Angela,

Square dance callers do these substitutions as well.

One very basic exercise for Modern Western Square Dance callers is to develop sequences (2, 3, 4 or more) moves that get dancers to the zero box, which is most easily visualized by having head couples move forward one step, then turning away from your partner and facing your corner.

Add in sequences to rotate the square halfway, 1/4 or 3/4, use symmetrical calls, and sets can easily be scrambled and then resolved using plug-in sequences to "find your corner, allemande left, etc."

Back to contra:

Although one might consult an existing database, I think it's probably more useful to develop ones own mental database by sitting down and writing sequences for each situation. (In the case of contra, neutral (8-count and 16-count sequences), men change (8- and 16-count), women change (8- and 16-count), couples change (8- and 16-count)). Yes, you will likely develop a list with much overlap with other callers, but I believe the exercise is worth it. And you may come up with some unique, or at least rarely used, combinations.

Good luck!

--Jerome

Jerome Grisanti
660-528-0858
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com

"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

On Wed, Nov 15, 2017 at 12:29 PM, Angela DeCarlis via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Look at Cary Ravitz's web page on contra dance choreography (http://www.dance.ravitz.us/chor.php), especially the section on what he calls black boxes.  http://www.dance.ravitz.us/chor.php#m  I think that is exactly what you are asking about.  He did a useful workshop on that subject at Pigtown Fling a few years ago.  

David Harding

Thank you so much David! I think this is exactly the kind of information I'm looking for, but I'm finding the format which Cary has everything set in pretty difficult to digest. I'll have to set aside some time to parse the information in a way that makes more sense to me.

Anyone else have any leads?

Thanks!
Angela

On Wed, Nov 15, 2017 at 1:00 PM, DAVID HARDING <dharding101@comcast.net> wrote:

Look at Cary Ravitz's web page on contra dance choreography (http://www.dance.ravitz.us/chor.php), especially the section on what he calls black boxes.  http://www.dance.ravitz.us/chor.php#m  I think that is exactly what you are asking about.  He did a useful workshop on that subject at Pigtown Fling a few years ago. 

David Harding

On November 15, 2017 at 11:39 AM Angela DeCarlis via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Hello all,

I'm remembering a few workshops I'd taken with Rick Mohr a few years ago, and also an occasion where I collected a dance from his calling. He happily gave me the name and author of the dance, but was also quick to note that he had substituted out different moves for 16 counts of the dance, so that it would work better with his evening's program.

Now, someone like Rick can just do this in his head. He has a data base of common combinations of dance moves, and where everyone ends up after executing them. As such, he can easily make substitutions on the fly, because he knows offhand that A+B=X+Y.**

What I'm wondering is, has anyone bothered to write down and compile a list of common choreography substitutions? I'm thinking a spreadsheet of some sort, where we think about the net product of various combinations of dance moves, and categorize the combinations based on their output.

For example: Neighbor Promenade across, Ladies Chain = Long Lines Forward and Back, Gents Allemande L 11/2.

If no one has already done this, I'll start a new thread where we can begin to collaboratively write one up! 

Thanks, All!
Angela
 

**Yes, the momentum in each of these scenarios is probably different, and one might be better than another. But this depends on the rest of the dance's choreography, and for these purposes I don't especially care. :)

***Also worth acknowledging that substituting out an entire 16-count phrase could easily result in calling a different dance written by a different author, but I'm more concerned about using this technique for practical programming purposes.

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