1 Aug
2009
1 Aug
'09
4 a.m.
Okay, so I just got in from a 4-hour drive from Wichita Falls, Texas, where I called a
wedding rehearsal dance - wedding is at 6:46 a.m. this morning. Dance was in an open barn
with ceiling fans, but a nice breeze blowing through the building - concrete floor -
barbeque, beer & bourbon. Dance was supposed to be from 8:00-9:00 - we didn't
start till 9:00 and danced till 10:00 since everybody has to get up so darn early in the
morning. About 9:30, the mosquito attack began - looked like a German clapping dance on
the floor...
The groom was bound and determined we have a "contra" dance (for only an hour).
I (gently) protested, assuring him a "barn" dance would go over much better - 2
families, a bunch of strange friends might have trouble with swings - the embracing a
stranger thing, you know. He assured me, "Yes, there will be at least 10 contra
dancers there." There were only 4 - and there were about 30-40 dancing. So, I
started with Moon & Stars Circle - didn't bother explaining how to swing because
the groom assured me...
Swings ended up mostly being elbows. That told me something...
So, I did Newlywed Lane. That worked just fine. Lots of laughing, clapping. Fancy Free
Flirting circle waltz worked, too.
Contra dance? Well, I've never had a failure with the one I chose, but no one was
paying attention by that dance (maybe the mosquitos had something to do with it). I used
my own "La Ba Contra" (a knock-off of La Bastringue - easy, huh? - changed the
chains to F&B 2x to make it even easier. Somehow, we made it though the dance - even
though I told them they could rest on the ends if no one to dance with - they didn't
hear me say that, so when they got to the end, they raced to the other end with their
partner to dance with the couple "resting on the other end"...
Ended with a free waltz and Cotton-eyed Joe - which none of them knew how to do the old
version or the modern version.
Got a good paycheck, though...
Looking forward...
Linda S. Mrosko
7302 CR 2829
Mabank, Texas 75156
(903) 451-5535 (H)
(903) 288-4401 (cell)
lmrosko(a)hotmail.com
www.towerwebsites.com/dancinglinda
http://www.facebook.com/lmrosko
"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2009 19:11:45 -0700
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
From: gregmck(a)earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Wedding dances
Linda wrote:
_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live™: Keep your life in sync.
http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=PID23384::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:NF_BR_s…
We take progressing and identifying actives and
inactives for
granted. However, these concepts can be a bit difficult, especially
for a group that includes many novices. And you can bet that the
novices WILL be dancing together!
My recollection of this event was that there would be a good number
of experienced dancers. I find that experienced dancers are always
ready and willing to dance with new dancers, if the caller can
inspire confidence and demonstrate that they will make sure everyone
is successful. People love to introduce someone to something they
themselves are passionate about. Particularly if the newcomers are
ready, confident, and relaxed. The trick is to start off with a
high-energy introduction and show the experienced dancers that you
will take care of them when they partner with newcomers. One key
component is that you must assume the support of all of the
experienced dancers in the room and speak on their behalf when you
encourage newcomers to find someone who has danced at least one night
of contras. Assume their support. Don't ask for it.
Don't teach figures. Let the experienced dancers show them. Don't
explain details (like progression or switching at the ends of the
set). Let the experienced dancers do what they love doing. Allow
them to take the lead in leading the newcomers. Empower the
experienced dancers to introduce people to something they have great
passion for. Both the experienced and the new dancers will love you for that.
Good luck!
Greg McKenzie
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1 Aug
1 Aug
9:17 p.m.
New subject: Wedding dances
OK, I just have to chime in (haven't posted here in AGES)
I'm getting married next week, and I have NO IDEA what the caller is going
to call. That's HIS job.
I hired David Millstone and told him to do what will make the most people
happy and comfortable.
It's probably going to turn out to be the smartest bit of
non-micromanaging I will ever do in my LIFE.
