Hi all.
I've recently enjoyed leading Ellen's Green Jig (and modified versions of) in both
Sicilian and Contra-formation. I found this dual-method to be particually effective during
the lesson or at the beginning of an evening that's community or family-oriented, at
wedding/special events, or when the "bus load of beginners" walk in.
First, I teach the dance in Sicilian formation. The benefits of this include: 1) I can
quickly get folks moving, laughing, and having fun without too much instruction2)
Introduce the balance and swing move, as well as identify 1's and 2's as each take
a turn to try it.
3) Dancers tend to pay attention to the calls because I modify the moves through my calls
as in square/KY set dancing
4) I can avoid discussing "improper"/changing over at the heads since the
Sicilian circle is, in essence, a contra dance longways set that has been bent around so
the ends meet so that dancers stay active or inactive throughout the dance.
If and when appropriate, after several times through the dance with music, we promenade
around the ring, and form long lines and dance it contra-style. Since dancers already know
the dance, I can address the "improper" issue without creating too much
confusion.
Sincerely,Wendy Graham
970-903-9402
PO Box 806 Durango, Co 81302
From: callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> Subject:
Callers Digest, Vol 38, Issue 6> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net> Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007
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1. Re: Ellen's Green Jig (David Millstone) (Chip Hedler)> 2. Tweaked version of
Ellen's Green Jig (Chip Hedler)> > >
----------------------------------------------------------------------> > Message:
1> Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2007 17:25:47 -0400> From: "Chip Hedler"
<CHedler(a)rumney.org>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Ellen's Green Jig (David
Millstone)> To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>> Message-ID:>
<3AC8A721C63BB34282D076C566F5868001D2F642(a)adminserver9u32.U32.ORG>> Content-Type:
text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"> > David Millstone had provided the
figures for a dance proven to be as close to sure-fire as a genuine contra can get at
many, many events I've called where the dancers are all beginners and very young
and/or very old. I find it much more effective than Jefferson and Liberty, a
"chestnut" often recommended for beginners.> > Ellen's Green Jig (Roy
Dommett) > longways, duple minor> > A1 Do-si-do neighbor > Do-si-do partner
> > A2 Ones balance and swing> > B1 Circle left; Circle right> > B2
Square dance figure, Duck for the Oyster, Dive for the Clam: Still joined in> a circle,
twos arch and ones duck partially under and then back up to place.> Ones arch and twos
duck under and then back up. Ones duck all the way through> Twos' arch, drop hands
with old neighbors to meet new neighbors.) > > "Duck for the oyster, dive for
the clam, duck through the hole in the old tin> can" or similar patter> >
========================> > Here's a dance based on Ellen's Green Jig that
has turned out to be very nearly as successful with more action and stronger
connection:> > A1: Couples ("partners welded together") do-si-do each
other; all four circle LEFT (flows very nicely; could do in opposite order)> > A2:
All balance and swing (or just the ones, if you need the twos to keep the ones oriented
correctly when the swing ends)> > B1: Right-hand star; circle RIGHT> > B2:
Same as Ellen's Green Jig. I describe the duck/peek through the arch as a sneak
preview> of both couples' final destination and have twos initiate the progression
by carrying their arch over the ones, who should duck down and then step forward through
the arch. Otherwise, the set migrates away from the music significantly.> > This is
a good dance for introducing stuff like the improper formation and the orthodox way to end
a swing, but ignoring both of those issues has not impaired its success.> > Chip
Hedler> chiph(a)rumney.org> chedler(a)rumney.org> > -------------- next part
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> > ------------------------------> > Message: 2> Date: Thu, 4 Oct 2007
06:34:25 -0400 (EDT)> From: "Chip Hedler" <chiph(a)rumney.org>>
Subject: [Callers] Tweaked version of Ellen's Green Jig> To:
callers(a)sharedweight.net> Message-ID:>
<51001.216.57.115.226.1191494065.squirrel(a)earthcovenant.org>> Content-Type:
text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1> > -- > Jerome Grisanti
(
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com) asked me where a tweaked> version of Ellen's Green
Jig comes from. The source would be me, but I> never got around to naming it. If folks
think it's worthy of an> independent identity, maybe it should be "Knights of
Pythias" because> that's the little hall in Danville where I started
substituting it for> Ellen's Green Jig a good number of years ago.> > The
dance again, with a few of the walkthrough cues that have helped> beginners:> >
> A1: Couples ("partners welded together") slide left into a do-si-do
around> each other; all four circle LEFT (flows very nicely; could do in opposite>
order)> > A2: All balance and swing (or just the ones, if you need the twos to
keep> the ones oriented correctly when the swing ends); "face the other
couple"> > B1: Right-hand star; circle RIGHT to home place, "keep the
circle"> > B2: With hands joined all the while, twos arch, ones duck under
and> retreat; ones arch and twos duck; "twos over, ones under, on to the
next."> > > Chip Hedler> chiph(a)rumney.org> chedler(a)rumney.org> >
> ------------------------------> >
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> End of Callers Digest, Vol 38, Issue 6> **************************************
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