25 Sep
2023
25 Sep
'23
5:38 p.m.
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or becket) that you have
danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
25 Sep
25 Sep
5:59 p.m.
Whitewater by Cary Ravitz is a difficult dance.
bobfab(a)aol.com
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra
Callers<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: What are the most difficult
contras (improper, proper, indecent or becket) that you have danced, have called, and
remain afraid to call?
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6:02 p.m.
Buffalo Stampede by Don Armstrong (?)
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:00 PM ROBERT FABINSKI via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Whitewater by Cary Ravitz is a difficult dance.
bobfab(a)aol.com
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
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9:31 p.m.
It's Buffalo Stampede by Tom Hinds. (https://contradb.com/dances/948)
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:02 PM Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Buffalo Stampede by Don Armstrong (?)
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:00 PM ROBERT FABINSKI via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Whitewater by Cary Ravitz is a difficult dance.
bobfab(a)aol.com
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
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9:34 p.m.
I stand corrected. Thought better about it after sending.
Thanks,
Paul
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 10:31 PM <sjapartments(a)gmail.com> wrote:
It's Buffalo Stampede by Tom Hinds.
(https://contradb.com/dances/948)
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:02 PM Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Buffalo Stampede by Don Armstrong (?)
>
> On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:00 PM ROBERT FABINSKI via Contra Callers <
> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Whitewater by Cary Ravitz is a difficult dance.
>>
>> bobfab(a)aol.com
>>
>> On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
>> <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>> What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or
>> becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
>> _______________________________________________
>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>
>
26 Sep
26 Sep
10:06 a.m.
On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 22:59:17 +0000 (UTC), ROBERT FABINSKI via Contra Callers wrote:
Whitewater by Cary Ravitz is a difficult dance.
I think his "Rat Race" is more difficult.
https://www.dance.ravitz.us/dance2017.htm#rr
I called it once and it was complete chaos. Trevor Monson who was dancing it gave me a
few hints, and I tried it twice
more with slightly better results. When I told Cary I'd only called it three times,
he said "I've only called it once".
I think the hardest contra I've written is "Blackmore Gardens Contra"
https://colinhume.com/instl.htm#Blackmore
Colin Hume
25 Sep
25 Sep
6:21 p.m.
Two dances, very different from each other (not afraid to call, just very reluctant):
"Irish Stars" by Orace Johnson
"Reflections" by Carey Ravitz
Woody
--
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
________________________________
On 9/25/2023 3:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or becket) that you have
danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
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10:33 p.m.
"Irish Stars" first appeared in the book *Midwest Folklore*, published
in1995 by the Urbana (IL) Country Dancers, in honor of Orace Johnson, one
of our group's leaders who died of a heart attack at one of our community
dances. I edited the dances in the book, had not looked at the dance in
almost 30 years, but had danced it 2 or 3 times. Orace and Al Olson
used to talk often and long by phone (pre-internet days) about dance
compositions. Seeing it in your post I looked at it for the first time in
close to 30 years. The dance is challenging since A2 and B2 parts each a
bit over 16 beats. So the music must be slowed and/or the dancers must
adjust. I think dancers today would have an easier time with it. And,
as you know, it has no swings.
I must be wide awake before reflecting on "Reflections"
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:22 PM Woody Lane via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Two dances, very different from each other (not afraid
to call, just very
reluctant):
"Irish Stars" by Orace Johnson
"Reflections" by Carey Ravitz
Woody
--
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
------------------------------
On 9/25/2023 3:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or becket) that you have
danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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26 Sep
26 Sep
7:02 a.m.
When I was a newish caller I wrote a dance called "CC & 7 With a Twist"
that had a contra corners move where every allemande on the side was 1 1/2
turns, sending different people into the center. It caused the actives to
progress four places away from each other and then brought them back
together with a yearn and had crazy end effects. I only called it once in a
"challenging contras" session at a DIY camp. It took about 10 minutes just
to teach, but worked once everyone knew it. It was less of a dance and more
of an exercise in Newtonian physics. Hey, it occurs to me that "Newtonian
Physics" and "Three Body Problem" would both be excellent names for
dances.
(Oh, Seth Tepfer beat me to it
<https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=14954> on
the second name.)
To give a more realistic answer to the question, there was a tradition
(started by Kathy Anderson, IIRC) at the same camp to hold a "Dutch
Crossing" session. That also took a long time to teach, but isn't an
inherently difficult dance. Just a lot to remember all the parts, and very
satisfying to do correctly.
Fun topic.
Cheers!
Adam
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 8:34 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
"Irish Stars" first appeared in the book
*Midwest Folklore*, published
in1995 by the Urbana (IL) Country Dancers, in honor of Orace Johnson, one
of our group's leaders who died of a heart attack at one of our community
dances. I edited the dances in the book, had not looked at the dance in
almost 30 years, but had danced it 2 or 3 times. Orace and Al Olson
used to talk often and long by phone (pre-internet days) about dance
compositions. Seeing it in your post I looked at it for the first time in
close to 30 years. The dance is challenging since A2 and B2 parts each a
bit over 16 beats. So the music must be slowed and/or the dancers must
adjust. I think dancers today would have an easier time with it. And,
as you know, it has no swings.
I must be wide awake before reflecting on "Reflections"
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:22 PM Woody Lane via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Two dances, very different from each other (not
afraid to call, just very
reluctant):
"Irish Stars" by Orace Johnson
"Reflections" by Carey Ravitz
Woody
--
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
------------------------------
On 9/25/2023 3:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or becket) that you have
danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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1:14 p.m.
I think the most difficult dance I have ever danced is a 7 couple double square with one
couple in both. I unfortunately don’t remember its name.
Another one is “maybe I never will”, a triple minor by Susan Elberger. I remember dancing
it and never knowing who I was going to be dancing with next.
