Hi all,
I've been lurking for quite a while (and much enjoying all the suggestions
and opinions), but now I need your help.
I'm scheduled to call a "hoedown" next week for a retirement community, and
could use some help selecting (or modifying) appropriate dances. I'm
bringing a live band, so we'll probably intersperse liberally with waltzes
and other breaks, but I still hope to get them moving in some fun fashion.
I know many folks in the community (I teach tai chi and qigong there twice a
week), and am pretty sure that the wheelchair-or-walker set won't be dancing
(heck, I don't know if anyone will be dancing!), but I'm hoping some of the
more fit folks in their sixties and seventies can be convinced onto the
floor. That said, I'm still pretty sure I need to limit the amount of
swinging/twirling/hopping etc. to avoid possible falls or other disasters.
Oh, and we'll probably be dancing on carpet. Fun, huh?
Anyhow, any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Cis Hinkle
I think the formation you're describing is similar to the Weston Mountain Zia and other "Zia" formation dances. Bob Isaacs has a lengthy description of this formation that appeared either on this list or the trad-dance-callers list within the last year.
David Millstone
I'm toying with a new formation, a "plus".
Imagine a regular contra line, with a second going cross-ways, intersecting
about half way down.
The progression would be toward or away from the center intersection, then
back out.
Different progressions in the center determine which arm of the plus the
"back out" goes to.
It seems a double progression works best, or there will be a square (4
couples) in the center -
which might be another variation - just too deep for me at the moment. The
progression
through the intersection could be a Star Right, while the couples still in
the arms do an
allemande with Neigbor once and a half.
Any thoughts? Is this an original formation? Can you provide names of other
dances like this?
Bob Fabinski
Rochester NY
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Hullo List,
Just ran across a Contra dance choreography entry on ye olde Wikipedia.
That handy, mildly suspect, group contribution or back-room handled
centre for information/ego/slander (pick one).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance_choreography
It looks fundamentally correct to my less experienced eye and I wonder
if anyone on here has already vetted it or at least perused it for
validity, which I'd like before recommending it to folks.
This is part of a root section on Contra dance which seemingly has more
references, though there still seems to be a call for citations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contra_dance
Thanks, John
J.D. Erskine
Victoria, BC
As a new caller, I¹m looking for advise and/or suggestions for events with a
very small number of dancers, 3-6 couples. At a dance I called in August
(granted a slow month) we had at most five couples and that was if I and a
couple of people who came to play music danced. I threw away my carefully
planned program and wound up doing a number of triplets (thank you David
Smukler) and a four-on-four that I modified so that it stayed together as a
set and resulted in a change of partners each time through. It was a little
clunky but it mostly worked and gave us some variety.
I am of course trying to avoid the scenario of people spending half the
dance as neutrals when there only four couples in a set, and I¹m not really
ready to take on learning some squares in the next few days which would be
the obvious choice. I am hopeful that there will be more people this time,
but in case I¹m in the same situation again, I¹m studying more triplets, a
couple of dbl-progression dances for 4+ couple sets (so that no one waits
out at the end for long) and looking for other ideas.
Levi Jackson Rag is a possibility, but I¹d still like to have some other
options in my pocket. It did occur to me to suggest an extra couples dance
or two just to break things up if we¹re doing lots of short dances with 3-5
couples.
Thanks,
Will Loving
OK, enough people have asked me for the list that I'm including it below. I
hesitated at first because I'm well aware that while many dance
choreographers are fine with having their dances appear online in this way,
such feeling is not universal. I wasn't sure about the appropriateness of
posting a longer list like this, though I guess there is a difference
between posting in a discussion group and posting on a web page. I just
didn't want to get anyone upset.
I will say that some of the emails I received with dance suggestions
prompted me to take a trip over to CDSS (I live about 12 miles away) and go
through various books beyond the ones I already had. Having found lots of
good dances in various books and booklets there, I would recommend to others
to consider purchasing (online or in person) some of the smaller collections
of dances that they have available.
In particular, Gary Roodman has a number of booklets with interesting dance
collections and commentary and the Gary Armstrong "Dance Workshop" has a
large number of dances (contra, square, folk and novelty) that might be
appropriate for smaller groups. This is of course in addition to the "Other
Formations" sections of the usual sources such as Zesty Contras and Give and
Take.
