18 Sep
2013
18 Sep
'13
5:04 p.m.
I mostly try to collect dances on the hoof so that I know how they feel
from the floor, but sometimes I do end up calling dances I haven't done
before, ones that I've gotten either from other callers or from written
sources. When looking at a dance in note form, how do you figure out
when it's likely to have end effects?
There's a particular becket dance I'm looking at right now, called Weeks
On The Road, by Al Olson (I just realized I've been spelling it "Olsen"
for some time. My apologies)
A1 On L diagonal, ladies chain
Across the set, 1/2 hey (wo by R)
A2 Balance and swing the neighbor you chained to
B1 Circle L 3/4
Balance the ring and CA twirl
B2 P balance and swing
If the dance starts with a neutral couple out at the end, that neutral
lady can chain in so that the complete foursome can do the dance, but if
there's no neutral couple to chain with, should the foursome dance with
a ghost, having sent that lady out to chain with nobody, or should the
lady who would normally chain out simply dance that round with her
partner as though she had just chained in from the end? If she does
that (ignore the chain on the diagonal and start the dance at the 1/2
hey), then she and her partner will wind up out at the end for the
balance and swing, which I guess is just fine. Hmm. OK, I seem to have
answered my own specific question here, but I'm still curious about the
general issue of how to tell when a dance is likely to have something
tricky at the ends.
Movement on the diagonal seems like an obvious warning sign. Another
one that I encountered a few nights ago is in Moon and Star Contra by
Don Flaherty, where a ring balance and CA twirl in the A1 leaves a cpl
alone at the ends for a very short wait while their original neighbors
star with someone else and then come back for a balance and swing. I
was noticing that everyone immediately crossed over, which is usually a
good impulse. In this case, though, they needed to just stay put and
wait for their neighbors to return. With the dance in progress, I
couldn't find a graceful way to give that information from the mic since
it was aimed at just 8 people out of the whole room, but was needed over
and over. I settled for sidling up behind occasional couples at the top
and telling them not to cross over, but there was still a lot of
confusion. So I guess another end-effect indicator would be short-term
movement out of the minor set? What else should I be watching for?
Kalia
18 Sep
18 Sep
5:22 p.m.
oops, that's by BILL Olson, so guess I can chime in.. (The "en"
"on" thing I have been putting up with all my life, suppose Al has too). Where
did you find this dance as written by Al if I may ask??
First of all, the dance was written as starting at your B2 and it's "balance the
ring", partner swing.. but anyway it's technically a backwards Becket.. When I
call the dance I just tell the band to add an extra B to the music so you get the partner
B&S at the end.. But you can call it the way you've written it.. Personally I like
the tension that builds up when you are coming to the end of the dance and your partner is
no where around and all of a sudden the dance starts and there he or she is!! The end
effects are pretty standard for a dance that has a diagonal figure that goes out of the
minor set..
In this particular case I tell dancers only to do the figure on the L diagonal if there is
someone there, otherwise stay put.. When there is a couple out at the end, you can tell
that couple to be ready for the chain (i.e. don't be snoozing or practicing a fancy
"swing hold", etc etc) and possibly move around so to be more on the left
diagonal. After the chain I like to tell the gent who has been waiting out to "hold
the woman back" because she sort of thinks she's still in the dance, and then to
square off at the end of the set..
To get people to line up "Backwards Becket" (if you try that) line up improper
hands 4 then women change places..
bill
Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 14:04:54 -0700
From: kalia(a)sbcglobal.net
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Evaluating/anticipating end effects
I mostly try to collect dances on the hoof so that I know how they feel
from the floor, but sometimes I do end up calling dances I haven't done
before, ones that I've gotten either from other callers or from written
sources. When looking at a dance in note form, how do you figure out
when it's likely to have end effects?