Bob (Michigan)
On Sep 26, 2023, at 08:02, Adam Carlson via Contra
Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
When I was a newish caller I wrote a dance called "CC & 7 With a Twist"
that had a contra corners move where every allemande on the side was 1 1/2 turns, sending
different people into the center. It caused the actives to progress four places away from
each other and then brought them back together with a yearn and had crazy end effects. I
only called it once in a "challenging contras" session at a DIY camp. It took
about 10 minutes just to teach, but worked once everyone knew it. It was less of a dance
and more of an exercise in Newtonian physics. Hey, it occurs to me that "Newtonian
Physics" and "Three Body Problem" would both be excellent names for dances.
(Oh, Seth Tepfer beat me to it on the second name.)
To give a more realistic answer to the question, there was a tradition (started by Kathy
Anderson, IIRC) at the same camp to hold a "Dutch Crossing" session. That also
took a long time to teach, but isn't an inherently difficult dance. Just a lot to
remember all the parts, and very satisfying to do correctly.
Fun topic.
Cheers!
Adam
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 8:34 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
"Irish Stars" first appeared in the book Midwest Folklore, published in1995
by the Urbana (IL) Country Dancers, in honor of Orace Johnson, one of our group's
leaders who died of a heart attack at one of our community dances. I edited the dances
in the book, had not looked at the dance in almost 30 years, but had danced it 2 or 3
times. Orace and Al Olson used to talk often and long by phone (pre-internet days)
about dance compositions. Seeing it in your post I looked at it for the first time in
close to 30 years. The dance is challenging since A2 and B2 parts each a bit over 16
beats. So the music must be slowed and/or the dancers must adjust. I think dancers
today would have an easier time with it. And, as you know, it has no swings.
I must be wide awake before reflecting on "Reflections"
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:22 PM Woody Lane via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Two dances, very different from each other (not afraid to call, just very reluctant):
"Irish Stars" by Orace Johnson
"Reflections" by Carey Ravitz
Woody
--
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
On 9/25/2023 3:38 PM, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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1:35 p.m.
Hi Robert,
Seven Couples? Could be The Magnificent Seven:
http://www.bobarcher.org/dance/my_dances.html
More seven couple dances at http://contrafusion.co.uk/Formations.html#14d
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
27 Sep
27 Sep
12:37 p.m.
Bob (Michigan) wrote:
I think the most difficult dance I have ever danced is
a 7 couple double square with one couple in both. I unfortunately don’t remember its
name.
Sounds like Bob Archer's The Magnificent Seven.
Possibly called by me at Breaking-up Thanksgiving back in 1993!
Cheers
Elmo
--
--Keith Elmo Eldridge
--Elmo(a)aphelia.co.uk
--Sheffield, England.
4:03 p.m.
Someone wrote a dance for a Worst Contra Dance contest that was just 8
Lines of 4 Down the Hall.
That's pretty difficult.
Julian Blechner
Western Mass
On Wed, Sep 27, 2023, 1:47 PM Keith Elmo Eldridge via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Bob (Michigan) wrote:
I think the most difficult dance I have ever
danced is a 7 couple double
square with one couple in both. I unfortunately don’t
remember its name.
Sounds like Bob Archer's The Magnificent Seven.
Possibly called by me at Breaking-up Thanksgiving back in 1993!
Cheers
Elmo
--
--Keith Elmo Eldridge
--Elmo(a)aphelia.co.uk
--Sheffield, England.
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4:44 p.m.
The Magnificent Seven was first called by its author, Bob Archer, at
Halsway Manor, Crowcombe, Somerset some time in the 1980's. The musicians
were Chris & Julie Dewhurst and they used the tune, "Those Magnificent Men
in Their Flying Machines". I know that because I was there! I don't
regard it as a particularly difficult dance but it might be difficult for
those who only dance contra.
Incidentally I was at Halsway last weekend and Bob's dad, Alan, was also
there.
Barrie Bullimore
On Wed, Sep 27, 2023 at 10:03 PM Julian Blechner via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Someone wrote a dance for a Worst Contra Dance contest
that was just 8
Lines of 4 Down the Hall.
That's pretty difficult.
Julian Blechner
Western Mass
On Wed, Sep 27, 2023, 1:47 PM Keith Elmo Eldridge via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Bob (Michigan) wrote:
_______________________________________________
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I think the most difficult dance I have ever
danced is a 7 couple
double square with one couple in both. I unfortunately don’t
remember its
name.
Sounds like Bob Archer's The Magnificent Seven.
Possibly called by me at Breaking-up Thanksgiving back in 1993!
Cheers
Elmo
--
--Keith Elmo Eldridge
--Elmo(a)aphelia.co.uk
--Sheffield, England.
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28 Sep
28 Sep
6:14 p.m.
I've called "The Magnificent Seven" many times -- at dance camps or advanced
dances or workshops. It's a wonderful dance, often the highlight of a session.
But this is a complex dance on many levels. The caller must know it cold and be in front
of the music at all times because lots of things are happening quickly on the dance floor
-- a very definite "while" choreography (while these folks do this, those folks
do that). Especially since people change positions each time through the dance. Also
tempo is very important -- which implies excellent communication between the caller and
the band. The dance requires seven times through to complete it. Usually, for fun, I would
laughingly ask another person (i.e., a dancer sitting on the sidelines or one of the
coordinators) to display a small flipchart with large numbers (1,2,3,...7) to the band --
similar to technique used for the medleys at NEFFA -- so the musicians and the caller
always knows where they are. Because most people, including me, cannot count to seven on
one hand, at least not accurately.
Woody
--
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
________________________________
On 9/27/2023 10:47 AM, Keith Elmo Eldridge via Contra Callers wrote:
Bob (Michigan) wrote:
I think the most difficult dance I have ever danced is a 7 couple double square with one
couple in both. I unfortunately don’t remember its name.
Sounds like Bob Archer's The Magnificent Seven.
Possibly called by me at Breaking-up Thanksgiving back in 1993!
Cheers
Elmo
--
--Keith Elmo Eldridge
--Elmo(a)aphelia.co.uk
--Sheffield, England.
