastic and pleased to be part of the big event. Much hooting and hollering. Loping pace for the tune (plenty of recovery time for the Money Musk newbies, well-timed elegant styling for the old hands.) Some people apparently showed up specifically because Money Musk was on the program, thanks to some some advance publicity. Two sets merged, so a few people didn't get the chance to be active, because I didn't want to run it too long. (Though I could have... after all I was at that Ralph Page Legacy Weekend when we danced it 43x!)
I had practiced so much that I prompted the dance all night long in my sleep. ("Once and a half around, once and a half and you go below one...")
Wheee! :-)
Chrissy
_________________________________________________________________
Hotmail® is up to 70% faster. Now good news travels really fast.
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Country Dance and Song Society has published "Cracking Chestnuts," a collection
that celebrates the living tradition of classic contra dances. David Smukler is
the primary author and I also contributed some pieces. You'll find detailed
articles about seventeen dances, with suggested tunes typeset by Randy Miller,
an appendix with an additional 20 dances, an introduction to triple minor
contras, and some suggestions for how to introduce and teach chestnuts at your
local series. The book (can be ordered from CDSS (it's $20 plus shipping), and
David and I have copies that we're selling at our gigs. I'm also filling mail
orders, so contact me off-list if you're interested.
As it happens, David and I are each holding book release parties on March 14, he
in Syracuse, NY (with George Wilson and Tom Hodgson) and I in Norwich, VT (with
Northern Spy) at which we'll each present a full evening program of chestnuts.
At the recent Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, talking about these simultaneous
similar events, we came up with the idea of each of us calling Money Musk as the
first dance after the break, sometime around 9:45 or 10 PM. "Hey," we thought,
"let's invite others to join us!"
So, if you have a dance scheduled for Saturday, March 14 and if you have
musicians who can do justice to the tune and if the dance would be appropriate
for your dancers that night, we invite you to join us in bringing back Money
Musk. [If you're of a Dudley frame of mind, you may refer to it as "The Money
Musk."] And let me know if you did, and who was playing the music and calling,
and where this took place, and about how many dancers were in the hall at that
time, and we'll tally the results. (Callers in other time zones, you could call
it at about 9:45 or 10 PM your local time and we'll count that, too.)
Note: If you're thinking of doing this, please check with musicians ahead of
time. Many musicians will be happy to work up the tune if given some advance
warning, but it's not something to spring on them on just before you announce
the dance!
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
When it's done, it's usually a 24-bar version. That said, the 32-bar version is,
indeed, what was standard for much of the 19th century and on into the 20th in
numerous sources, so by doing that version, it is indeed more historic and fits
the chestnuts theme perhaps even more!
To do that one, though, you'll need music that is AABB rather than what is now
more common, ABC.
If you want to do the dance as a triplet, you might instead do 4-couple sets, in
the Scottish style. The first couple would do the dance the first time with the
2nd and 3rd couples, then the second time through with the 3s and 4s. After
that, they'd drop to the bottom of the set and the new top couple would start
in.
A note on timing: The version you're calling #1 (where you reference the video
showing Nils Fredland calling Money Musk) is actually a little different than
you have it noted. Here's how you timed it:
A1 Actives allemand right 1 1/2 (8), Go outside, below one couple (4),
Balance six (4)
A2 Actives allemand right 3/4 to lines of 3 across the hall (4), Balance six
(4),
Actives allemand right 3/4 (4), fall back to place (4)
B1 Top two couples (1s and 2s) right and left through (across and back) (16)
It's actually a little different in the middle part:
A Actives allemand right 1 1/2 (8), Go outside, below one couple (4),
Balance six (4)
B Actives allemand right 3/4 to lines of 3 across the hall (8), Balance six (4),
Actives allemand right 3/4 (4)
C Top two couples (1s and 2s) right and left through (across and back) (16)
And, historical note, most callers didn't call it a balance. It was "forward
six," not not forward and back for eight counts.
Anyhow, that's the way we like to do it, although there are many other ways of
timing the dance. This way, though, there's a nice contrast between the
leisurely hand turns at the start of the phrase, and the rapid hand turns
leading into the right and left.
