Will et al, I use an Apple Powerbook laptop to record my calling. That, along with a program called Amadeus II, I can record directly into it from the sound board, or using a USB mic. For cards I have developed a template for Word (Mac or PC) that prints directly on 6x4 index cards. I'll attach a sample, but would be glad to forward the entire file, off list, for anyone who is interested. It contains 380 (and counting) of my favorite dances. They're in alphabetical order, and color coded in the banner. Green-easy, yellow-intermediate, blue-challenging. I can also search (using 'find') for becket, particular figures, authors, etc. Sample is attached. If you are not able to receive attachments, I can upload it and send you a link. Rich Goss Www.richgoss.com On 9/29/06 10:02 AM, "Will" <mainesail113(a)yahoo.com> wrote:

Will, When I started calling, I wrote out dances by hand on 3x5 cards. I use ruled white cards for "regular" contra dances, and colored cards for dances in different formations (mixers, four-face-four dances, whole-set dances, community dances, and so forth). I've toyed on occasion with marking the EDGES of the cards with colors to indicate difficulty, presence of specific features (heys, contra corners, etc), but have never found those of consistent use. I regret not having my entire collection typed in, whether in a regular document format, into a database, or some other form. I have enough cards that sitting down to do it now would take considerable effort. Also, I waffle over the format that I should use. In the mean time, as I add dances, the problem only gets worse. As a stop-gap measure, whenever I plan out a complete program in advance, I type up the dances I plan to use, and cut & paste individual dances into a text file. This gives me incrementally a file of dances that I actually call, the core of my collection. In this text file I also copy any thoughts I provide to the bands for music for the dances. One advantage of having a stack of cards versus a database is that I can rummage through a stack of cards, setting out ones that seem appropriate for an upcoming dance, sorting through those, etc. I can describe my process for planning a dance evening at greater length, if you're interested. For the actual cards, I write them out by hand, with one line for every 8 beats of time, noting A1, A2, B1, B2 on the apporpriate alternate lines. I use full words, written in upper and lower case, for maximum readability. Thus I don't need to translate from "N B&S" to "Neighbor Balance and Swing", as it's written out. Of course I don't read from the cards to walk through or call a dance -- the process of planning an evening pretty much drives into my head the specifics of the dances I plan to use. Thus, the words on the cards are the specifics of the figures, but not the words I use for a walk-though, or the specific words I use when calling. I use a three-ring binder to keep track of dance evenings that I've called, one to a sheet, with a summary listing at the front. Thus, I can look to see how long it's been since I called the dance at Coos Bay, for example, and what dances I called there then. This can be handy ito find sets of dances that worked well in one place and seem like they'd be useful for an upcoming dance. I make notes on each sheet of points I learned, rediscovered, or discovered as the result of an experiment in the course of calling that evening. Writing something down helps me remember it the next time, even if I don't go back and review the notes I made. There are a couple of database programs set up for callers of contra dances. Colin Hume has one available as shareware on his website ( http://colinhume.com/download.htm), and has recently released a second edition. It looks to have many features. He'd like $80 if you find the program useful. I also know that someone in the Northeast US pulled together a database program in perhaps 1999 or 2000 and contacted me for permission to include a dance of mine, but I have no memory of who it was or what happened to the program. I think she worked with a programmer, and hoped to sell the package. Please speak up if you'd like to know more. Good luck, and HAVE FUN! William On 9/29/06, Will <mainesail113(a)yahoo.com> wrote: -- wjw1961(a)gmail.com William J. Watson

