Hi Folks, Esp. those who responded to the family dance post.
I had a great time calling a dance in Gorham NH. The dance is held in a
converted church on the corner
of Rt 16 and Rt 2. The dance hall is small could hold mid 30s attendance
comfortably, though they have had 40+
I did call Do-SI-Three (Thanks Linda!) and several triplets early on
the first hour: we had 3 couples, the final 2 hours swelled to 24
dancers.
These were mostly experienced dancers so I was able
to call contras, circles, and squares with confidence ( my comfort
zone!)
There were smiles all around! The dancers really did not wish for the
evening to end!
(it was time to go watch the sky show!)
The band is excellent and very accommodating to the caller.
The dance is held 2nd Saturdays May-October
It's a good dance to bring your whole bag of tricks. Could be a family
dance, it could be a real
stomper!
Thanks to all,
Gale
Hi Rickey and others,
I use Sherry's Family Contra often in settings with lots of kids and/or adults
with little contra experience. It is a legitimate, bona fide contra dance, and
for that audience is probably the most failsafe contra I have in my repertoire.
Indeed, I taught it just this week for a class of 8 & 9 year olds at a dance
camp, a class that included several kids who were not enthusiastic dancers. They
all did just fine. Barb Kirchner posted the dance a year ago on the
trad-dance-callers list:
Family Contra (Sherry Nevins)
A1 Balance ring 2x, circle left 1x
("Go IN... and OUT... and IN... and OUT)
A2 Balance ring 2x, circle right 1x
B1 DSD with neighbor, DSD with partner
B2 DSD 1.5 as a couple
This isn't a dance to call for the hard charging aerobic contra crowd-- as you
can see, there's no swings in it (gasp!) and yes, Rickey, you're right, they'll
plow right through that final figure and would want to do something more. But in
its family setting, it can indeed take kids and their parents a full 16 counts
to negotiate the figure.
David Millstone
> From: Cortni Frecha <cortni(a)arrowmaker.org>
> Lark in the Oven - unknown source
"Lark in the Oven" was written by Robert Cromartie to honor Amy Larkin, when she was pregnant with Silas.
--
Robert Jon Golder
164 Maxfield St
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 999-2486
Lark in the Oven - unknown source
duple improper, contra, intermediate, chunky reels
A1 N balance, box the gnat
N allemande R 1-1/2x to long waves M face out
A2 Rory O'More balances
B1 N allemande R 1/2
M cross by L, swing P
B2 R/L through
Circle L 3/4, pass through
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sautee Swing - Barb Kirchner
becket, contra (backwards progression), intermediate,groovy reels/jigs
A1 LL F&B
R/L through
A2 Circle L 1x
Slide L, Circle L w/new N -3/4
B1 Gyp/swing or Bal/swing N
B2 Gents allemand L 1-1/2
Swing P
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tica Tica Timing - Dean Snipes
becket, contra, easy-intermediate, happy reels/ B1&2 balances
A1 Circle L 3/4, N swing
A2 Promenade
Ladies chain
B1 Balance ring/Petronella x2
B2 Balance/swing P, slide L
Hi callers,
I am planning to use a dance soon that I have just collected. Has anyone
called Family Contra by Sheri Nevins? It has a neat progression in B2.
The active couple faces the inactive couple and they dos-si-do around each
other as couples 1 ½ times to progress. The figure takes up the entire B2.
Has anyone found that there is too much music for the figure? If so, how do
you deal with that?
Does anyone remember Daybreak Reel, by Michael McKernan of the old Apple
Jack band. My notes have B2 as ladies chain over (and not back) balance and
right hand star ½ way. Is there really a balance in there? If so who with?
And is the star a hands across star looks like a good idea if it is.
Also, I have been using Bob Dalsemers January Mixer a lot. I wouldnt mind
doing it in August, except that it might be time for another dance. What
easy circle mixers do you like?
Thanks again,
This is a great resource,
Rickey Holt.
Thanks Lisa!
I'll let you know how it goes.
where are you calling this month?
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Lisa Sieverts lisa(a)lisasieverts.com
Date: Wed, 2 Aug 2006 22:57:24 -0400
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Community/Family dance
Gale,
I'll support what others have said. If it's a true family dance,
don't expect to do any contras at all. There are plenty of fun dances
that will make sure that everyone feels successful.
Here are some more:
A LITTLE BRANDY.
Longways set for as many as will. Any 2/4 tune will do.
from Dudley Laufman
FAMILY
1. All swing partners, (2 hand swing, or elbow hook swings).
2. Top cpl sashay down the middle and back while everyone clap
3. Everyone make a bridge, same cpl dance under bridge to bottom and
stay there.
Repeat til all have been top cpl. If very long lines, you might have
two or even three cpls dance down at once.
