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]
I think a lot of these terms are used in a range of ways, and there isn't a
short thing you can put on a flyer that will let people know what to expect.
If you have many events people can learn what they're like: people who come
to one of Lisa Greenleaf's Alternative Music Contras, Emily Rush's
Rushfest, or BIDA's Spark in the Dark know what to expect or can talk to
past attendees to get an idea.
If you're starting something new one important question is how local contra
dancers can figure out whether this is the kind of event they would enjoy.
Linking to videos works pretty well, as can written descriptions. Talking
to the people handling music about what terms they've found useful can also
help. The most recent Spark in the Dark we organized had "This is a
special contra dance with live electronic-acoustic music and club lighting
(glowy clothes are fun!)." https://www.facebook.com/events/375177783410452/
Jeff
On Mon, Jan 20, 2020 at 11:42 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
>
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>
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
Many dancers in England (and probably elsewhere) will know Maggie Fletcher, for many years
the pianist with Blue Mountain Band. She's having a dance to celebrate her 90th birthday
at Liston Hall, Marlow, SL7 1DD on Sunday 22nd March, 2.30-6.00 pm.
Celebrate the January girl with Blue Mountain Band music,
callers led by Barrie Bullimore, and a band led by Ruth Rose.
Come with instruments, call cards and dancing shoes,
lots of room to chat as well as play and dance,
RSVP to Linda Dorman: rogerdorman47(a)gmail.com
BRING & SHARE TEA plus donation to costs
Colin Hume
Hi fellow Shared Weight Contra Callers,
I'm very excited to announce a greatly expanded CDSS Resource Portal with
brand new sections for callers and educators .... in addition to dance
musicians, song leaders, organizers, and others!
(Before reading further, please note that I'm highly biased as I've been
heavily involved with this project.)
The goal of the CDSS Resource Portal it to support you and others who take
on valuable leadership roles in traditional dance, music and song
communities. The Portal does this by linking to many of the very best
resources available for callers, educators, organizers, singers, ritual
dancers, educators, dance musicians, and more. There are hundreds of
resources organized by topic as well as links on how to connect with others
online or at in-person gatherings. (We initially launched the Resource
Portal in Fall 2019 but it's only housed organizer resources up until now!)
Check out the Portal here: https://www.cdss.org/resources/resource-portal
You might be most interested in both the callers and the educators sections.
The Portal is only a great as the resources that are shared by the
community! We are looking to add even more resources and we really
appreciate resources created by members of our network (including you!).
If you know of resources that should be added, please suggest them here:
https://www.cdss.org/share-your-resource
Relating the topics discussed on our contra callers list, the Portal could
especially use resources for teachers and other educators on how to teach
dance to school-aged participants. If you have material that can be shared
online, please reach out through the form above.
If you have follow-up questions for me regarding the portal, please email
portal(a)cdss.org rather than the listserv. Note that I likely won't be able
to respond for a few weeks but do look forward to touching base.
Also - if you are an organizer as well as a caller, you may want to join
CDSS's free quarterly e-blast for organizers.
-> Check out the latest issue sent out today: https://conta.cc/2uRunBM.
->If you would like to receive future Shop Talks, you can sign up here:
https://www.cdss.org/programs/cdss-news-publications/shop-talk
AND - if you are excited about either the Portal or Shop Talk, please share
the news with your friends!
Thanks,
Emily Addison
writing from Ottawa, Ontario
I have a little comment about terminology in the description
http://rickmohr.net/Contra/Dances.asp#DanceAllNight
and teaching of "Dance All Night".
The "corner" with whom you do the left allemande in A2 is the same corner with whom you did the swing in A1. This is in contrast to the situation in Al Olson's "First Bloom," as notated on page 47 of the 2009 Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend syllabus
https://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2009.pdf
where in B1 you allemande with a new corner, defined relative to the position in which you formed the temporary square at the end of A1.
Conventions about terminology are a bit different in squares (where "partner" and "corner" are often defined relative to the current arrangement of dancers) than in contras (where--except in rare cases such as contra mixers or in situations where people are intentionally swapping positions--"partner" generally means your original partner, regardless of your current relative positions). In the case of a 4-face-4 dance where dancers form a temporary square, I think it pays to be explicit.
When I say to be explicit, I *don't* mean that you should give an elaborate explanation about terminology conventions, etc., etc. Long-winded explanations, no matter how technically accurate, are often more confusing than helpful. I'm merely suggesting that as dancers finish walking through the star, instead of simply identifying the person with whom to allemande left as "your corner" you can avoid ambiguity by using more explicit wording--for example, "that same corner you just swung".
--Jim
> On Jan 11, 2020, at 1:30 PM, Bill Olson via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> "Dance all Night" would be my suggestion as well! (hi Jack)
>
> bill in Maine
>
> From: jmitchell.nc--- via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2020 4:13 AM
> To: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Easy but super fun 4X4 contras
>
> I'm a big fan of Rick Mohr's "Dance All Night". Its also good for teaching a grand R&L before doing a square. It's on his website.
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
"Dance all Night" would be my suggestion as well! (hi Jack)
bill in Maine
________________________________
From: jmitchell.nc--- via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 11, 2020 4:13 AM
To: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Easy but super fun 4X4 contras
I'm a big fan of Rick Mohr's "Dance All Night". Its also good for teaching a grand R&L before doing a square. It's on his website.
And, you don't even have to CA twirl at end
if you want to cut down on teaching time or
groups not ready for CA twrl.
B-2 All 8 circle L to trade places w/ other line
Balance ring and turn around to face new....
Amy,
Hi! Was it Do Si Three by Linda Leslie?
3 face 3 (youngest dancer in the middle, makes it even better)
A-1 Hands 6 Circle L
Circle R (back to place)
A-2 Ends (opposites) DoSiDo
Middles " DoSiDo
B-1 Ends Swing
Middles Swing
B-2 L of 3 F & B
F and pass thru (opposite by R sh)
