25 Apr
2023
25 Apr
'23
12:17 p.m.
There are a number of dances in English Country Dance where 2 lines
function as 1 set (eg Pat Shaw's K&E). There is also at least one dance
in the contra repertoire which does this - Major Hey. Although Major Hey
is described as a 4-facing-4 it is really 2 becket sets side by side
with dancers involved from both sets together. As you are working in
groups of 8 dancers, it is not difficult to envision moving backwards
and forwards between contras and squares with this formation. The tricky
bit would be lining everyone up correctly, as it would need an even
number of lines and each pair of lines would require an equal number of
couples.
Over to you, Bob Isaacs!
Michael Barraclough
On 25/04/2023 13:12, Jeff Kaufman via Contra Callers wrote:
/"if we had more time we'd throw in a
square"/
The contra dance medley at NEFFA
<https://www.neffa.org/folk-festival/new-england-folk-festival-2023/> is
normally six dances, each six times through (well, the last one is
five or seven). I was thinking about what you'd need to do if you
actually wanted to include a square...
The main problem is that you need to switch the dancers from groups of
four to groups of eight, and there isn't really a great way to do
this. In computer science speak the issue is that it takes time
linear in the number of dancers. But maybe you could have the top
couple sashay down from the top, and everyone takes hands eight as
they pass, which is fast enough even in a long hall that it's ok (~16
beats, and you adjust the time by figuring out how much intro to do on
the square)? And then tell anyone left out at the bottom to square up?
(Going back into contra lines from aligned squares should be easier:
side couples circle left three quarters and twirl to swap, lines at
the sides, etc)
Would this work?
Jeff
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list --contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email tocontracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net