19 Nov
2023
19 Nov
'23
5:07 p.m.
Hello all,
I called an *awesome* one-off gig on Friday night (honestly the most fun
ONS ever for me) and used a lot of the dances mentioned in this thread —
thanks everyone! I'll include my program below.
I also called a Circle Mixer that I've had in my box for a long time, but I
don't remember where I got it and don't know its name or author — maybe one
of y'all will recognize it? It goes:
A1: Ladies in 3 steps, clap on the fourth beat (4)
While Ladies back out, Gents in 3 steps, clap on the fourth beat (4)
Gents face out, return to place to form a wavy line (circle) (8)
A2: Balance wave R, L (4), Allemande R 1x (4)
Balance wave L, R (4), Allemande L 1x (4)
B1: New Partner (the person you turned by the Right) Balance & Swing
B2: All promenade CCW (Gents in the Center), face in as couples to reform
the circle
This dance was a little harder to teach than most of the other things I
called (it was also the only dance I called with two roles) but was easily
danced — the rhythm and timing makes sense, and if you emphasize who
promenades on the inside/outside in the B2, then everyone stays in the same
role regardless of the way the swing is done or where the dancers end it.
The timing overall has a lot of cushion, giving dancers plenty of time to
hit the beats in the A1 and (to a lesser extent) A2.
Here's the rest of my program:
1. Lucky Number Seven
2. Galopede
3. Do Si Three
4. Accretion Reel
5. Waves of the Sea
6. The Loon Dance
7. [Circle Mixer above]
This got us through about 2 hours of dancing with some beefier-than-usual
breaks in between each set. I walked through all the dances twice.
Best,
Angela
On Thu, Oct 12, 2023 at 7:25 AM Mo via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I have noticed that this part of Shared Weight work
differently from e.g.
ECD
I see some messages twice, others not at all except as a reply.
I deduce that you need to use Reply to all, or it just goes to whoever
posted last
*From: *Mo via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Sent: *12 October 2023 12:12
*Cc: *Shared Weight Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Subject: *[Callers] Re: Favorite One Night Stand Dances
Some good ideas in this thread
I like the drawbridge.
I use Galopde as a first dance and ask for well phrased music (with a
2bar,2bar,4bar feel to the A e.g. Winster Gallop) to get people dancing to
the music. Though other dances particularly those with a Dip and Dive or
Strip the Willow I’ll ask for a tune that can go out of time with the dance
(some of the Irish tunes don’t seem to have a definite A or B, wouldn’t
want a song tune).
Differing energy levels and balance can be a problem. It certainly was for
my u3a group, us 80 yr olds do try to keep up with the fit 60s
*From: *Rich Sbardella via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Thanks Erik,
I offer a lead down the center in lieu of a sashay, and I ask the people
at the end to accommodate those of us who are slow.
In Rural Felicity I teach: in the A1, if you don’t make it down to the
bottom, just merge into the line to do the A2 F&B, since you then gig to
sashay back to the top.
Cheers,
~Erik
*From:* Rich Sbardella via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
One of my favorites does have arches but I let the dancers know the arches
can be drawbridges to accommodate different heights.
Rural Felicity
B2 Top pair goes through the tunnel and remains at bottom. Others move up.
When I call this at a wedding, I rename it to "The Tunnel of Love", and I
ask the Bride and Groom to be the first top pair.
On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 7:50 AM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
To add a bit more interest to these simple repetitive ONS dances, I do a
Gallopede very similar to Mo's, but with a mixer element.
When it's time for the sashaying/galloping down the middle, I say "make
way for the top Reindeer and the bottom Beluga!"
The top reindeer walks, skips, or does a silly dance down to the bottom of
*their* line, while the bottom beluga comes up from the bottom of their
line doing the same - sometimes they high five when they pass in the
middle.
Once they reach the ends (of their own respective lines - no switching
lines!), everyone adjusts the line till everyone is facing a new partner.
If you have a long line you can send the two tops and bottoms (walking in
single file) together.
This is not to say I think arching dances are bad/shouldn't be used - but
I am always trying in my ONS dances to produce the same joyous,
amusement-ride feel of a true contra dance, so I personally like to favour
figures that keep people flowing always. My personal preference :)
KK
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