Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

3 participants
4416 discussions

by Dave Colestock

Hi All, I'd like to tap the collective experiences of the group for a couple of questions. I have an event coming up where the organizers want to improve their groups dance "style", and are having one of their dance evenings dedicated to providing dance style tips. I will be calling that dance. The group has a mix of dancers with many younger dancers between 12 and 25. Sometimes half of the dance crowd is comprised of these dancers. Many of the rest of the dancers are older, some in their 60's and beyond, and many of them have danced for years. 70% of the dancers are in the intermediate level, but not where you can do a no walkthru contra corners or hey for 4 dance. There are almost always a few new dancers at each dance, and the average number of dancers is between 35 and 55. The caller usually teaches the workshop, with a few of the regular dancers participating when needed, but is not a large workshop, nor do many of the regular dancers come in time for the workshop. What I would like from the group is specific ways of integrating style tips that will teach the dancers safe and courteous dancing without sounding overtly preachy. What kind of common problems do you see that dancers have that they can improve on? This night is billed as a dance evening with style tips taught, so those that come will expect some extra teaching during each walk thru. But I don't want to over do the teaching, or do too much talking. I'd also like to hear some of the specific things that you all would teach to try to improve a groups style of dancing so that it is fun and safe for everyone. Specific dance tips or examples would be helpful. During the dance I envision a specific tip to teach or highlight during each walkthru, and the dances I choose will emphasize the tip being taught. One example is that in a Rory O'More style balance it is best to look in the direction you are moving and make eye contact with the person you are balancing towards. Teaching that the balances are all inter-dependent, so when one person does it the wrong way it can ripple affect the whole line, and that the eye contact reinforces the motion - of moving toward the person you are looking at. Another question I have is this - Do you prefer to have the caller teach the workshop, or do you prefer to have in-house people or local callers who attend the dance teach the workshop? Perhaps this question is more directed to those who are also dance organizers. I have heard the idea that if a group wants to make sure their dancers are learning to dance properly then they need to control that by having their own people teach the workshop, rather than leaving that to the caller, who is usually a different person each evening. Then there is the fact that the caller knows what his program is and what goals he may have for the evening and will teach a workshop that includes what he will be presenting. Many veteren dancers don't attend the workshop, even though some of them would benefit from attending, so that teaching the workshop only really benefits the newer dancers and those veterans who do attend. What do you do at your local dance for the workshop? Do you have a group of local people who teach it? Is that goup comprised of callers or other very experienced dancers? Do you follow a specific format for the workshop? Or, do you leave the workshop and the information taught in it up to the caller? As a caller, I always welcome the opportunity to teach the workshop, and impart my style tips and info during the workshop, as well as throughout the dance. The event above that I am calling is where I will hope to teach some of these tips during the dance itself. I know there are callers on this list who have done workshops like this at dance weekends and festivals. I welcome your input - on or off list. I have been to a few of these workshops on safe dancing, on dance style, dancing in your own space, etc. I'd like to do a similar type of event, but during this regular dance night, and help the organizers fulfill their goal of advancing the experience level, and safe dancing style, of all of their dancers. Thanks to you all in advance for your ideas, tips, info and opinions. Dave Colestock www.davecolestock.com

16 years, 11 months

Festivals - mixed abilities and ages

by Jeanette Mill

Hi from Australia I'm interested in strategies for incorporating a huge range of abilities and ages in to a fun workshop at a festival. I will be calling at a festival in a few weeks - it is not a dancing festival as such, more a music festival, where some dancing is held. As well as the regular dancers, brand new dancers, including their tiny children, will get up to have a go. It can ultimately be a mix of about 50/50 dancers to non-dancers, numbering about 30 people in total. Cheers Jeanette The piano - 88 little mistakes waiting to happen; Peter Barnes Stay connected to the people that matter most with a smarter inbox. Take a look http://au.docs.yahoo.com/mail/smarterinbox

