When I first started calling in 1981, it was after taking a callers’ workshop from Sandy Bradley (in Seattle). She had made a record with the Arm and Hammer String Band, along with other musicians, where she called square dances along with the music. The calls were written out in the record insert and it was the perfect thing to call along with to learn those square dances. The name of the recording was “Potluck and Dance Tonight”. I wore that record out, and to this day can still call those squares – Texas Star, Take a Little Peek, dances like that. It was re-released on CD quite a while back, so I don’t know how you would get hold of a copy, but it sure worked for me.
I also recorded square dance callers during an evening dance or at a dance weekend, after requesting permission, and used those recordings to write down new dances and to copy the caller’s patter. I still use some of that patter, too. Most callers are happy to share their dances with you.
Suzanne
From: Tony Parkes via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2023 6:00 PM
To: Ridge Kennedy <ridgek@gmail.com>; Maia McCormick <maia.mcc@gmail.com>
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances
Thanks for the kind words, Ridge. A minor correction: Ed Durlacher (who indeed influenced recreational square dancing to an astounding degree) died while I was still in grade school. It was his son Don, who inherited his Jones Beach summer series, that I danced to around 1970. I learned more about crowd psychology and working with first-timers from Don than from any other single caller, through a few one-on-one conversations but mostly through watching him teach and call.
There have been many excellent suggestions in this thread. I’ll add one: Learn from as many different sources as you can. Squares are much more dependent on the caller’s personality than contras are, and every caller has a unique style and favorite wordings. If you listen mainly to one caller, you’ll find yourself copying him or her, at least for a while. If you listen to several, you’ll absorb what you like about each of them. (“If you copy from one source, it’s plagiarism; if you copy from three or more, it’s research.”)
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Ridge Kennedy via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2023 12:51 PM
To: Maia McCormick <maia.mcc@gmail.com>
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances
Maia McCormick said:
On Sat, Mar 18, 2023 at 12:21 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
After dancing to some of Lisa's Greenleaf's 🔥 squares at Beantown Stomp last weekend, I'm feeling inspired to add some to my repertoire. (To be clear, I'm looking for squares-for-contra-dancers, not MWSD squares.)
- Any resources to recommend for someone learning to call squares?
You've received many excellent recommendations. Add to them Tony Parkes' dance collection books --- Shadrack's Delight and (I think) Son of Shadrack. They include squares that are highly contra dancer accessible. And since Tony can't toot his own horn, do get his book on square calling and do attend any dances he calls if possible. He danced on Long Island to Ed Durlacher's calls --- author of Honor Your Partner and one of the leading lights of the huge post WWII square dance explosion. This was a pre-television era when square dances were staged in Central Park and thousands of people participated. He's your finest living link in this great tradition. (Pete met Toshi Seeger at the square dance in NYC).
Ted Sannella, in addition to starting the Ralph Page Legacy weekend, included the idea of publishing a syllabus with all the dances included. These syllabi, maintained over the years by David Smukler, are an extraordinary resource and include lots and lots of great square dance material/info. All are available online via the University of New Hampshire Library. (google search will find them)
Organize Dare to be Square: NYC and build your own caller education track into it.
- Any advice to share, techniques to look into, things you wish you'd known when starting out / wish contra callers knew about squares?
"Laugh when you make a mistake," John Krumm circa 1995. Have fun and share your joy with your dancers. If anything goes wrong, roll it in a tight little ball and tuck it away in a pocket somewhere to think about later. Emotions are contagious. You want to spread happiness.
When you call squares, you're part of the band. This is super true with singers, but also when calling any square. You're the lead instrument. Your sound people should know to dial back the band and keep you in front in the mix.
No cards, phones, tablets, or other distractions allowed while you're calling a square. Know your material cold. Keep your attention reserved for your dancers and your musicians.
When calling for contra dancers, call to the music--not the dancers. If a square falls apart, don't watch it -- you can't fix it on the fly. If things go crazy all over the floor, laugh, square 'em up, and start up again.
- Suggestions for callers to look up on YouTube (besides Lisa ofc) / fave videos?
On the dance history project site, do watch Tony calling the Merry Go Round.
- Favorite dances that I should add to my box?
Many of Ted's dances can be tricky for contra dancers and tricky to teach. But Joyeux Quadrille is not. You can dance it to the name tune per Ted's suggestion (a jig, btw), but done to southern reels with energy, it can bring down the house. Tony does a neat change-up that's easy to accomplish with the long lines to corner swing transition, alternating between ladies and gents with the allemandes (and you can throw other stuff in there--an opportunity for fun).
Tony's dances -- for starters, Star Breakdown, Left-Hand Star Breakdown, and Duck Through and Swing
Contra dancers like keepers -- where you end each time through the figure with your original partner.
Tom Hinds: Shooting Stars
Gene Hubert: Kimmswick Express (32-bar version) and Early Autumn Express (32-bar version)
Bob Isaacs is making up come contra dancer accessible squares these days. And he has some grid squares that are quite manageable when you have dancers who can handle all the basics. (And a shout-out to Kathy Anderson who was calling grid square at the Ralph Page Legacy Weekend back in the late '90s.)
For graduate studies, explore The Teakettle, created by Ron Buchanan.
Get comfortable with doing Appalachian-style squares where you do a visiting couples figure like Rights Hands Across or Duck for the Oyster. Do the figure, then it's "circle up four, find another couple and circle some more." These are dances you can call for dance parties, contra dancers, and anywhere in between. You can start one up and people can join at any time. Visiting couples figures can be boring in a four-couple square and a lot more fun in a big circle.
And laugh when you make a mistake. Have fun.
R