Hi Will, What a great question, glad you posted it as it’s interesting to see all the responses…. Here's what I do: I type up almost all dances that I want to call in a separate word document file. As I’m typing up the dance, this is when I do much of my studying, so it can be a very time consuming process, but just one that I’m in the habit of now. I put the same info in the same place on the card for consistency which includes: Top of Card: “4 potatoes call” (this I usually write in by hand, top left) Title Level 1 – 5 (my own rating 1 = easy 5 = difficult), example L3 Music: music notes for the band (top right corner), sometimes type “Music” then just write in notes by hand. Next line: Dance formation (Duple Imp, BECKET etc) By: Author; City and State the Author lives in, or at least the State The dance A1, A2, B1, B2 The phrasing beats in parenthesis on the left (4,12), then WHO, then WHAT figure, and where end up, who facing, where P is… A1: (4,12) Neighbor Balance & Swg end facing down (or just “N Bal & Swg” ) This is the point where I’m studying where each person is at each point of the dance. I usually visualize it in my head. If I remember where I danced it and with whom, I can see the hall and the dancers in my head. Otherwise, I start scribbling on a piece of paper, not very scientifically, just the part I may be stuck at in my head. If I still don’t get it, I’ll ask a caller friend. As much as possible, I look up every dance back to the original source: the author’s web page, hard copy book, or credible online databases. It’s an annoying habit that I started with and can’t shake. I want to be sure the version I have is the same one the author wrote, or know which part is modified. I also really enjoy knowing any story about the dance, why it was written, any teaching notes the author suggests etc. Once I understand the dance after typing it out, I’ll add any teaching notes and note where I collected it, what I liked about the dance, who I danced with, what minidisk # recorded on, and where the dance is documented (original source). Usually I put the dance source and story about the dance on the back of the card. Once I hit “print”, I’ve studied the dance pretty well and written it in a format for calling with teaching notes. I print two copies. One gets cut/paste (scissors, glue) onto a 4x6 card, the other gets 3-Hole punched and goes into a notebook. This way I have two back up copies of the dance: one electronic and one in the binder. I’ve tried printing the dance directly on a 4x6 card, but I went back to doing it this way. If I get the dance straight from the author, I may just hand write it on a card…. But then I don’t have the back up copies. Some of my notes on the typed card are also hand written… each color ink indicates: Green written note = teaching (walk thru); Red = Who, the person; Becket’s get “BECKET” written in pink above the A1, AND the black text “BECKET” highlighted in pink. Double progressions, get highlighted in orange. (the word “Dble Prog”)… Yellow highlight in the dance is something I need to pay attention to. A circle with a dot in it, means this is where the dancers often need prompted when I stop calling, depending on the dance level.… At the moment, I put my cards in alphabetical order in a box, not sure if I’m going to stay with this method. Am also working on a corresponding excel spreadsheet that lists the figures. For future dance planning, my mind is usually thinking 1 – 3 months ahead and as I find dances that I want to call at a particular community, I write it down on a 4x6 card with the community name at the top, or sometimes it’s several post it notes here and there…. By the time I sit down to program for an evening, (ideally but not always, 3 – 5 days ahead of the dance) I usually have a few dances that I’d like to build the evening around for that community. Hope that helps, some part is useful, or you may be sorry you asked! You’ll fall into your own discipline that works best for you, then keep adapting it as needed. Keep us posted! Karen Fontana www.karenscontracorner.com PS: yes, I really do this, crazy but true,... ask to see my cards next time we meet up! Will &lt;mainesail113(a)yahoo.com&gt; wrote: Hi All, After many years dancing, I decided to start calling and recently completed Lisa Greenleaf's course at Pinewoods, which was great-stupendous. First of all, I want to thank all of you who have shared of your experience and knowledge on this and other sites so freely- your generosity is amazing and is of great assistance. As I begin to build a repertoire, I'm faced with how to develop dance cards that work for me, and recording systems for previous dance programs, event planning aids etc. Lisa shared what works for her, and I'd like to know what systems works for other folks, it seems that each person has found their own sorting/grouping structure and recording systems-ie: grouping dances by difficulty or prominant dance feature. I'd appreciate feedback so I can choose among a range of possibilities that might fit me best. Thanks very much, Will Walton I can also be reached at: mainesail113 atyahoodotcom __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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