Will
----------------------------------------------
The following list is made up of dances which either I found on my own or
were referred to me in preparation for a dance that might potentially have
6-10 dancers. The Quadruplets are particularly interesting especially Gary
Roodman's Square Line Special which Linda Leslie referred me to.
The notation has not been checked and the notes are usually verbatim from
the source - website, email, whatever - so check the calls out before you
try using them!
Will Loving
---------------------------------------------------------------
Microchasmic by Anne Fallon
Triplet
A1) Lines forward and back
Opposite Do si do
A2) Center couple turn Contra corners
B1) ALL Balance & Swing Partner end facing up toward the band]
B2 Top couple leads Peel the Banana all follow the leader when top couple
hits the bottom they make and arch other two couples run throught the arch.
This the Progression.
I sometimes use it at regular contra dances as the 5th dance as a way to
teach beginners the Contra Corners figure without all the pushing and
shoving to be where they need to be. Corners only have to watch one
direction for their turning couple. It fun for all and I advise them to make
the Sets with at least one set of newcomers in the set. - Mavis L McGaugh
------------------------------------
Here are two suggestions, both set dances: Double Dot - for 5 people, and
Pride of the Pingle for 9 people. I do not have authors. I think "Pride" is
traditional. (Pingle is a peninsula in Ireland.)
Rickey Holt,
Fremont, NH
DOUBLE DOT
>From the calling of Marianne Taylor, from whom I learned the dance.
Formation: 4 people on the ends of a plus sign with the fifth person in the
middle facing up (or if it easier to picture, 4 people on the sides of a
square as if each was missing a partner, plus that fifth in the middle).
Left and Right are from the perspective of the middle person - who is facing
up
A1 Middle person, top and right hand person - Star Right
Into a Star Left for middle, bottom and left hand person
A2 Hey for 3 up and down the middle - for middle, top and bottom;
middle and top, right shoulders to start
B1,2 Middle and RIGHT hand person balance together and away and change
places (i.e. allemande right 1/2 way)
Repeat for NEW middle and bottom
Repeat for new middle and next
Repeat for new middle and current top. Do not let go of this last
change and form the star to start the dance again.
I like to use waltzes, Marianne used Reels
PRIDE OF THE PINGLE
By Ken Alexander
Formation: Four couples in longways formation, proper, men on caller's
right, women across from them, AND an extra person at the bottom, between
and below the lines, facing up.
A1 All dance down the hall single file while the Dingle dances up
between the lines
Turn and dance back
A2 "Climb the Ladder": On the sides, all Allemande Left 1/2, then Right
1/2. Dingle joins each allemande to make a 3 person star in succession
moving up with each successive star. This is repeated (for a total of
twice) until the dingle is at the top.
B1 Dingle joins line of their own gender (if this can be determined).
Lines go forward and back, with the dingle going forward to an empty
spot.
All go forward and back again but adjust so that the all are
opposite a new partner. This means that the dingle's line moves down
one
place as it moves forward and a new dingle is popped out at the
bottom.
B2 All swing new partners. Optionally, Dingle can join the bottom
couple to form a basket of three (although I normally do this dance for
beginners and they are too busy getting straight to do the basket).
-------------------------------------------------------------
Corner Triplet
By Linda Leslie
Type: Contra
Formation: Triplet
Level: Easy
A1 -----------
(8) All Actives down the center as a couple (W on Left)
(8) Turn alone and cast off with twos
A2 -----------
(16) Active couple turn contra corners
B1 -----------
(16) Active couple balance and swing, end facing UP
B2 -----------
(8) Actives step btw twos and separate and go down the outside to bottom (to
become threes)
(8) Lines of three, forward and back
Other Notes: I put together a triplet that introduces folks to the
movements, as well as the cast off,
which is found in so many contra corner dances. I have used it a lot, and it
works well.
SharedWeight - 4/26/08
---------------------------------------------------------
David's Triplet #5
By David Smukler
Type: Contra
Formation: Triplet
A1 -----------
Couple one down the outside to the bottom and step into the center
Up the center and cast off with couple two
A2 -----------
All do-si-do partner 1-1/4 into a wavy line-of-6 (right hands with partner)
Balance, allemande right partner just halfway into a new wave
B1 -----------
Balance, pull past partner's right shoulder to start a hey-for-6 (just half
a hey)
B2 -----------
When you meet your partner, gypsy and swing
Notes: Ends of hey function just like a hey for four with out on the right
and back in by the right
Other Notes: Ends in 3-1-2 order.