There's a particular becket dance I'm looking at right now, called Weeks
On The Road, by Al Olson (I just realized I've been spelling it "Olsen"
for some time. My apologies)
A1 On L diagonal, ladies chain
Across the set, 1/2 hey (wo by R)
A2 Balance and swing the neighbor you chained to
B1 Circle L 3/4
Balance the ring and CA twirl
B2 P balance and swing
If the dance starts with a neutral couple out at the end, that neutral
lady can chain in so that the complete foursome can do the dance, but if
there's no neutral couple to chain with, should the foursome dance with
a ghost, having sent that lady out to chain with nobody, or should the
lady who would normally chain out simply dance that round with her
partner as though she had just chained in from the end? If she does
that (ignore the chain on the diagonal and start the dance at the 1/2
hey), then she and her partner will wind up out at the end for the
balance and swing, which I guess is just fine. Hmm. OK, I seem to have
answered my own specific question here, but I'm still curious about the
general issue of how to tell when a dance is likely to have something
tricky at the ends.
Movement on the diagonal seems like an obvious warning sign. Another
one that I encountered a few nights ago is in Moon and Star Contra by
Don Flaherty, where a ring balance and CA twirl in the A1 leaves a cpl
alone at the ends for a very short wait while their original neighbors
star with someone else and then come back for a balance and swing. I
was noticing that everyone immediately crossed over, which is usually a
good impulse. In this case, though, they needed to just stay put and
wait for their neighbors to return. With the dance in progress, I
couldn't find a graceful way to give that information from the mic since
it was aimed at just 8 people out of the whole room, but was needed over
and over. I settled for sidling up behind occasional couples at the top
and telling them not to cross over, but there was still a lot of
confusion. So I guess another end-effect indicator would be short-term
movement out of the minor set? What else should I be watching for?
Kalia
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6:01 p.m.
On 9/18/2013 2:22 PM, Bill Olson wrote:
oops, that's by BILL Olson, so guess I can chime
in.. (The "en" "on" thing I have been putting up with all my life,
suppose Al has too). Where did you find this dance as written by Al if I may ask??
Oh jeepers, I'm so sorry. I got the dance from Seth Tepfer, but the
mistake is most likely my own. I picked it up at a camp and was writing
in a hurry. Thank you for the correction.
While looking for your version of it I found another copy with the start
on the left diagonal here:
http://www.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers/attachments/20041014/66bb6ed1…
At least your name is right :>) Not sure where the variation came from.
First of all, the dance was written as starting at
your B2 and it's "balance the ring", partner swing.
...so after the CA twirl connect into a new ring for the balance rather
than going straight to your partner?
but anyway it's technically a backwards Becket..
When I call the dance I just tell the band to add an extra B to the music so you get the
partner B&S at the end..
Nice solution.
But you can call it the way you've written it..
Personally I like the tension that builds up when you are coming to the end of the dance
and your partner is no where around and all of a sudden the dance starts and there he or
she is!!
Presto!
The end effects are pretty standard for a dance that
has a diagonal
figure that goes out of the minor set..
That's the sort of thing I'm trying to get a handle on; those "standard"
end effects.
After the chain I like to tell the gent who has been
waiting out to "hold the woman back" because she sort of thinks she's still
in the dance, and then to square off at the end of the set..
Square off improper, yes?
To get people to line up "Backwards Becket"
(if you try that) line up improper hands 4 then women change places..
So if I'm starting from the L diagonal chain, I'd want standard becket,
but to start as intended, from the P balance and swing, backwards
becket? Do I have that right?
Kalia
19 Sep
19 Sep
1:10 a.m.
To first approximation, any time there is activity outside the minor set
there is an end effect. How confusing it is depends in large part on
often the dancers have encountered that effect.
There are dances where you work our way up and down the set turning or
passing by second, third, or even more neighbors before returning to
your original neighbor. At the ends you need to wrap around and treat
your partner as your nth neighbor. It's pretty straighforward if you
have enough dancers who have done it before, but the farther from home
you stray, the more confusing it gets to some people.
There is potential for disruption if the progression does not come at
the end of B2 and the couple at the end is showboating rather than
preparing to rejoin the line. That's always true, but more likely with
a double progression or any other nonstandard timing.
On 9/18/2013 4:04 PM, Kalia Kliban wrote:
Hmm. OK, I seem to have answered my own specific
question here, but
I'm still curious about the general issue of how to tell when a dance
is likely to have something tricky at the ends.
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3 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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Bill Olson -
David Harding -
Kalia Kliban