This dance is also called "The Fan Dance," and I carry fans around. And, not only kids will do it forever, but adults, too.
When we do it we start it out as a waltz, then at some point, switch to a reel/polka.
I've seen it done as a Civil War dance, where one line is women, the other men. Thus, when a man is in the middle two women take the side chairs, and vice-versa when a woman takes the center seat.
I jokingly call it, "The Original Soul Train..."
~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: Martha Wild via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2020 1:11 PM
To: Kalia Kliban <kalia.kliban(a)gmail.com>
Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Re: Looking for non-mixer dances for kids (age 4-10)
And don’t forget the “Hat Dance” - which out here I do as the “Gorilla Dance” - it’s amazing how long kids will do this dance! Three chairs, two lines perpendicular to either side of the chairs, top person from each line sits in an outside chair, and one person sits in the middle. The middle person, in the original version, has a hat. But when you are dealing with kids - you have to think “head lice”. So no hats. Instead, I do the dance with a fairly large, cute, cuddly, stuffed animal gorilla. Person in the middle has the gorilla, and when the music starts, gives it to one of the other two chair people, then takes the one without the gorilla and sashay/polkas down between the two lines. Person with gorilla moves to center chair, next two sit down, repeat. Music goes on and on, people who’ve danced to end of line join on the ends for another go. I have seen this go 20 minutes until the musicians revolted, and the kids just shouted “Again, again!”. I’ve done it at dance camps and when we are going to dance the next day they run up and yell “The Gorilla Dance!” So it’s really a hit. You may use whatever large stuffed animal you like - it can be the Elephant Dance, the Unicorn dance, the Doggie dance. But it’s fun.
I guess this is a mixer dance. Oh well - it’s really good.
Martha
> On Jan 30, 2020, at 12:10 PM, Kalia Kliban via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> On 1/30/2020 10:16 AM, Jonathan Sivier via Contra Callers wrote:
>> While that looks like a fun dance I don't think it is really appropriate for kids ages 4-10.
>> You should check out the books from the New England Dancing Masters. I have Chimes of Dunkirk, Sashay the Donut and Listen to the Mockingbird. These have several good dances for kids.
>> Here are some that I use at an annual dance I call at our local library. The event is called the Fairy Tale Ball and I often feel like I'm standing in a sea of knee-high princesses.
>
> Great image!
>
>> The Blobs
>> Boston Tea Party
>> Chimes of Dunkirk
>> Circassian Circle - no-swing, non-mixer Cumberland Reel Duckpins The
>> Duke of York Galopede Heel and Toe Polka Promenade/Reel - longways,
>> non-mixer Jacob's Potato Margate Hoy Over The Top Sasha Snake Traffic
>> Jam
>
> The dances on this list that I recognize are all great for mixed-age
> groups, including with quite small children who are latched onto a
> parent (though Heel and Toe Polka would be tricky in that situation).
> They're in my steady rotation as well. And the dances I don't
> recognize I'm going to look up right now :>)
>
> Dances I use all the time that I don't see here are Le Brandy, La Bastringue (can be done as a non-mixer), variations on Virginia Reel, a wind-up/spiral dance (no partners), Family Contra (by Sherry Nevins) and Circle Shuffle (which might be by Luke Donforth).
>
> Kalia in Sebastopol
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to
> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
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I call a super easy dance called "The Cat's Meow", usually to "Cry of the
Celts" , from Lord of the dance. It teaches phrasing quite well. With a
circle of 40+ children, they all seem to clap together. (This dance came
from Cal Campbell, but I am not sure of the author.)
A1 Walk in Four Steps, Clap Four Times
Walk Out Four steps, Clap Four Times
B1 Circle Left Eight Steps, Circle Right Eight Steps (or Circle Left 16)
This dance might seem too easy, but it success brings many smiles and
builds a foundation for the rest of the program.
https://youtu.be/EmwDsd_yf10
Rich Sbardella
Stafford Springs, CT
On Thu, Jan 30, 2020 at 1:16 PM Jonathan Sivier via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> While that looks like a fun dance I don't think it is really
> appropriate for kids ages 4-10.