16 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] A Magical Moment: The Quiet Contra Dance

by Tina Fields

When reading this, the thought occurred to me that with this dance, you folks were returning to the original English Country Dance roots of contra, where all the tunes and dances were meshed so that when the music began, everyone just knew the moves and performed them. Interesting! The magical feeling Will reports makes me wonder where our dance form will go next... Happy new year, everyone. Tina Fields Will Loving wrote, > Now here?s the magical part: You have an entire hall of > dancers, three sets, > standing in long wavy lines ready to balance. It?s > completely quiet. Becky > Tracy starts playing the introduction on her fiddle and 16 > beats later, you > hear 100+ bodies balancing right, balancing left, and then > sliding (ROM) to > the right ? all with no talking and no calls, just the > sound of the music > and everyone dancing in unison. And it continued from there > and was repeated > throughout the night with each new dance. >

16 years, 11 months

"birthday" contra dance

by Joy Greenwolfe

Hi all, I'm calling a contra dance this weekend, and had a request for a "birthday dance" to honor somebody's birthday. I can't think of any contra dances that reference birthdays. Any suggestions or ideas? The crowd is likely to include a significant number of beginners mixed into a mid-to-high level crowd. They are not amenable to anything too far outside a modern regular contra, although it might depend on the ratio of challenge: satisfaction. Thanks in advance for any ideas! Joy Greenwolfe Durham, NC

16 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] A Magical Moment: The Quiet Contra Dance

by gtwood＠worldpath.net

Yahoo, what fun! The last time I had one of those magical moments was, at the Down East Dance Fest, a couple of years ago. (the order of events was reversed) Linda Leslie was calling... she ran through the dance a few times then let the band take over.... (Wake the Neighbors????) they played some very sultry tunes, the dance was like a carnival ride (I have the name archived some where.... I will find for the list!) There was the music and at the appropriate times Laughter from the dancers, (as I remember) not a whole lot of chatter, many gypsys! just this very magical romp through the land of contra! then exhausted dancers as the dance came to an end.... Gale

16 years, 11 months

A Magical Moment: The Quiet Contra Dance

by Will Loving

Dear friends, I¹d like to share with you a lovely experience I had last Saturday night, an experience unique in my 27+ years of contra dancing. The event was the second of two consecutive nights of dancing with Wild Asparagus during which the music for the entire dance was being recorded. The Guiding Star Grange hall (Greenfield, MA) was filled with mostly experienced dancers who braved the snowstorms and the stage was filled with extra musicians and miles of microphone chords to support both the recording and the sound to the hall. Lisa Greenleaf was calling so that George Marshall could focus on playing. At most regular dances we have a walkthrough once, maybe twice, and then four beats for nothing to start. This night was different for a number of reasons to accommodate the recording. First, most of the bands intros were longer, 8 or 16 beats, and second, the dancers were asked be quiet during the intro and the first round of the dance (as well as during the waltzes). In addition, in order to keep things quiet, there was no calling for the first three moves or so of the first time through the dance. In order to make this all happen smoothly, Lisa did two careful walk-throughs followed by the entire hall listening to and then practicing the introduction and first few moves a couple of times. In so doing, we were able to all know when to come in and perform the first part of the dance without cues. After that, Lisa would come in quietly as required. Now here¹s the magical part: You have an entire hall of dancers, three sets, standing in long wavy lines ready to balance. It¹s completely quiet. Becky Tracy starts playing the introduction on her fiddle and 16 beats later, you hear 100+ bodies balancing right, balancing left, and then sliding (ROM) to the right all with no talking and no calls, just the sound of the music and everyone dancing in unison. And it continued from there and was repeated throughout the night with each new dance. Of course, people can¹t be quiet for long, especially when Wild Asparagus is playing, but those first few moments were an extraordinary experience. The Greenfield dance is often so noisy during the walkthroughs and dances and it was sheer joy (for me at least) to have it all pared down to just the essence of the music and the swish and step of dancers moving together. Perhaps someday, if I get the opportunity and support from the dancers, I¹d love to ask everyone to try being quiet just for the first time through a dance, just to have some experience of that again. Thanks to Lisa for her masterful management and calling and to Wild Asparagus (extended) group on stage for the fabulous music. When the CD is released, you are all in for a treat. Will Loving Amherst, MA -- "A contra-dance is like an amusement park that we make for ourselves." (Unknown)

