13 Mar
2018
13 Mar
'18
5:58 p.m.
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a dance before arriving
at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for on the fly
programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
13 Mar
13 Mar
6:06 p.m.
Usually from 2-4 hours, I’d say. I plan in alternatives for harder dances, and I also
provide suggestions to the band for what sorts of tunes are needed, smooth, bouncy,
marchy, where the balances are. I always pre-program. Occasionally I have to change
something on the fly, but not usually an entire dance.
Martha
On Mar 13, 2018, at 10:58 AM, Rich Sbardella via
Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a dance before arriving at a venue.
If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
6:14 p.m.
I like to have a program of dances selected and laid out for my gigs.
Of course I know that sometimes the prepared program has to be
departed from, or completely replaced, but I like to at least start from
the point of having a prepared program.
For a typical contra dance I will spend an hour or so selecting
dances and getting them in order. This may be a bit longer if I'm
trying any new dances that need to be written up. Then I always
practice all of the dances, even old familiar ones and especially any
new ones. I practice both the walk-through and calling to music. This
usually takes an hour or so as well. I usually do the preparation a day
or two before the day of the dance. Extra time, and more advanced
planning, may be needed if I'm coordinating with the band on any of the
dances.
The process is similar for English dances, but often takes more
time. It also needs to be done well in advance so that the band can be
informed of the dances.
Jonathan
-----
Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
-----
Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
On 3/13/2018 12:58 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a
dance before
arriving at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach
for on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
9:28 p.m.
This is why they pay us the big bucks!
My process is very much like Jonathan. My calling took a big leap forward when I started
paying more attention to what I would say during the walk-thru, and practicing saying it
out loud as concisely as possible (Lisa Greenleaf influence!).
Jean
On Mar 13, 2018, at 11:14 AM, Jonathan Sivier via
Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I like to have a program of dances selected and laid out for my gigs. Of course I know
that sometimes the prepared program has to be departed from, or completely replaced, but I
like to at least start from the point of having a prepared program.
For a typical contra dance I will spend an hour or so selecting dances and getting them
in order. This may be a bit longer if I'm trying any new dances that need to be
written up. Then I always practice all of the dances, even old familiar ones and
especially any new ones. I practice both the walk-through and calling to music. This
usually takes an hour or so as well. I usually do the preparation a day or two before the
day of the dance. Extra time, and more advanced planning, may be needed if I'm
coordinating with the band on any of the dances.
The process is similar for English dances, but often takes more time. It also needs to
be done well in advance so that the band can be informed of the dances.
Jonathan
-----
Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
-----
Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
On 3/13/2018 12:58 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan
programming a dance before arriving at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your
approach for on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ 
10:04 p.m.
As a new caller I spend way too many hours preparing. I used to start weeks in advance,
just so I could read all the choreography books I have. Now I’m down to 1 or 2 weeks. LOL.
Where I’m spending most of my time nowadays is developing a sense of “story” and
“biorhythm” to the program, and not just a logical progression of complexity. I look
forward to getting it down to an hour!
By now I have been through my library enough and called enough that I have a couple
special folders of fallback easy/fun/low-turnout dances to rely on when I need them.
Having fallbacks makes programming simpler (thus faster) so I don’t need an absurd
flowchart. (Yes, I tried that once.)
On Mar 13, 2018, at 17:28, Jean Gibson-Gorrindo via
Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
My calling took a big leap forward when I started paying more attention to what I would
say during the walk-thru, and practicing saying it out loud as concisely as possible (Lisa
Greenleaf influence!).
I do this as well. Saying the teaching aloud, alone, helps me test and pare the words
down. Walking a couple positions as well helps me aware of the dancer perspectives as
well.
\Bob Peterson
http://contracorner.com/caller/ <http://contracorner.com/caller/>
10:15 p.m.
I usually start thinking about the program as soon as I book. Then as far
out as two weeks I pull and practice dances, determine suitable music,
refine a day or two before and then once at the dance change the whole
program. Lol. Not really but once I get there I end up changing order or
some dances. I've been pulling my similar yet substituting dances itn
advance lately too.
