Do you know of any figures or dances that had their roots in English
County, showed up in the Civil War period and are still extant in
some form in modern contra dancing? My mom is involved with a living
history farm in SC and they will be doing a program that will involve
all three types of dancing. They would like to be able to trace a
figure or dance through all three periods, and possibly look at how
the figure has changed over the years. If so, do you know details of
how they had changed over the years?
Thanks!
Jack
Hi.... I've posted 4 videos of Lisa Greenleaf, Ron
Buchanon, and Becky Hill calling, A Pirates Life for
Me, The 24th of June, Are you 'most done, and one
unknown dance. All this is on the caller's corner
page of contrausa.com.
Can anyone look at these and let me know some of the
dance names, the author's data and any other
comments on the calling and dances?
By the way, the dancing and music is great also...
and you may see your friends in there :)
best wishes ...
Richie Katz
Tampa
The unknown dance appears to be "Jurassic Redheads" by Carol Ormand.
Cis Hinkle
Hi Everyone,
I must apologize for the few old emails that came out today! The
mailing list manager had a bug in it, and I just found out about it
today. It caused a few emails (and a lot of spam) to be held up in a
deferred queue. I patched the system this morning and released the queue.
It shouldn't happen any more, but if your emails don't make it through
the list in the future, please write to me and Chris!
-Seth
Hi all,
Michael Barraclough posted the following "weird contra dances"
I sure would appreciate some help with the timing and track in B2. The best
I have managed to do is actives pull by (4) and box the gnat with 1st
corners (4), I then have 4 beats to pull by with this corner, pass my
partner right shoulder to get to 2nd corner for swat the flea (4). A few
managed (just) to do it with going straight across from 1st corner to 2nd
corner (ie passing left shoulder) but in the end we gave up.
Any help would be appreciated.
I am certainly NOT offended by the dance being called "weird" though I'm
not sure it's as strange is Michael is interpreting it. I have called this
dance several time successfully. You have the same amount of time (16
beats) to do B2 as you do with a "normal" contra corners.
Michael, you're description appears to leave out 4 beats after the first
corner box the gnat. You actually have 8 beats to pull by your first
corner, pass your partner, and swat the flea with your second corner. Using
your description below, it's:
(4) actives pull by
(4) box the gnat with 1st corners
(4) Pull by with 1st corner, (should be able to get back to your partner by
the 4th beat and start the right shoulder pass)
(4) Pass partner by right shoulder and 2nd corner swat the flea.
Here is the full dance.
Rosie the Welder
Composed: Mark Hillegonds, May 22, 2007
Formation: Contra, duple minor, improper
A1 (16) Actives balance and swing
A2 (8) Circle left
(8) Neighbor do si do
B1 (8) Take right hands with neighbor, balance and box the gnat
(8) Take left hands with partner, balance and swat the flea
B2 (8) Actives pull by and box the gnat with first corner
(8) Pull by with that 1st corner, actives pass by the right shoulder swat
the flea with 2nd corner.
(Pull by 2nd corner to start the dance with the partner balance and
swing.)
Notes:
B2 Explain to the dancers that this is just a contra corners with corner
twirls instead of allemandes.
Mark Hillegonds
Phone: 734-747-7148
Cell: 734-756-8441
Email: mhillegonds(a)comcast.net
> --- April wrote:
Does anyone have a suggestion for a tune that has a different B2????
--- end of quote ---
Gallopede is an AABC tune (available at The Session in abc and gif).
Stacy Rose
Southe Coast (Oregon) Folk Society
--- Joe wrote:
I have always felt the majority of the dancers don't care who wrote the dance.
--- end of quote ---
Agreed. And stretching the point to make a point, there are many dancers-- most,
at some series-- who don't care about being on time, either. And there are some
dancers who think it's fine to dance roughly, to yank their partner's arm around
for a gratituous and unwanted twirl, to swing their partner off the floor, to
chatter incessantly during a walkthrough...
I believe that being a caller is more than picking a card from a file and timing
the calls properly. The caller provides leadership, not just a well-timed
reminder of what figures come where. As a leader, the caller helps dancers reach
a higher level in their dancing, builds community, respects our traditions and
keeps the music and dancing alive for future generations... And yes, announcing
the name of a dance and the author, out of respect if for no other reason, is
worth doing. Heck, I usually announce titles (and sometimes authors) of the
tunes, too. Goes right over the heads of most people on the floor, but I can't
tell you how many times someone-- a dancer who is also a musician, typically--
has come up to thank me for dong that.
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
In Lost in Interstellar Haze, is the Partner
Swing in B1 a B&S or just a Swing? If just a swing, it's a really long one.
