I frequently will choose a “silly“ dance to go with a rag set. I have frequently used happy as a cold pig in warm mud in that slot and encouraged significant silliness in forming the stars that are theoretically with shadows but can also be five pointed stars or six pointed stars. As long as they play the tune Square it should work. But really any straightforward dance with eight or 16 count phrases that isn’t especially Flowey will probably still work. If you can get a recording of them playing it for another dance and confirm the phrasing, Amy’s approach to pairing tunes and dances is still pretty much my ideal - both of what I hope is going through the band’s head when they match tunes to dances and the way I try to think about it when matching dances to tunes (ever since a post some years ago on this very list).

On Wed, Apr 27, 2022 at 4:28 PM Laur via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Thanks for detail and yes that’s the deal - its too stylized to know how they will choose to play it and callers that haven’t danced to the band aren’t prepared for the tune and the disconnection the dancers feel on the floor.

The musicians are not inexperienced, they are good musicians so it confuses me a bit how they cant see or feel how the dancers on the floor with the dance.

I will be respectful when I make the request not to choose to play during the evening. And be prepared to offer a response if they ask.

L
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad

On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 4:08 PM, Amy Cann <acann@putneyschool.org> wrote:
Ragtime tunes actually often go *slower* than flat-out reels.

Their grove isn't a fast

deedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddle

like note-y Irish, or

diggachukkadiggachukkadiggachukkadiggachukka

like hot southern.

They go more like:

DAda, da, d'da Da - UH!
DAda, da, d'da Da - UH!
DAda, DAAdada, DAda, DAAdada,
dadada DA d'da DA - UH!

SO -- do NOT do dances that are sinuous and connected and snake-y spaghetti-y.

They will feel weird and pointless.

Instead, try dances that have that 1 - 2 - 3 - UH!
built right in.

Long lines forward and back.
Allemande 1/2 way to form a line and balance the line.
Petronella type turns.
Balance and box the gnat.

That kind of stuff, where your body makes shapes on the floor that are
sharp four-beat lines that reverse and turn around and stop/start on a
dime.

Steve Zakon's ZigZag has the right idea, but the zigzag thing happens
in the B, I think, and Beaumont needs it in the A. The B is where the
more connected-y stuff is, where you want the swings.

On 4/27/22, Laur via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> A local band here plays Beaumont Rag As a part of their routine dance set.
> It’s a popular band.
> I’ve never experienced a contra dance The band has chosen to play for a
> dance work. It doesn’t work for the dancers and it’s agonizing for the
> caller.
> Can anyone suggest a dance that could fit? At this point I’m planning to
> request they don’t include the tune.
> I know there’s an English dance written to match but not interested in that
> for this set.
> Laurie
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
>

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