On Mar 13, 2018 6:04 PM, "Bob Peterson via Callers" <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
As a new caller I spend way too many hours preparing.
I used to start
weeks in advance, just so I could read all the choreography books I have.
Now I’m down to 1 or 2 weeks. LOL. Where I’m spending most of my time
nowadays is developing a sense of “story” and “biorhythm” to the program,
and not just a logical progression of complexity. I look forward to getting
it down to an hour!
By now I have been through my library enough and called enough that I have
a couple special folders of fallback easy/fun/low-turnout dances to rely on
when I need them. Having fallbacks makes programming simpler (thus faster)
so I don’t need an absurd flowchart. (Yes, I tried that once.)
On Mar 13, 2018, at 17:28, Jean Gibson-Gorrindo via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
My calling took a big leap forward when I started paying more attention to
what I would say during the walk-thru, and practicing saying it out loud as
concisely as possible (Lisa Greenleaf influence!).
I do this as well. Saying the teaching aloud, alone, helps me test and
pare the words down. Walking a couple positions as well helps me aware of
the dancer perspectives as well.
\Bob Peterson
http://contracorner.com/caller/
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
10:25 p.m.
Being in charge of a monthly "open band open mic dance," I rarely prepare
-- but I usually have at least a couple of dances in mind, just in case. I
never know if another caller will show up or if a room full of newcomers
will show up. It's a small venue and the regular dancers are forgiving.
For a regular dance, I do like to have a program and start with at least a
sketch of a plan a week in advance. If it's a band I haven't worked with,
,I try to have a plan to them at least a week ahead of the dance. For our
regular musicians, all they want to know is where the Balances are, are
there any Do-Si-Dos (usually a jig), Down the Hall & Back or Hey, and
whether I'm using a Chestnut with its own tune.
On Tue, Mar 13, 2018 at 12:58 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a
dance before
arriving at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for
on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
--
*Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
*102 Mitchell Drive*
*Temple, Texas 76501*
*(903) 292-3713 (Cell)*
*(903) 603-9955 (Skype)*
*contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
*www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
14 Mar
14 Mar
11:32 p.m.
I might be a bit different than most of the replies to your question.
For a regular contra dance, I usually set up a program on that day or
one day prior. Sometimes in the car enroute to the dance (if someone
else is driving). I may be thinking of dances that I'd like to call
during the previous week or two, but I actually put things on paper (or
lay out cards) within 48 hours of the actual event, usually within 12
hours . Frankly, I don't want to get my head into an ownership mindset
that would result if I invest so much in the program. My approach leaves
much to flexibility and nimbleness. Of course, for some slots I'll have
2 or 3 dances listed on the paper -- depends on the dancers/music/heat
in the room/etc -- and then make those choices on-the-fly while calling
the previous one or two dances. Always watching the dancers and
listening to the music.
Of course, everything can change in an evening, depending on so many
things. Dances, dance sequence, tempos, musical requests to the band,
musician preferences of the musicians and their skills for
communication, etc. I also have a couple of back-pocket dances for
just-in-case situations. I also have a couple of dances that I could
call as No-Walk-Throughs, depending on the timing of the program and
many other on-the-spot judgements. In the end, I think it's all about
the dancers -- I want them and the musicians to have a very fun time.
Sometimes I like to have a small table at the back/side of the stage
where I can lay out a few other cards that are not in my program. These
I can see quickly and possibly use them if necessary. Again, the
judgements are made on the fly.
Community dances (like barn dances, Grange dances, square dances, etc.)
are different. I rarely do any preparation. I bring my cards, talk to
the organizers, watch the crowd, listen to the music, and choose dances
on the fly. Again, always watching the crowd.
And hot-house gigs like NEFFA, Northwest Folklife, the Portland
Roadhouse, etc. are again different. Those are highly-organized programs
well in advance, but they are also short (slots of 50-90 minutes). I'll
think of dances weeks in advance, work up a program two weeks in
advance, send it to the band, and then coordinate with them intensively.