16 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 52, Issue 6

by Martha Wild

I agree with Alan. Last night I realized I had three Becket type dances in the evening - but each had a different sort of transition, and very different figures within them, so they were quite distinct. I don't think dancers care whether the dances are Becket or duple minors, and it is only if transitions and patterns are highly repetitive that people will notice. And again, there was the one shared calling night where the same dance was danced in the first half and again in the second, with quite different tunes, and only a few people noticed that it was "somewhat familiar". Martha On Dec 12, 2008, at 7:39 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. Last call: Workshops in Gilmanton NH (gtwood(a)worldpath.net) > 2. Beckets (gtwood(a)worldpath.net) > 3. Re: Beckets (Chris Page) > 4. Re: Beckets (Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing) > 5. Re: Beckets (Laur) > 6. Re: Beckets (Will Loving) > 7. Re: Beckets (Jeff Kaufman) > 8. house party squares (Jeff Kaufman) > 9. Re: house party squares (Will Loving) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:29:46 -0500 > From: <gtwood(a)worldpath.net> > Subject: [Callers] Last call: Workshops in Gilmanton NH > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Cc: musicians(a)sharedweight.net > Message-ID: <RkqyG8PE.1229016586.1070780.gtwood(a)worldpath.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > > Hi Folks, > Wanted to post one last reminder about callers and musicians > workshops In Gilmanton NH. 12/13 4:00-5:30 PM......... > pot luck dinner following the workshops > Members of SWALLOWTAIL will be conducting the workshops > > Callers: Begginer Caller and Advanced Teaching Techniques > > Musicians: Taking toons to the next level/ playing for the dance! > > Than stick around to dance to Swallowtail! > (sponcered in part by the Country Dance and Song Society) > > Details at: www.worldpath.net/~gtwood > PHONE: > 603-679-5448 > > Day of Dance > Gale: 603-817-9879 > Lynn: 603-926-9700 > > > Directions: > Gilmanton NH Town Offices > RT 107 (corner of RT 107 and RT 140) > (across from the Gilmanton Corners Store) > > Hope to see you there! > Thanks > Gale > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:20:55 -0500 > From: <gtwood(a)worldpath.net> > Subject: [Callers] Beckets > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Message-ID: <wLt3FyN1.1229023255.0528640.gtwood(a)worldpath.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > > Hay folks, > Typically, how many Becket dances will you call in an > evening? > I seem to be on a Becket "kick" as of late, and don't wish to > over do it. > > Thanks in advance Gale > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:01:26 -0800 > From: "Chris Page" <chriscpage(a)gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Beckets > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Message-ID: > <9469896c0812111601k3072a06j7501d5fbcb76bfe9(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > On 12/11/08, gtwood(a)worldpath.net <gtwood(a)worldpath.net> wrote: >> >> Hay folks, >> Typically, how many Becket dances will you call in an >> evening? >> I seem to be on a Becket "kick" as of late, and don't wish to >> over do it. > > > Looking at my programs, it looks like in the last year of > 15 contra dances, I've only called 18 Becket dances. > (Last week I realized I hadn't introduced Becket when I > got to the triple minor, and needed to use that term...) > > But this isn't intentional. For me, Becket vs. Improper is > just a different way of starting the same dance. I don't > see any deep difference between them. Still, there are > a couple of factors that tilt me improper-wards: > > -When programming I seek dances that don't always > end and start the same. Most Becket dances end with > a partner swing. > > -Improper dances tend to be simpler than Becket dances, > hence more of them get done. > > (This is because an improper choreography must reach three > choreographic mileposts during the dance -- progressed, > neighbor swung, and partner swung. Becket must reach two > mileposts -- neighbor swung and partner swung; so there's > more time in the dance to wander far, far away from these > mileposts/stations.) > > (Drop the neighbor swing requirement and the above still holds.) > > -My use of other dance formations -- squares, > four-face-fours, circle mixer, triplets, and so forth -- automatically > decreases both the number of improper and Becket dances. > > -I think there's more good improper sequences out there than > Becket ones, quite possibly because that's what more > people have