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7:23 p.m.
As an alternative to "The Magnificent Seven", Peter Foster has written
"The Mediocre Seven", which I really enjoy.
Calls: http://pfoster.pcug.org.au/bushdanc/bother.htm#med
Animation: http://www.dancekaleidoscope.org.au/dance.html#TheMediocreSeven
Cheers
Keith Wood
Bob (Michigan) wrote:
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I think
the most difficult dance I have ever danced is a 7 couple double square with one couple in
both. I unfortunately don’t remember its name.
Sounds like Bob Archer's The Magnificent Seven.
Possibly called by me at Breaking-up Thanksgiving back in 1993!
Cheers
Elmo
--
--Keith Elmo Eldridge
--Elmo(a)aphelia.co.uk
--Sheffield, England.
_______________________________________________
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29 Sep
29 Sep
12:59 a.m.
I can use three fingers to count to seven using binary numbers... though 4
always gets me funny looks lol
On Thu, Sep 28, 2023, 19:15 Woody Lane via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I've called "The Magnificent Seven" many
times -- at dance camps or
advanced dances or workshops. It's a wonderful dance, often the highlight
of a session.
But this is a complex dance on many levels. The caller must know it cold
and be in front of the music at all times because lots of things are
happening quickly on the dance floor -- a very definite "while"
choreography (while these folks do this, those folks do that). Especially
since people change positions each time through the dance. Also tempo is
very important -- which implies excellent communication between the caller
and the band. The dance requires seven times through to complete it.
Usually, for fun, I would laughingly ask another person (i.e., a dancer
sitting on the sidelines or one of the coordinators) to display a small
flipchart with large numbers (1,2,3,...7) to the band -- similar to
technique used for the medleys at NEFFA -- so the musicians and the caller
always knows where they are. Because most people, including me, cannot
count to seven on one hand, at least not accurately.
Woody
--
Woody Lane
Caller, Percussive Dancer
Roseburg, Oregon
------------------------------
On 9/27/2023 10:47 AM, Keith Elmo Eldridge via Contra Callers wrote:
Bob (Michigan) wrote:
I think the most difficult dance I have ever danced is a 7 couple double square with one
couple in both. I unfortunately don’t remember its name.
Sounds like Bob Archer's The Magnificent Seven.
Possibly called by me at Breaking-up Thanksgiving back in 1993!
Cheers
Elmo
--
--Keith Elmo Eldridge
--Elmo(a)aphelia.co.uk
--Sheffield, England.
_______________________________________________
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25 Sep
25 Sep
6:47 p.m.
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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7:11 p.m.
"Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y Mike Boerschig doesn't seem like it
would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how many
creative ways it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star for five
somewhere in the line at the same time there's a star for three going on
elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the right crowd of experienced dancers
because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
Dale
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
--
Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really mean
it.
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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11 Oct
11 Oct
3:26 p.m.
In Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud, the allemande 1 1/2 and the 1 3/4 can
causes the excitement. I suspect emphasizing one's shadow can help a bit.
But the direction change at the end of set guarantees temporary chaos.
Happy also appears in the "MIdwest Folklore" book mentioned in my
response to Woody
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:11 PM Dale Wilson <dale.wilson(a)gmail.com> wrote:
"Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y Mike
Boerschig doesn't seem like it
would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how many
creative ways it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star for five
somewhere in the line at the same time there's a star for three going on
elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the right crowd of experienced dancers
because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
Dale
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
--
Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really mean
it.
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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23 Oct
23 Oct
8:12 p.m.
Committing discussion necromancy because I just found this at the bottom of
my inbox.
Seconding Cary Ravitz' "Reflections", which continues to be the wonkiest
dance in my box. I've also had Chris Weiler's mixer No Use Crying Over
Spilled Milk
<https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1608> fall
apart in entertaining ways even with pretty advanced dancers.
Happy Jew Queer <https://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#happyjewqueer>
is one of mine, and has been revised several times to make it a little more
tractable, but it's still a fun gnarly double-prog double shadow dance.
- Maia
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 4:27 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
In Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud, the allemande 1
1/2 and the 1 3/4 can
causes the excitement. I suspect emphasizing one's shadow can help a bit.
But the direction change at the end of set guarantees temporary chaos.
Happy also appears in the "MIdwest Folklore" book mentioned in my
response to Woody
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:11 PM Dale Wilson <dale.wilson(a)gmail.com> wrote:
"Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y
Mike Boerschig doesn't seem like it
would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how many
creative ways it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star for five
somewhere in the line at the same time there's a star for three going on
elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the right crowd of experienced dancers
because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
Dale
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
--
Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really mean
it.
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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26 Oct
26 Oct
5:14 p.m.
Hmmm... In Happy Queer Jew the robins advance four places and return two
places, while the larks only advance two places
On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 8:12 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Committing discussion necromancy because I just found
this at the bottom
of my inbox.
Seconding Cary Ravitz' "Reflections", which continues to be the wonkiest
dance in my box. I've also had Chris Weiler's mixer No Use Crying Over
Spilled Milk
<https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1608> fall
apart in entertaining ways even with pretty advanced dancers.
Happy Jew Queer
<https://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#happyjewqueer> is one of
mine, and has been revised several times to make it a little more
tractable, but it's still a fun gnarly double-prog double shadow dance.
- Maia
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 4:27 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
In Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud, the allemande
1 1/2 and the 1 3/4
can causes the excitement. I suspect emphasizing one's shadow can help a
bit.
But the direction change at the end of set guarantees temporary chaos.
Happy also appears in the "MIdwest Folklore" book mentioned in my
response to Woody
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:11 PM Dale Wilson <dale.wilson(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
"Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y
Mike Boerschig doesn't seem like it
would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how many
creative ways it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star for five
somewhere in the line at the same time there's a star for three going on
elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the right crowd of experienced dancers
because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
Dale
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to
contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or
> becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to
> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>
_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to
contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
--
Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really
mean it.
