Re: [Callers] Calling to Quebecois Tunes

I can't really help with information on what to expect, but here is a discussion on "What is a crooked tune?" If you call contra dances, which are set to a strict 32 bars, then crooked tunes are pretty deadly and you need to make sure the band knows that you don't want them. If they hired a contra dance caller, hopefully they understand the issue. What is crooked? There are several ways a tune can be crooked, but it mainly just means not a regular 32 bars. Since this is a text based forum, here is a text based attempt at an explanation: Yankee Doodle is a straight tune: Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony. Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni. (A1, repeat for A2) Yankee Doodle keep it up, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Mind the music and the step and with the girls be handy. (B1, repeat for B2) A crooked tune might do this: Yankee Doodle, Yankity, went to town, riding on a pony. Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni. Yankee Doodle keep it up, keep it way up, Yankee Doodle Dandy. Mind the music and the step and with the girls be handy. Or the band could cut beats: Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony. Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni. (A1) Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony. Stuck a feather in his cap and (A2) Yankee Doodle keep it up, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Mind the music and the step and with the girls be handy. (B1, repeat for B2) Or crooked tune might have something like this: Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony. Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni. (A1, repeat for A2) Yankee Doodle keep it up, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Mind the music and the step and with the girls be handy. (B1, repeat for B2) Be handy with the girls, you know, be handy with the girls. (Short C tag) So basically a crooked tune is going to play havoc with a contra dance or a straight New England square. On the other hand, less strict squares can work with the tunes and the dancers can just go with the flow. HTH, Beth