> Right and lefts thrus (with same sex couples) and New England style may be
hard for some
Nothing like a careful walkthrough to help with this. Have those two couples
walk across the set (two men working together and two women), each passing right
shoulder with partner. When they reach the other side of the set, still facing
out, put their closer arm around their neighbor's waist. They pivot around their
joined arms, with the person on the left side backing up and the person on the
right going forward. Repeat all that and they're back on the original side,
still in their progressed place.
If by "New England style" you're referring to folks crossing the set without
touching each other, well, that can be taught but there are plenty of places
where folks do arm around turns and that extra connection is helpful. In the
video, at 1:27 you can see that those two dancers (caller Ralph Sweet in the
checked shirt) had their arms around each other. If folks understand which way
they're moving, then instead of putting aroms around each other, they just look
at each other and turn as a linked pair. Given your situation, though, that may
be more teaching than you want to do.
Just a reminder, everyone. March 14 is the International (thanks, Bill!) Money
Musk Moment. A bunch of us are calling the dance the first dance after the break
that evening, as was the custom in some locations. (And if you want to join us
but don't have a dance that night, well, do it as close to then as you can-- the
folks outside Zurich won't have their regular dance until later in the money,
but they're going to join in.)
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
Hi all,
We are thinking of doing Levi Jackson Rag (Pat Shaw) at our next dance and
were wondering what tempo you played it at? If you have numbers (i.e. 100,
or 110 or 120 beats per min), great. If you have time check out this link
on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxd8Rp3eAuI . Seems slow to me,
especially judging from the way the dancers are moving.
Thanks,
Rickey Holt,
Fremont, NH
Sylvia suggests that
"We should follow the tempo in the Assembly Players CD Levi Jackson. Nic
Broadbridge is the leader of that group and worked closely with Pat Shaw who
wrote the dance."
I am not sure that I agree. This might be the preferred speed in Scotland,
or the UK, or now. It says nothing, however, about the speed that Pat
wanted or expected it to be played back in 1974.
My first experience of dancing Levi Jackson Rag was to the calling of Pat
Shaw, in London, and although this was over 30 years ago, I am certain that
it was slower than generally done today. As well as working with the
Assembly Players, Pat also worked closely and regularly with the Kenton
Ramblers, a London-based 3 piece band led by the late Sheila Mason. As well
as being the mother of one of the dancers in our university dance group,
Sheila lived just around the corner from me and was a regular baby sitter.
We had many musical and dance-based conversations, including about Levi
Jackson Rag. If I recollect correctly, Sheila was the 1st person to play
the tune for Pat, if not in the world, at least in the UK. She always
complained that people played it much too fast and that it should be slower
and 'swing'. That is certainly how the Kenton Ramblers played it for me.
Of course, when you play it more slowly it becomes more obvious whether the
musician has actually hit all the notes correctly! I am thinking about
112-114bpm.
Michael Barraclough
http://www.michaelbarraclough.com
From:
sentto-10754689-14055-1236621858-michael=michaelbarraclough.com(a)returns.grou
ps.yahoo.com
[mailto:sentto-10754689-14055-1236621858-michael=michaelbarraclough.com@retu
rns.groups.yahoo.com] On Behalf Of smiskoe(a)aol.com
Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 2:04 PM
To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Re: Tempo for Levi Jackson Rag
We should follow the tempo in the Assembly Players CD "Levi Jackson". Nic
Broadbridge is the leader of that group and worked closely with Pat Shaw who
wrote the dance. Pat has passed away but what better reference could we get
than by listening to Nic's recording. It is faster than the you tube
selection first cited, 29 seconds for one rendition.
Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
.
<http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=10754689/grpspId=1705123886/msgI
d=14055/stime=1236621874/nc1=5170419/nc2=5191954/nc3=5349276>
__,_._,___
I've heard fiddler/caller Steve Hickman describe the pivot at the end of the
pass through as "turning as a yoke of oxen." That is, use your nearest
shoulders as the pivot point and make a 180-degree left turn. I've never
taught using that phrase, so I can't offer first-person feedback, but
dancers might not take kindly to bovine comparisons.
--
Jerome Grisanti
660-528-0858
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com