Of course, I'm obsessing about everything ELSE...
PS if you know me and have known about this wedding for ages and think you
should be at this wedding and haven't gotten an official pretty paper
invitation, it's because we used up all of the snailmail ones on the kind
of relatives you have to invite even though you know they're not going to
come anyway. My dance friends are all going to have to make do with a
scanned-in pdf of the invite card and a link to the website. Watch your
inbox for an email in the next 12 hours, and if something STILL doesn't
show up it's because I'm an idiot. ( I SO identify with Sleeping Beauty's
mother, who forgot to invite one of the fairies to the christening and
ended up getting her daughter cursed.) Hell, I almost left Bob McQUILLAN
off the list! Email me if you wanna come and I'll get you the details.
Dave Bateman, are you out here? I don't have a good address for you
anymore, your invite bounced.
9:55 p.m.
New subject: Wedding dances
Hello all,
Thanks for the wonderful feedback, both on and off list. Very helpful and
informative.
The wedding and reception went very well. I forgot one of the cardinal rules
of weddings, which is that they always run late. I didn't do nearly as many
contras as I'd originally blocked out, and ended up with just three. I left
them all Becket dances (since the last one had to be), and had a simpler
first contra without a 1s and 2s distinction, and where it didn't matter
what how you ended the swing
Pluck It (easy Becket)
A1: C L, C R
A2: S R, S L
B1: P DSD, P swg
B2: N DSD, LL yearn left
The new dancers seemed very comfortable with slide left type transitions for
dances, and not having to cross over at the ends simplified things as well.
The other simple dance went over well. Easy for new folks as it's the same
set of moves twice. I collected it recently at Falcon Ridge, but I don't
know the name or author. Any help?
Becket
A1 : C L 3/4, N DSD
A2: N Bal & Swg
B1: C L 3/4, P DSD
B2: P Bal & Swg
slide on to next couple
By the final contra (Star Trek), we still had a fair number of new folks,
and they gamely tried the hay, and by and large they did alright with it.
The "find your partner and swing them" end of it helped a lot.
Thanks again for the feedback and pointers.
--
Luke Donev
http://www.lukedonev.com
Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
10:07 p.m.
New subject: Wedding dances
I think that the un-named dance is Midwest Folklore by Orace Johnson (1986).
It is published in Midwest Folklore and other dances.
Michael Barraclough
http://www.michaelbarraclough.com
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Luke Donev
Sent: Saturday, August 01, 2009 9:55 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] Wedding dances
Hello all,
Thanks for the wonderful feedback, both on and off list. Very helpful and
informative.
The wedding and reception went very well. I forgot one of the cardinal rules
of weddings, which is that they always run late. I didn't do nearly as many
contras as I'd originally blocked out, and ended up with just three. I left
them all Becket dances (since the last one had to be), and had a simpler
first contra without a 1s and 2s distinction, and where it didn't matter
what how you ended the swing
Pluck It (easy Becket)
A1: C L, C R
A2: S R, S L
B1: P DSD, P swg
B2: N DSD, LL yearn left
The new dancers seemed very comfortable with slide left type transitions for
dances, and not having to cross over at the ends simplified things as well.
The other simple dance went over well. Easy for new folks as it's the same
set of moves twice. I collected it recently at Falcon Ridge, but I don't
know the name or author. Any help?
Becket
A1 : C L 3/4, N DSD
A2: N Bal & Swg
B1: C L 3/4, P DSD
B2: P Bal & Swg
slide on to next couple
By the final contra (Star Trek), we still had a fair number of new folks,
and they gamely tried the hay, and by and large they did alright with it.
The "find your partner and swing them" end of it helped a lot.
Thanks again for the feedback and pointers.
--
Luke Donev
http://www.lukedonev.com
Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
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3 comments
4 participants
participants (4)
-
Amy Cann -
Linda Mrosko -
Luke Donev -
Michael Barraclough