>
> You should check out the books from the New England Dancing Masters.
> I have Chimes of Dunkirk, Sashay the Donut and Listen to the Mockingbird.
> These have several good dances for kids.
>
> Here are some that I use at an annual dance I call at our local
> library. The event is called the Fairy Tale Ball and I often feel like I'm
> standing in a sea of knee-high princesses.
>
> The Blobs
> Boston Tea Party
> Chimes of Dunkirk
> Circassian Circle - no-swing, non-mixer
> Cumberland Reel
> Duckpins
> The Duke of York
> Galopede
> Heel and Toe Polka Promenade/Reel - longways, non-mixer
> Jacob's Potato
> Margate Hoy
> Over The Top
> Sasha
> Snake
> Traffic Jam
>
> Some are better than others depending on the age of the kids. I like
> to have some suitable for slightly older kids in the list.
>
> I do a version of Circassian Circle with no swings and no mixing. The
> kids (and some parents) get in a circle in groups. Sometimes they are
> pairs, sometimes it is an adult with 3 or 4 kids. All go into the center
> and back twice. Then have different groups go in in A2, boys, girls,
> talls/smalls, those wearing red, etc. Then the pairs/groups two-hand turn
> or circle and then everyone promenades around the big circle. It can be
> hard to get very small kids to hold hands in a circle so I don't usually
> worry about trying to get them to do that.
>
> Jonathan
> -----
> Jonathan Sivier
> Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
> jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
> Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
> -----
> Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
> A: It depends on what dance you call!
>
> On 1/30/2020 7:49 AM, Luke Donforth via Contra Callers wrote:
> > Hi Sandy,
> >
> > Happy to share Frannie's Alarm Clock.
> >
> > https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=12216
> >
> > Most of them aren't as good as that one, but the vast majority of my
> dances are now up on The Callers Box.
> >
> > Thank you Chris Page & Michael Dyck!
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> > To unsubscribe send an email to
> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> >
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>
And don’t forget the “Hat Dance” - which out here I do as the “Gorilla Dance” - it’s amazing how long kids will do this dance! Three chairs, two lines perpendicular to either side of the chairs, top person from each line sits in an outside chair, and one person sits in the middle. The middle person, in the original version, has a hat. But when you are dealing with kids - you have to think “head lice”. So no hats. Instead, I do the dance with a fairly large, cute, cuddly, stuffed animal gorilla. Person in the middle has the gorilla, and when the music starts, gives it to one of the other two chair people, then takes the one without the gorilla and sashay/polkas down between the two lines. Person with gorilla moves to center chair, next two sit down, repeat. Music goes on and on, people who’ve danced to end of line join on the ends for another go. I have seen this go 20 minutes until the musicians revolted, and the kids just shouted “Again, again!”. I’ve done it at dance camps and when we are going to dance the next day they run up and yell “The Gorilla Dance!” So it’s really a hit. You may use whatever large stuffed animal you like - it can be the Elephant Dance, the Unicorn dance, the Doggie dance. But it’s fun.
I guess this is a mixer dance. Oh well - it’s really good.
Martha
> On Jan 30, 2020, at 12:10 PM, Kalia Kliban via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> On 1/30/2020 10:16 AM, Jonathan Sivier via Contra Callers wrote:
>> While that looks like a fun dance I don't think it is really appropriate for kids ages 4-10.
>> You should check out the books from the New England Dancing Masters. I have Chimes of Dunkirk, Sashay the Donut and Listen to the Mockingbird. These have several good dances for kids.
>> Here are some that I use at an annual dance I call at our local library. The event is called the Fairy Tale Ball and I often feel like I'm standing in a sea of knee-high princesses.
>
> Great image!
