10 Dec
2015
10 Dec
'15
3:43 p.m.
Hi,
That is a somewhat familiar story from my point of view. I dance in a
number of different folk dancing communities - a varied program here in
Winnipeg. It's quite common, as people from one group attempt to get
interest from other dancing groups, that some people know what they like
and what they don't like, and that's that. For example, people who English
country dance often don't like contra because of the increased exertion and
tempo. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of triple minor dances. Everyone's
got their thing. But there's always a reason for it. It could be a bad
experience, or it could be a stylistic feature of a region, where everyone
does a figure in a way you find unpleasant. Hard to say. To leave an event
because someone programmed something you didn't like? ... I'm not sure to
make of it. You don't like it you don't like it, I suppose.
We don't do Becket formation here at all, really. If someone left at the
end of a night because of Becket formation, I would assume they didn't want
to start learning new things late in the evening.
Greg
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 3:01 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Contra with Hey (jill allen via Callers)
2. Re: Contra with Hey (Martha Wild via Callers)
3. Becket Formation (Rich Sbardella via Callers)
4. Re: Becket Formation (Bill Olson via Callers)
5. Re: Becket Formation (Michael Fuerst via Callers)
6. Re: Becket Formation (Mac Mckeever via Callers)
7. Re: Becket Formation (Ron Blechner via Callers)
8. Re: Becket Formation (Ron Blechner via Callers)
9. Re: Becket Formation (Ryan Smith via Callers)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2015 15:04:46 -0600
From: jill allen via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Contra with Hey
Message-ID: <0B53D2A6-B7C5-47A1-BADB-C4103F7897DA(a)att.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Here's something new:
Signs of Life
duple improper contra
by Jill Allen
A1 circle R X1, M allem L 1 1/2 to face P
A2 hey for 4, start by passing R
B1 gypsy and swing P (or B & S)
B2 circle L 3/4, balance the ring, calif twirl to face the next..
Also:
Columbia Contra
duple improper contra
by Gene Hubert
A1 Allem R N aprox 1 1/4, W allem L 1/2, allem R P X1 ending with Women
facing each other in the middle
A2 hey for 4, W pass L to begin
B1 B & S P
B2 W chain, star L
I call both of these quite frequently. Both have timing which is
forgiving for beginners.
Jill Allen : )
> Hello Folks,
> >
> > I am relatively new at calling contras and I am looking for some asy
to
intermediate contras to introduce the hey to a group that includes many
beginners. and/or club square dancers.
> >
> > "Butter" by Gene Hubert is my go to dance, but I am looking for a few
more. I like Butter because the flow from ladies chain into a RH hey is
great, and because all the other calls are introduced earlier in most
evening.
> >
> > I love simple, but different choreography, so I am open to most
suggestions.
> >
> > Rich Sbardella
10 Dec
10 Dec
4:26 p.m.
New subject: Becket Formation
My favorite progression requires Becket formation: circle left and then slide up/down and
circle with the next pair.
On Dec 10, 2015, at 6:43 PM, Greg Allan via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi,
That is a somewhat familiar story from my point of view. I dance in a number of different
folk dancing communities - a varied program here in Winnipeg. It's quite common, as
people from one group attempt to get interest from other dancing groups, that some people
know what they like and what they don't like, and that's that. For example, people
who English country dance often don't like contra because of the increased exertion
and tempo. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of triple minor dances. Everyone's
got their thing. But there's always a reason for it. It could be a bad experience, or
it could be a stylistic feature of a region, where everyone does a figure in a way you
find unpleasant. Hard to say. To leave an event because someone programmed something you
didn't like? ... I'm not sure to make of it. You don't like it you don't
like it, I suppose.
We don't do Becket formation here at all, really. If someone left at the end of a
night because of Becket formation, I would assume they didn't want to start learning
new things late in the evening.
Greg
5:25 p.m.
New subject: Becket Formation
Actually, I can see this.
As others suggested, it is probably a matter of the couple's prior poor
experiences with dances in Beckets. That said, there are two fairly common
tendencies in Becket formation choreography which are somewhat aggravating
and another which absolutely drives me up a wall. Other callers and
dancers don't seem to mind so much, but were it possible I would completely
avoid the dances which have the last one.
1. The first tendency has to do with diagonal figures, even though I like
them myself. They are often scrunched and uncomfortable, particularly
right and left throughs; people run into each other. Add to this the
slight disorientation for someone not used to diagonal figures, and it can
be unpleasant. In a nice open hall, they're perfectly fine. Not a problem
so much with the formation as with the fact that everyone is in the middle
all at once and it's confusing.