intentionally been trying to write. I have no data > to support this, however. > > -Chris Page > San Diego > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:40:47 -0800 (PST) > From: Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing > <winston(a)slac.stanford.edu> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Beckets > To: gtwood(a)worldpath.net > Cc: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Message-ID: <01N2Z0VAKUU4A08A4Q(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=us-ascii > > Gale wrote: > >> Hay folks, >> Typically, how many Becket dances will you call in an >> evening? >> I seem to be on a Becket "kick" as of late, and don't wish to >> over do it. > > I don't think dancers particularly care about Becket vs improper > per se. > They care (to some degree *) about the dances seeming too similar, but > I think what gives that impression is largely transitions (do they > all start > the same? do they all end the same?), distinctive figures (do they > all > have Rory O'Moore balance-in-lines in them?), to some degree mood > (are they > *all* slinky? are they *all* rowdy?), not whether you have them > circle left 1 > place after they take hands four. > > If you aren't boring the dancers with sameness, I don't think you have > to worry about the actual numbers. > > That said, I seem to call somewhere between 0 and 4 out of 10. > > -- Alan > > > > > -- > ====================================================================== > ========= > Alan Winston --- WINSTON(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU > Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: > 650/926-3056 > Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park > CA 94025 > ====================================================================== > ========= > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:01:46 -0800 (PST) > From: Laur <lcpgr(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Beckets > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Message-ID: <464728.92956.qm(a)web52901.mail.re2.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > I too enjoy Becket dances.? But when I think about the why of > incorporating them in my planning a dance, its more about variety > of flow, dance moves, and level of difficulty.? I personally find > dancing a night with 6 balance? the waves or 4 Rory O'Moors, or > worse,? the combination of them, very less enjoyable, regardless of > the band, caller, or dance partner(s).? And? I try? to? remember > this in planning a program for others.? Not all Beckets are > "difficult" so I use the "easier" Beckets to vary programs when I'm > working to enhance perspective and create variety and keep the more > experienced engaged in a dance evening.?? And I use? the the more > difficult, or engaging, Beckets to challenge or enrich. > > So I enjoy Beckets, and find that sometimes I? have to "hold > back".? And I also agree with what Alan has said. > > Laurie > West Michigan/ Grand Rapids > > --- On Thu, 12/11/08, Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing > <winston(a)slac.stanford.edu> wrote: > From: Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing > <winston(a)slac.stanford.edu> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Beckets > To: gtwood(a)worldpath.net > Cc: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 6:40 PM > > Gale wrote: > >> Hay folks, >> Typically, how many Becket dances will you call in an >> evening? >> I seem to be on a Becket "kick" as of late, and don't wish > to >> over do it. > > I don't think dancers particularly care about Becket vs improper > per se. > They care (to some degree *) about the dances seeming too similar, but > I think what gives that impression is largely transitions (do they > all start > the same? do they all end the same?), distinctive figures (do they > all > have Rory O'Moore balance-in-lines in them?), to some degree mood > (are they > *all* slinky? are they *all* rowdy?), not whether you have them > circle left 1 > place after they take hands four. > > If you aren't boring the dancers with sameness, I don't think you have > to worry about the actual numbers. > > That said, I seem to call somewhere between 0 and 4 out of 10. > > -- Alan > > > > > -- > ====================================================================== > ========= > Alan Winston --- WINSTON(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU > Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: > 650/926-3056 > Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park > CA 94025 > ====================================================================== > ========= > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:17:57 -0500 > From: Will Loving <will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Beckets > To: "Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>" > <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Message-ID: <C567CEB5.2F541%will(a)dedicationtechnologies.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > On the topic of becket dances, I have a sort of minor questions: > > The majority of beckets rotate left-flowing or clockwise (CW) but an > increasing number are being written and danced which flow to the > right or > counter-clockwise (CCW). To setup for teaching a becket dance, most > callers > will simply say, "take hands four and circle one place to the left > to becket > formation" regardless of the direction of flow. > > However, for a CCW dance, some callers will give the instruction to > "take > hands four and circle one place to the right". Though this is > technically > correct with regard to the flow of the dance it seems that, at > least to the > dancers, it's not really necessary and they sometimes scratch their > heads > about "circle to the right?". > > More recently, I've noticed that as becket dances have become more > common at > least at Greenfield, MA dances (which is generally a very experienced > crowd), the instructions are simply "this is a becket formation > dance, so > stand with your partner beside you facing across the set to another > couple > and take hands four". > > Thoughts anyone? > > Will Loving > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:03:16 -0500 > From: cbr(a)sccs.swarthmore.edu (Jeff Kaufman) > Subject: Re: [Callers] Beckets > To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Message-ID: <20081212140316.GB32046(a)sccs.swarthmore.edu> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 08:17:57AM -0500, Will Loving wrote: >> >> The majority of beckets rotate left-flowing or clockwise (CW) but an >> increasing number are being written and danced which flow to the >> right or counter-clockwise (CCW). To setup for teaching a becket >> dance, most callers will simply say, "take hands four and circle one >> place to the left to becket formation" regardless of the direction >> of flow. >> >> However, for a CCW dance, some callers will give the instruction to >> "take hands four and circle one place to the right". Though this is >> technically correct with regard to the flow of the dance it seems >> that, at least to the dancers, it's not really necessary and they >> sometimes scratch their heads about "circle to the right?". >> > > I should think whether to tell people to circle one place to the right > for a CCW dance would depend on how important it is to the dancers to > be going the direction they thought they would be going when they > lined up. > > In my experience, people who were dancing when there were more unequal > turn dances want to know if they are a one or a two. People who > started more recently often don't care. So what I would say would > depend on the crowd. > > > If you really want to start an argument, write an improper dance that > progresses backwards and ask people who are the ones and who are the > twos. > > Jeff >

16 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Beckets

by Mark Widmer

Regarding CCW Beckets and whether to tell dancers to circle left or right 1 place, I don't think it really matters much which you do. Like with any dance, if the progression is tricky you can give the dancers a heads-up at the start of the walkthrough to reinforce the direction of progression for them. Or better yet, have them identify their **next** neighbor so that when the time comes, most dancers will know who to look for. If the progression is simple and straightforward, then I wouldn't worry about it either way. Jeff Kaufman wrote: > If you really want to start an argument, write an improper dance > that progresses backwards... Now THERE'S an interesting idea. Bwuahahahahaha!!!

16 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Swallowtail Dec.13th Gilmanton NH

by gtwood＠worldpath.net

Hello all, The Callers and Musicians Workshops, as well as, the Swallowtail Dance, sheduled for this evening in Gilmanton NH, have been canceled due to, power outage/ ice storm we'll try again in the fall! Please call your dance compadres and help us get the word out Thanks Gale 603-817-9879

16 years, 11 months

Beckets

by gtwood＠worldpath.net

Hay folks, Typically, how many Becket dances will you call in an evening? I seem to be on a Becket "kick" as of late, and don't wish to over do it. Thanks in advance Gale

16 years, 11 months

Jump to page:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Contra Callers