Here's the dance as I have it:
A1 RHS 1¼
Shadow Alle L (7/8)
A2 Straight Across Hey (not with P, Gs lead by R Sh)
B1 P Sw / P B&S
B2 Ladies Chain
LHS 1x
Jack
At 06:04 PM 7/9/2008, you wrote:
>Hi Folks,
> A friend of a friend asked for a description of the dance/dance movement
>called "Sugar on the Floor." It is not in my repetoire by that name, so i
>turn to your collective wisdeom.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Tom
>
>--
>Tom Senior
>Dance while you can.
>_______________________________________________
>Callers mailing list
>Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
I'm a new caller but a long-time organizer and dancer. I do announce dance titles and authors, as I feel it's important to let dancers know about the creative work that goes in to making their fun evening happen. I don't dwell on it too long, just enough to feed a tidbit of info about how what they're about to dance fits in to the larger dance community. Imagine the new dancer who realizes "Harold and Barbara Sittin' in a Tree" was written by a Charlotte caller for that couple sitting right over there. And that "Petronella" was written much longer ago. It's part of my own mission for our community dance to let the dancers feel a part of a community, not just pay at the door for a good time. Helps them feel a bit more ownership in the fun of the evening. I think there's room for many styles, depending on the nature of the local dance community and the goals of the organizers.
Gretchen Caldwell
Charlotte, NC
----- Original Message ----
From: "callers-request(a)sharedweight.net" <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:00:02 PM
Subject: Callers Digest, Vol 47, Issue 11
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: tic tac shoes / Dansneakers (Susan Pleck)
2. Re: Announcing Dance Names (Dan Pearl)
3. Re: Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze")
(Michael Barraclough)
4. Re: Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze")
(Chris Weiler)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:49:39 -0700 (PDT)
From: Susan Pleck <spleck1(a)yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] tic tac shoes / Dansneakers
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Message-ID: <224188.44154.qm(a)web83001.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
(Hello folks - I'm a beginning caller, happily lurking here of late...)
Though I haven't tried other styles, I'll second the recommendation for Capezio Dansneakers. I finally just bought my first pair of dance shoes right before going to a weeklong camp - brilliant plan for breaking them in, no? But they felt totally comfortable as soon as I tried them on (granted, my feet are probably pretty "normal"), and I came out of 8 nights in a row of exuberant dancing in them with no problem. Also, I found that they offered enough but not too much traction (I don't like or at least am not used to much slipperiness), and I could also put my weight back on the heel if I chose in order to spin fast. Plus, not that expensive!
And while I'm certainly a comfort-over-fashion sort, I didn't think they were that ugly. ;) Besides, aren't we all gazing into each other's eyes anyway?
Wishing joyful dancing and calling to all,
Susan Pleck
Oakland, CA
----- Original Message ----
From: Tina Fields <tfields8(a)yahoo.com>
To: "callers@ sharedweight.net" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 2:50:54 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] tic tac shoes
Hi folks -
Like a couple of you who've posted, I too have little
"tortilla feet" - short and wide, women's 6-1/2 D. I do
wear kids' shoes sometimes; that's excellent advice. But
the best shoes I've found for contradancing are Capezio's
Dansneakers. They are ugly to look at, but so comfortable
that I can dance one of those 12-hour events and still go
hiking the next day. I figure my late-night bounciness more
than makes up for the lack of glamour in the shoe
department.
Tina
Tina R. Fields, Ph.D.
(707) 824-9318
"Hindsight Now!"
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------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:03:01 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dan Pearl <daniel_pearl(a)yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Message-ID: <660816.46991.qm(a)web65716.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
I wholehearted agree with Susan Elberger, and with Greg a bit as well.
In general, at regular open dances I announce dance names and authors just before I begin the walk-through. It is my acknowledgement, in lieu of a license fee, to the person whose creativity I am taking advantage of by calling their dance.? I tend not to announce my own name, as I feel uncomfortable even bragging a little bit.
At one night stands, I?do not announce names or composers because in that setting I want to make every syllable count, and I want the music to start as soon as possible.??
So that's what I do.? Inconsistent? Yeah. Reasoned? Who knows...
Dan
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:49:43 -0400
From: "Michael Barraclough" <michael(a)michaelbarraclough.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in
Interstellar Haze")
To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Message-ID: <005a01c8e636$3301af30$99050d90$@com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
I was about to respond to Greg (see below) when I saw that Cathy and Dan had
said just what I would like to have said (but far more eloquently).
