27 Mar
2010
27 Mar
'10
8:09 p.m.
Hi all,
I have a dance called "Venus & Mars" noted as written by a Martin Sirk. I
believe that I've danced it a number of times but had never called it until
a week ago. I can't remember how/where I got the calls. I've tried searching
for it online but can't seem to find anything resembling what I have. So, I
thought I'd consult my panel of experts. First question is, do I have this
written correctly?
A1: Neighbor balance & swing
A2: Circle L 3/4
Partners rollaway w half sashay (up/down)*
B1: Gents allemande L 1 1/2, while the ladies orbit CW 1/2 way
Partner swing
B2: Circle L 3/4
Balance ring, partners california twirl
My second question is about the timing in the A2, which is why I keep
wondering if I've transcribed this incorrectly. There seems to be leftover
time. I think people are used to circling L 3/4 in 8 counts. * But I'd say
that the rollaway w half sashay is only worth 4 counts maybe 6, but not 8,
especially if people have good weight and really move the circle around. Is
the timing really that mushy?
I found that many of the gents started the allemande early. The ladies often
took a split second to remember they were orbiting, but everyone had quite a
bit longer than 8 counts for the partner swing. While I was watching the
dancers, it seemed like every circle of 4 was in a slightly different place
in the dance.
As it happened, I was calling the dance with an old time band and the tune
didn't have particularly distinct phrasing, so I didn't think it was
particularly problematic. I just don't remember there being that much spare
time when I've danced it. Anyone call this dance that can comment?
Thanks,
Bev
27 Mar
27 Mar
8:55 p.m.
Hi Bev,
The version that I have has same A1 and B2, but
A2 Circle Left 3/4 w/partner (on the side) rollaway with 1/2 sashay,
Gents Allemand Left 1 1/2 while Ladies orbit clockwise halfway around
B1 Partner Gypsy and Swing
I assume it is the men are rolling their partners from left to right. I've never
danced or called it, but
it looks like A2a can be done in 8 beats as effectively the men will CL once in
8 beats then have 8 beats for
AL 1 1/2, while the women's rolling (which might take more than 2 beats) merges
into their orbiting.
Nice that you back into the swing of things. Dancing here is low key, I've got
one on Sat evening of
Easter weekend. Lots of people will be busy, so we will probably have it at our
house. The llamas are keeping
me busy, and they can now come right up to the house and they like to watch us
dancing!
Cheers, Bill
11:43 p.m.
Notice the gypsy in B2. I think that's your answer. I remember being very
charmed by this dance at a time when I really didn't like gypsies - mostly,
I think, because the centrifugal force of walking around someone had no
counterbalance (like holding on to your gypsy-mate, aka "allemande"...).
This dance, this Venus and Mars, however, where the ladies spiral in to the
gypsy from the orbit, had a more "natural" feel to it. The physics works.
Now that I've learned the trick of leaning in slightly on gypsies (and
gotten confident enough NOT to do what the callers told me to do, which was
essentially to be as intimate as possible with every gypsy-mate), I've begun
to enjoy gypsies.
This dance, however, was the first one to show me I might really like
gypsies one day. Good thing, since my husband's idea of a perfect dance is
"gypsy your neighbor, circle left 3/4, gypsy your partner, circle left 3/4
and pass through."
M
E
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 3:55 PM, Liz and Bill
<staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>wrote;wrote:
Hi Bev,
The version that I have has same A1 and B2, but
A2 Circle Left 3/4 w/partner (on the side) rollaway with 1/2 sashay,
Gents Allemand Left 1 1/2 while Ladies orbit clockwise halfway
around
B1 Partner Gypsy and Swing
I assume it is the men are rolling their partners from left to right. I've
never danced or called it, but
it looks like A2a can be done in 8 beats as effectively the men will CL
once in 8 beats then have 8 beats for
AL 1 1/2, while the women's rolling (which might take more than 2 beats)
merges into their orbiting.
Nice that you back into the swing of things. Dancing here is low key, I've
got one on Sat evening of
Easter weekend. Lots of people will be busy, so we will probably have it at
our house. The llamas are keeping
me busy, and they can now come right up to the house and they like to watch
us dancing!
Cheers, Bill
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
28 Mar
28 Mar
12:33 a.m.
Bob is such a great flirt!
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Martha Edwards
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 4:44 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] Question about Venus & Mars timing...
Notice the gypsy in B2. I think that's your answer. I remember being very
charmed by this dance at a time when I really didn't like gypsies - mostly,
I think, because the centrifugal force of walking around someone had no
counterbalance (like holding on to your gypsy-mate, aka "allemande"...).
This dance, this Venus and Mars, however, where the ladies spiral in to the
gypsy from the orbit, had a more "natural" feel to it. The physics works.
Now that I've learned the trick of leaning in slightly on gypsies (and
gotten confident enough NOT to do what the callers told me to do, which was
essentially to be as intimate as possible with every gypsy-mate), I've begun
to enjoy gypsies.
This dance, however, was the first one to show me I might really like
gypsies one day. Good thing, since my husband's idea of a perfect dance is
"gypsy your neighbor, circle left 3/4, gypsy your partner, circle left 3/4
and pass through."
