Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

12 participants
4406 discussions

by Rachel Shapiro

Hi all, I'm in search of contras that have borrowed interesting figures from traditional and modern western square dances. Do you have any favorites you're willing to share? I've got Rang Tang Contra and some dances with Dixie Twirls. Lots with Box the Gnat and Swat the Flea. Any others you love? Thank you! Rachel Shapiro Wallace

7 years, 3 months

Dance ID and question

by Richard Hart

Two questions. First I collected the following dance long ago. Does anyone know the author and title? Becket formation. A1: Circle L 3/4 Flatten circle to wavy line or 4, woman in middle. Balance wave. W alla main L 1 x. A2: N Bal & Swing. B1: Circle L 3/4 Flatten circle to wavy line of 4, women in middle. Balance wave. W alla main L 1 x. B2: P Bal & Swing. Slide L to progress. In this dance, the A and B parts are essentially mirror image repetitions of each other. Do you know of any other dances where the A and B parts repeat in a similar way? The only other dance that I know of that does this is Chart Guthrie’s Hey in the Barn. Thanks, Rich Hart. Sent from my iPhone

7 years, 3 months

Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

by Lorraine Sutton

Hello All, I am calling a 2 hour Intro to Contra dance ....at an Ontario Canada Festival. ( more a music focus than a dance focus, at this festival) I would appreciate hearing from you as to contra dances ( lws proper & Improper) that you have found successful with very novice dancers and why you think those dances work for beginners.(I love Larry Jennings definition of easy vs complicated ) I do plan on doing some non progressive lws as well as a both a circle and a Sicilian circle in the program mix , to get the concept of progression. Thanks so much. Lorraine Sutton ( lorrainesutton7(a)gmail.com ) ...

7 years, 3 months

Looking for help finding a West Coast band

by Amy Cann

Hello all -- I'm traveling to Santa Cruz in August to call a community-level dance at a family event of an old and dear friend. I need to put together a band and would VERY MUCH welcome contact info of coastal musicians, or dance organizers/callers likely to have a contact list of good prospects. There's a respectful budget for the gig, and even a finder's/booker's fee set aside. Thanks, Amy (in Vermont!)

7 years, 3 months

Looking to DANCE!

by Mary Collins

Will be in Jay Maine for a wedding on August 18th. Looking for a contra dance to dance (not call but could be coerced) nearby either Friday night or Saturday night. or Sunday afternoon somewhere between there and Albany area. Thanks! Mary Collins “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

7 years, 3 months

Re: [Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

by Bill Baritompa

Hi Cheryl and all, I'm glad you like the dance, it's called Easy Progressive Contra 3 http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/2012-July/… I don't specify how much to move the circles or stars in A1 and A2 but just say to move for 8 beats. I tell them they will end of back where they started because moving both directions cancel out each time. Also I didn't specify the type of stars but stress the A1/A2 transition is to keep moving and put your 'inside' (left) hand in. This is to get them to learn to move the stars first and make the grip on the move. Also they don't need to know which hand is left, as they should use the hand closest to the center. If the dancer look up to it, I suggest the option to communicate with your Nbr in B2 and choose to allemand 1x or 2x. Cheers, Bill On 25/07/2018 11:33 a.m., Cheryl Joyal via Callers wrote: > One of my favorite is Easy Progressive Contra - I find it works better for me > with beginners, because the couples do-si-do 1+1/2 in Family Contra seems to > confuse people (or I dont teach it well!) > > Easy Progressive Contra (by ???) > > *A1*(8) Circle Left 1X > (8) Circle Right 1X > > *A2*(8) Star Left - Hands across > (8) Star Right - Hands across > > > > *B1*(8) Women Do-si-do > (8) Men Do-si-do > > *B2*(8) Neighbor allemande Right 1x > (8) Neighbor Balance and Pull by to New Ne’s > > Cheryl Joyal > clmjoyal(a)gmail.com <mailto:clmjoyal@gmail.com> > clmjoyal(a)aol.com <mailto:clmjoyal@aol.com> > 630-667-3284 (cell) > >