27 Oct
27 Oct
12:57 p.m.
I mean I'm not positive about your definition of a "place" but it's a
double progression so that seems to check out?
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 6:15 PM <sjapartments(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Hmmm... In Happy Queer Jew the robins advance four
places and return two
places, while the larks only advance two places
On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 8:12 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Committing discussion necromancy because I just
found this at the bottom
of my inbox.
Seconding Cary Ravitz' "Reflections", which continues to be the wonkiest
dance in my box. I've also had Chris Weiler's mixer No Use Crying Over
Spilled Milk
<https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1608> fall
apart in entertaining ways even with pretty advanced dancers.
Happy Jew Queer
<https://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#happyjewqueer> is one of
mine, and has been revised several times to make it a little more
tractable, but it's still a fun gnarly double-prog double shadow dance.
- Maia
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 4:27 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
In Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud, the allemande
1 1/2 and the 1 3/4
can causes the excitement. I suspect emphasizing one's shadow can help a
bit.
But the direction change at the end of set guarantees temporary chaos.
Happy also appears in the "MIdwest Folklore" book mentioned in my
response to Woody
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:11 PM Dale Wilson <dale.wilson(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to
contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
"Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y
Mike Boerschig doesn't seem like
it would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how
many creative ways it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star for
five somewhere in the line at the same time there's a star for three going
on elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the right crowd of experienced
dancers because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
Dale
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> "Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert Cromartie. We have discussions
> about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as
in
> "everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
> petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
>
> Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
>
> Jerome
>
> On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or
>> becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
>> _______________________________________________
>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> To unsubscribe send an email to
> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>
--
Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really
mean it.
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to
contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
3:07 p.m.
One cycle through a double progression dance moves everybody onew place up
or down the line.
One cycle through a double progression dance moves everybody two places up
or down the line.
In Happy QueerJjew, the left diagonal chain moves the robins 3 places and
the right diagonal chain moves them one place more, leaving them 4 places
from where they started. The roll away and then the swing each moves the
robins back one place resulting in at total progression of two places.
The larks, meanwhile, do not move up or down until the rollaway (on place)
and the swing (one more place for a total of two.
Your dance can be made single progression by using rights and lefts on the
1/2 diagonal ( https://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#RL ) , in which case
the robins move 3 places forward and 2 places back. Work out the details
with coins or pencil & paper if you wish.
Your dance is also single progression if only one of the chains is on the
1/2 diagonal
On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 12:57 PM Maia McCormick <maia.mcc(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I mean I'm not positive about your definition of a
"place" but it's a
double progression so that seems to check out?
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 6:15 PM <sjapartments(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Hmmm... In Happy Queer Jew the robins advance four places and return
> two places, while the larks only advance two places
>
> On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 8:12 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers <
> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Committing discussion necromancy because I just found this at the bottom
>> of my inbox.
>>
>> Seconding Cary Ravitz' "Reflections", which continues to be the
wonkiest
>> dance in my box. I've also had Chris Weiler's mixer No Use Crying Over
>> Spilled Milk
>> <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1608> fall
>> apart in entertaining ways even with pretty advanced dancers.
>>
>> Happy Jew Queer
>> <https://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#happyjewqueer> is one of
>> mine, and has been revised several times to make it a little more
>> tractable, but it's still a fun gnarly double-prog double shadow dance.
>>
>> - Maia
>> --
>> Maia McCormick (she/her)
>> 917.279.8194
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 4:27 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
>> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>>> In Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud, the allemande 1 1/2 and the 1 3/4
>>> can causes the excitement. I suspect emphasizing one's shadow can help
a
>>> bit.
>>> But the direction change at the end of set guarantees temporary chaos.
>>> Happy also appears in the "MIdwest Folklore" book mentioned in
my
>>> response to Woody
>>>
>>> On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:11 PM Dale Wilson <dale.wilson(a)gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y Mike Boerschig doesn't
seem like
>>>> it would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how
>>>> many creative ways it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star
for
>>>> five somewhere in the line at the same time there's a star for three
going
>>>> on elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the right crowd of experienced
>>>> dancers because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
>>>>
>>>> Dale
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
>>>> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> "Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert Cromartie. We have
>>>>> discussions about "glossary" dances, this one is a
"kitchen sink" dance, as
>>>>> in "everything you can think of but the kitchen sink."
Contra corners,
>>>>> petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
>>>>>
>>>>> Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
>>>>>
>>>>> Jerome
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
>>>>> contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent
or
>>>>>> becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to
call?
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> Contra Callers mailing list --
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>>>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really
>>>> mean it.
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>> contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>
>
3:31 p.m.
Michael, you're puzzling me.
1) Maia's dance is "Happy Jew Queer", which is a joke on "Happy New
Year". You keep calling it "Happy Queer Jew" and I don't know why. It
certainly loses the joke.
2) I don't understand why you'e explaining to. Maia how Maia's dance works.
[I can see why you'd make suggestions about how it could be converted to single
progression. It's also entirely possible that the unspoken part of this is "Hey,
cool dance, had to work out ]the progression to understand it, maybe this will help
anybody else interested." But if anybody already knows how Maia's dance works,
it's Maia.]
3) I'm not realy puzzled by why your first two sentences contradict each other;
I'm sure you meant "singl.e progression" the first time.
-- Alan
________________________________________
From: Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2023 1:07 PM
To: Maia McCormick
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers
Subject: [Callers] Re: Most difficult contras
One cycle through a double progression dance moves everybody onew place up or down the
line.
One cycle through a double progression dance moves everybody two places up or down the
line.
In Happy QueerJjew, the left diagonal chain moves the robins 3 places and the right
diagonal chain moves them one place more, leaving them 4 places from where they started.
The roll away and then the swing each moves the robins back one place resulting in at
total progression of two places.
The larks, meanwhile, do not move up or down until the rollaway (on place) and the swing
(one more place for a total of two.