Trains (from Marian Rose)
longways sets, 6-8 couples
FAMILY
1. All face front, hold inside hands with partner, place outside hand
on shoulder of person in front, forward 4 and back 4
2. forward 4 and back 4
3&4. first set leads around the second train
5&6. second train leads around the first train
7&8. Couples from an arch, top couple through the arch to the bottom
La Bastringue - LKS version
circle of partners, facing center MIXER *FAMILY*
1. F&B 2. F&B
3. Circle LEFT
4. Circle RIGHT
5. keep walking, ladies tap gent in front of them
6. Swing NEIGHBOR
7&8. Promenade new Partner
Jubilee Rag
FAMILY longways sets of 4-5 couples
1. partner allemand RIGHT 1
2. partner allemande LEFT 1x
3. do si do partner by right
4. do si do partner by left
5&6. top couple sashay down and back
7. top couple lead down the middle, rest cast IN to follow
8. at bottom, top couple make an arch, all through and UP the outside
to place
Welsh Circle Dance
circle of partners
FAMILY
1a. Shake RIGHT hands with P 4x (... shake shake shake shake)
1b. Shake LEFT hands with P 4x
2a. Clap own hands 4 times
2b. Clap partners hands 4 times
3. With partner, sashay 4 steps into the center and back out
4. Repeat
5. Allemande right 1 or 2x
6. Allemande left 1 or 2x
7&8. Promenade (could progress here by having the women move back one)
Cat and Mouse (5-6 couples per set. Might fall off the phrase)
longways sets
PROPER (cat on left, mouse on right)
FAMILY
1. F&B
2. Top couple sashay down & back
3. Top couple cast and lead their line down the outside ("peel the
banana")
4. Top couple arch, all under the arch back to place
5. Top couple cat and mouse: cat up the center, mouse up the
outside of mice line, then
6. Mouse down the center, cat down the outside of cats line
7&8. All partner swing
Kids Chaos Mixer #3 Chrissy Fowler
*FAMILY* scattered couple
1. set of 4, Circle Left
2. Circle Right
3. Right hand star
4. Left hand star
5. Neighbor two hand turn
6. Partner two hand turn
7&8. With PARTNER promenade to new couple
Chicken Dance (needs the named tune)
Reel du Canard
*FAMILY*
1a. 4x beak (hands like a beak)
1b. 4x wings (arms bent like wings)
1c. 4x waddles (hips back and forth)
1d. 4 claps
and repeat 3 more times
5&6. Circle Left
7&8. Circle Right
Do the first part faster each time through the tune.
Circassian Circle Paul Rosenberg
circle of couples facing in *FAMILY*
ask them to self identify as either moon or star!
1. F&B
2. F&B
3. Women (Stars) in, 2, 3 CLAP
4. Men (Moons) in, 2, 3 CLAP
5. do-si-do partner
6. two hand turn partner
7&8. Promenade; form circle
Tall, Short Kathryn Larsen *FAMILY*
1&2. Circle RIGHT
3&4. Circle LEFT
5. Short people in, 2, 3, CLAP
6. Tall people in, 2, 3, CLAP
7. Short people in, circle RIGHT on the inside, Tall people on the
outside, circle LEFT
8. Switch gears, Circle LEFT on the inside and RIGHT on the outside
music stop at random
short people turn around and elbow swing someone on the outside
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Hi Callers,
I am calling a Community/ Family dance in a couple of weeks, I'd
appreciate it if you would share some of your favorite dances
that are appropriate for the occasion. The dance will be attended by
never-evers, families with children and a few old time dancers.
I have on line for the evening: The Virginia Reel, Jefferson and
Liberty, Portland Fancy, Lady of the Lake, La Bastranege(???)
It seems most of the 'easy dances I have been looking at are quite
similar in structure so I am looking for some different dances in the
Contra/ circle/ square traditions.
Thanks in advance
Gale
Dear Gale,
This one works well, and is an easy way to help folks get the concept of progression. I describe where the lines of three stand as being "home", and the only time "home directions changes is when the line is out at the top or bottom". I don't point this out until they have walked it through once...Good luck!
Linda Leslie
Do Si Three Lines of three facing lines of three
A1 Circle left
circle right
A2 Those on the ends of the lines do si do your opposite
Middles do si do
B1 Ends swing your opposite (I use a 2 hand turn with beginners/families)
Middles swing
B2 lines of three forward and back
pass through to new neighbors
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Traffic Jam (Gale T. Wood)
> 2. Re: Traffic Jam (David Millstone)
> 3. Re: Community/Family dance (Rickey)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 15:06:26 -0400
> From: "Gale T. Wood" <Gale(a)robbinsauto.com>
> Subject: [Callers] Traffic Jam
> To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID:
> <79C5F2A3DD0551469291F6CD6BF5422E02FB9E(a)officemail.robbinsauto.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
>
> Thanks Alan and Jeff,
> I was at David Millstones Wkshp and remember Traffic Jam, being a good
> time.
> If somebody out there has the calls I would appreciate it if you could
> pass them along.