>
>> The Blobs
>> Boston Tea Party
>> Chimes of Dunkirk
>> Circassian Circle - no-swing, non-mixer
>> Cumberland Reel
>> Duckpins
>> The Duke of York
>> Galopede
>> Heel and Toe Polka Promenade/Reel - longways, non-mixer
>> Jacob's Potato
>> Margate Hoy
>> Over The Top
>> Sasha
>> Snake
>> Traffic Jam
>
> The dances on this list that I recognize are all great for mixed-age groups, including with quite small children who are latched onto a parent (though Heel and Toe Polka would be tricky in that situation). They're in my steady rotation as well. And the dances I don't recognize I'm going to look up right now :>)
>
> Dances I use all the time that I don't see here are Le Brandy, La Bastringue (can be done as a non-mixer), variations on Virginia Reel, a wind-up/spiral dance (no partners), Family Contra (by Sherry Nevins) and Circle Shuffle (which might be by Luke Donforth).
>
> Kalia in Sebastopol
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
On 1/30/2020 10:16 AM, Jonathan Sivier via Contra Callers wrote:
> While that looks like a fun dance I don't think it is really
> appropriate for kids ages 4-10.
>
> You should check out the books from the New England Dancing
> Masters. I have Chimes of Dunkirk, Sashay the Donut and Listen to the
> Mockingbird. These have several good dances for kids.
>
> Here are some that I use at an annual dance I call at our local
> library. The event is called the Fairy Tale Ball and I often feel like
> I'm standing in a sea of knee-high princesses.
Great image!
> The Blobs
> Boston Tea Party
> Chimes of Dunkirk
> Circassian Circle - no-swing, non-mixer
> Cumberland Reel
> Duckpins
> The Duke of York
> Galopede
> Heel and Toe Polka Promenade/Reel - longways, non-mixer
> Jacob's Potato
> Margate Hoy
> Over The Top
> Sasha
> Snake
> Traffic Jam
The dances on this list that I recognize are all great for mixed-age
groups, including with quite small children who are latched onto a
parent (though Heel and Toe Polka would be tricky in that situation).
They're in my steady rotation as well. And the dances I don't recognize
I'm going to look up right now :>)
Dances I use all the time that I don't see here are Le Brandy, La
Bastringue (can be done as a non-mixer), variations on Virginia Reel, a
wind-up/spiral dance (no partners), Family Contra (by Sherry Nevins) and
Circle Shuffle (which might be by Luke Donforth).
Kalia in Sebastopol
While that looks like a fun dance I don't think it is really appropriate for kids ages 4-10.
You should check out the books from the New England Dancing Masters. I have Chimes of Dunkirk, Sashay the Donut and Listen to the Mockingbird. These have several good dances for kids.
Here are some that I use at an annual dance I call at our local library. The event is called the Fairy Tale Ball and I often feel like I'm standing in a sea of knee-high princesses.
The Blobs
Boston Tea Party
Chimes of Dunkirk
Circassian Circle - no-swing, non-mixer
Cumberland Reel
Duckpins
The Duke of York
Galopede
Heel and Toe Polka Promenade/Reel - longways, non-mixer
Jacob's Potato
Margate Hoy
Over The Top
Sasha
Snake
Traffic Jam
Some are better than others depending on the age of the kids. I like to have some suitable for slightly older kids in the list.
I do a version of Circassian Circle with no swings and no mixing. The kids (and some parents) get in a circle in groups. Sometimes they are pairs, sometimes it is an adult with 3 or 4 kids. All go into the center and back twice. Then have different groups go in in A2, boys, girls, talls/smalls, those wearing red, etc. Then the pairs/groups two-hand turn or circle and then everyone promenades around the big circle. It can be hard to get very small kids to hold hands in a circle so I don't usually worry about trying to get them to do that.
Jonathan
-----
Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
-----
Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
On 1/30/2020 7:49 AM, Luke Donforth via Contra Callers wrote:
> Hi Sandy,
>
> Happy to share Frannie's Alarm Clock.
>
> https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=12216
>
> Most of them aren't as good as that one, but the vast majority of my dances are now up on The Callers Box.