These gigs are kind of like Las Vegas Shows, and IMO they require
careful preparation. Only rarely do they include on-the-fly changes.
Woody
------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 3/13/2018 10:58 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a
dance before
arriving at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach
for on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
15 Mar
15 Mar
12:23 a.m.
I almost always program a regular dance the day of. This has gotten a lot
easier since I now keep a digital record of every program I call -- I can
look through and find a program I called for a similar dance, pull out
those cards, and modify and make changes as necessary. I try to also make
notes on programs, like "Second half was great; first half was good except
I had three Gents Allemande Lefts in a row," etc. The ability to recycle
and modify old programs has been a life-saver!
This story isn't practical advice so much as it is A Weird Thing That
Worked for Me Once: Recently I was programming in a hurry for a six hour
advanced dance event. I went through my box and just haphazardly pulled out
everything I was excited to call, then counted to see if I had enough
dances. Once my numbers were good (4-5 dances/hour), I sorted them all into
five columns (Very Smooth - Smoothish - Neutral - Balancey - Very Balancey)
and then sorted the columns vertically by relative difficulty. I had
something like five or six dances in every column, which seemed perfect! So
then I just picked up cards from their spots in a particular order -- like
Easiest Smooth to Easiest Very Balancey to Third-Easiest Neutral, etc --
just to approximate a dynamic program. When I laid out the two programs I'd
made this way and checked them out, they were great! It was kind of magic!
That all said, definitely I almost always need to modify my programs on the
fly. I try not to sweat the details too hard; most dancers won't notice the
little things, and as long as they're having fun, all is well. :)
Angela
On Wed, Mar 14, 2018, 8:01 PM Woody Lane via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I might be a bit different than most of the replies to
your question. For
a regular contra dance, I usually set up a program on that day or one day
prior. Sometimes in the car enroute to the dance (if someone else is
driving). I may be thinking of dances that I'd like to call during the
previous week or two, but I actually put things on paper (or lay out cards)
within 48 hours of the actual event, usually within 12 hours . Frankly, I
don't want to get my head into an ownership mindset that would result if I
invest so much in the program. My approach leaves much to flexibility and
nimbleness. Of course, for some slots I'll have 2 or 3 dances listed on the
paper -- depends on the dancers/music/heat in the room/etc -- and then make
those choices on-the-fly while calling the previous one or two dances.
Always watching the dancers and listening to the music.
Of course, everything can change in an evening, depending on so many
things. Dances, dance sequence, tempos, musical requests to the band,
musician preferences of the musicians and their skills for communication,
etc. I also have a couple of back-pocket dances for just-in-case
situations. I also have a couple of dances that I could call as
No-Walk-Throughs, depending on the timing of the program and many other
on-the-spot judgements. In the end, I think it's all about the dancers -- I
want them and the musicians to have a very fun time.
Sometimes I like to have a small table at the back/side of the stage where
I can lay out a few other cards that are not in my program. These I can see
quickly and possibly use them if necessary. Again, the judgements are made
on the fly.
Community dances (like barn dances, Grange dances, square dances, etc.)
are different. I rarely do any preparation. I bring my cards, talk to the
organizers, watch the crowd, listen to the music, and choose dances on the
fly. Again, always watching the crowd.
And hot-house gigs like NEFFA, Northwest Folklife, the Portland Roadhouse,
etc. are again different. Those are highly-organized programs well in
advance, but they are also short (slots of 50-90 minutes). I'll think of
dances weeks in advance, work up a program two weeks in advance, send it to
the band, and then coordinate with them intensively. These gigs are kind of
like Las Vegas Shows, and IMO they require careful preparation. Only rarely
do they include on-the-fly changes.
Woody
------------------------------
On 3/13/2018 10:58 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a dance before
arriving at a venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for
on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
3:05 a.m.
My approach to programming is exactly like Woody's for regular contra, barn dances,
and NEFFA type events.