2. The second is what I like to call the "DeBecketize Manuever." How many
beckets start with, "Circle left 3/4 (and usually swing your neighbor" and
end with "Partner swing on the side!" (answer: TOO MANY) If all you are
going to do with the first move is take the dance out of Becket, it seems
like a cheap trick done just to make the dance "different." Again, not an
inherent problem of the formation, just a problem of choreographic
selection.
3. The third choreographic tendency is often tied to dances which feature
swings at the end of the dance: *partial or non progression*. This
problem, unlike the others, is actually made possible because of the
formation: such a difficulty isn't possible in a regular duple minor, and
it drives me absolutely NUTS. I have experienced a number of dances in
which the caller instructs the dancers to "fudge" or "maneuver" or
"sludge"
or some such to make the dance work. The contra doesn't actually progress
the couples down the line, but leaves them 1/2 progressed or
non-progressed--usually swinging partners on the outside, but not always.
Sliding up the outside from a circle is one thing; swinging on the outside
and fudging down the hall is another.
The annoyance of a non-progression can be mitigated if the caller teaches
it well (end facing across, look left and...), but to me the partial
progression problem always jars and simply seems to be excessively lazy
choreography.
Beak
Neal Schlein
Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library
Currently reading: *The Different Girl* by Gordon Dahlquist
Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system.
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 6:26 PM, John W Gintell via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
My favorite progression requires Becket formation:
circle left and then
slide up/down and circle with the next pair.
On Dec 10, 2015, at 6:43 PM, Greg Allan via
Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi,
That is a somewhat familiar story from my point of view. I dance in a
number of
different folk dancing communities - a varied program here in
Winnipeg. It's quite common, as people from one group attempt to get
interest from other dancing groups, that some people know what they like
and what they don't like, and that's that. For example, people who English
country dance often don't like contra because of the increased exertion and
tempo. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of triple minor dances. Everyone's
got their thing. But there's always a reason for it. It could be a bad
experience, or it could be a stylistic feature of a region, where everyone
does a figure in a way you find unpleasant. Hard to say. To leave an event
because someone programmed something you didn't like? ... I'm not sure to
make of it. You don't like it you don't like it, I suppose.
We don't do Becket formation here at all, really. If someone left at the
end
of a night because of Becket formation, I would assume they didn't want
to start learning new things late in the evening.
Greg
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
8:21 p.m.
New subject: Becket Formation
If confronted with that bias again, one could always point out that many
improper dances if started in the b section instead, become Becket dances
and vice versa.
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 8:25 PM, Neal Schlein via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Actually, I can see this.
As others suggested, it is probably a matter of the couple's prior poor
experiences with dances in Beckets. That said, there are two fairly common
tendencies in Becket formation choreography which are somewhat aggravating
and another which absolutely drives me up a wall. Other callers and
dancers don't seem to mind so much, but were it possible I would completely
avoid the dances which have the last one.
1. The first tendency has to do with diagonal figures, even though I like
them myself. They are often scrunched and uncomfortable, particularly
right and left throughs; people run into each other. Add to this the
slight disorientation for someone not used to diagonal figures, and it can
be unpleasant. In a nice open hall, they're perfectly fine. Not a problem
so much with the formation as with the fact that everyone is in the middle
all at once and it's confusing.
2. The second is what I like to call the "DeBecketize Manuever." How many
beckets start with, "Circle left 3/4 (and usually swing your neighbor" and
end with "Partner swing on the side!" (answer: TOO MANY) If all you are
going to do with the first move is take the dance out of Becket, it seems
like a cheap trick done just to make the dance "different." Again, not an
inherent problem of the formation, just a problem of choreographic
selection.
3. The third choreographic tendency is often tied to dances which feature
swings at the end of the dance: *partial or non progression*. This
problem, unlike the others, is actually made possible because of the
formation: such a difficulty isn't possible in a regular duple minor, and
it drives me absolutely NUTS. I have experienced a number of dances in
which the caller instructs the dancers to "fudge" or "maneuver" or
"sludge"
or some such to make the dance work. The contra doesn't actually progress
the couples down the line, but leaves them 1/2 progressed or
non-progressed--usually swinging partners on the outside, but not always.
Sliding up the outside from a circle is one thing; swinging on the outside
and fudging down the hall is another.
The annoyance of a non-progression can be mitigated if the caller teaches
it well (end facing across, look left and...), but to me the partial
progression problem always jars and simply seems to be excessively lazy
choreography.
Beak
Neal Schlein
Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library
Currently reading: *The Different Girl* by Gordon Dahlquist
Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system.
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 6:26 PM, John W Gintell via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
My favorite progression requires Becket
formation: circle left and then
slide up/down and circle with the next pair.
