5 Feb
2008
5 Feb
'08
2:09 a.m.
Hi Callers,
Rebecca Lay here in Brattleboro, Vermont. I'm reorganizing my dance cards
tonight; putting them in categories that I've determined by asking myself
the question: "What is the figure that defines this dance?" So, I've got a
section for full-hey dances, those that include a Petronella figure, dances
that go down the hall, etc. I've got plenty of categories (well, at least I
think I do), and I still have some dances that don't seem to fit into a
category.
The dance that's most puzzling to me right now is Mary Cay's Reel, by David
Kaynor. The defining figure in this dance is when the women "chain the
set," but I don't have a category for that, since this is the only dance in
my repertoire that contains the figure. I've thought about adding this
dance to my "wave" category, since the chain-the-set is sort-of like a
momentary wave, but I feel like that might be a stretch.
Any ideas? How would you categorize this dance?
(And, do you have any more dances you like to call that include a
chain-the-set figure? I like it!)
Thanks, everyone.
-Rebecca
5 Feb
5 Feb
3:20 a.m.
I have a generic category for those dances with a unique, distinctive
bit of choreography (Wizard's Walk and Beneficial Tradition, for
example). I figure it's unique if I've got only one or two dances with a
particular figure, and I usually won't plan more than one of that group
in a program. I do think of Mary Cay's Reel as a "wave" dance, but that
reflects my approach to programming.
Bob
Rebecca Lay wrote:
set," but I don't have a category for that,
since this is the only dance in
my repertoire that contains the figure. I've thought about adding this
dance to my "wave" category, since the chain-the-set is sort-of like a
momentary wave, but I feel like that might be a stretch.
2:05 p.m.
I have a category called "Allemande-y" for dances with many allemandes, or a
feeling of hand-to-hand. That covers dances like Mary Cay's or Lost and Found (Tom
Hind's gents version) or Southern Swing (with the allemande to a swing thru to
allemande).
My problem is all those dances that don't have any distinctive figure at all. I have a
category called basic, which is good for easy dances, or first dances of the evening. But
I have all these other dances that have a high piece count and I wouldn't call easy,
but aren't particularly distinctive.
Probably, I should put them in the category called "Trash" because I tend not to
call them anyway. I have all these dances in my box I don't call, but cannot bring
myself to winnow out!
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-
bounces(a)sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Rebecca Lay
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 9:10 PM
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] organizing dance cards
Hi Callers,
Rebecca Lay here in Brattleboro, Vermont. I'm reorganizing my dance
cards
tonight; putting them in categories that I've determined by asking
myself
the question: "What is the figure that defines this dance?" So, I've
got a
section for full-hey dances, those that include a Petronella figure,
dances
that go down the hall, etc. I've got plenty of categories (well, at
least I
think I do), and I still have some dances that don't seem to fit into a
category.
The dance that's most puzzling to me right now is Mary Cay's Reel, by
David
Kaynor. The defining figure in this dance is when the women "chain the
set," but I don't have a category for that, since this is the only
dance in
my repertoire that contains the figure. I've thought about adding this
dance to my "wave" category, since the chain-the-set is sort-of like a
momentary wave, but I feel like that might be a stretch.
Any ideas? How would you categorize this dance?
(And, do you have any more dances you like to call that include a
chain-the-set figure? I like it!)
Thanks, everyone.
-Rebecca
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6 Feb
6 Feb
8:43 p.m.
On 2/4/08, Rebecca Lay <rlay28(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Any ideas? How would you categorize this dance?
Right now I have index cards with moves where I list
all the dances with those moves. (Thus handling dances
that have multiple features.) And yes, there's one labeled
"Mary Cay's move." Entries on it are:
David Kay's Reel (Bob Isaacs) (M2, W2)
Eric on Mondays (David Kaynor) (M3)
Family Tree (Gene Hubert) (W2, W2)
Lost and Found (Tom Hinds) (M3)
Mary Cay's Reel (David Kaynor) (W2)
What Goes Around, Comes Around (Bob Isaacs) (W2)
Whirlybirds on Hyperdrive (Bob Isaacs) (W2)
(The whole M/W 2/3 bit is who's in the center, and how many
people they allemande with in the center.)
