Anyone have a simple wave dance where it doesn’t matter which role is in the middle of the wave?
Kind of like Bob Isaacs’ double your fun but easier.
Thanks!
Alex
Sent from my iPhone
Hi,
I've been assigned the opening slot at this year's 2019 New England Folk
Festival (NEFFA) for my session:
"Keepin' It Proper Contras - It's not all about improper contras! Dances
from times past to the present set in a proper form."
Soooo... what proper dances have you found to be particular favorites with
dancers and amenable in a large hall "some experience" (non-advanced
dancer) setting? I'd appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks,
Don
I danced Mike Richardson's Star Trek
<https://www.cambridgefolk.org.uk/contra/dances/mike_richardson/star_trek.ht…>
recently and was super into the "star and single file promenade to the next
star" progression (and also the right-shoulder hey straight into a swing
niggled me just a bit). So, I re-jiggered it. I welcome thoughts, and if it
strikes your fancy, definitely call it and let me know how it goes!
Star Trek: the Next Generation
<http://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#startrekthenextgeneration> (becket
R)
A1: hands-across left-hand star 1x
larks LH chain (to N)
A2: full hey (larks pass L) and ravens ricochet
B1: P walk-around and swing
B2: promenade across
left-hand star 1x and walk along the set (ravens in the lead) to progress
Before the B2 star, note direction of progression (i.e. to the RIGHT);
dancers walk along the set single file in this direction, with larks
following their partner.
Hi All:
I wrote a dance to honor my BFF and his long time service to the Swingin' Tern Dance in NJ, writing the puns for their fliers for 35 years and doing publicity (and to honor his upcoming birthday). Many of you know him, Doug Heacock (pronounced Heycock). If you don't know him as a dance organizer, perhaps you've seen one of his many dance videos on his youtube channel?
Feel free to call the dance and let me know how it works for you. The dancers at Swingin' Tern this past Saturday enjoyed it.
Proud as a Heacock IMP by Donna HuntA1 Circle Left 1x 1/2 Pousette with Partner CW
A2 Balance ring (with original neighbors) with Partner: Ladies roll away and Gents sashay Swing Neighbor
B1Star Right 3/4, Swing Partner
B2 Gents Chain (left hand pull by)
Long Lines forward and back
Donna
Web Site: donnahuntcaller.com
Email: dhuntdancer(a)aol.com
Cell: 215-565-6050
Hi all,
I was thinking about standard transitions; and how similar flows could
possibly be created while still adding variation to our dance diet.
Chain-> (1x or 1/2) hey -> balance and swing works well; but gyre & swing
doesn't work well there, because you've set up left shoulder at the end of
the hey.
allemande left -> (1x or 1/2) hey -> (gyre &) swing works reasonably,
because you've set up the other shoulder in the hey.
What about coming into the hey from a Sea-Saw? For instance:
Contra/Improper
A1 -----------
(16) Neighbor gyre and swing
A2 -----------
(8) Promenade across the Set
(8) Ladies Sea-Saw 1.5x
B1 -----------
(8) 1/2 Hey, ladies passing partner right shoulders
(8) Partner swing
B2 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Ladies allemande Left 1-1/2
I think that flows well, but I don't have dancers to play with at the
moment. If anyone more used to dancing the traditional ladies roll wants to
talk about muscle memory and flow, I'd appreciate it. Would the sea saw and
left allemande just be too outside the realm of familiar to be fun?
Assuming this is a new composition that works, I'll call it Sinister Ravens.
Thanks for your thoughts.
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
Would love to get suggestions for simpler contras containing a
hey-for-three with 3 people. Looking to set a foundation with the sequence
in the earlier part of an evening. Ideally a duple minor but willing to
consider other settings.
Yes, I'm working through the Caller's Box listings but it would be great to
have suggestions from personal experience.
Thanks,
Don
Trying to track down name + author for two deliiightful dances I had at
Dance Flurry, can anyone help?
Dance the first, improper:
A1: circle L 1x
N two-hand turn 1.5
A2: larks alle. L 1.5
half hey (P by R)
B1: P balance and swing
B2: long lines, lark roll partner away
circle R 3/4
Dance the second, improper, starts in short waves:
A1: bal. wave, spin R
N pull by L, ravens chain
A2: full hey (ravens by R)
B1: P balance and swing
B2 ...? (circle L 3, pass thru and dosido I think?)
