Yes, everything from New England Dancing Masters is excellent, including video and DVD.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Jul 14, 2015, at 11:24 PM, James Saxe via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Note that New England Dancing Masters have also produced
> a video to go with the _Chimes of Dunkirk_ book and CD.
> The description here
>
> http://www.dancingmasters.com/store/books-cds-dvds/chimes-of-dunkirk-video
>
> says that it includes teaching of the dances.
>
> Disclaimer: I don't own this video and haven't watched it.
> But the quality of the NEDM books and CDs makes me guess
> it would be similarly well produced. Perhaps there's
> someone on this list who could give a first-hand review.
>
> --Jim
>
> On Jul 14, 2015, at 8:46 PM, Delia Clark via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote
> (re the inquiry from Sr. Mary Joseph forwarded by Cary Ravitz):
>>
>> If she has any budget at all, I really recommend the New England Dancing Masters books: http://www.amidonmusic.com/books-cds-store/new-england-dancing-masters which I learned about from David Millstone.
>> I especially like Chimes of Dunkirk and Sashay the Donut. They’re FULL of the kinds of dances she’s looking for!
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
The Childgrove website has lots of videos. The chestnuts may be good for her and maybe she can pick up some of the contras as well. Because the video is there with the choreography as well she may be able to start picking up the written terminology that she reads as well. You could also point out that some of your dances have youtube links, but they may be more than what she is looking for.
Janet
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
-------- Original message --------
From: Cary Ravitz via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Date: 07/14/2015 6:34 PM (GMT-05:00)
To: Shared_Weight_Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Help for a caller
I received this note a couple of days ago. I am not qualified to answer it, but I know there are many people here who could help. I gave her a limited response and offered to help her out with SharedWeight - she asked me to post here for her. You can email her directly or I will forward any posted responses. Thanks, Cary Ravitz
"
My name is Sr. Mary Joseph and I am Catholic Sister who is very new at
calling dances. I'm not sure if the dances I do know are even contras
technically. I am pretty much working with the families who come here
to Mass and am looking to add to the ten or so dances that they already
know. Here are a few of our dances.
-The Virginia Reel
- The Bridge of Athlone
- Heel & Toe Polka
- Oh Suzanna
I have had success learning dances off a few YouTube videos especially
the set from Mark Geslison and Geoff Groberg. I have a very hard time
deciphering dances that are simply written out on some web sites. If I
knew the jargon a little better, I'm sure that would be a huge
resourse. Right now, I think I need to see it.
Because you have a much better idea about the world of contra dancing/
folk dancing than I do, I was hoping you could point me in the right
direction. Do you know of any websites that have lots of videos of the
dances? I could probably invest in a set of DVD's if I new it was going
to be helpful. Is there someone I could call with my questions?
I unfortunately do not have much time to dedicate to developing this
skill, but I figure a little improvement would be better than none.
Thank you for your time. May God bless you.
"
Sister Mary Joseph <smjmicm2004(a)gmail.com>
--
Cary Ravitz
ravitz(a)ravitz.us
If she has any budget at all, I really recommend the New England Dancing Masters books: http://www.amidonmusic.com/books-cds-store/new-england-dancing-masters <http://www.amidonmusic.com/books-cds-store/new-england-dancing-masters> which I learned about from David Millstone.
I especially like Chimes of Dunkirk and Sashay the Donut. They’re FULL of the kinds of dances she’s looking for!
> On Jul 14, 2015, at 6:34 PM, Cary Ravitz via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> I received this note a couple of days ago. I am not qualified to answer it, but I know there are many people here who could help. I gave her a limited response and offered to help her out with SharedWeight - she asked me to post here for her. You can email her directly or I will forward any posted responses. Thanks, Cary Ravitz
>
> "
> My name is Sr. Mary Joseph and I am Catholic Sister who is very new at calling dances. I'm not sure if the dances I do know are even contras technically. I am pretty much working with the families who come here to Mass and am looking to add to the ten or so dances that they already know. Here are a few of our dances.
>
> -The Virginia Reel
> - The Bridge of Athlone
> - Heel & Toe Polka
> - Oh Suzanna
>
> I have had success learning dances off a few YouTube videos especially the set from Mark Geslison and Geoff Groberg. I have a very hard time deciphering dances that are simply written out on some web sites. If I knew the jargon a little better, I'm sure that would be a huge resourse. Right now, I think I need to see it.
>
> