Contra Callers

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39 participants
4354 discussions

Re: [Callers] Callers trouble getting gigs (medium long)

by gtwood＠worldpath.net

Thank you Tina! A lively discussion! you are not alone! I live and dance in an area where there is a lively dance community (southern New Hampshire) Years ago I took over as co-organizer of a dance and inevitably there was a dance where the caller could not make it. So, with the aid of my co-organizer, we called the dance! I had a ball! This started me on the path of caller. A lot of my calling experience has been trial by fire. In the beginning I was trying to call dances, above my ability, to mixed groups of dancers. The beginners were confused and the old hands were frustrated but gracious. I have been at it for 5 years. I have been blessed with a 2 venues that have allowed me to call one full evening per season. There is also 1 venue that allows me to call 1 dance a month, and surprisingly this is where I have gained the most experience as a caller. (lots of college age newbies!) I do lots of calling from the floor i.e.: while dancing. Much of my dance time is spent in the less crowded side sets where the newer dancers congregate. I find this helps with quick memory of moves and Dances (now if I could put them into long term memory!) and is a great place to teach dances. (many thanks from beginners!) I have been frustrated by not being asked to call at smaller dance venues, that are organized by friends, its not worth risking the friendship, also Im not going to beg tocall any venue. My hope is that these organizers will come to one of my dances and see that my skill level has improved enough to be acceptable to their standards. I was ready to give away all of my notes, dance books, and cards this past spring because there were no opportunities coming my way, a fellow caller dissuaded me from taking that course of action. Im glad he did because this Fall/Winter I am calling 2 full evening dances! One thing you may wish to do is approach organizers and ask if they would be interested in doing an open caller night. (they get the callers for free!) Its an interesting dynamic to co-ordinate with other callers so that your not calling the same type of dances and have a varied evening and you get to pick up new material by doing dance swaps! Organize a house junket, and invite local organizers as your GPs (feed them well!) Encourage dancers, who compliment you on your calling, to please let organizers know your available. The word will get around! Good Luck Thanks Gale Wood

16 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] Trouble Getting Gigs (very long)

by Dan Black

Tina, Recently, after two years of calling full nights at various locations in NY metro area, I had to be evaluated while calling a full night for a dance community. This process may have seemed overkill but what the process did was to remove subjectivty from the process. The evaluation form was derived from the Atlanta dance series and here is the link to the form: http://www.contradance.org/pdfs/caller_eval.pdf The form is quite extensive. Also, I agree what has been stated from others that it is very helpful and important to have a mentor. Someone who would be honest with constructive feedback both good and bad. When I have taped myself, it is possible to review an evening for areas of improvement and areas that were well done. The tape doesn't have selective memory like I sometimes do. A mentor would be able to point out areas for improvement and areas done well. See ya on the floor, Dan

16 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] Trouble Getting Gigs (Nancy Turner)

by Chip Hedler

Wouldn't it be great to have an online directory of dance organizers who want to recruit callers--and callers looking for gigs? The dance organizers could give their specifications, preferences (possibly including insights into the local style), how payment would be handled, etc. The callers could say what they're looking for and have to offer, how far they're willing to travel, etc. as well. Oh, yeah, the system could include musicians too...the whole thing could be modeled after the "personals" classifieds or the NY Times employment section. Oops, maybe not such a good idea--maybe the postings would soon be crowded with offers of pseudo-pharmaceutical substances to add/subtract inches to various body parts or windfall opportunities to share in large amounts of offshore currency. The tension for dance organizers between wanting to lean toward the security of proven big names who will insure consistently large and enthusiastic turnouts, and the uncertainties of trying relatively unknown callers and musicians isn't going to go away. Fortunately, there are still folks trying to keep smaller local dance series alive, even occasionally starting new ones. Without these people, who often have even fewer training resources to draw on than beginning callers, the future of contra dance "in the wild" would be bleak indeed... Chip Hedler

16 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] Trouble Getting Gigs

by Nancy Turner

Hi All, Great topic. I've been calling for almost two years with a mix of family dances and small contra dances. I've viewed these venues as a forgiving place to learn and practice, and I am grateful for them. I also help to organize a dance that is mid-sized with a mix of experienced and new dancers that runs once a month. In a good month we get 100 there; in smaller months 65. My "glass ceiling" was calling the dance that I organize. For many of the issues that Greg described, our organizing committee wants to keep the dance lively with consistent performers. However, we are also open to up and coming performers and decided that we would pair new bands with experienced callers and visa versa as a way to encourage and develop new talent. Our summer months are typically smaller dances, so this is a time when our booker feels more freedom to book a range of performers. This summer I've felt that I've been ready to call a whole night where there are more experienced dancers, and therefore at our dance. To get there, I had to meet the expectations of the committee that I was ready. I struggled a bit with this. I felt concern that I would take advantage of my position on the committee to get on stage. My "big break" came two weeks ago when our caller for the August dance cancelled with relatively short notice. Our outreach to other callers failed to come up with anyone who was available and so I got to call the night. As a caller, it was really a new experience to plan for and call a whole night of dances for these dancers. As Tina described, I was able to call dances that were more challenging to call and dance. Nothing too wowing, but for me, they were a stretch beyond what I'd been able to do elsewhere. It was really fun and all went well. I've talked with local musicians who felt this same sort of barrier to getting on stage at another big local dance. They felt that they were put to a higher standard by the bookers just because they were familiar and untested and young performers. I think what Tina is describing isn't atypical. Tina, if you are willing to travel, we'll book you at our dance! Maybe a strategy is to get on the road and call at bigger dances outside of your region. On the strength of that experience, you could reasonably the local organizers to give you a shot. My two cents, Nancy Turner Vermont