Whirlybirds of Hyperdrive is complex, and Lost and Found
is rather inactive for the women, but the others are interesting.
And most all of them correct for the person on the side, so there's
no need to have the person on the side shift left/right like in Mary
Cay's Reel.
As for the dances that have no distinguishing feature at all, I give
the the informal designation "Contra Slurry." (Perhaps a better-souding
category would be "Contra Puree." Many of those right
now are sitting in a dusty pile in my room marked "culled," along
with a note on the card as to why it's been banished.
-Chris Page
San Diego
8 Feb
8 Feb
2:57 a.m.
Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> on Monday, February 4,
2008 at 9:09 PM +0000 wrote:
I'm reorganizing my dance cards
...
The dance that's most puzzling to me right now is
Mary Cay's Reel
I often sort my dances by storyline, so for me the defining move of Mary
Cay's is that the women do something special WITH EACH OTHER, while the
men look on/cheer.
There is a very specific social thing that happens at moments like this -
( other examples: "ladies down center 2 by 2 with each other" or "men
gypsy each other" ) - when one gender displays and the other watches
(and BOY does that other gender like to watch sometime!)
so Mary Cay's, for me, goes in the "Gender Fun" category.
Other categories include "Where did my partner go - wait, how did you end
up THERE?" and "Look at me aren't I cool?"
We all get caught sometimes - we just can't seem to find a next dance that
doesn't repeat the previous one in some way - the same starting move, the
same progression, yet aNOTHer down-the-hall-in-lines-of-four.
At moments like this, I often opt to go for the dance with the most
different "storyline" or "social structure", and ask the band for a
contrasting tune type, in the (perhaps naive) belief that the dancers
won't notice repeating move so much if, say, the first one struts and the
second one slinks.
Cheers,
Amy
3:18 p.m.
I love your posts, Amy.
Write a book!
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf
Of Amy Cann
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 9:58 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] organizing dance cards
Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> on Monday, February 4,
2008 at 9:09 PM +0000 wrote:
I'm reorganizing my dance cards
...
The dance that's most puzzling to me right now is
Mary Cay's Reel
I often sort my dances by storyline, so for me the defining move of Mary
Cay's is that the women do something special WITH EACH OTHER, while the
men look on/cheer.
There is a very specific social thing that happens at moments like this -
( other examples: "ladies down center 2 by 2 with each other" or "men
gypsy each other" ) - when one gender displays and the other watches
(and BOY does that other gender like to watch sometime!)
so Mary Cay's, for me, goes in the "Gender Fun" category.
Other categories include "Where did my partner go - wait, how did you end
up THERE?" and "Look at me aren't I cool?"
We all get caught sometimes - we just can't seem to find a next dance that
doesn't repeat the previous one in some way - the same starting move, the
same progression, yet aNOTHer down-the-hall-in-lines-of-four.
At moments like this, I often opt to go for the dance with the most
different "storyline" or "social structure", and ask the band for a
contrasting tune type, in the (perhaps naive) belief that the dancers
won't notice repeating move so much if, say, the first one struts and the
second one slinks.
Cheers,
Amy
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Callers(a)sharedweight.net
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12 Feb
12 Feb
4:13 p.m.
Hi Folks,
Coming out of LURK mode.
Many years ago, while calling a dance in Milwaukee, i noticed that
my selection of dances all had "down the middle 4 in line." Ouch.
To help me avoid this obvious programming faux pas, i started a
computer data base of my dance cards. I code each dance with its main
moves/story line: ie. both couples swing. Each of my cards now has
a number on it. I've printed out my list of dances several ways,
since i don't have a lap top at the dance, And when i need to change
programs on the fly, i can usually find what i need in the listing.