Your dance can be made single progression by using rights and lefts on the 1/2 diagonal (
https://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#RL ) , in which case the robins move 3 places forward
and 2 places back. Work out the details with coins or pencil & paper if you wish.
Your dance is also single progression if only one of the chains is on the 1/2 diagonal
On Fri, Oct 27, 2023 at 12:57 PM Maia McCormick
<maia.mcc@gmail.com<mailto:maia.mcc@gmail.com>> wrote:
I mean I'm not positive about your definition of a "place" but it's a
double progression so that seems to check out?
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 6:15 PM
<sjapartments@gmail.com<mailto:sjapartments@gmail.com>> wrote:
Hmmm... In Happy Queer Jew the robins advance four places and return two places, while
the larks only advance two places
On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 8:12 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
Committing discussion necromancy because I just found this at the bottom of my inbox.
Seconding Cary Ravitz' "Reflections", which continues to be the wonkiest
dance in my box. I've also had Chris Weiler's mixer No Use Crying Over Spilled
Milk<https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=1608… fall apart
in entertaining ways even with pretty advanced dancers.
Happy Jew Queer<https://contra.maiamccormick.com/dances.html#happyjewqueer> is one
of mine, and has been revised several times to make it a little more tractable, but
it's still a fun gnarly double-prog double shadow dance.
- Maia
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 4:27 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
In Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud, the allemande 1 1/2 and the 1 3/4 can causes the
excitement. I suspect emphasizing one's shadow can help a bit.
But the direction change at the end of set guarantees temporary chaos. Happy also
appears in the "MIdwest Folklore" book mentioned in my response to Woody
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:11 PM Dale Wilson
<dale.wilson@gmail.com<mailto:dale.wilson@gmail.com>> wrote:
"Happy as a Cold Pig in Warm Mud" y Mike Boerschig doesn't seem like it
would be very difficult when you read the card, but it is amazing how many creative ways
it can go wrong. There is usually at least one star for five somewhere in the line at the
same time there's a star for three going on elsewhere. I call it sometimes with the
right crowd of experienced dancers because it's fun to watch the recovery process.
Dale
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 6:47 PM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert Cromartie. We have discussions about
"glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners, petronella,
diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper, proper, indecent or becket) that you have
danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
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contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
To unsubscribe send an email to
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_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to
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--
Penultimatum: Surrender now or next time I threaten you I'll really mean it.
_______________________________________________
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6:27 p.m.
Alan:
Oops.. I indeed have been referring to Maia's dance Happy Jew Queer incorrectly. I
apologize. I suspect this was a temporary case of dyslexia, prompted by my having
been, just before I just before I looked up the dance, thinking about an acquaintance
who is both Jewish and queer. Unfortunately this message system does not let me
correct my error (or I have not been able to figure out how)
I have written several dances the workings of which I did not fully understand for months
or years. It took me several readings to figure how Happy Jew Queer worked. I thought
she and maybe others would find my observations interesting.
6:45 p.m.
Oops!! From my earlier comment, delete the following:
-------
"Your dance can be made single progression by using rights and lefts on the
1/2 diagonal ( https://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#RL ) , in which case
the robins move 3 places forward and 2 places back. Work out the details
with coins or pencil & paper if you wish.
Your dance is also single progression if only one of the chains is on the
1/2 diagonal"
------
It's all wrong
6:31 p.m.
Hello Maia:
Oops.. I have been referring to your dance Happy Jew Queer with a wrong name. I
apologize. I fear this was a temporary case of dyslexia, likely prompted by my having
been, just before I just before I looked up the dance, thinking about an acquaintance
who is both Jewish and queer Unfortunately this message system does not let me
correct my error (or I have not been able to figure out how)
26 Sep
26 Sep
7:40 a.m.
I should have added that the Robert Cromartie dance I mentioned was based
on a Kathy Anderson dance.
— Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 7:47 PM Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to
contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
9:51 a.m.
I have a couple of answers that are not exactly on-topic, because the
answer is contextual:
Inflation Reel by Don Armstrong when attempted at a MWSD convention in
Tucson. (I was dancing.)
Anything called to the Eastern-European-style band that played in Bend,
Oregon circa November of 2003. (I was calling, it was their first time
playing for a dance.)
A contra written for the caller’s son’s wedding and pre-tested at the Folk
Fellowship dance camp, circa 2002; it was the first time most (any?) of us
had encountered an Orbit. In the camp yearbook notes it said that John
Bradford had deemed the dance, “the greatest mixer ever written…although
there was some question whether it was supposed to be one.” (This was a
closed group and an expert caller with 50+ years experience. In my entire
life, I have never seen another dance devolve like it. Couples peeled from
the end and individuals were staggering out of the middle of the line
because they were so disoriented, yet somehow it continued to grind on.
The dance went off phrase, out of rhythm, the caller himself got lost and
couldn’t maintain the sequence…in the end he didn’t even cut the music off
for us; the line just fatally disintegrated all at once. )
Neal
On Tue, Sep 26, 2023 at 6:41 AM Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I should have added that the Robert Cromartie dance I
mentioned was based
on a Kathy Anderson dance.
— Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 7:47 PM Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions
about "glossary" dances, this one is a "kitchen sink" dance, as in
"everything you can think of but the kitchen sink." Contra corners,
petronella, diagonal hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Maybe in a workshop, on a bet, hence the title.
Jerome
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023, 6:38 PM Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Contra Callers mailing list
-- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
What are the most difficult contras (improper,
proper, indecent or
becket) that you have danced, have called, and remain afraid to call?
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to
contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________ 
10:12 a.m.