>
> Thank you Chris Page & Michael Dyck!
>
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>
The A1 definitely feels like it was pulled from the Ministry of Silly Walks. Which is to say it’s a good thing.
> On Jan 24, 2020, at 06:18, Luke Donforth via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Hello all,
>
> Just the other day, I'd proposed a weekend dance session called "My Hovercraft is full of Eels". The next day I found out that Terry Jones, one of the founding members of Monty Python, had just died at the age of 77. So while lying awake in bed, I decided to try to write a contra with something completely different. Not having one in my box, I went with a contra corners dance where you don't corner with your partner.
>
> My Hovercraft is Full of Eels
> Contra/Becket-CW/Dbl-Prog
>
> A1 -----------
> (4) Left Diagonal Long lines forward
> (4) Left Diagonal Long lines back (double progression)
> (8) Neighbors below (#1 gent and #2 lady) half Figure eight up the set
> A2 -----------
> (16) Neighbors below turn Contra Corners
> B1 -----------
> (16) Cornering Neighbors balance and swing in the middle
> B2 -----------
> (16) Partner balance and swing on home side
>
> A1 could be "Left Diagonal R&L through, straight across R&L through"; but I'd worry the gent/lark will have a difficult time getting into the contra corner. You could tweak it to make it eye-casts with partner (a la Money Musk) to the R&L throughs; but that's adding another wrinkle to an already oddball dance. The lines has the benefit of an easier shift to single progression if desired, but I think moving through at a double clip and strange long lines is more appropriate for the group that brought us the department of silly walks.
>
> The B1 neighbor swing for half the folks is a great time for the folks standing out to engage in shenanigans. Two dances of the same role out on the side could swap with each other, and either swap partners, or make their partner track them down somewhere in the set.
>
> I'll leave it to someone else to write "Naughty Boy". Rest in Peace Terry Jones.
>
> --
> Luke Donforth
> Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <mailto:Luke.Donev@gmail.com>
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Hello all,
Just the other day, I'd proposed a weekend dance session called "My
Hovercraft is full of Eels". The next day I found out that Terry Jones, one
of the founding members of Monty Python, had just died at the age of 77. So
while lying awake in bed, I decided to try to write a contra with something
completely different. Not having one in my box, I went with a contra
corners dance where you don't corner with your partner.
My Hovercraft is Full of Eels
Contra/Becket-CW/Dbl-Prog
A1 -----------
(4) Left Diagonal Long lines forward
(4) Left Diagonal Long lines back (double progression)
(8) Neighbors below (#1 gent and #2 lady) half Figure eight up the set
A2 -----------
(16) Neighbors below turn Contra Corners
B1 -----------
(16) Cornering Neighbors balance and swing in the middle
B2 -----------
(16) Partner balance and swing on home side
A1 could be "Left Diagonal R&L through, straight across R&L through"; but
I'd worry the gent/lark will have a difficult time getting into the contra
corner. You could tweak it to make it eye-casts with partner (a la Money
Musk) to the R&L throughs; but that's adding another wrinkle to an already
oddball dance. The lines has the benefit of an easier shift to single
progression if desired, but I think moving through at a double clip and
strange long lines is more appropriate for the group that brought us the
department of silly walks.
The B1 neighbor swing for half the folks is a great time for the folks
standing out to engage in shenanigans. Two dances of the same role out on
the side could swap with each other, and either swap partners, or make
their partner track them down somewhere in the set.
I'll leave it to someone else to write "Naughty Boy". Rest in Peace Terry
Jones.
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
For folks organizing or calling contra dances using pre-recorded or DJed music be aware that it is wise to make sure you - or the DJ or the venue - has licensing from ASCAP/BMI, otherwise there is a good chance their lawyers will track you down and demand money for licensing. It’s available inexpensively through CallerLab: http://www.callerlab.org/Home/fbclid
ASCAP/BMI licensing is a racket in that the artists see little or none of the money paid in licensing fees but it can be daunting to get letters from them as they do have the right to collect.
