Jeanette Mill wrote: The closest I can think of are: 1. The rock contras I've seen at the flurry and falcon ridge. I think it's kathryn wedderburn calling and the eclectic dance orchestra playing. They take rock songs and adapt them to contras in the style of singing squares. 2. Bands singing. Some contra dance bands, such as "blue moose and the unbuttoned zippers" and "the forks of nature", both from the boston area, mic vocalists and will sing once the caller drops out. The singing isn't to communicate the calls, it's just part of the music. Both of these are difficult to do well, primarily because of phrasing. Jeff

Thanks Delia - that sounds magical. I had a similar experience at a house dance one night. We were dancing to CDs, and the power went out. Half the dancers had instruments in their cars, and we soon had acoustic music going, somebody else had a camping lantern, and we boiled the billy on the gas. It was a memorable evening.  The piano - 88 little mistakes waiting to happen; Peter Barnes ----- Original Message ---- From: Delia Clark &lt;deliaclark8(a)gmail.com&gt; To: Caller's discussion list &lt;callers(a)sharedweight.net&gt; Sent: Thu, 5 August, 2010 1:40:05 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Sung contras Merging the last two topics of sung contras and calling without a band, I'll just relay a WONDERFUL experience I had last summer that I have thought about repeating intentionally.  The band had set up, sound system was tested, the teens I was calling for flooded into the barn post-dinner, when Crack! Smash! the power went out.  While the band quickly moved onto the floor near an old piano and preparing to play unamplified, I taught a dance, calling as loudly as I could through an improvised bullhorn made of cardboard.  We got through the first dance, then as I was teaching the second dance, Crackle!  the power came back on.  The band was having a hard time with the beater old piano and couldn't hear each other so they very much wanted to go back up on stage and use the sound system and I knew my voice wouldn't hold out so I supported that, despite how magical it all felt with the acoustic music and hurricane lanterns hanging about.  To avoid having everyone having to stand around any more, I asked if there were any songs that the kids all knew.  They quickly burst into song and I just started calling to their singing and it worked beautifully!!  We did a whole dance that way and it was a blast for all of us.  It was a repetitive song, native american I think, not a lot of verses, but with a solid rhythm, and I think they loved the DIY nature of it.  This was a group of kids who were travelling together for a whole year by canoe, skis and hiking, so they knew a lot of songs.  I'm not sure it would work for just anyone, but something fun to keep in mind!  Kind of like Alabama Gal or other play dances, I guess, but more adult and open ended... On Aug 4, 2010, at 11:12 AM, Jeff Kaufman wrote: <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Delia Clark PO Box 45 Taftsville, VT 05073 802-457-2075 deliaclark8(a)gmail.com _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers