Katherine, by “variant” did you mean telling two or more couples to gallop down? Because Mo’s version, as I understand things, is the original Galopede. My version, and others’, are the variants.
I generally use the arches to slow people down and get them dancing more or less on phrase. With kids/families/people of wildly differing heights, instead of arches, I say “Forward and high five, back up, now shake hands as you cross over.”
Without one or the other of these additions, I find they rush through the F&B and crossover.
I agree that arch/duck figures can be problematic. I use Boston Tea Party a lot less than the other longways on my short list. And I do tell people they don’t have to keep hands joined in the arch if I think it’s going to be an issue. (In
Over the Top or any dance where a couple arches over a line, I often see people simply raise their hands without joining them, especially if it’s an adult with a kid. One father with a very young partner simply held the kid in the air with both hands over
people’s heads, to the amusement of all.)
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2023 7:50 AM
To: mjw@mowaddington.plus.com
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Favorite One Night Stand Dances
I like this variant of Mo's.
I think i've sent this suggestion out to the list in a different context, but I'll repeat it here-
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.
I designate one line as the Larks and one as the Robins (or one as the Belugas and one as the Reindeer - anything silly and fun, perhaps relevant to the context of the event).
I emphasize that if you're an X you must always stay in the X line, and if you're a Y you must always stay in the Y line.
Then I demo the progression with a small group to make sure they've got it.
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 obviously adds a dimension of potential confusion, and some people do forget it's their turn, or try to join the opposite line - but it's a very forgiving dance and we never stay on the music to begin with - I find the mistakes produce tons of laughter
and the dancers themselves are always able to sort the confused people out without any intervention from me.
I've done this dance at a whole range of weddings and community events with great success.
Sometimes i'll also add a "peel the banana" part between the partner interactions and the top-bottom switch - with the top couple splitting at the top, going down the outside, with everyone in their line following single file, and all joining inside hands to
come up the middle and exactly back to where they started.
I favour this type of thing over arching/ducking figures because it flows nicely for everyone - I find the arching/ducking
a) brings ppl quite close - maybe uncomfortably so
b) makes arms tired
c) can be awkward instead of fun and flowy, trying to squeeze people through
d) gets tricky with ppl of varying heights.
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
Oct 11, 2023 5:49:30 AM Mo via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>:
I usually stat with Galopde as a whole set dance (or 2 long sets side by side). I dislike asking ONS, wedding guests to make sets of a particular number (and needing 1 more/less couple)
When I walk it through it’s
A1 F&B cross over
A2 F&B cross back
B1 swing partner
B2 1s gallop to bottom, rest move up
But I warn them that I might tell 2, or more couples to gallop down, then they need to move up more.
Thanks for reminding me of the tunnel figure, I used to use that in a big circle as part of the snake dance
From: frannie via Contra Callers
Sent: 10 October 2023 19:38
To: Erik Hoffman
Cc: Shared Weight - Contra Callers
Subject: [Callers] Re: Favorite One Night Stand DancesNotes: If lines are really long do a double toaster with top two couples each going over one of the lines trading at the bottom and coming back up.
and
Double Peel the banana with a 4 person arch at the bottom.
On Mon, Oct 9, 2023 at 2:39 PM Erik Hoffman via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I’d love to collect a few more whole set dances for one night stands.