Ah, Neal’s post stirred memories…
True, context is everything, but I was a bit surprised to read that MWSDers had trouble
with Inflation Reel. I (not Don Armstrong) wrote it and Shadrack’s Delight specifically to
appeal and be accessible to both trad and MWSD groups. I’ve used both dances at Intro to
Contra sessions at National SD Conventions, with no trouble. Perhaps the caller at the
Tucson event was relatively new to contras and/or hadn’t worked out how to present
Inflation. (Note: On occasion I’ve used Inflation as a first contra with MWSD peeps, and
avoided the wait at the ends by calling Trade By after the Pass Thru. [Trade By = those
facing a couple Pass Thru, those facing out Partner Trade… which takes care of the cross
over.])
And I have fond memories of my two summers with the Lloyd Shaw Fellowship, an invitational
group that was the predecessor of the Folk Fellowship. (I didn’t realize the FF lasted
into the 21st century.) John Bradford was one of several respected callers in that world,
which straddled the trad square and MWSD worlds. Others were Gib Gilbert and Bob Howell.
It was Don Armstrong who got me an invitation to the Shaw Fellowship, and who made me a
household name among MWSD-affiliated contra callers by publishing Inflation and Shadrack,
first in Sets in Order magazine (of which he was Contra Editor) and shortly thereafter in
the Contra Manual that he wrote for SIO. He recorded the calls for both dances on the
Lloyd Shaw label (using music I wouldn’t have chosen, but you can’t have everything).
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
From: Neal Schlein via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2023 10:51 AM
To: Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
Cc: Michael Fuerst <sjapartments(a)gmail.com>om>; Shared Weight Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Re: Most difficult contras
I have a couple of answers that are not exactly on-topic, because the answer is
contextual:
Inflation Reel by Don Armstrong when attempted at a MWSD convention in Tucson. (I was
dancing.)
Anything called to the Eastern-European-style band that played in Bend, Oregon circa
November of 2003. (I was calling, it was their first time playing for a dance.)
A contra written for the caller’s son’s wedding and pre-tested at the Folk Fellowship
dance camp, circa 2002; it was the first time most (any?) of us had encountered an Orbit.
In the camp yearbook notes it said that John Bradford had deemed the dance, “the greatest
mixer ever written…although there was some question whether it was supposed to be one.”
(This was a closed group and an expert caller with 50+ years experience. In my entire
life, I have never seen another dance devolve like it. Couples peeled from the end and
individuals were staggering out of the middle of the line because they were so
disoriented, yet somehow it continued to grind on. The dance went off phrase, out of
rhythm, the caller himself got lost and couldn’t maintain the sequence…in the end he
didn’t even cut the music off for us; the line just fatally disintegrated all at once. )
Neal
2:50 p.m.
Hi Tony,
I apologize for getting the attribution wrong – – I couldn’t remember which
of you wrote the dance and guessed. I memorized it years ago from a callers
manual written by Don Armstrong.
Several notes about all that…
The Folk Fellowship was reconstituted and went off-grid at the request of
the LSF to avoid being at odds with the Shaw Roundup. Which was a bit
silly, since it was many of the same people. It was on hiatus for some span
between the late 70s and the 80s, but was back by the 90s and ran until
imploding (permanently?) around 2005.
It was good to see someone else mention Gib Gilbert. He started teaching
me to call shortly before his death, and I still consider him my stylistic
mentor; my favorite calling compliment ever was from someone in Berea who
said I sounded just like him.
Also, Gib actually wrote the “mixer” I mentioned, which makes me realize it
had to be in 1998 or 1999 because I hadn’t met my wife yet. I’m probably
the only one who remembers dancing it.
As for Inflation Reel…it has always had a special place in my heart, and I
use it often. The first time I tried to call anything was an utter
disaster: the singing call Riverboat, with Calico & Boots’ occasional
in-house band…except it turned out they didn’t really know the tune. The
second attempt (six months later, to recorded music) was Inflation Reel. It
started to go off the rails as well because I was staring at my notes until
Gib intervened. His annoyed face suddenly appeared in my vision, he plucked
the cue card from my hand, smacked it on the table, and growled, “Never
hold cards—5, 6 and…!” I pulled the dance back together, and still follow
that rule.
The incident in Tucson was extra ridiculous, because
I had actually suggested Inflation Reel to the caller for those very
reasons. I was splitting an evening Intro to Contra hour with an
experienced MWSD caller who loves contras but (it turned out) fundamentally
did not understand teaching them or calling for beginners. He had never
presented them to the local dancers, so no one had any experience at all.
Unfortunately, as the “ranking” person he wanted to go first. I don’t
remember what I used for the second dance, but it was pure recovery.
As for why it failed…yes it was taught and called poorly, but the MWSD
world itself has also changed; the notion of a lengthy (8 count) swing is
foreign to many dancers, as are fitting figures to the phrase, 8-count
timing, memorizing a sequence, or interpreting calls in the absence of
direct instructions. The dancers themselves have also slowed down.
Inflation Reel can break at numerous points on these fronts, depending on
what the caller does.
Neal
On Tue, Sep 26, 2023 at 9:12 AM Tony Parkes <tony(a)hands4.com> wrote:
Ah, Neal’s post stirred memories…
True, context is everything, but I was a bit surprised to read that
MWSDers had trouble with Inflation Reel. I (not Don Armstrong) wrote it and
Shadrack’s Delight specifically to appeal and be accessible to both trad
and MWSD groups. I’ve used both dances at Intro to Contra sessions at
National SD Conventions, with no trouble. Perhaps the caller at the Tucson
event was relatively new to contras and/or hadn’t worked out how to present
Inflation. (Note: On occasion I’ve used Inflation as a first contra with
MWSD peeps, and avoided the wait at the ends by calling Trade By after the
Pass Thru. [Trade By = those facing a couple Pass Thru, those facing out
Partner Trade… which takes care of the cross over.])
And I have fond memories of my two summers with the Lloyd Shaw Fellowship,
an invitational group that was the predecessor of the Folk Fellowship. (I
didn’t realize the FF lasted into the 21st century.) John Bradford was one
of several respected callers in that world, which straddled the trad square
and MWSD worlds. Others were Gib Gilbert and Bob Howell.