The biggest advantage to this system is that, if you put the cards
back in order after the dance, you can easily find the card the next
time.
Hope this may help,
Tom Senior (chicagoland)
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On
Behalf Of Amy Cann
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 9:58 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] organizing dance cards
Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> on Monday, February 4,
2008 at 9:09 PM +0000 wrote:
--
Tom Senior
Dance while you can.
I'm reorganizing my dance cards
...
The dance that's most puzzling to me right now
is Mary Cay's Reel
I often sort my dances by storyline, so for me the defining move of Mary
Cay's is that the women do something special WITH EACH OTHER, while the
men look on/cheer.
There is a very specific social thing that happens at moments like this -
( other examples: "ladies down center 2 by 2 with each other" or "men
gypsy each other" ) - when one gender displays and the other watches
(and BOY does that other gender like to watch sometime!)
so Mary Cay's, for me, goes in the "Gender Fun" category.
Other categories include "Where did my partner go - wait, how did you end
up THERE?" and "Look at me aren't I cool?"
We all get caught sometimes - we just can't seem to find a next dance that
doesn't repeat the previous one in some way - the same starting move, the
same progression, yet aNOTHer down-the-hall-in-lines-of-four.
At moments like this, I often opt to go for the dance with the most
different "storyline" or "social structure", and ask the band for a
contrasting tune type, in the (perhaps naive) belief that the dancers
won't notice repeating move so much if, say, the first one struts and the
second one slinks.
Cheers,
Amy
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http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
_______________________________________________
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11:49 p.m.
I'd be interested in knowing your category system and how you number
them. I've seen a number of different systems, and am still working
on one for myself.
Jack
At 11:13 AM 2/12/2008, you wrote:
Hi Folks,
Coming out of LURK mode.
Many years ago, while calling a dance in Milwaukee, i noticed that
my selection of dances all had "down the middle 4 in line." Ouch.
To help me avoid this obvious programming faux pas, i started a
computer data base of my dance cards. I code each dance with its main
moves/story line: ie. both couples swing. Each of my cards now has
a number on it. I've printed out my list of dances several ways,
since i don't have a lap top at the dance, And when i need to change
programs on the fly, i can usually find what i need in the listing.
The biggest advantage to this system is that, if you put the cards
back in order after the dance, you can easily find the card the next
time.
Hope this may help,
Tom Senior (chicagoland)
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net]
On Behalf Of Amy Cann
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 9:58 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] organizing dance cards
Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> on Monday, February 4,
2008 at 9:09 PM +0000 wrote:
--
Tom Senior
Dance while you can.
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers I'm reorganizing my dance cards
...
The dance that's most puzzling to me right now
is Mary Cay's Reel
I often sort my dances by storyline, so for me the defining move of Mary
Cay's is that the women do something special WITH EACH OTHER, while the
men look on/cheer.
There is a very specific social thing that happens at moments like this -
( other examples: "ladies down center 2 by 2 with each other" or "men
gypsy each other" ) - when one gender displays and the other watches
(and BOY does that other gender like to watch sometime!)
so Mary Cay's, for me, goes in the "Gender Fun" category.
Other categories include "Where did my partner go - wait, how did you end
up THERE?" and "Look at me aren't I cool?"
We all get caught sometimes - we just can't seem to find a next dance that
doesn't repeat the previous one in some way - the same starting move, the
same progression, yet aNOTHer down-the-hall-in-lines-of-four.
At moments like this, I often opt to go for the dance with the most
different "storyline" or "social structure", and ask the band for a
contrasting tune type, in the (perhaps naive) belief that the dancers
won't notice repeating move so much if, say, the first one struts and the
second one slinks.
Cheers,
Amy
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Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
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7 comments
8 participants
participants (8)
-
Amy Cann -
Bob Hofkin -
Chris Page -
Jack Mitchell -
Lindsay Morris -
Rebecca Lay -
Tepfer, Seth -
Thomas J Senior