M
E
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 3:55 PM, Liz and Bill
<staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>wrote;wrote:
Hi Bev,
The version that I have has same A1 and B2, but
A2 Circle Left 3/4 w/partner (on the side) rollaway with 1/2 sashay,
Gents Allemand Left 1 1/2 while Ladies orbit clockwise halfway
around
B1 Partner Gypsy and Swing
I assume it is the men are rolling their partners from left to right. I've
never danced or called it, but
it looks like A2a can be done in 8 beats as effectively the men will CL
once in 8 beats then have 8 beats for
AL 1 1/2, while the women's rolling (which might take more than 2 beats)
merges into their orbiting.
Nice that you back into the swing of things. Dancing here is low key, I've
got one on Sat evening of
Easter weekend. Lots of people will be busy, so we will probably have it
at
our house. The llamas are keeping
me busy, and they can now come right up to the house and they like to
watch
us dancing!
Cheers, Bill
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
1:05 a.m.
Leda -
It worked on me...
And it should be noted that the dance at which I was charmed by Venus and
Mars was the Fiddling Frog, lo these many years ago...
M
E
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 7:33 PM, Leda Shapiro <ledas(a)pacbell.net> wrote:
Bob is such a great flirt!
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Martha Edwards
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 4:44 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] Question about Venus & Mars timing...
Notice the gypsy in B2. I think that's your answer. I remember being very
charmed by this dance at a time when I really didn't like gypsies - mostly,
I think, because the centrifugal force of walking around someone had no
counterbalance (like holding on to your gypsy-mate, aka "allemande"...).
This dance, this Venus and Mars, however, where the ladies spiral in to the
gypsy from the orbit, had a more "natural" feel to it. The physics works.
Now that I've learned the trick of leaning in slightly on gypsies (and
gotten confident enough NOT to do what the callers told me to do, which was
essentially to be as intimate as possible with every gypsy-mate), I've
begun
to enjoy gypsies.
This dance, however, was the first one to show me I might really like
gypsies one day. Good thing, since my husband's idea of a perfect dance is
"gypsy your neighbor, circle left 3/4, gypsy your partner, circle left 3/4
and pass through."
M
E
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 3:55 PM, Liz and Bill
<staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>wrote;wrote:
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
Hi Bev,
The version that I have has same A1 and B2, but
A2 Circle Left 3/4 w/partner (on the side) rollaway with 1/2 sashay,
Gents Allemand Left 1 1/2 while Ladies orbit clockwise halfway
around
B1 Partner Gypsy and Swing
I assume it is the men are rolling their partners from left to right.
I've
never danced or called it, but
it looks like A2a can be done in 8 beats as effectively the men will CL
once in 8 beats then have 8 beats for
AL 1 1/2, while the women's rolling (which might take more than 2 beats)
merges into their orbiting.
Nice that you back into the swing of things. Dancing here is low key,
I've
got one on Sat evening of
Easter weekend. Lots of people will be busy, so we will probably have it
at
our house. The llamas are keeping
me busy, and they can now come right up to the house and they like to
watch
us dancing!
Cheers, Bill
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
_______________________________________________
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
1:59 a.m.
I went to college with Martin Sirk. He's an astronomer. He discovered contra
dance much later in life.
Lisa
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 9:05 PM, Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com>wrote;wrote:
Leda -
It worked on me...
And it should be noted that the dance at which I was charmed by Venus and
Mars was the Fiddling Frog, lo these many years ago...
M
E
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 7:33 PM, Leda Shapiro <ledas(a)pacbell.net> wrote:
beats)
it
Bob is such a great flirt!
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Martha Edwards
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 4:44 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] Question about Venus & Mars timing...
Notice the gypsy in B2. I think that's your answer. I remember being very
charmed by this dance at a time when I really didn't like gypsies -
mostly,
I think, because the centrifugal force of walking
around someone had no
counterbalance (like holding on to your gypsy-mate, aka "allemande"...).
This dance, this Venus and Mars, however, where the ladies spiral in to
the
gypsy from the orbit, had a more
"natural" feel to it. The physics works.
Now that I've learned the trick of leaning in slightly on gypsies (and
gotten confident enough NOT to do what the callers told me to do, which
was
essentially to be as intimate as possible with
every gypsy-mate), I've
begun
to enjoy gypsies.
This dance, however, was the first one to show me I might really like
gypsies one day. Good thing, since my husband's idea of a perfect dance
is
"gypsy your neighbor, circle left 3/4, gypsy
your partner, circle left
3/4
and pass through."
M
E
On Sat, Mar 27, 2010 at 3:55 PM, Liz and Bill
<staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>wrote;wrote:
> Hi Bev,
>
> The version that I have has same A1 and B2, but
> A2 Circle Left 3/4 w/partner (on the side) rollaway with 1/2
sashay,
> Gents Allemand Left 1 1/2 while
Ladies orbit clockwise
halfway
around
B1 Partner Gypsy and Swing
I assume it is the men are rolling their partners from left to right.
I've
> never danced or called it, but
> it looks like A2a can be done in 8 beats as effectively the men will CL
> once in 8 beats then have 8 beats for
> AL 1 1/2, while the women's rolling (which might take more than 2 merges
into their orbiting.
Nice that you back into the swing of things. Dancing here is low key,
I've
> got one on Sat evening of
> Easter weekend. Lots of people will be busy, so we will probably have at
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
our house. The llamas are keeping
me busy, and they can now come right up to the house and they like to
watch
us dancing!
Cheers, Bill
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
_______________________________________________
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
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days inactive
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days old
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
5 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
Leda Shapiro -
Lisa Sieverts -
Liz and Bill -
Martha Edwards -
The Witful Turnip