17 Oct
2015
17 Oct
'15
8:02 p.m.
I’ve been asked to call a one hour set in a rural heritage hall for a party for about 130
folks. There will be two sets at the end of the evening with a Blues Band. Yep, its a bit
odd, but the organizer wants to bring all his various friends together and thought,
rightly, that having someone organize some dancing would help that along. Has anyone ever
called a community dance (circle mixers, scatter sets, longways, maybe a square) to a
blues band? The band seems willing to work with me. Any suggestions about what to say to
them so that I could call La Bastringue or Galopede, for example, and it would work?
Any suggestions for youtube links for a caller calling to something other than the usual
trad tune? I could bring in a fiddler and ask the band to back the fiddler up. Any advice
on doing it that way?
Is this so ridiculous that you’re all doubled over laughing? People will be there not
because they are blues lovers so much as their buddy is throwing a party.
In any case, I’d be grateful for advice
Leslie Gotfrit
18 Oct
18 Oct
12:24 a.m.
With the right cooperation from the band it could work out just fine. I've called
contras to all sorts of music, including Romanian folksongs. But, you do need to talk
with them about the fact that every tune needs to be 32 bars and of uniform tempo. (And
the tempo should be an appropriate one.) The AABB structure that we are used to is nice,
but you can probably cope with ABCD if that is what they will play. It will help if you
can get a recording of them playing, so you can get used to timing your calls.
Sent from my iPhone
On Oct 17, 2015, at 8:02 PM, Leslie Gotfrit via
Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I’ve been asked to call a one hour set in a rural heritage hall for a party for about 130
folks. There will be two sets at the end of the evening with a Blues Band. Yep, its a bit
odd, but the organizer wants to bring all his various friends together and thought,
rightly, that having someone organize some dancing would help that along. Has anyone ever
called a community dance (circle mixers, scatter sets, longways, maybe a square) to a
blues band? The band seems willing to work with me. Any suggestions about what to say to
them so that I could call La Bastringue or Galopede, for example, and it would work?
Any suggestions for youtube links for a caller calling to something other than the usual
trad tune? I could bring in a fiddler and ask the band to back the fiddler up. Any advice
on doing it that way?
Is this so ridiculous that you’re all doubled over laughing? People will be there not
because they are blues lovers so much as their buddy is throwing a party.
In any case, I’d be grateful for advice
Leslie Gotfrit
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1:12 a.m.
On 2015-10-17 2002, Leslie Gotfrit via Callers wrote:
snip
In any case, I’d be grateful for advice
Leslie Gotfrit
Try it. Maybe. <grin>
I worked a Contra series dance with my first (advertised as such) old
time band tonight. The No Jigs thing initially felt a bit unsettling,
however the musicianship and music was great. No medleys, which I'm fine
with, and a bit of joint effort looking for variety had it work out
well. I'd mentioned all the basic parameters and communications points
prior to the event and tonight we went over them before the intro
session this series hosts.
This past summer I worked with my first Bluegrass band. I'd been
concerned a bit with that as well. A "Contra", really a barn dance/ONS
on "grass" (beaten down by the sheep for a few years), worked out well.
I covered off the points John Rogers made about tempo, length with both
of them. Also starts and endings, who to talk to about what, how to
speed up/slow down (if possible.) All the usual things.
A few weeks ago I attended a free, intro night of MWSD. The point I took
away from that was that someone could really use any music if it met the
basic criteria. There were Beatles tunes/songs, pop "standards" and
such. Not much in the way of tune as many of us might generally expect
or appreciate.
A number of callers I've experienced have offered the old saw that a
dancers need for rhythm might just as easily be met by a drum stick
attached to a car wiper as a band.
If the band is not an established one, or don't have a recording, some
practises/time with several of them playing prior to the event might
prove useful. It might also be a chance to introduce some of the key points.
A friend was working with a "Celtic" band a winter ago and had to work
mostly on -- endurance, even tempo, how to start and end. Doing so
seemed to suck up quite a bit of energy and take several sessions.
So, it appears it is also good to know when to bail on an idea in some
fashion if it appears bleak. For any of these one may require more lead
time/contact time that might be expected.
Cheers, John
--
J.D. Erskine
Victoria, BC
Island Dance - Folk & Country
Vancouver Island & BC islands
dance info - site & mail list
http://members.shaw.ca/island.dance/
20 Oct
20 Oct
4:29 p.m.
On Sun, Oct 18, 2015, JD Erskine iDance via Callers wrote:
A few weeks ago I attended a free, intro night of MWSD. The point I took
away from that was that someone could really use any music if it met the
basic criteria. There were Beatles tunes/songs, pop "standards" and such.
Not much in the way of tune as many of us might generally expect or
appreciate.
One MWSD caller I know likes to use John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell"
March -- aka the theme from Monty Python. I find that somewhat
distracting as I keep expecting to hear the *STOMP*.
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
4:38 p.m.
New subject: Fw: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
I believe Eric Hoffman has a dance called Flying Circus. I worked with a band several
years ago to play Liberty Bell March - it was a lot of fun
Mac McKeever
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Aahz Maruch via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2015 6:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
On Sun, Oct 18, 2015, JD Erskine iDance via Callers wrote:
A few weeks ago I attended a free, intro night of MWSD. The point I took
away from that was that someone could really use any music if it met the
basic criteria. There were Beatles tunes/songs, pop "standards" and such.
Not much in the way of tune as many of us might generally expect or
appreciate.
One MWSD caller I know likes to use John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell"
March -- aka the theme from Monty Python. I find that somewhat
distracting as I keep expecting to hear the *STOMP*.
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
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8:58 p.m.
New subject: Fw: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
Yes, years ago I traveled with the Contra Bandits to a Knoxville dance
weekend. (At least I think it was Knoxville...) The band wanted to play
The Liberty Bell. I thought it needed a 4-beat thing at the end of every
part, like a balance. I half succeeded...
Flying Circus
Becket
Erik Hoffman
A1 Pass Thru to an ocean wave (4), Balance (4)
Partner Allemande Right 3/4 to long waves (Men face out – Left
hand with first Shadow)(4), Balance (4)
A2 Allemande Left first Shadow 3/4 to wave with Men in the middle
(4), Balance (4)
Walk forward to wave with Parnter in left hand (4), Balance (4)
B1 Men pull by with Right to a Neighbor Swing
B2 on the Right Diagonal: Women chain--to second Shadow (8); Partner
Swing (8) ("fall into your Partner’s arms")
On 10/20/2015 4:38 PM, Mac Mckeever via Callers wrote:
I believe Eric Hoffman has a dance called Flying
Circus. I worked
with a band several years ago to play Liberty Bell March - it was a
lot of fun
Mac McKeever
----- Forwarded Message -----
*From:* Aahz Maruch via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*To:* callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
*Sent:* Tuesday, October 20, 2015 6:29 PM
*Subject:* Re: [Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
On Sun, Oct 18, 2015, JD Erskine iDance via Callers wrote:
A few weeks ago I attended a free, intro night of MWSD. The point I took
away from that was that someone could really use any music if it met the
basic criteria. There were Beatles tunes/songs, pop "standards" and
such.
Not much in the way of tune as many of us might
generally expect or
appreciate.
One MWSD caller I know likes to use John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell"
March -- aka the theme from Monty Python. I find that somewhat
distracting as I keep expecting to hear the *STOMP*.
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
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contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
5 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
Aahz Maruch via Callers -
Erik Hoffman via Callers
-
JD Erskine iDance via Callers
-
John Rogers via Callers
-
Leslie Gotfrit via Callers
-
Mac Mckeever via Callers