---------------------------------------------------------
>From Richard Green
But that reminds me that I wrote a triplet a few years back, which works
best with experienced dancers:
TRIANGLE TRIPLET
Three couple longways, actives in the middle, all proper
By Alan Winston, Jan/Feb 2004, subsequent tweaks
Music: Any 32-bar jig or driving reel, NOT TOO FAST. I like "Moon and Seven
Stars" (in Portland Collection) and also like "K and E" for the raggy,
driving feel.
For the Triangle Country Dancers and Sun Assembly
A1: Partners take right hand in right, balance fwd and back.
Actives swing, ends pull by to start a weave the ring
(circular hey with just the four end people). All finish at home.
A2: Partners take right hand in right, balance fwd and back.
End couples swing, actives turn right halfway (or pull by) and
individually orbit the couple to their right; ends finish at home,
middles go through home into the set and face up.
B1: TRIANGLE STARS
1-4: Middles stick out the handy hand (woman's right, man's left) and
ends join in same-sex triangle stars on the sides. Turn the star until the
old middles are on the bottom (about 2/3ds of the way), then let go and face
into the set; that leaves you in order 3-1-2.
5-8: Partners do-si-do.
B2: 1-4: Lines of three forward and back, new middle coming back further
than the others; finish with all facing into your group of three.
5-8: TRIANGLE SWING: cross your hands in front of you and take hands
with your neighbors; turn once around with a buzz-step turn. Open up again
in the same order; you're with the same partner.
NOTES:
On the Triangle star: A wrist grip star gives you an equilateral triangle.
The star is with the people in your own line, and starts with the actives
shoulder to shoulder in the middle, facing up.
You may find you prefer to drop the forward and back and make a longer
triangle swing; I like the opportunity for a smooth entry into the swing,
and there's a memory of the end of "Walpole Cottage" in this sequence. Or,
and this is probably better for most crowds, keep the forward and back and
turn the triangle swing into a basket swing.
---------------------------------------------------------
Square Line Special
By Gary Roodman
>From his book "Calculated Figures"
Type: Contra
Formation: Quadruplet
Music: ³Swinging on a Gate² or any 32-bar contra dance tune, 4 times
through.
A1 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Go forward again and pass through and turn alone
A2 -----------
(4) Take Right Hand with partner across, balance
(4) (in your group of four) pull partner by the Right, neighbor by the left
(8) Swing the next (partner on the ends, neighbor for the centers)
(End the swing forming a square)
B1 -----------
(8) Head couples Right & Left through
(8) Head couples ladies Chain
B2 -----------
(8) Head couples lead to the right, circle left once
(8) Sides arch, heads duck under, separate, around one
(form lines to start the dance again, your original partner will be across
from you)
---------------------------------------------------------
Al¹s Quadruplet #1
By Al Olson
>From "Give and Take" by Larry Jennings
Type: Contra
Formation: Quadruplet
A1 -----------
(8) Circle Left 1X (in fours)
(8) Circle Right 1X (same groups)
A2 -----------
(16) Dip and dive eight, start with 2s arch and 1s dive
(End when original end couples have passed in the middle a second time)
B1 -----------
(16) Balance and swing the one you face (new neighbor), end facing across
B2 -----------
(8) Half Promenade across the Set
(8) Partner swing - end with new ends facing new middles
Notes: The dancers end a change in 3-1-4-2 order. Four changes return
everyone to the original formation.
---------------------------------------------------------
Al¹s Quadruplet #2
By Al Olson
>From "Give and Take" by Larry Jennings
Type: Contra
Formation: Quadruplet
A1 -----------
(8) Circle Left 1X (in fours)
(8) Circle Right 1X (same groups)
A2 -----------
(16) Right and Left eight along the set, ending in orig positions facing
Neighbor
(each couple passes through along to the end of the set, turns as a couple,
and continues to original starting position)
B1 -----------
(8) Swing neighbor, end facing across
(8) Long lines (of eight), forward and back
B2 -----------
(8) New ends cast to the other end passing R shoulder (while the mids
do-si-do perhaps?)
(8) Partner swing - end with new ends facing new middles
Notes: Four changes return everyone to the original formation.