7 years, 3 months

Re: [Callers] New dance

by Charles

I'm posting a new dance of mine - the hook is a half hey into a long wavy line of gents in the center. Haven't seen it before, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of other dances with this figure. Also, I looked for other dances called the Portland Reel and couldn't find any, but if that name has been used let me know. Other feedback welcome: Dugan’s Duck Dynasty (Becket) Chuck Abell 7/18 (aka The Portland Reel) A1 Half hey, gents pass left to start (8) Same gents take left hands in center to make long wavy line of gents (4)* Gents bal left/right (4) A2 Gents alle left 1 1/4x (4) N swing (12) B1 On right diagonal ladies chain to shadow (if someone is there) (8) (w/ current N) LHS 1x (8) B2 P dosido and swing (16) w/ these N… *Gents be sure to take four full steps/beats to get into the middle

7 years, 3 months

New Dance - Hey Dreaming by Emma Azelborn

by Emma Azelborn

*Hi Everyone,I'm writing to share a contra dance I've written. We've tried it out twice, once at the Camp Sturtevant weekend and once at our 5th Saturday advanced dance. The interesting part is the progression, from a hey into a circle with new neighbors.Switching the 2nd half of A1 to Raven instead of Lark also works, it just flips the direction the dance progresses. I ended up choosing Larks because of the Raven alamande at the end.Any feedback or thoughts are welcome!Emma AzelbornLos AngelesHey DreamingContra Dance by Emma AzelbornBeckett, progresses to the leftWorks best with ample floor space for the orbitTeaching notes: - It helps to identify future neighbors before starting, so dancers know who to be looking for in the progression out of the hey (they're on the left diagonal)- Ravens turn over their left shoulder to progress & circle instead of looping right at the end of the hey- Larks keep going the same direction of travel into the orbitA18Long lines fwd & back8Larks right shoulder round 1½A216Neighbor balance and swingB18Larks in for half a left shoulder hey8Circle right 3 places with new neighbors (this is the progression)Larks assist Ravens to centerB28Ravens alamande right 1½ while Larks orbit halfway counterclockwise8Partner swing*

7 years, 3 months

Teaching Larks & Ravens

by Mary Collins

I call in primarily a traditional dance community but am investigating starting to call using larks and ravens. I am curious about what words you use and how you teach larks and ravens positioning. Thanks.

7 years, 3 months

Does a 1/2 figure 8 and cast off exist in ECD? In Contra?

by Luke Donforth

Hello all, I've been thinking about half figure eights, and variations on them. Is anyone familiar (in ECD, contra, or other traditions), where instead of the 1s or 2s half figure eight, having the gents or ladies do the move from improper formation? As soon as you have something like the ladies do a half figure eight from duple improper; they're either going to have to shift where they land, or the gents are going to have to get out of the way. It seems to me (during my insomnia, not with actual dancers in a house party) that you could have the gents cast off and over to a ladies place. i.e.: *Ladies half figure eight, passing left shoulder in the middle to take neighbor gents' place* *Meanwhile, gents cast over left shoulder to take partner's place* Which takes (head of hall) W1 M1 m2 w2 to (head of hall) M1 W1 w2 m2 Which ends in the same place as everybody doing a half figure eight, but without 4 people trying to go through the middle at the same time. I think it can still happen in 8 beats of music, with nobody standing around. Is that a sequence people have danced or used? Here's a wrapping to put the whole thing in context. Calliope's Cross Improper contra by Luke Donforth A1 Long lines forward and back Ladies half figure eight, passing left shoulder in the middle to take neighbor gents' place Meanwhile, gents cast over left shoulder to take partner's place A2 Neighbor Right Shoulder Gyre and Swing B1 Circle Left 3/4 Partner Swing B2 Promenade across set with partner, courtesy turn Ladies chain to neighbor The name, and idea, comes from my older daughter (4), who wanted a "Calliope's Cross" dance for herself after hearing about "Tamlin's Cross" for her sister. Calliope like riding figure 8s on her bicycle. I've deliberately kept this simple, instead of trying to get a gents figure 8 while ladies cast in for symmetry. I'm not sure how I'd teach that from the stage; and think I'd have to use a demo. I look forward to hearing the experience of the group! Thanks -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

7 years, 3 months

Jump to page:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Contra Callers