Thanks all!
- Maia
I called George's dance at the Charlotte NC dance Monday night. One of our dancers wore yellow suspenders in George's honor.And we danced with each other as if each next person in line was our favorite dancer - George made us feel that way.Gretchen Caldwell
On Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 4:07:36 PM EST, callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net <callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: In honor of George Rettie (Polly Minstrel)
2. Re: In honor of George Rettie (Lisa Greenleaf)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2019 20:05:15 -0500
From: Polly Minstrel <minstrel.polly(a)gmail.com>
To: Emily Rush <em.rush(a)gmail.com>
Cc: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] In honor of George Rettie
Message-ID:
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Hi all,
Thanks for the info. I did not know George but these dance events run on
the work of volunteers and I appreciate them.
I will be calling Dean's dance on Friday, along with a short introduction
commemorating George.
Condolences to all who called him friend.
Polly
On Fri, Feb 22, 2019, 10:55 AM Emily Rush via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net wrote:
> Hi all,
> George Rettie, the NC dancer in the yellow ruler suspenders, passed away
> unexpectedly this week. He'd been dancing since at least the 1980's, and it
> was a rare dance that he didn't attend. He was always the first to
> volunteer (and did, more hours than I can count), personally thanked the
> musicians and callers, danced with beginners, dipped everyone beautifully
> and frequently, flirted with us all, could call one dance (Gene Hubert's "A
> Nice Combination"), brought his children into the dance community, and was
> a favorite partner to many, many dancers.
>
> Myra, Adina, and JoLaine are calling a dance that Dean Snipes wrote for
> George some years ago. If you're calling sometime soon and are so moved, I
> would like to invite you to call it too. If you're dancing, I hope you'll
> go up to the stage and thank the musicians and callers, welcome the
> beginners, and have an extra-good time.
>
> Love,
> Emily
>
> ----------------------------------------------
>
> George is Rettie, Willing, and Able
> by Dean Snipes
> Indecent (2s crossed), double progression
>
> A1.
> Neighbor balance & swing
>
> A2.
> Pass thru across, turn alone
> Star R 1x, pull by up and down with your neighbor
>
> B1.
> New ladies allemande L 1x while gents orbit 1/2 clockwise
> Partner swing
>
> B2.
> Long lines forward & back
> Ladies right hand pull by, neighbor allemande L 1.5
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
Hi all,
George Rettie, the NC dancer in the yellow ruler suspenders, passed away
unexpectedly this week. He'd been dancing since at least the 1980's, and it
was a rare dance that he didn't attend. He was always the first to
volunteer (and did, more hours than I can count), personally thanked the
musicians and callers, danced with beginners, dipped everyone beautifully
and frequently, flirted with us all, could call one dance (Gene Hubert's "A
Nice Combination"), brought his children into the dance community, and was
a favorite partner to many, many dancers.
Myra, Adina, and JoLaine are calling a dance that Dean Snipes wrote for
George some years ago. If you're calling sometime soon and are so moved, I
would like to invite you to call it too. If you're dancing, I hope you'll
go up to the stage and thank the musicians and callers, welcome the
beginners, and have an extra-good time.
Love,
Emily
----------------------------------------------
George is Rettie, Willing, and Able
by Dean Snipes
Indecent (2s crossed), double progression
A1.
Neighbor balance & swing
A2.
Pass thru across, turn alone
Star R 1x, pull by up and down with your neighbor
B1.
New ladies allemande L 1x while gents orbit 1/2 clockwise
Partner swing
B2.
Long lines forward & back
Ladies right hand pull by, neighbor allemande L 1.5
Hi all, first time posting here!
I'm new-ish to calling and I've yet to call contra corners. I think I'm up
for the challenge and could teach the figure itself, but I still think it's
a tricky one for dancers in all but the most experienced crowds. A few
callers I know have advised me to build up to a challenging figure like
contra corners over the course of an evening by calling dances that echo
the skills the dancers will need later.
With that in mind, what dances would you call early in the evening in a
mixed-level group that would help "teach" dancers the skills they need to
be successful at contra corners?
I've been thinking I should include an easy proper-ish dance, and maybe a
dance with allemandes outside the minor set... anything else come to mind?
Thanks in advance,
Hannah Chamberlain
Westbrook, ME
