14 Mar
2023
14 Mar
'23
3 p.m.
The only real trouble I can see with calling Trade By for a single progression is that the
couple that does the partner trade will be standing there, watching the other dancers who
are ignoring them, for close to 32 measures. If you’re going to do it, you’ll need to warn
everyone – just as you would in teaching the contra framework to any newbie – that this
will happen to all of them eventually.
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2023 2:31 PM
To: Tony Parkes <tony(a)hands4.com>
Cc: Rich Sbardella <richsbardella(a)gmail.com>om>; Caller's discussion list
<callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Re: Contras for a Crowd that does not Swing
Tony (and Rich and others),
I'm just learning to call to MWSD dancers, and learning how to gauge what will work
out of the box, what will work with a heads-up phrase, and what needs a little teach.
With that in mind, how do you think dancers would respond to "trade by" without
a preceeding "pass thru," to maintain a single progression. The power of
habits.
Jerome
On Tue, Mar 14, 2023, 1:57 PM Tony Parkes via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
I’ve led several Intro to Contras sessions at National S/D Conventions. The first dance in
the session was typically my Inflation Reel, with a Trade By added after the Pass Thru.
(Trade By: If you’re facing someone, pass thru; if not, do a partner trade [like a
California Twirl without hands]). This gives a double progression and means I don’t have
to explain waiting at the ends or crossing over. I’ve always also used Shadrack’s Delight,
which I wrote to appeal to traditional dancers and MWSDers alike.
For the most part, I’ve found that MWSDers quickly get into the groove of dancing to the
phrase, as long as they’re in longways formation. (I tell them that contra dancing is
“square dance basics with round dance timing.”) But the moment I put them in squares, with
the hope of doing some of my favorite Lancers or other quadrille figures, they think they
can “relax” and clip the timing.
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Rich Sbardella via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2023 12:29 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
<callers@sharedweight.net<mailto:callers@sharedweight.net>>
Subject: [Callers] Contras for a Crowd that does not Swing
Friends,
I have been asked to lead an intro to contra dance session at a square dance convention.
I will have time to lead 3-4 contras, and I am looking for suggestions.
My main concern is that most modern square dancers do not swing, they simply twirl under.
With that in mind, I need contras which have no more than an eight count swing yet reflect
the spirit of the modern contra scene.
One major difference between contra dance and MWSD is square dancers are not trained to
dance to the phrase of the music. I will most likely begin with a circle mixer to
encourage a full 8 count swing and to emphasize dancing to the phrase.
I am not looking for contra dances with MWSD basics, but rather typical contra basics.
Any suggestions? I can certainly find some among my collection, but perhaps there is a
gem I might miss.
Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
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