5 Dec
2011
5 Dec
'11
7:12 p.m.
I started this thread with fuzzy goals. I'll chime in again now I have a better grasp
of what I wanted to say (and get a community check). Each dance form is free to be its own
world, but it does exist in a cosmos of many dance forms and dancers who know and love
more than one form. I'm not advocating CONTRALAB (precise call definitions) or
unifying calls across dance forms. I want each choreography inventor to be free to come up
with the dance they want and maybe now and then invent a new call, within the norms of the
form.
But if you are aware of other dance forms (English country, squares, rounds) you have
another toolkit. You can borrow interesting moves and you can avoid jargon redefinition to
some extent. It's just a toolkit; no one should have to learn Basic or Mainstream
modern squares to write a kick-butt contra dance (or vice versa). If you do know more than
one form, you have a chance to borrow terms and moves "safely."
In the end, I'll do what the contra caller explains to me, and if it's a good
dance it doesn't matter what the words are. (Judging from the number of non-English
speaking square dancers, I know this is true!)
\bob
On Dec 5, 2011, at 10:52 AM, Clark Baker wrote:
I would caution people from going too far down this
road. One risk is that the MWSD calls all have very specific starting and stopping places
and rules on how they are done. If the contra version is only a close approximation,
someone might get upset. Also, just because MWSD has a name and precise definition
doesn't make that name "better" or more instantly understandable to a newer
dancer.
On Dec 5, 2011, at 3:02 AM, Chris Page wrote:
Fan the top or orbit?
The orbits I have danced are not Fan The Top. Fan The Top starts in a wave, has the
centers arm turn 3/4 while the ends move forward around the formation 1/4 of the way.
Ends in a new wave. Orbit (or Orbit The Wave) has the centers arm turn once (or 1 1/2)
while each end walks forward a half circle to the other end. It is usually followed by a
Swing or Balance and Swing.
Sashay or mad robin?
MWSD would call it Half Sashay and have you do it twice. However, this would always have
the dancer on the right go in front. Some contra moves can be right-handed or left-handed
with the same name and what to do is explained in the walk thru. In MWSD, these moves all
have two names.
Also the Mad Robin in the dance I am think of has the Mad Robin go 1 1/4 to have the
centers guys start a Hey. Asking for a Half Sashay 2 1/2 sounds like doing math.
Spin the top or half celtic knot?
Celtic Knot comes up so infrequently, I would ignore this. Also, on the rare cases I
have danced Celtic Knot, I remember it being taught more as Pully Bys, a star in the
center and the dancers on the outside doing a cloverleaf. It is true that Spin The Top
moves the body along the same path, but you are facing 90 degrees different while doing
it.
Split circulate or rotate the wave?
Perhaps call it Box Circulate. "Split" is used when you divide the 8-dancers
set into two groups of 4.
Spread or slide as in Rory o' More?
Slide would be the term. Spread is a suffix added to a call that has the dancers moving
into a wave. We woldn't call Balance The Wave and SPread at MWSD.
Veer or weave the line?
I think asking "couples veer left" or "veer over to the left" is more
using common English. It is the case that Veer Left and Veer Right are MWSD calls, but
they almost make sense from their names.
Walk around your corner or gypsy?
In squares, Walk Around Your Corner has the idea that you will next interact with your
Partner. I would find it jarring to encounter that terminology in contras.
Zoom or cast/lead?
Zoom is a precise 360 degree movement for the leader and a walk forward one position for
the trailer. Lead/cast (and I am no expert) seems to be more a 180 or 270 degree turning
action. We have a call Zing which starts in a tandem and ends on the same spots as a
couple. Perhaps that would work. Perhaps that makes my point :-)
--
Clark Baker, Belmont, MA
cmbaker(a)tiac.net
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