16 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] See Saw dance request

by Dan Black

The list has always has been there when I needed y'all. Thanks, that dance seems to fit very well. See ya on the floor, Dan ----- Original Message ---- From: Liz and Bill <staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 3:06:20 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] See Saw dance request Hi Dan, Unruly Reunion by Robert Cromartie is a very easy dance. As written it has a Dosido in B1a, but a variation with a seesaw (with a clockwise flourish) fits the flow better. Improper A1 down the hall four in line (1's in the middle) Turn alone, return, Bend the line A2 Circle Left, Circle Right B1 Neighbor Seesaw (with clockwise flourish), Neighbor Swing B2 LLFB, 1's Swing Cheers, Bill _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

16 years, 8 months

See Saw dance request

by Dan Black

Gang, Does anyone have an easy see saw (left shoulder dosido) dance for a second dance of the evening? My hope is to do a Moon Dance & Sun Dance medley however, I don't have a see saw dance to set this medley up. I got Daddy's Reeling and Pride of Charlottesville from the list serve, any others. Thanks Dan Black Western Shore of NJ

16 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] See Saw dance request

by Dan Black

Thanks Michael. I hadn't thought to look at Don's books. ----- Original Message ---- From: Michael Barraclough <michael(a)michaelbarraclough.com> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 11:53:00 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] See Saw dance request How about Moon Rhymes by Don Flaherty. His original dance has a dosido but I feel that a seesaw flows better (that's how I call it). The title fits perfectly with your theme! You do need plenty of space along the line for this one. Ladies chain (along set) [4] Seesaw as couples [4] Partner swing [8] Men allemande left 1.5 [4] Neighbour swing [4] Circular balance [2] Petronella [2] Circular balance [2] Petronella [2] Michael Barraclough http://www.michaelbarraclough.com -----Original Message----- From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Dan Black Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 11:37 PM To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] See Saw dance request Gang, Does anyone have an easy see saw (left shoulder dosido) dance for a second dance of the evening? My hope is to do a Moon Dance & Sun Dance medley however, I don't have a see saw dance to set this medley up. I got Daddy's Reeling and Pride of Charlottesville from the list serve, any others. Thanks Dan Black Western Shore of NJ _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

16 years, 8 months

Re: [Callers] Dancing Dancing Bear

by richgoss＠comcast.net

I was present, and dancing, at a dance once where Becky Hill taught the A1 of Dancing Bear with a demo. I always teach it exactly this way. This is how the Becky taught it: Allemande right just 1/2, then do a little hop (dancers LOVE this little hop. Alle 1/2 and hop takes 4 beats) Then switch hands and allemande left one full time (another 4 beats) into the ladies chain. That's the whole A1. It works just fine. Rich -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Rickey" <holt.e(a)comcast.net> > Hi, > > I have called this dance before but a part of my directions does not make > sense to me. Have you called it? The dance is Dancing Bear, by Becky Hill. > Duple Improper > > (A1) Neighbor Allemande Right (œ ) (4) / Same Neighbor Allemande Left (ONCE > AROUND) (also in 4!)/ Ladies Chain ( œ ) (8) > > (A1) Hey (16) > > (B1) Partner Balance and Swing (16) > > (B2) Ladies Chain ( œ ) (8) /Star left (once to new neighbors) (8) > > > > A Great dance!!!!!!!!!!!! > > > > What is puzzling me is this: The Allemande Left (in A1) seems to need to be > closer to ONCE AND A HALF to set up for the ladies chain and doing THAT in 4 > counts would be too much. I have called it, and I called it as once around > and it did look like the dancers were going more than one half way around > (the other option), so what do you think was really going on. > > How do you call this dance? > > Rickey Holt, > > Fremont, NH > > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

16 years, 8 months

Thanks to Ridge, Bob , Adina, Chris, Jeanette, etc :) Re: dance video info

by Richie K.

Thanks to everyone who let me know about Donna Hunt and the "stutter step" in the video :) I've emailed Donna and will let you all know of any data she gives me :) :) Keep the contra fires burning... :) Richie Katz ____________________________________________________________ Click here to find the perfect picture with our powerful photo search features. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/Ioyw6i3mDcGPvii31xm139X0smrSQn8…

16 years, 8 months

Dancing Dancing Bear

by Rickey

Hi, I have called this dance before but a part of my directions does not make sense to me. Have you called it? The dance is Dancing Bear, by Becky Hill. Duple Improper (A1) Neighbor Allemande Right (½ ) (4) / Same Neighbor Allemande Left (ONCE AROUND) (also in 4!)/ Ladies Chain ( ½ ) (8) (A1) Hey (16) (B1) Partner Balance and Swing (16) (B2) Ladies Chain ( ½ ) (8) /Star left (once to new neighbors) (8) A Great dance!!!!!!!!!!!! What is puzzling me is this: The Allemande Left (in A1) seems to need to be closer to ONCE AND A HALF to set up for the ladies chain and doing THAT in 4 counts would be too much. I have called it, and I called it as once around and it did look like the dancers were going more than one half way around (the other option), so what do you think was really going on. How do you call this dance? Rickey Holt, Fremont, NH

16 years, 8 months

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