14 Apr
2023
14 Apr
'23
11:55 p.m.
Laurie,
I checked out the video you mentioned
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13PQT9ubOdc
and the music seemed quite quite danceable, as I would expect from the duo in the video,
Patt and Possum (Patt Plunkett and Charlie "Possum" Walden), and suitable for
the general run of contra dances. If it's not working for your local dancers, I'm
inclined to wonder whether your local band's arrangement is different in a way that
impairs danceability. Could they be playing too fast or too slow? Could they be using an
odd arrangement of parts so that a distinctive bit of the music keeps coming at different
points in the figure? Could the rhythm player(s) and melody player(s) sometimes both be
playing creative variations at the same time, so the dancers have no anchor to keep then
on phrase?
Alan Winston mentioned finding notes on "two dances that call out Beaumont Rag as a
suitable tune," namely "Balance the Star" and "Colin's Carnival
Ride". I'll note that the parts of those dances that I think fit the tune
"Beaumont Rag" particularly well are the double balances in the A parts of
"Balance the Star" and the wave-of-4 balance at the and of B1 in
"Colin's Carnival Ride." However, I'll repeat that the tune, suitably
played, should be perfectly fine for a generic contra dance.
Unfortunately, the video with Patt and Possum doesn't show the dancers, but here's
a video of Gene Hubert's dance "Butter" with The McKenzies playing a medley
of rags. "Beaumont Rag" is the last tune in the medley, and they switch into it
at about 5:28.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOOYAMcYVBg
--Jim
On Apr 14, 2023, at 4:05 PM, Winston, Alan P. via
Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Just searched my on-disk notes, and discovered two dances that call out Beaumont Rag as a
suitable tune.
Balance the Star by the McLain family. A Sicilian Circle,. suitable for beginners
Notes here: https://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2013.pdf#page=17
"Colin's Carnival Ride" by Rick Mohr, a more intermediate-level dance.
Notes here: https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=144
Hope this helps!
-- Alan
________________________________________
From: Laur via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 2:19 PM
To: Jeff Kaufman
Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Re: Dances that go to swing dance tunes
its a RAG, Sorry. I finally remembered - ... Beaumont Rag. they play it a little less
bluegrassy than I can find on YouTube. This is close - Here's the tune (not the
players) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13PQT9ubOdc
Are there any other dances you could think that would fit?
I think this dance by Ridge Kennedy can fit it. tempo will be key. And thanks to the list
from a few years back for sharing it-
Ragtime Sammy - Ridge Kennedy
A1 Star Right hands across
Star Left hands across
A2 Gents turn back over Rt. Shoulder (peel off)
Walk around Ngh
Ngh Swing
B1 Circle Left 3/4
Partner Swing
B2 Ladies Almd Right 1-1/2
Ngh Almd Left 1-1/2
laurie P
~ When I dance, I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can
only be joyful and whole, that is why I dance. ~Hans Bos~ ~
On Friday, April 14, 2023 at 04:16:31 PM EDT, Laur via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I’ve been trying to find the video someone shared with them playing the tune. I’ll share
when I find.
L
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone<https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS>
On Friday, April 14, 2023, 3:56 PM, Jeff Kaufman <jeff(a)alum.swarthmore.edu> wrote:
Hi Laurie,
Any chance you could share the tune or a recording? "Jazz" is a very wide
genre, and giving advice for matching dances to jazz is sort of like giving advice to
matching dances to "fiddle music".
Jeff
On Fri, Apr 14, 2023 at 1:58 PM Charles Abell via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
As a caller and a dance musician who sometimes plays jazz standards for contra dances, I
have found that dances that are a bit marchy (down-the-halls, single promenades, etc) and
bouncier dances (lots of balances) seem to work best with swing tunes. And of course, some
square dances are written to go with swing tunes ("Just Because", etc)
Conversely, very flowing, smooth dances often don't work quite as well.
That said, the nature of the swing tune is also important. Clear phrasing, singable
melodies are helpful, and of course you need the 32-bar structure. Many swing tunes -
like, say, "Bye Bye Blackbird", will have more of a double-time feel - that
swinging, boom-chuck rhythm. But we have also used tunes like "Autumn Leaves"
which are more of a straight swing feel, more relaxed and flowing. Either, though, seems
to work with bouncy and marchy dances; it's just a different vibe.
Listening to some Elixir recordings might provide some fodder for your planning.
Hope that helps, Chuck
________________________________
From: Laur via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 5:46 PM
To:
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Subject: [Callers] Dances that go to swing dance tunes
We have a band in the area that like to play kind of a jazzy swing tune number - and as
far as I can ever remember callers are more than a little surprised by the tune when it
comes out because the dances don’t work with it.
I want to do is find a dance that goes with a swinging jazzy tune, and then ask them to
play it when I choose that dance
I do have one dance I think might’ve been recommended here Ragtime Sammy that goes well
with a rag. However I’m a little concerned it may be too dizzying.
Thought?
Any others??
Laurie Pietravalle
West Michigan
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone<https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS>
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