Contra dance performers who use/remix recorded music for dances can generally get inexpensive annual licensing based on the number of gigs per month or year and what they are getting paid. I know that Lisa Greenleaf has such licensing for her "Alternative Music" contra dances where she plays music from a variety of artists with calls pre-recorded over the music. ASCAP/BMI has occasionally tried to get licensing fees for live music contra dances but have failed when the organizers challenged them to prove which tunes are actually under licensing...
> On Jan 20, 2020, at 9:42 AM, Bob Peterson via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> I like to mix and call contras to recorded music, so this is really a marketing-related topic for me. Currently I’m using “alternative music contra dance”.
>
> \Bob Peterson
> home dance: https://lcfd.org/jp
>
--
Will Loving
2419 S York St Apt 5
Denver CO 80210-5319
+1 413 253-7223 (GMT –7, Mountain Time)
+1 413-221-8626 (iPhone)
[he/him]
I wrote a guideline for putting on techno contras a while back (see link below) and included some additional terms which are sometimes heard when talking about non-traditional contra dance music.
Crossover
Livetronica
Electro-acoustic
Electroflow (for fully pre-recorded music events)
There are two main components that I think distinguish “techno” and other non-traditional music contra dances from the more traditional:
music that includes one or more of the following: looping, beat mixes, sampling, remixing, unusual instrumentation, non-32-bar music, the use of non-traditional music or musical references, particularly in terms of samples
lowered lights and "club" or “theatrical" style lighting.
In my experience, what is considered "techno" or "crossover" music runs the gamut from music that is entirely live with extensive use of electronics to modify and loop the music, to fully pre-recorded music tracks, sometimes traditional fiddle music, other times Top 40 remixes. Some DJs do some remixing on the spot). In between those two extremes are groups like Buddy System (Julie Vallimont of Nor'easter and Noah VanNorstrand), Firecloud (another Julie Vallimont group), Contra Force, and Phase X (Christopher Jacoby's group) which use pre-mixed samples, beats loops but then play live instruments such as keyboard, fiddle and guitar on top of that.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/will-loving/how-to-put-on-techno-contra-danc… <https://www.facebook.com/notes/will-loving/how-to-put-on-techno-contra-danc…>
With regard to the terms you’ve listed. I can’t say I’ve ever heard “iPod dance” and it’s probably on it’s way out due to iPods and other standalone music players also being replaced by phones, iPads and other tablets. The best example of an "Alternative Music Dance” would, I think, be Lisa Greenleaf’s “Alternative Music Contra” dances. She has premixed music from a number of sources including jazz, pop, rock, etc. and then recorded her calls over the music. She teaches the dances, starts the music, and often jumps in to dance once things are going well.
Will
> On Jan 20, 2020, at 9:42 AM, Bob Peterson via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> I’m always on the lookout for terms that describe the style of using non-traditional and often non-live music. So far I’ve seen or used:
> iPod dance
> Alternative music dance
> Fusion contra
> Techno contra
> DJ’d contra
>
> Q: What other terms have people seen?
>
> Q: What do the terms mean to you? For instance here is what I understand:
> iPod dance - pre-mixed music, genre unspecified
> Alternative music dance - ditto iPod dance, but livelier
> Fusion contra - ?
> Techno contra - live performance electronic, beat-heavy music
> DJ’d contra - caller and DJ are not the same person?
>
> I’d like to focus this thread on terminology, not what’s bad (or good) about the non-traditional styles. It would be great to have other threads discuss values and preferences, if someone wants to tackle framing that conversation.
>
> I like to mix and call contras to recorded music, so this is really a marketing-related topic for me. Currently I’m using “alternative music contra dance”.
>
> \Bob Peterson
> home dance: https://lcfd.org/jp <https://lcfd.org/jp>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
--
Will Loving
2419 S York St Apt 5
Denver CO 80210-5319
+1 413 253-7223 (GMT –7, Mountain Time)
+1 413-221-8626 (iPhone)
[he/him]
