1 Aug
2016
1 Aug
'16
6:35 p.m.
I've used 25 sq ft per couple as a target number for contra dance
floor space. This is very similar to the 1.5 sq yard per person
mentioned below (that would result in 27 sq ft per couple). I usually
plan on twice as much room for English dances. Of course these are just
Rules-of-Thumb and not immutable Laws of Nature. ;-)
Here are a few possible dances, including another by Orace Johnson.
Money in Both Pockets
Orace Johnson
duple proper or improper
Adapted from the chestnut contra
A1 - 1's do-si-do as a couple with 2nd Lady (1-4),
Circle left 3 hands round (5-8) (1's and 2nd Lady)
A2 - 1's do the same with 2nd man (1-8)
B1 - Down the hall 4 in line, 1's in the center, turn alone (1-4),
Return and bend the line to a circle (5-8)
B2 - Circle left (1-4),
Star left (5-8)
Broken Sixpence
Don Armstrong
duple improper
1 - do-si-do your neighbor
2 - men do-si-do in the center
3 - women do-si-do in the center
4 - actives swing in the center
5 - down the hall 4 in line, actives in the middle,
turn alone
6 - come back to place, bend the line to a circle
7 - circle left
8 - star left back
The orginal message mentioned "Jefferson and Lincoln". I'm not
familiar with that one, but it may be a variation on the name for the
dance I have down as "Jefferson's Reel".
Jefferson's Reel
Dudley Briggs; adapted from Jefferson and Liberty
duple proper or improper
1 - circle left
2 - circle right
3 - star right
4 - star left
5 - 1's down the outside
6 - return to place
7 - down the hall 4 in line, 1's in the center
8 - all back up, 1's arch joined hands,
2's duck through the arch to meet new neighbors
A similar dance which includes a swing is:
Saturday Night Stroll
Mavis McGaugh
duple improper
1 - Circle left
2 - Circle right
3 - Gents do-si-do
4 - Ladies do-si-do
5-6 1's balance and swing
7 - Down the hall 4 in line, 1's in the center
8 - All back up, 1's arch joined hands,
2's duck through the arch to meet new neighbors
You also might consider some easy circle mixers such as Circassian
Circle and La Bastringue.
Good luck.
Jonathan
-----
Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
-----
Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
On 8/1/2016 9:51 AM, Linda Leslie via Callers wrote:
Hi, Rich!
A couple of thoughts that I have:
I would make sure that I asked about the wedding couple’s definition of
“modern contra”. Their actual definition might help make your
programming easier; of course, the opposite is also true! Does this mean
no squares, no circle mixers, no sicilian circles?
I would also ask them about what their goals are for their dance. If it
is mostly to please the contra dancers, that is important to know; but
if it is to get the non-contra dancing families and friends dancing
together, then you have a way in to get permission to do some
programming with those desires in mind.
Do they want gender role-free terminology used? Asking this may
encourage them to think about their attendees.
As for “modern contras” that are a bit easier, I do have a few listed on
my webpage. Do Si Three is a great way to get non-dancers used to
dancing, as well as progressing. And since it was written not so very
long ago, I assume it is defined as a “modern contra” ;-)
After the concept of progressing, the most challenging part of doing
“modern contras” is how to end a swing. So dances in which this is a bit
easier to figure out might be helpful to you. An example is the dance
below; however, you will need room up and down, since the P swing is
across. This dance (like most contras), can be done as a sicilian
circle; this formation is a great choice, as aefallon suggested in her
note to you. There are also a number of Becket dances that might be
considered. I have included one below by Orace Johnson.
As for floor space: I saved some advice from John Sweeney and Martha
Wild, when this question came up a while back. Here is what they each said:
We usually plan 1.5 square yards / person. 35 feet x 16
feet = 62 sq.yds. so 40 people will be able to dance comfortably. 60
people is starting to get tight.
John Sweeney
And from Martha (this is a digest of what she shared):
20 feet across for two contra lines
Length of the hall, divided by 4 determines the number of couples in the
line.
I hope you have a great experience! Do let us know how the event goes!
Linda