In addition, a Challenging Contra session (prior to a regular contra dance) I might
program a week ahead with extensive walkthru in my living room (especially those dances
where you leave your partner...I want to know where everyone is supposed to be), because
those dances I've usually not danced or called prior and they require the extra time
to learn.
A dance weekend I might take up to a month (or more) to program depending on what kind of
workshops the organizer wants...writing medley's, special programming, and perhaps
coordinating with other callers.
Donna Hunt
-----Original Message-----
From: Woody Lane via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Wed, Mar 14, 2018 8:01 pm
Subject: Re: [Callers] Programming a Dance
I might be a bit different than most of the replies to your question. For a regular
contra dance, I usually set up a program on that day or one day prior. Sometimes in the
car enroute to the dance (if someone else is driving). I may be thinking of dances that
I'd like to call during the previous week or two, but I actually put things on
paper (or lay out cards) within 48 hours of the actual event, usually within 12 hours .
Frankly, I don't want to get my head into an ownership mindset that would result if
I invest so much in the program. My approach leaves much to flexibility and
nimbleness. Of course, for some slots I'll have 2 or 3 dances listed on the paper
-- depends on the dancers/music/heat in the room/etc -- and then make those choices
on-the-fly while calling the previous one or two dances. Always watching the dancers
and listening to the music.
Of course, everything can change in an evening, depending on so many things.
Dances, dance sequence, tempos, musical requests to the band, musician preferences of
the musicians and their skills for communication, etc. I also have a couple of
back-pocket dances for just-in-case situations. I also have a couple of dances that I
could call as No-Walk-Throughs, depending on the timing of the program and many
other on-the-spot judgements. In the end, I think it's all about the dancers -- I
want them and the musicians to have a very fun time.
Sometimes I like to have a small table at the back/side of the stage where I can
lay out a few other cards that are not in my program. These I can see quickly and
possibly use them if necessary. Again, the judgements are made on the fly.
Community dances (like barn dances, Grange dances, square dances, etc.) are
different. I rarely do any preparation. I bring my cards, talk to the organizers, watch
the crowd, listen to the music, and choose dances on the fly. Again, always watching
the crowd.
And hot-house gigs like NEFFA, Northwest Folklife, the Portland Roadhouse, etc. are
again different. Those are highly-organized programs well in advance, but they are also
short (slots of 50-90 minutes). I'll think of dances weeks in advance, work up a
program two weeks in advance, send it to the band, and then coordinate with them
intensively. These gigs are kind of like Las Vegas Shows, and IMO they require careful
preparation. Only rarely do they include on-the-fly changes.
Woody
On 3/13/2018 10:58 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a dance before arriving at a
venue. If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
4:25 a.m.
I usually program an evening dance the day before the event, since my mental and
metaphysical state will be closest to how I will be at the event, and I think it’s
important for my own energy and enthusiasm to be focused on the present. My programming
always has a “Plan A” set of dances, chosen to sculpt the shape of the event in terms of
energy, emotion, and musicality, and Plans B, C, and sometimes D. My advance communication
with the band includes something like this:
"Make it an interesting musical concert where the dancers can't keep their
feet still, and fortunately don't have to.
Combine irresistible music with the dances that makes them want to move their feet
and they can’t keep still."
If the band requests, I’ll send a proposed dance set, my “Plan A”, so they can choose tune
sets. This is long before the dance, sometimes weeks, so my “Plan A” might actually be
different by the time the day arrives, but the band doesn’t need to know that. Each dance
chosen also has “Plan B” and “Plan C” substitutes that will fit the same tune(s) selected
by the band, in case I have to dial it back a notch or kick it up, depending on who
actually shows up at the dance. That means the same energy, the same feeling
(bouncy/smooth), the same punctuation (e.g. balances in the same places, or similar
requirements for strong downbeats at certain points to help the dancers orient. Maybe a
"Plan D” of 3-5 couple dances if a storm, power outage, earthquake, or whatever might
be results in a tiny turnout; it’s important that EVERY dance event is fun for the
attendees, no matter how many or how few.
