29 Mar
2024
29 Mar
'24
10:09 p.m.
I'd suggest Will Mentor's "Courtesy Van"
https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=18055 if you
think the dancers would be up for it.
It is a great challenge with both a larks' right hand chain and a robins'
left hand chain. Dancers who are used to dancing only one role get to
experience the "wrong" side of courtesy turns in both directions, and even
for those of us who *are* used to both roles and love swapping roles
mid-dance, it's still a brain teaser to remember which role you currently
*are.* I called it at a house party recently and broke the brains of some
excellent experienced switchers. The flow works beautifully if you trust
that you should do the thing if you're the person who's in position to do
the thing, but if people think too hard about "larks are supposed to do a
thing now, but I *feel* like I'm a robin now, so am I doing the thing now
or not?" they'll pull themselves out of the flow. It's not for the faint of
heart but I think it would be in the spirit of your April Fools' dance! If
you go for it, I'd recommend emphasizing "larks are on the right; robins
are on the left" at several key points during the walkthrough.
Or if you want a (much) simpler dance to introduce a robins' left-hand
chain, try "On the Other Hand (It Works Fine With the Music)" by Abigail
Golden & Quill Duvall: https://contradb.com/dances/2115
Also, if you're interested in weird time signatures and are OK veering in
the English-y direction, Isaac Banner wrote a really nice English-y contra
dance to go with Sam Sweeney's 3/2 tune Steppy Downs Road.
https://contradb.com/dances/2143
And here's a video! (although I would play it a bit faster next time)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRZSMVorR_k&ab_channel=LakeCityContraDa…
Koren Wake
(Seattle dancer, caller, & musician)
On Fri, Mar 29, 2024 at 2:10 PM Bill Olson via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Timothy, In 1997 I wrote a dance with an "up the
hall in lines of 4, turn
alone, go back down. I called it at a dance weekend in the Triangle (NC)
area called December Delight, shortly thereafter. The late great
caller/choreographer Gene Hubert was in attendance and he kept facing the
wrong way until one time near the top of the set he just collapsed on the
floor laughing and said "you HAVE to keep calling that dance". I have. Here
are the notes for "Face the Music":
..............
*FACE THE MUSIC*
A duple improper, double progression contra by Bill Olson
A1 Circle L 1/2, INACTIVES Swing (face up) (16)
A2 With new neighbors up the hall in 4's (inactives are in the middle)(8)
turn alone and return, face across (8)
B1 Actives turn contra corners (16)
B2 Actives balance and swing, face down(16)
Notes: This was my first attempt at a double progression contra corners
dance. Obviously it requires some room above the set. I like to tell the
inactives to be ready to "scoop up" the actives after the swing in B2 so
they will get more swing in A1! First called at the Dover, NH, dance on
9/27/97. Nat Hewitt and Jacqueline Schwab were playing. On the first
walk-through I had everyone stop at the middle point of A2 and I introduced
the band. That was also when I thought of the name for the dance!
..........
As far as a dance to a crooked tune, Cherokee Shuffle by David Kaynor
never disappoints! 36 bar tune with dance to match. The band has to know
the tune of course. We always changed keys to make a medley of it, D,G,A.
Plenty of dances with gent's (lark's) chain out there. i'm sure you can
search that somehow.
bill, in Maine
(Always loved the Monday Knoxville dance when we were on tour. Dancing
"crosswise" at the Laurel Theater.)
------------------------------
*From:* Timothy Klein via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Sent:* Friday, March 29, 2024 8:44 PM
*To:* Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Subject:* [Callers] April Fools fun
I have the pleasure this year of calling the Knoxville contra dance on
Monday, April 1st ... occasionally remembered as April Fools Day.
I'm taking the approach of exploring the spirit of the Fool -- challenging
our assumptions and traditions and reminding us to smile, in spite of
ourselves if necessary. In choosing/crafting my program, I'm looking for a
balance of different and fun, of course.
What foolish dances have you done in the past?
Timothy
Knoxville, TN
P.S. Here's my "concept" list:
* Reverse progression ("which way is up?")
* Contra mixer ("who needs a partner?")
* Left/Lark chain ("why do Robins chain and Larks allemand?")
* 3 face 3 formations ("what's a partner?")
* Crooked tunes ("why is everything 64 beats?)
* No swing ("how far can I go before the dancers burn me at the stake?")
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