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
On Dec 10, 2015, at 6:43 PM, Greg Allan via
Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi,
That is a somewhat familiar story from my point of view. I dance in a
number of
different folk dancing communities - a varied program here in
Winnipeg. It's quite common, as people from one group attempt to get
interest from other dancing groups, that some people know what they like
and what they don't like, and that's that. For example, people who English
country dance often don't like contra because of the increased exertion and
tempo. Personally, I'm not much of a fan of triple minor dances. Everyone's
got their thing. But there's always a reason for it. It could be a bad
experience, or it could be a stylistic feature of a region, where everyone
does a figure in a way you find unpleasant. Hard to say. To leave an event
because someone programmed something you didn't like? ... I'm not sure to
make of it. You don't like it you don't like it, I suppose.
We don't do Becket formation here at all, really. If someone left at
the end
of a night because of Becket formation, I would assume they didn't
want to start learning new things late in the evening.
Greg
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
11 Dec
11 Dec
7:52 a.m.
New subject: Becket Formation
Well, any improper dance that has a partner swing on the side could be rephrased to be
Becket, actually it wouldn't even have to be a swing.. just a partner interaction that
ended facing across the set. So you could argue that just about ANY modern improper contra
dance "goes through" Becket formation at some time during the dance..
But, truth is, people are gonna do what they're gonna do and have their reasons. With
this particular couple it may not have had anything to do with Becket Formation at all!!
b
Date: Thu, 10 Dec 2015 23:21:08 -0500
To: nschlein(a)gmail.com
CC: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Becket Formation
From: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
If confronted with that bias again, one could always point out that many improper dances
if started in the b section instead, become Becket dances and vice versa.
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 8:25 PM, Neal Schlein via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Actually, I can see this.
As others suggested, it is probably a matter of the couple's prior poor experiences
with dances in Beckets. That said, there are two fairly common tendencies in Becket
formation choreography which are somewhat aggravating and another which absolutely drives
me up a wall. Other callers and dancers don't seem to mind so much, but were it
possible I would completely avoid the dances which have the last one.
1. The first tendency has to do with diagonal figures, even though I like them myself.
They are often scrunched and uncomfortable, particularly right and left throughs; people
run into each other. Add to this the slight disorientation for someone not used to
diagonal figures, and it can be unpleasant. In a nice open hall, they're perfectly
fine. Not a problem so much with the formation as with the fact that everyone is in the
middle all at once and it's confusing.
2. The second is what I like to call the "DeBecketize Manuever." How many
beckets start with, "Circle left 3/4 (and usually swing your neighbor" and end
with "Partner swing on the side!" (answer: TOO MANY) If all you are going to
do with the first move is take the dance out of Becket, it seems like a cheap trick done
just to make the dance "different." Again, not an inherent problem of the
formation, just a problem of choreographic selection.
3. The third choreographic tendency is often tied to dances which feature swings at the
end of the dance: partial or non progression. This problem, unlike the others, is
actually made possible because of the formation: such a difficulty isn't possible in a
regular duple minor, and it drives me absolutely NUTS. I have experienced a number of
dances in which the caller instructs the dancers to "fudge" or
"maneuver" or "sludge" or some such to make the dance work. The
contra doesn't actually progress the couples down the line, but leaves them 1/2
progressed or non-progressed--usually swinging partners on the outside, but not always.
Sliding up the outside from a circle is one thing; swinging on the outside and fudging
down the hall is another.
The annoyance of a non-progression can be mitigated if the caller teaches it well (end
facing across, look left and...), but to me the partial progression problem always jars
and simply seems to be excessively lazy choreography.BeakNeal SchleinYouth Services
Librarian, Mahomet Public Library
Currently reading: The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist
Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system.
On Thu, Dec 10, 2015 at 6:26 PM, John W Gintell via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
My favorite progression requires Becket formation: circle left and then slide up/down and
circle with the next pair.
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
On Dec 10, 2015, at 6:43 PM, Greg Allan via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi,
That is a somewhat familiar story from my point of
view. I dance in a number of different folk dancing communities - a varied program here in
Winnipeg. It's quite common, as people from one group attempt to get interest from
other dancing groups, that some people know what they like and what they don't like,
and that's that. For example, people who English country dance often don't like
contra because of the increased exertion and tempo. Personally, I'm not much of a fan
of triple minor dances. Everyone's got their thing. But there's always a reason
for it. It could be a bad experience, or it could be a stylistic feature of a region,
where everyone does a figure in a way you find unpleasant. Hard to say. To leave an event
because someone programmed something you didn't like? ... I'm not sure to make of
it. You don't like it you don't like it, I suppose.
We don't do Becket formation here at all, really.
If someone left at the end of a night because of Becket formation, I would assume they
didn't want to start learning new things late in the evening.
Greg
3401
days inactive
3402
days old
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
4 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
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Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers -
Bill Olson via Callers
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Greg Allan via Callers
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John W Gintell via Callers
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Neal Schlein via Callers