So, I guess my programming is done long before the dance, in terms of planning which
dances might be swapped in at the last second because of a busload of beginners or a
busload of hard-core experienced dancers, and in terms of how I want the emotional/energy
shape of the evening to flow.
For dance weekends and workshops, the emphasis is not so much on the emotional contour of
the evening as it is on the lesson/focus of each session. For example, I did a NEFFA
session “Buckets of Beckets” where each dance was Becket formation, and none of the dances
in that hour started with “Circle Left 3/4”. That kind of thematic planning takes more
time and meticulous care to do well.
Eric Black
eric(a)eric-black.com
See my Tune & Dance compositions at http://eric-black.com
2:36 a.m.
My approach varies considerably depending on what kind of dance it is, and it also depends
on my attitude about it and the musicians attitude about it. I work with a lot of
different musicians in my different dance worlds (English, contra, Civil War, Regency,
Early American, Victorian, occasional barn dances and family dances).
In contra land, some bands want the program a few days ahead so they can match tunes or
even rehearse the specific tunes they’ve chosen. So for those bands, I program ahead, and
that’s much easier if it’s in a venue I’m used to and know what to expect. If I don’t
know pretty well how it’s going to go and the band wants a program, I either spend 2-4
hours making up a coherent program with alternates, etc, or give them a program that’s
already worked for me in another venue with different dancers. If the band doesn’t want
it in advance, I’m very likely to pick on the fly based on my reading of the room. I use
a little code to make a very abbreviated representation of the dance and put that in an
index and eyeball that to make sure I’m not picking something with the same transitions as
the last thing and only introduces as many new figures as I want to introduce for this
crowd at this moment. I may be a victim of Dunning-Kruger but I think I’m pretty good at
prompting on time without doing extensive rehearsal.
For Regency balls - well, we usually have a specific historic or literary theme, and I may
spend a few hours cruising through historic dance manuals looking for dances that seem to
fit the theme, trying out those dances at our regular dance parties, getting the
bandleader’s opinion on those tunes (in this period, many of them kinda suck) before
locking down a program, so a ball program could be 16 hours of prep. On the other hand,
for the second-Friday Regency dance parties, where attendance is unpredictable, I just
pick on the fly; my band is willing to sight read.
For English Country Dancing it’s usually on me to organize a program that suits the
particular band’s talents - don’t ask most bands for “Vivaldi in Paradise!” - provides
significant variety in mood, meter, tempo, key. - as well as having an agreeable
progression of figures and climax in difficulty around half way through, that will give a
newcomer a chance to succeed and not to bore experienced dancers, and that also doesn’t
repeat too many of the dances done recently at that venue. So that’s usually about a
two-hour effort. Sometimes I can pull out an old program and change a few dances on it,
which is less painful.
For family dances, I need to know whether the band knows “Sasha!” But otherwise I’m
calling from the floor, reading the room, and picking stuff on the fly. For Civil War
dances, if I’m working from my iPad it’s the same thing and I pick tunes. If I’m working
with a brass band, which I’ve done several times, I get their repertoire first, set dances
to the things they have arranged and can play (that took three or four hours the first
time) and then pull stuff out in the moment. (My Civil War gigs are all for reenactors
after hours and rather informal. If they were taking place in East Coast ballrooms with
Spare Parts playing, I would certainly study their repertoire and organize a program to
take advantage of it, and I’d expect that to be about four hours of effort.)
Sent from my iPad
On Mar 13, 2018, at 10:58 AM, Rich Sbardella via
Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I am curious how much time you all plan programming a dance before arriving at a venue.
If you do not preprogram, what is your approach for on the fly programming?
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
2234
days inactive
2236
days old
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
11 comments
12 participants
participants (12)
-
Alan Winston -
Angela DeCarlis -
Bob Peterson -
Donna Hunt -
Eric Black -
Jean Gibson-Gorrindo -
Jonathan Sivier -
Linda S. Mrosko -
Martha Wild -
Mary Collins -
Rich Sbardella -
Woody Lane