15 Sep
2013
15 Sep
'13
8:13 p.m.
With the proviso that I don't generally plan a complete program ahead of
time....
I have a set of 3-4 dances that are almost always my first dance.
Generally they're very low piece count dances, very forgiving, and with
a limited number of moves. Most of those first dances don't even have a
chain or a R&L thru -- allemandes, swings, circles and long lines. One
of them starts and ends in short waves.
After I've seen how they do with that, I will move on to other dances,
adding in a move or two at a time. I do try to make the first time I
use a chain a chain over and back, or a chain to your neighbor so that
they can have a chance to do it with a bunch of different people.
Generally, I will teach a Hey in the 3rd dance -- almost always a full
hey coming back to a partner balance and swing. (Butter by Gene Hubert
or delphiniums and dasies by Tonya Rattenburg (know I've misspelled
that). Sometimes I'll do a mixer as the 3rd or 4th dance.
From there on out, I am slowly adding new moves, building on what we've
done already, and trying to alternate between smooth and balancy dances
(also trying to keep a variety of "storylines" -- circular dances vs
down the hall vs waves vs unusual progressions or multiple neighbors.
Before the evening starts, I will have picked out dances that I would
like to work into the program (many more dances than I could actually
do), and if I have one that I really want to make sure I get in, I will
start building the foundation for that...making sure that I work most of
the components into other dances.
I generally aim for the peak of complexity to be shortly after the
break, but to continue to keep the energy level up until the end of the
evening (even though it is with simpler dances).
So that's a sketchy version of what is generally going through my mind
as I'm putting an evening together, Your mileage may vary. You may want
to plan things ahead more than I do. If you can come up with an outline
or framework to hang your dances on, I think it will make the actual
programming easier.
Jack
On 9/15/2013 2:35 PM, Maia McCormick wrote:
Hi Greg et al.,
Yeah, good point. I'm calling one of a regular (monthly) contra dance
series in the Berkshires. It's open to all and has a beginners warm-up for
any who are interested. Attendance runs maybe 14-26 (ish), including a fair
number of people who have danced before but aren't
super-experienced/"hotshot" dancers. There'll be a live band. The
expectation will probably be mostly contras with a waltz at the end of
either half--I doubt people would object to or necessarily expect other
formations/types of dances.
That help at all? Interested to hear what you have to say!
Maia
On Sun, Sep 15, 2013 at 12:53 PM, Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Miaa asked:
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how do you go about putting together a program
for
a full (or partial) evening of calling?
Yes. This certainly is a broad question. For me it would require multiple
approaches depending upon:
- Is it a square dance, a contra dance, a "barn dance" a "family
dance" or
a "community dance" and what exactly do these terms mean to the organizers?
- Is the event open to the public or is it a private party, a weekend dance
camp session, a festival?
- Who is the "Client" and what do they expect?
- Is this an ongoing series "hosted" by a group of "regulars" who
know one
another?
- If it is an ongoing series what is the local dance culture? Will they
expect in terms of dance formations and variety?
- What is the purpose of the event?
- Will there be live musicians? If so, who is the band?
The different approaches you see will depend a lot upon the answers to
these--and other--questions. Depending upon the answers above some of us
would not accept the gig because we don't have the skills or material to
provide what the dancers and the organizers are looking for. Or because we
are not interested in doing that particular kind of gig.
You might get more useful answers if you narrowed your question to a
particular "real" situation that callers can respond to. But that's just
one way to approach it. I can't really respond without knowing at least
some of the answers. I see a variety of different roles for the caller in
a variety of different situations. Other callers may not see it this way.
- Greg McKenzie
West Coast, USA
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