Re: [Callers] 2 questions

Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:28:54 -0400> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net> From: jamitch3(a)mindspring.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] 2 questions> > Ok. I'll jump in on the medley question.> > My guidelines for medleys are> > 0) Before anything else, are you comfortable calling all of the > dances you're going to use in the medley as no walk thrus? Have you > done so before? That might be a good place to start.> 1) Contrasting first moves -- this makes it easier to get folks > attention at the top of the dance -- if your first dance starts with > DoSiDo, then the second one could start with a Balance and Swing (or > allemande R, or something else)> 2) Make sure that all of the moves needed for the dance are known by > the dancers -- better still, make sure that you've actually used them > (and seen that they went with no trouble) yourself earlier in the > evening. I've had times that I've put a medley together, looked at > it and realized that the medley had a right and left thru, and that > I'd made it through the entire dance without using a R&L Thru -- I > quickly changed dances for the medley> 3) Make sure that the progressions work together. While it is > possible to do a medley where you go from becket to improper or vice > versa, I wouldn't recommend trying it until you're comfortable with > medleys. Make sure that folks don't have to use the same hand twice > in a row to make the progression (ie Right Hand Star to end one dance > and allemande R to start the next> 4) You may get the medley started and realize that 30 new dancers > just got off the bus and that if you change dances when planned the > whole thing is going to fall apart. If so, there's nothing wrong > with just deciding to keep the same dance for the rest of the > set. Let the band know, and then let it go. The dancers probably > won't even notice.> 5) You can also do a medley where the first dance is slightly more > complicated. Walk it through, dance, switch to another nice simple > dance, and then switch back to the first dance to finish.> > As far as the band goes> > 1) Give them a heads up that you want to do a medley.> 2) Let them know that you'll cue the changes from tune to tune -- > discuss how many time through for each tune -- you'll want an even > number for the first two dances, and an odd number for the last > one. That way everyone's in for each new dance, and then it ends > with everyone in. ie 4-4-5> 3) Don't do a medley as the last dance of the evening. Your band > will thank you. The last dance of the evening, they want to pull out > the stops and play some rip roaring tunes, and it's hard to do that > if the caller's calling the whole time. Better to do it earlier in > the evening -- maybe first dance after the break or last before, > depending on the group.> > Example of a 2 dance medley I've used. The transition from > Delphiniums to Nice Combination isn't quite as good as I'd like, but > it works ok -- allemande R into B&S works ok, but not as well as I'd > like. Anyone else have any other favorite medleys?> > Hey in the Barn> A1 N B&S> A2 L Chain> 1/2 Hey> B1 P B&S> L Chain> 1/2 Hey> > Delphiniums and Dasies> A1 N All L 1.5> L Chain> A2 Hey> B1 P B&S> B2 CL 3/4> N Allemande R 1.5> > Nice Combination> > A1 N B&S> A2 Down the Hall> Turn as a couple, come back> B1 CL 3/4> P Sw> B2 L Chain> LHS 1x> > > This has gotten longer than planned, but I hope it helps!> > Jack> > > > At 03:52 PM 4/30/2008, you wrote:> >2. I'm at the point where I want to try calling a dance medley. Any > >thoughts on good combinations to start with? What coordination do > >you do with the band ahead of time?> >> >Thanks.> >> >-Parker> >_______________________________________________> >Callers mailing list> >Callers(a)sharedweight.net> >http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> > _______________________________________________> Callers mailing list> Callers(a)sharedweight.net> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers