Re: [Callers] Preparing and Dancing

Peter, Thanks so much for that detailed description of your process for learning and maintaining your repertoire. I live in a household of musicians and I know that I should be practicing as much as they are but sometimes I find myself at a loss for HOW to practice without getting totally bored, so now I'm going to try iPod walks! If I'm understanding what you mean by straight ahead contra dance jigs and reels, the other one I've been finding helpful for practicing to is Great Meadow's New England Chestnuts set--they just seem very steady and reliable for finding my way through and learning new dances.

The other thing I've been trying to do is to get the new band I'm working with the most, the Floating Bridge Band, that just formed under Jeremiah McLane's tutelage, to record their practice sessions so I can practice to the tunes I'll actually be using. It's been hard to get them to do this but I finally did get them to give me a recording and, hey!, there YOU were, calling at a gig you did with them--what a bonus!!