It was Don Armstrong who got me an invitation to the Shaw Fellowship, and
who made me a household name among MWSD-affiliated contra callers by
publishing Inflation and Shadrack, first in Sets in Order magazine (of
which he was Contra Editor) and shortly thereafter in the Contra Manual
that he wrote for SIO. He recorded the calls for both dances on the Lloyd
Shaw label (using music I wouldn’t have chosen, but you can’t have
everything).
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
*From:* Neal Schlein via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Sent:* Tuesday, September 26, 2023 10:51 AM
*To:* Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
*Cc:* Michael Fuerst <sjapartments(a)gmail.com>om>; Shared Weight Contra
Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Subject:* [Callers] Re: Most difficult contras
I have a couple of answers that are not exactly on-topic, because the
answer is contextual:
Inflation Reel by Don Armstrong when attempted at a MWSD convention in
Tucson. (I was dancing.)
Anything called to the Eastern-European-style band that played in Bend,
Oregon circa November of 2003. (I was calling, it was their first time
playing for a dance.)
A contra written for the caller’s son’s wedding and pre-tested at the Folk
Fellowship dance camp, circa 2002; it was the first time most (any?) of us
had encountered an Orbit. In the camp yearbook notes it said that John
Bradford had deemed the dance, “the greatest mixer ever written…although
there was some question whether it was supposed to be one.” (This was a
closed group and an expert caller with 50+ years experience. In my entire
life, I have never seen another dance devolve like it. Couples peeled from
the end and individuals were staggering out of the middle of the line
because they were so disoriented, yet somehow it continued to grind on.
The dance went off phrase, out of rhythm, the caller himself got lost and
couldn’t maintain the sequence…in the end he didn’t even cut the music off
for us; the line just fatally disintegrated all at once. )
Neal
9:24 p.m.
Complexity Swing by Roni Wiener, anyone?
https://www.sundragonrising.com/contra.html#Complexity_Swing
--jh--
On Tue, Sep 26, 2023 at 3:51 PM Neal Schlein via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi Tony,
I apologize for getting the attribution wrong – – I couldn’t remember
which of you wrote the dance and guessed. I memorized it years ago from a
callers manual written by Don Armstrong.
Several notes about all that…
The Folk Fellowship was reconstituted and went off-grid at the request of
the LSF to avoid being at odds with the Shaw Roundup. Which was a bit
silly, since it was many of the same people. It was on hiatus for some span
between the late 70s and the 80s, but was back by the 90s and ran until
imploding (permanently?) around 2005.
It was good to see someone else mention Gib Gilbert. He started teaching
me to call shortly before his death, and I still consider him my
stylistic mentor; my favorite calling compliment ever was from someone in
Berea who said I sounded just like him.
Also, Gib actually wrote the “mixer” I mentioned, which makes me realize
it had to be in 1998 or 1999 because I hadn’t met my wife yet. I’m
probably the only one who remembers dancing it.
As for Inflation Reel…it has always had a special place in my heart, and
I use it often. The first time I tried to call anything was an utter
disaster: the singing call Riverboat, with Calico & Boots’ occasional
in-house band…except it turned out they didn’t really know the tune. The
second attempt (six months later, to recorded music) was Inflation Reel. It
started to go off the rails as well because I was staring at my notes until
Gib intervened. His annoyed face suddenly appeared in my vision, he plucked
the cue card from my hand, smacked it on the table, and growled, “Never
hold cards—5, 6 and…!” I pulled the dance back together, and still follow
that rule.
The incident in Tucson was extra ridiculous, because
I had actually suggested Inflation Reel to the caller for those very
reasons. I was splitting an evening Intro to Contra hour with an
experienced MWSD caller who loves contras but (it turned out) fundamentally
did not understand teaching them or calling for beginners. He had never
presented them to the local dancers, so no one had any experience at all.
Unfortunately, as the “ranking” person he wanted to go first. I don’t
remember what I used for the second dance, but it was pure recovery.
As for why it failed…yes it was taught and called poorly, but the MWSD
world itself has also changed; the notion of a lengthy (8 count) swing is
foreign to many dancers, as are fitting figures to the phrase, 8-count
timing, memorizing a sequence, or interpreting calls in the absence of
direct instructions. The dancers themselves have also slowed down.
Inflation Reel can break at numerous points on these fronts, depending on
what the caller does.
Neal
On Tue, Sep 26, 2023 at 9:12 AM Tony Parkes <tony(a)hands4.com> wrote:
Ah, Neal’s post stirred memories…
True, context is everything, but I was a bit surprised to read that
MWSDers had trouble with Inflation Reel. I (not Don Armstrong) wrote it and
Shadrack’s Delight specifically to appeal and be accessible to both trad
and MWSD groups. I’ve used both dances at Intro to Contra sessions at
National SD Conventions, with no trouble. Perhaps the caller at the Tucson
event was relatively new to contras and/or hadn’t worked out how to present
Inflation. (Note: On occasion I’ve used Inflation as a first contra with
MWSD peeps, and avoided the wait at the ends by calling Trade By after the
Pass Thru. [Trade By = those facing a couple Pass Thru, those facing out
Partner Trade… which takes care of the cross over.])
And I have fond memories of my two summers with the Lloyd Shaw
Fellowship, an invitational group that was the predecessor of the Folk
Fellowship. (I didn’t realize the FF lasted into the 21st century.) John
Bradford was one of several respected callers in that world, which
straddled the trad square and MWSD worlds. Others were Gib Gilbert and Bob
Howell.
It was Don Armstrong who got me an invitation to the Shaw Fellowship, and
who made me a household name among MWSD-affiliated contra callers by
publishing Inflation and Shadrack, first in Sets in Order magazine (of
which he was Contra Editor) and shortly thereafter in the Contra Manual
that he wrote for SIO. He recorded the calls for both dances on the Lloyd
Shaw label (using music I wouldn’t have chosen, but you can’t have
everything).
Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com
New book! Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century
(available now)
*From:* Neal Schlein via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Sent:* Tuesday, September 26, 2023 10:51 AM
*To:* Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
*Cc:* Michael Fuerst <sjapartments(a)gmail.com>om>; Shared Weight Contra
Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Subject:* [Callers] Re: Most difficult contras
I have a couple of answers that are not exactly on-topic, because the
answer is contextual:
Inflation Reel by Don Armstrong when attempted at a MWSD convention in
Tucson. (I was dancing.)
Anything called to the Eastern-European-style band that played in Bend,
Oregon circa November of 2003. (I was calling, it was their first time
playing for a dance.)
A contra written for the caller’s son’s wedding and pre-tested at the
Folk Fellowship dance camp, circa 2002; it was the first time most (any?)
of us had encountered an Orbit. In the camp yearbook notes it said that
John Bradford had deemed the dance, “the greatest mixer ever
written…although there was some question whether it was supposed to be
one.” (This was a closed group and an expert caller with 50+ years
experience. In my entire life, I have never seen another dance devolve like
it. Couples peeled from the end and individuals were staggering out of the
middle of the line because they were so disoriented, yet somehow it
continued to grind on. The dance went off phrase, out of rhythm, the
caller himself got lost and couldn’t maintain the sequence…in the end he
didn’t even cut the music off for us; the line just fatally disintegrated
all at once. )
Neal
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28 Sep
28 Sep
3:55 a.m.
On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:47:08 -0400, Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions about "glossary" dances, this one is a
"kitchen sink" dance, as in "everything you can think of but the kitchen
sink." Contra corners, petronella, diagonal
hey, alternates between proper and improper.
I've looked at the instructions given at
https://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/2017-Marc…
and
https://contradb.com/dances/715
but they seem contradictory and I can't get it to work. Here's how I tried to
work out the dance - somebody who knows
it please correct me!
All proper.
A1: Balance the ring and Petronella twice. All progressed and improper.
A2: Ones right-hand balance and box the gnat - now proper below twos which is where you
expect to be for contra corners.
Ones turn partner right, first corner left, partner right, meet second corner -
DON'T touch!
B1: Ones pass second corner left shoulder: almost a complete hey on that diagonal, until
the ends are home and the ones
meet for the second time.
B2: Ones balance and swing, then face down. The ones are proper; the twos are still
improper.
OK, that works. But the second time the twos are in charge.
A1: Balance and Petronella twice. Now progressed, twos proper, ones improper.
A2: Twos balance and box the gnat - all now improper with twos above ones. Twos turn
partner right, first corner left,
partner right, face second corner. The Shared Weight version says "Note: All heys on
the same diagonal (up/stage left
to down/stage right)" but since this turn starts improper the second corners are
actually on the other diagonal.
B1: The Shared weight version says "hey"; the contradb version says "half a
hey". It must surely be a full hey to get
people back to their partners - but the ones are still improper.
B2: Twos balance and swing. The Shared weight version says "*B2 *1s (2s) B&S 1s
face down, 2s face up"; the contradb
version says "twos swing, end facing down ?". But either way the ones are still
improper.
Colin Hume
8:02 a.m.
On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:47:08 -0400, Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions about "glossary" dances, this one is a
"kitchen sink" dance, as in "everything you can think of but the kitchen
sink." Contra corners, petronella, diagonal
hey, alternates between proper and improper.
Jerome has pointed out that after the ones swing they finish improper, so I apologise for
my confusion and I now have a
version which I believe works. Can someone who knows, tell me whether it's correct
though?
All proper.
A1: Balance the ring and Petronella twice. All progressed and improper.
A2: Ones right-hand balance and box the gnat - now proper below twos which is where you
expect to be for contra corners.
Ones turn partner right, first corner left, partner right, meet second corner -
DON'T touch!
B1: Ones pass second corner left shoulder: almost a complete hey on that diagonal, until
the ends are home and the ones
meet for the second time.
B2: Ones balance and swing, then face down. Both couples are now improper.
On alternating turns the twos are in charge.
All improper.
A1: Balance and Petronella twice. Now progressed, all proper.
A2: Twos balance and box the gnat - twos now improper above ones proper. Twos turn
partner right, first corner left,
partner right, face second corner. This is on the other diagonal from when the ones were
in charge.
B1: Twos pass second corner left shoulder: almost a complete hey on that diagonal, until
the ends are home and the twos
meet for the second time.
B2: Twos balance and swing, then face up. Both couples are now proper.
Colin Hume
11 Oct
11 Oct
12:25 p.m.
On Mon, 25 Sep 2023 19:47:08 -0400, Jerome Grisanti via Contra Callers wrote:
"Would You Do It for Twenty?" by Robert
Cromartie. We have discussions about "glossary" dances, this one is a
"kitchen sink" dance, as in "everything you can think of but the kitchen
sink." Contra corners, petronella, diagonal
hey, alternates between proper and improper.
I gave my understanding of this dance a couple of weeks ago, but I don't know how to
contact Robert Cromartie.
Please could somebody send me his email address offline or ask him to contact me. I'd
like to find out whether I've
understood his dance, and whether he'd let me put it on my website:
https://colinhume.com/instl.htm#American
Colin Hume: colin(a)colinhume.com
27 Sep
27 Sep
2:53 a.m.
The Hobbit
I just can't wrap by head around the end effects; there must be a key, if not a ring,
to unlock them.
190
days inactive
222
days old
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
36 comments
22 participants
participants (22)
-
Adam Carlson -
barrie bullimore -
Colin Hume -
Dale Wilson -
Jerome Grisanti -
JJ -
Joe Harrington -
John Sweeney -
Julian Blechner -
Keith Elmo Eldridge -
Keith Wood -
Ken Panton -
Maia McCormick -
Michael Fuerst -
Neal Schlein -
Paul Wilde -
ROBERT FABINSKI -
sjapartments＠gmail.com
-
Stein, Robert -
Tony Parkes -
Winston, Alan P. -
Woody Lane