Re: [Callers] What is the best contra dance(s) ever written?

Alan, Your explanation is so reflective of my reasons and so vivid, I felt like I was dancing with you. If we're ever in the same hall and that dance is on the program..... Bree Kalb ----- Why I like it: Whether I'm inactive or active, I like the music, I really like the way the parts of the dance interlock, I like the many things that remind me I'm dancing in a bigger set than just my foursome - go down the outside and you have to see the whole line, be in line, match their timing; go down the middle and it's the same, but if I'm inactive I have to see people outside of my foursome on the way through. I really like how much it requires timing and rewards timing and geographical sense. I rather like the feeling of being a good cog in the big dance machine. I like supporting the actives and being supported when it's my turn. - When I'm an active, the way the excitement of the tune builds up during the contra corners to resolve at the balance with partner (and the balance + swing is way better than the balance without swing) is just unparalleled. Hitting the balance on the dot is just a tremendous moment. The whole dance (which is, incidentally, made of standard early-nineteenth century figures which show up in other dances but aren't as satisfying there) is an exercise in delayed gratification; I leave my partner, we're apart (but have a flirtatious peek, perhaps, in the middle of the down-the-outside-and-back), we're closer together for the down-the-middle-and-back; we connect with our same-sex neighbors on the cast off, we interact with two opposite-sex neighbors in the contra-corners, briefly seeing partner in between others, and we finally connect. It's awesome. - When I'm inactive - well, you can always swing your partner during the down-the-outside, and I have no problem for that. During the down-the-middle you can likely cheat-swing somebody from the next line (although I won't generally do that and don't much like it when my partner abandons me to cheat swing). But here's what I like there - I enjoy being able to support the actives in the contra corners, I enjoy getting a read on whether they want to push off and spin out of the allemande and supporting that, I enjoy helping to get them to their appointment with their partner on time. (I'll usually balance or stomp at the end of the contra corners even if I'm an inactive.) I'll admit that I'd be a bit frustrated if I were inactive all the way to to the top and the dance ended without my ever getting to be active, but I'm happy to have it run long enough for everybody to get to be both active and inactive. Your mileage may well vary. People like different things. -- Alan ______________________________**_________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.shared… ______________________________**_________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.shared…