---------------------------------------------------------
Rise and Run
By Gary Roodman
>From his book "Calculated Figures"
Type: Contra
Formation: Becket-CW
Music: ³My Wife¹s a Wanton Wee Thing² (or any 32-bar contra dance tune - 4X
through)
A1 -----------
(8) Star Right 1X (both sets of four)
(8) Middle four Star Left 1X
A2 -----------
(16) Partner balance and swing
B1 -----------
(8) ³1st couples² Right and left through on the Right diagonal, courtesy
turn
(4) ³2nd couples² Right and left through on Left diagonal, and immediately
turn as a couple to the right and (4) progress cw 1 position around the set
B2 -----------
(8) Women Chain
(8) Women Chain
(for a mixer, substitute N Swing for second chain, or R&L for first chain)
Notes: How about 4X through with same partner and then make a change which
will cause you to change partners for 4X more? e.g. B2 could have women
chain across to swing N, or R&L and then women chain
³There is sometimes confusion about how to form the left-hand star in A1 and
when to take one¹s turn. I usually begin the teaching by designating the
inside four people as 1s and the outside 4 as 2s. Then I can call their
turns as the time comes. Also, for help in forming the left-hand stars, I
have everyone note carefully who is in front of them in the star. That will
be the person to find coming out of the right-hand star.² Gary Roodman
---------------------------------------------------------
O¹Donnell Anew
By Tony Saletan
Type: Contra
Formation: Becket
A1 -----------
(8) Forward four and back
(8) Neighbor Do-si-do
A2 -----------
(8) Left shoulder Partner Do-si-do
(8) Neighbor allemande Right 1-1/2
B1 -----------
(16) Hey, men passing left shoulders
B2 -----------
(16) Swing neighbor who is new partner, end facing other couple in new
position
(aligned across the hall)
Notes: Four changes returns everyone to place. If the first change is along
the hall, the second is across and so on.
Other Notes: Composed for Vince O¹Donnell, former NEFFA music chairman, on
his birthday.
---------------------------------------------------------
K & E for Eight
By Al Olson
>From "Give and Take" by Larry Jennings
Type: Contra
Formation: Quadruplet
A1 -----------
(16) Dip and dive eight, start with 2s arch and 1s dive
(End when original end couples have passed in the middle a second time)
A2 -----------
(8) End fours, Star Right
(8) Same fours, Star Left
(ending with end cpls home, mid W facing each other and mid M making do)
B1 -----------
(8) Mid W 1/2 chain along the set with extra 1/2 courtesy turn
(8) End fours 1/2 women chain along
B2 -----------
(8) Same fours circle Left 3/4(?)
(8) Mid four circle Left 3/4 while end cpls swing and face mid cpls
Notes: Ending order: 3-1-4-2
Other Notes: Alt A1: End cpls face mid cpls: gd R&L for eight, six changes,
M going cw
---------------------------------------------------------
Levi Jackson Rag
By Pat Shaw
>From Gary Armstrong's "Dance Workbook" a collection of 231 dances includling
contras, quadrilles, squares, folk dances, mixers, line and novelty dances.
(This is probably a great resource for other small group dances)
Type: Other
Formation: Becket with one extra couple facing down from the top
A1 -----------
(8) Two pairs of couples R&L, lone cpl goes dn the ctr 1/2 way during
courtesy turn
(8) Two pairs of couples R&L back, lone cpl continues dn the ctr to bot
during courtesy turn
A2 -----------
(8) Foursomes circle Left while lone cpl cast up outside to orig pos
(8) All DSD partner and face into set
B1 -----------
(8) Five woman Star 2/5 passing pt and next M to courtesy turn with next M
(8) Repeat - women passing two new men to new partner, courtesy turn
B2 -----------
(4) Promenade new partner one position ccw
(12) Balance & swing new partner and end facing across
Notes: 5 couples, four in becket, one at top of group facing down
Suggestion: People always seem to run out of time for the balance and swing,
so as a queue for a more pleasing (longer swing), suggest that dancers may
skip the second courtesy turn off the chain in B1 and do the promenade
directly for a full 16 ct balance and swing. Or, just skip the balance.
---------------------------------------------------------
>From Richard Allen Fischer on SharedWeight.com
A favorite triplet of mine is Melanie's Triplet by Melanie Axel-Lute.
It's on her website:
http://www.maxellute.net/triplet.html
A simple dance for three couples starting in a circle goes:
A1 Circle left, circle right
A2 Right hands across star, left hand across star
B1 Couple with lowest hands, lady ducks under to swing partner, then
middle-hands couple, then top, so all are swinging partners
B2 Promenade around the ring
If there are just two couples, many simple contras can be done by
just treating your partner as your next neighbor (and so the axis of
the dance will rotate 90 degrees each time).