Michael Barraclough
http://www.michaelbarraclough.com
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Greg McKenzie
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 1:41 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar
Haze")
Michael Barraclough wrote:
>There is nothing wrong with change - sometimes it improves what was
>originally created. However I believe that it is good etiquette to
announce
>the name of the dance and its author to the dancers (before the
walkthrough,
>after the walkthrough, when the dance ends - take your pick, we could have
>another discussion about which is best!) and to announce if you have
changed
>the dance or to say that this dance is based on ....
I want to take this opportunity to present another view.
I think there are some good reasons not to announce the name of a
dance at all. This has become my own practice. One reason comes
from the idea that the caller will earn the attention of the dancers
by eliminating as much non-essential information as possible from
their comments. This is not easy. It involves careful construction
of the calls and precise walk-through instructions. It also involves
recruiting others to make announcements and eliminating anciallary
comments at the microphone. The effect is to train the dancers that
your voice always carries essential information. (The most essential
information is an instruction to physically move.) In contrast, any
non-essential information offers the dancers an opportunity to "tune
out" the caller's voice and engage in social interaction.
I consider the name and author of the dance to be non-essential
information. The caller has a limited amount of "currency" in
holding the dancer's attention. All non-essential information draws
down the caller's account. That does not mean one cannot tell
anecdotes or tell the name of a dance. It just means that callers
need to be careful how they use what currency they have. If you find
that you have difficulty earning or holding the attention of the
dancer's you might want to replay your tape of the evening and pay
attention to how much non-essential information you are giving
out. You might have over-drawn your account.
A contra dance caller needs to intersperse an evening of social
intercourse with times when the dancers need to pay careful attention
to the caller's voice. Making a courteous and seamless transition
between these two activities--without relying upon a loud PA
system--is the mark of an excellent contra dance caller.
Another reason not to tell the name of a dance is because it carries
the implied message that the name is important. Most newcomers are
likely to assume that this means that others in the hall already know
the dance. Some dancers may feel that they are less prepared because
they haven't learned this particular dance previously. This could
create unnecessary anxiety among some of the dancers in the
hall. Anxiety lowers self-confidence and will make the caller's job
more difficult. Not announcing the name puts everyone on more of an
equal status.
Perhaps we should consider alternatives to announcing the name and
author of every dance. One is to only announce the names of dances
if the name is meaningful or entertaining. A caller could also make
a list of the evening's program, with the names of the dance authors,
available to interested participants and announce this early in the evening.
I would be interested in what others think of this idea.
Regards,
Greg McKenzie
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:06:57 -0400
From: Chris Weiler <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in
Interstellar Haze")
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Message-ID: <487C84D1.7080104(a)weirdtable.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I must agree with Susan on announcing dance names. My own technique is
to announce them after the walkthrough and before the music starts.
"come back to place and we'll dance ____ by ____". The beginners won't
think that they're being left out because they all have been taught the
dance, and in fact may be distracted by everyone starting to back up.
The ones who are interested and have attention to spare will hear. This
also lets the band know that we're ready for some music.
There are many ways for a caller to gain the attention of the dancers.
Scarcity of speech is one of them, but tone of voice and force of
personality do a lot more to making the evening fun. If just your tone
and style of speech can convey "I'm having fun, please join me" and
command attention and obedience as well, it really makes the evening fun
for the dancers. It's not easy, especially for someone like me who tends
to be shy, but it can be cultivated without sounding phony.
Chris Weiler
Goffstown, NH
------------------------------
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End of Callers Digest, Vol 47, Issue 11
***************************************
Hi,
A youtube video of Rick Mohr at a session Dance
Flurry 2008 - Sunday Synchromesh Contras
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDwBNumufcM
has this Beckett dance (if I've transcribed it
correctly)
A1 Circle Left 3/4, Pass thru, (new)
Neighbor Dosido
A2 (back to old neighbors) Left Hand Star, (new)
Neighbor Swing
B1 Gents Allemand Left 1 1/2, 1/2 Hey
B2 Partner Balance and Swing
Was Sunday Synchromesh Contras the name of the
session or is it the name of the dance?
Ta,
Cheers, Bill
I wholehearted agree with Susan Elberger, and with Greg a bit as well.
In general, at regular open dances I announce dance names and authors just before I begin the walk-through. It is my acknowledgement, in lieu of a license fee, to the person whose creativity I am taking advantage of by calling their dance. I tend not to announce my own name, as I feel uncomfortable even bragging a little bit.
At one night stands, I do not announce names or composers because in that setting I want to make every syllable count, and I want the music to start as soon as possible.
So that's what I do. Inconsistent? Yeah. Reasoned? Who knows...
Dan
