Re: [Callers] NYE dances and ideas for the stroke of midnight.... - Contra Callers

22 Dec 2006

...
  Message: 4
 Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:47:18 -0500
 From: "J L Korr" &lt;jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com&gt;
 Subject: [Callers] New Year's Eve
 To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
 Message-ID: &lt;BAY129-F40FFA945932B34BBC9BEABC7CF0(a)phx.gbl&gt;
 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed
 <snip>
...
  The callers and band coordinated in advance to pull
this off. To build up
 the energy approaching midnight, we began a four-dance contra medley soon
 after 11:40, alternating the callers with each dance. The band played six
 times through each of the first three dances. We then ran the final dance in
...
  the medley as long as we needed to fill up the
remaining time until 11:58...
<snip>
...
 ...promenading up to the band, intros, count down,
cheering, Auld Lang Syne, waltzing....

I like the "concentration of people up at the stage" idea Jeremy. Being
surrounded by friends at that moment is a great thing.
Thanks for mentioning it !
Bev

...
  ------------------------------

 Message: 5
 Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 20:28:28 -0800 (PST)
 From: Dan Pearl &lt;daniel_pearl(a)yahoo.com&gt;
 Subject: Re: [Callers] NYE dances and ideas for the stroke of
 midnight....
 To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
 Message-ID: &lt;278984.14032.qm(a)web60420.mail.yahoo.com&gt;
 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

 Well that brings me back...

 I was hired for a NYE dance at the Swingin Tern dance in Chatham NJ.
 They were paying me well, so I felt obligated to do something a little,
 um.., special. Before the big countdown, I stepped into the stage wing
 and ended the dance in progress.  I donned an Old Man outfit and mask,
 and announced myself onto the stage.  I made a few parting remarks, and
 then came the big countdown.  At 5 seconds to midnight, I whipped off
 the old man outfit and mask, and at midnight I had transformed myself
 into Baby New Year, complete with big diaper and sash proclaiming the
 New Year.  (This took practice.)  We then launched into a waltz and
 then broke for a dessert buffet. 
<laughing> Oh Dan ! Thanks for sharing this.  That image of you is just
*hilarious* !  And although these organizers are paying me exceptionally
well, I just don't think that I can bring myself to do the diaper thing.
Getting myself into a mermaid costume with a scallop shell bra, tight green
stretchy long skirt and a long black wig for a Halloween dance once, was
about as far as I'm willing to go on the "minimal clothing in public" scale
!  <only exceptions being the Ashokan sauna and the Long Pond dock at
Pinewoods>

...
  Don't worry too much about the ritual. Work with
the producers and just
 have a fun, safe, time. 
Amen to that !
Bev

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisa Greenleaf" &lt;laleaf(a)verizon.net&gt;
To: "Caller's discussion list" &lt;callers(a)sharedweight.net&gt;
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] NYE dances and ideas for the stroke of midnight....
...
  On Dec 21, 2006, at 12:01 PM, The Witful Turnip wrote:

<Lisa's comment below hasn't hit the digest yet, which is what I receive,
but since I also got it in email....>

<getting people back to their original partners in Lucky Seven>

...
  It's a bit goofy, but it works. When you get to
the R&L Grand in the
 A2, you just
 say, "Keep going until you get your original partner, then swing!"
 The inner circle gets there early and some folks just laugh and cut
 across the room. 
Hmmm... so the version of Lucky Seven that I've got written down is
different than yours.  The one I have has the Grand R&L in the B1 going into
a Promenade in the B2.  In fact, mine doesn't have a partner swing in it at
all. It has a partner dosido in the second phrase of the A2. Can you please
post the version you have Lisa ?

...
  During the mixer, people are lighthearted anyway,
talking and saying
 Happy New
 Year to one another, so it's not about having a peak dance experience;
 it's about dancing together and being a community. 
I absolutely agree with that, which is why I like the mixer idea.
Thanks,
Bev
*****************************************
The Witful Turnip              wturnip(a)sympatico.ca
"I'm 40-fucking-5, and I've got nothing to hide !"
                    - Samantha Jones (Sex in the City)
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