The Mendocino series has a giant band (which lately has included a bunch
of people young enough that their parents have to bring them, and then
stay and sometimes dance). The band rehearses; they're willing to learn
three or four new tunes for an evening, and the organizer will give you
a list of stuff recently called and stuff the band knows cold to swap in.
There are always some first timers, but in the last several years some
of the regulars have started traveling to dance camps and English balls
and they hold a ball rehearsal series. The group who do that are
dedicated English dancers who know all the figures and can do
challenging dances. They are not more than half the people at the
dance; they are public-spirited and try to dance with first-timers.
I'd say that for this dance you're looking for mostly pretty easy dances
with some intermediate ones. You might have to workshop double figure
eights or heys. There's also a strong tendency for attendance to drop
off after the break. Look for dances with strong flow!
For these purposes, I like
Easter Morn
When Laura Smiiles
On 12/10/16 11:21 AM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:
As per my request for modern English dances, I
don't mind collecting any few dances that people really like. But, for more info on
the dance I'll be leading, it's the Mendocino, California, English dance. Having
not been to it before, but knowing the organizers: Beth & Mickie Zekely, I think
it's a dedicated English dance with dedicated English dancers. My suspicion is that
Kalia and Alan Winston may know more about the dance than I, since they've both been
there.
Again, Thanks for any help!
~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA
-----Original Message-----
From: Callers [mailto:callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Kalia Kliban
via Callers
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2016 9:47 AM
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite relatively Modern ECD
On 12/9/2016 10:49 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:
Hi All,
I'm going to lead an English dance in early February. I've led English
once or twice, and mostly stuck with The Playford Collection, and some
Pat Shaw dances. I wouldn't mind collecting a few more modern dances.
Please feel free to either post them to the list, or send to me directly:
_erik(a)erikhoffman.com_ <mailto:erik@erikhoffman.com>
And, of course, please include the music.
Erik, can you specify what the group is
like that you'll be calling for?
Hardcore English dancers? Mostly contra folks who are taking a walk on the wild side?
Brand-new dancers? That will make a difference for the dances we can recommend.
Kalia
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