I once gave Ted Sanella an airport-to-dance-camp ride and had a good chat with him (late '80s, early '90s, somewhere in there). He mentioned then that he liked to write notes on his cards. If the band played something that worked really well for the dance he'd ask what it was and write it down on the back of the card.

-- Alan

________________________________________
From: Bill Olson via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 11:32 AM
To: Tepfer, Seth; contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net; Susan English
Subject: [Callers] Re: [External] Re: Paperless Calling

YUP! BUT.. FWIW, Ted Sannella Always used cards (I am not sure he actually looked at them, but...)

So, to Lissa's "Robert Cromartie comment", I think he was more just trying to make a point! There are certainly many callers who don't completely memorize dances who lead the way these days! I think the main point is to be familiar with the dance choreography and not to be continuously staring down at a "card" and not watching the dancers... From the point of view of a musician and singer, I look at it this way: Some artists can recall several hundred songs or tunes from memory.. Why is a contradance, which might have 10 figures at the most, any different from that?

Hi Seth, hi to Pam..

bill

________________________________
From: Tepfer, Seth <labst@emory.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 6:19 PM
To: contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>; Susan English <senglish@umich.edu>; Bill Olson <callbill@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [External] [Callers] Re: Paperless Calling

I had a similar experience with forgetting my calling cards and then calling an entire evening from memory. Completely changed the way I call. I still use cards, but having no card in your hand means you are much more focused on the dancers during the teaching.

Seth Tepfer
Director of Software Engineering, Oxford College
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________________________________
From: Bill Olson via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 1:46 PM
To: contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>; Susan English <senglish@umich.edu>
Subject: [External] [Callers] Re: Paperless Calling

Hi Susan, This addresses #2, a potential BACKUP PLAN..... and also "paperless calling" in general, though not in the way you were thinking...

Maybe 25-30 (sheesh maybe more!) years ago I had been calling for several years and also played in a couple dance bands and also did sound at the North Whitefield, Maine 4th Friday dance (this was Ted Sannella's dance for many years). One time the caller didn't show up and I was asked if I could call the dance. I had no cards with me but said OK and had to do it from memory. I got through the dance (barely) without having to repeat any dances (hah hah) but found the experience very "freeing" not having to look down at a card. (yeah there were a few tense moments there).. Anyway since that time I resolved never to be tied down to paper (or recently to a computer or the internet) and have always called from memory. This makes it easier to interact with the band and more importantly to be aware of what is happening with the dancers out on the floor. Before each dance I make a plan (which is rarely fully adhered to) with dances and "spares".. I go through them in my head on the way to the dance.. There have been several times, though not that many, when I had a brain fart and couldn't remember the dance and had to bail but quickly called a no-brainer one walk-thru dance.. . Before the pandemic (i.e. not calling for a year and a half) I had about 100 dances in the memory bank. Of course to keep things fresh, I would call new ones which I would study for a while before the dance. Some times they got added to the 100 some times not..

OK I understand not everyone trusts their memory like this.. BUT it's not a bad idea to have an evening's program worth of dances that you can recall from memory (or even two or three) just in case you forget your cards at a dance where there is no internet access!!.. Rick Mohr used to have (maybe still does) a business card sized card in his wallet. He developed a shorthand for annotating a dance and claimed he had 100 dances on that card (the printing was very small!).. !! Larry Unger used to carry a set of dance cards in his guitar case.. He wasn't a caller but would give them to the caller in case "something happened", so the show would go on. I.e. it's probably good to have a set of "emergency" dance cards in your wallet or car glove compartment or heck on your smart phone. But I still like being to call from memory.. Good exercise for my brain I guess..

my $.02 worth..

bill olson in Maine

________________________________
From: Susan English via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 4:45 PM
To: contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Paperless Calling

As I begin to travel again, I want to leave my dance cards home and access all my material virtually. I have 2 questions:

1. Which virtual method (or app) do you prefer for accessing your dance instructions and notes?
2. What is your back-up plan at a dance if you can't get on the internet?

Susan [🎶] [☺]
330-347-8155
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