Re: [Callers] Rolling Starts?

On 2015-10-02 0853, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: My best experience with a rolling start -- one of those heart exploding, happy with the dance thing, moments -- was my first, a spontaneous one that figured itself out. I was doing a barn dance/ceilidh billed as a "Contra" fundraiser. There was a bar, there was a Manifesto (yup, read at the break), there were babes in arms. It was truly a wonderful group, evening, band, moment. During the last dance of the night, I got into calling the figures in a rhythmic, repetitive way as, well it was the last dance, folks had only been half getting the directions for this one (also they'd sold out the keg(s?) and gone for more smaller containers of wobbly pop.) I kept it up, the dancers took it calling the dance with me, the rhythm section (double bass and percussion picked up on the beat) and without a plan in place, in the near dark, I was telepathically signalling my dearest hope the melody section would work it out. The dance had effectively started, we just couldn't really see each other, hadn't anything worked out prior, etc etc etc. One melody player realised it would be cool to do this, the other worked out where the top of the dance was, the first started in, and the whole place went up. I got home shortly after the gig and couldn't get to sleep for an hour and half I was so happy with the whole thing. After that, without really asking around, a couple of musicians in that band and I looked at what had been needed, or used and talked about it. It boiled down to those bits on timing, timing issues, repair work we've talked about on the list. Things such as Lindsey described under Troubleshooting. There have been a few since, none with quite the impact of that first evening, however all with some range of excitement from the dancers. Since, then, with that band, I generally let them know what figure the dance begins (or ends with) with so they may come in if the situation looks like it might work. Occasionally we've considered and discussed whether the situation may allow for a rolling start, effectively planning for one. With other bands we may briefly discuss whether to try one or in general I'll, as Woody puts it, go with it if the band is there or wave them off. It was great to see Woody contribute his approach. I was about to write that one of my memorable moments as a dancer at a Contra dance event was a rolling start at the beginning of their program when Woody called with The Sybaritic Stringband at NW Folklife (Seattle, WA) a couple of years ago. Early, rhythmic instruction of dance directions, Woody starting early with his foot percussion, accompanying himself briefly, then the band coming in. Most fun and effective. The energy and excitement on the floor was happily palpable. The choice of dance or tune needn't be a driving piece or particular energetic dance choice. Several of us have used rolling starts with our house band at our weekly English Country dance evening. Again, lots of satisfaction and enjoyment. (A part of that phrase may make ECD seem staid, however I'm more like to hurt after it than Contra which has much less "moving" than ECD or English Ceilidh.) So, give it a try. Like a first dance called, pick something that stands a chance of otherwise working out well. One needn't load on the work by trying it with a dance new to one. I don't think the dancers need to be "on board" in all instances, in fact in many cases I might suggest not offering that awareness to the dancers that it might be a rolling start. This might lessen any personal concern about having to perhaps excuse a "failure" of it. It would naturally behoove the kind caller to know the make up of the event, the "floor" or "hall" as we call it and judge whether it's worth giving it a try. Confirm the band is happy with the process and the band-caller-band communication is generally effective. Use a simple phrase to keep momentum and communicate what is going on, now, to the dancers ("let's _keep_ going -- _New_ Neighbour, Balance and Swing", etc.) Perhaps have that next direction offered a little earlier than one would throughout the rest of the dance. As to tune, most good bands can make extra rhythm when required and from my experience that is what the rolling start bridge from teaching to dancing tends to be. For example: In a caller/musician workshop I was in with Out of the Wood (Pat and Vickie Marron and Kathy Bowman) one of the comments (not about rolling starts) was how alert musicians may help the learning process for new dancers by providing such a rhythmic emphasis during early dances of an evening by accentuation. (e.g. more left hand or vamping on a piano, beating with a bow on the fiddle strings, etc.) Please share your lessons and reports of success and fun. Cheers, John -- J.D. Erskine Victoria, BC Island Dance - Folk & Country Vancouver Island & BC islands dance info - site & mail list http://members.shaw.ca/island.dance/