In addition to couple dances to break things up, some simple ceilidh
or whole set dances might work; and if you have exactly nine dancers,
how about the fun square Nine Pin?
----------------------------------
Here is a dance that I have called a few times, and I like it because it is
a little different. It is phrased, although the timing becomes a little
more critical with four couples. I hope it is something you can use.
Richard Green
T.A.G.
by Roger Whynot
Proper Lines of 3 or 4 couples
A1 1's lead down center, turn alone come back
Return & Cast around 2's. As they cast:
A2 Gents turn LH star, Ladies turn RH Star(at same time)
B1 When 1's meet, switch stars, lady passing in front. Keep star
moving. Each couple switches as they meet.
All switch back as they meet again
When 1's meet again lead all to top, peel the banana, 1's make arch
at bottom
B2 Others pass under arch to top, 2's are now 1s
------------------------------------
Thanks, Will, for the dances!
You stated:
" and the Gary Armstrong "Dance Workshop" has a
large number of dances (contra, square, folk and novelty) that might be
appropriate for smaller groups."
The author is actually DON Armstrong, and there are several books out
there by him that are terrific collections.
Cheers! Linda Leslie
Hi folks -
I agree with most of the answers thus far, that dance attendees should indeed pay up according to ability, regardless of what specific part of the activity they're most drawn to (dancing, watching the caller, listening to the band, the brownies at the break...)
But I must say I find the question itself curious. For me, there's not much separation between caller-apprenticeship and dancing. When I go to a dance, I find myself sitting in two minds, back and forth - both a dancer and a caller, and participate in activities that further both. I will deliberately watch the caller's teaching technique when I sit one out. And I'm also noticing it when I'm dancing - what works for those around me, what could be clearer. I will often try to remember (or ask to see the card for) one particularly great new dance to take home and learn myself. But I identify these dances as great through dancing them. It seems to me that we (OK, I) learn about callers' techniques through ears and eyes, but just as much through moving to their leading, since ultimately that's what it's about. Hm. So maybe someone like me should pay double, depending on the organizer's policy on coming to the event with intent to learn better calling.
I guess it basically comes down to this: If the caller is that hot, there's no way I'd be able to just sit there throughout the evening! :-)
Thanks for a provocative topic, Chrissy.
Tina
> Chrissy Fowler wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> I have been wondering about something lately and wanted to know what
>>> others think, and what's usual and customary in your experience as callers
>>> learning from other callers.
>>>
>>> Say, for example, that I want to learn from another caller and go to a
>>> dance specifically and particularly to observe what he/she does. I am
>>> simply going to sit on the side of the hall and take it all in. Do I have
>>> to pay admission for that dance since I am not dancing? Why or why not?
>>>
>>> Curiously yours,
>>> Chrissy
Hi all,
I have been wondering about something lately and wanted to know what others think, and what's usual and customary in your experience as callers learning from other callers.
Say, for example, that I want to learn from another caller and go to a dance specifically and particularly to observe what he/she does. I am simply going to sit on the side of the hall and take it all in. Do I have to pay admission for that dance since I am not dancing? Why or why not?
Curiously yours,
Chrissy
_________________________________________________________________
When your life is on the go—take your life with you.
http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/115298558/direct/01/
>I've most commonly heard four different calls for the four different
>combinations of man's left/right and woman's left/right:
>man woman figure
>--- ----- ------
> R L California twirl
> L R Star through
> R R Box the gnat
> L L Swat the flea
This doesn't jibe with my understanding. California twirl is executed with the dancers facing in the same direction, and leaves them facing the opposite direction. The other three calls are executed with two facing dancers. Star thru also uses M's R and W's L and leaves the dancers facing in the same direction. Box.. and Swat.. leaves the dancers in each other's place, facing each other.
Regarding the Admission issue... When NEFFA took over the Thursday dance from Tod Whittemore in 1990, we established the policy that non-dancers do not have to pay. In fact, our policy allows dancers to do up to two dances (about 30 minutes worth) and leave and they get their money back. These policies were from Larry Jennings, and I can envision some rationale for each.
Certainly people who attend are getting something of value, even if they do not dance. I think it is OK to sometimes give something away; it tends to pay itself back in the long run what with increased goodwill. Very often, non-dancers will INSIST on paying a donation to "support the dance".
The refund issue was to address situations where someone gives it a try and discovers pretty quickly that it is not "their thing".