> I am desperately digging into my archives, hoping to find the same.
> Next stop is the Nottingham NH Library to find some of the literature
> suggestions.....
>
> Thanks
> Gale Wood
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: 01 Aug 2006 15:19:07 EDT
> From: David.Millstone(a)valley.net (David Millstone)
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Traffic Jam
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <16527089(a)retriever.VALLEY.NET>
> Content-Type: text/plain
>
> We usually do it to a tune played AB:
>
> Traffic Jam
> from John Krumm
> no partner needed at start
>
> 1) Elementary Traffic Jam
>
> A part:
> Clap-clap-clap, stamp-stamp-stamp, walk-2-3-4 (whichever way you're facing)
> Repeat all that
>
> B part
> Sashay sideways 8 steps
> Pick another direction and sashay back
>
> Do that for 5-7 times, then move to
>
> 2) Intermediate Traffic Jam
>
> Turn around and find a buddy standing near you. Do the dance again. Instead of
> clapping your own hands in A1, you clap both hands with your buddy, then stand
> side by side facing the same direction, hook elbows and walk for the 4 steps. In
> the B part, you take both hands with your buddy and sashay-- it helps if you
> both go in the same direction!
>
> Do that for another 5-7 times, then, if the crowd seems ready for it, do
>
> 3) Advanced Traffic Jam
>
> Same as above, only after the first sashay, callers says "Switch!" whereupon
> dancers drop hands with current partner, turn around and find someone new with
> whom to sashay back again.
>
> It's a dance I often use early in the program for family groups. No partner
> needed at start, so everyone can participate. Then you dance with a partner, and
> then change partners.
>
> David Millstone
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2006 19:51:47 -0400
> From: "Rickey" <holt.e(a)comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Community/Family dance
> To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Cc: "'Gale T. Wood'" <Gale(a)robbinsauto.com>
> Message-ID: <000001c6b5c5$76ab7250$5f511e42@maxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hi Gale,
> Here's a variety of stuff. Good luck.
> Rickey
>
>
> Scatter mixer
> 'Borrowdale Exchange'
> 3 couples in a circle. Scatter mixer. Difficulty: 1
> . A1: All circle L and R.
> . A2: Into the middle and back; do-si-do partner.
> . B1: Right-hand star holding hands with person opposite and with
> nobody else, then undo the star: the woman whose hand is lowest goes under
> (others arch), then the next. Keep hold of the hands.
> . B2: Promenade around and make new sets.
> The person I got this dance from said its real name was something else, but
> he liked calling it Borrowdale Exchange. Seems to be a variant on Kentucky
> Reel.
>
> Scatter mixer
> The Barn Mixer
> By Rick Mohr; August, 1986
> Mixer, Scattered 4's
> Level: Easy
> A1: Circle left (8)
> Right hand star (8)
> A2: Right and left through (8)
> Dosido neighbor (8)
> B1: Balance and swing neighbor (16)
> (This is your new partner)
> B2: Promenade anywhere with new partner (16)
> (Find another couple to circle with)
> Bill Olson (fine caller from Maine and all-around great guy) points out that
> doing a Maine-style right and left through (with hands) in the A2 makes for
> a nice transition out of the right hand star. Thanks, Bill!
>
> A bit harder because of the right and left through, but it really doesn't
> matter if they get that right
>
> Circle Mixer
> January Mixer
> by Bob Dalsemer
> Formation: circle of couples facing promenade direction
> A1: Promenade as couples
> A2: Gents continue single file, ladies turn back single file (8) Everybody
> turn back (8), pass partner
> B1: Allemande left the next (8) allemande right the same (8)
> B2: Do-si-do the same (8) swing the same
> Composed January 8, 1998 in preparation for a dance with a lot of newcomers.
> I needed a sure fire mixer like Atlantic Mixer, but with a more certain
> progression to a new partner.
>
> I have used this a lot. The ladies turn back and the all turn backs give
> some trouble, but everyone gets it pretty quickly
>
>
> Set dance
> FLYING SCOTSMAN
> reel
> 6-7 couples in a set
> A1 Ladies line skips all the way around the men's line
> A2 Men do the same (if the ladies are late getting around, the gents
> can still start on time, just make a larger loupe to avoid the ladies)
> B1 Top couple only sashay down - past the bottom of the set, and back
> to the bottom of the set. (there is a new top couple now.)
> B2 All sashay down and back
>
>
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> End of Callers Digest, Vol 24, Issue 2
> **************************************
Greetings all,
I am a caller at our local dance in Charlotte, but I've been writing dances
for a couple of years.
Because the community here is not large and because I don't travel to call,
the dances I've
written have not had much exposure. If anyone is interested, they are now
on the web at
www dot charlottedancegypsies dot org/
under "John's Contra Dances". Feel free to call them. I would appreciate
any feedback or
constructive criticism that you can give me, though you might want to do
that outside of the
forum.
Thanks and Happy Dancing!
John Nance
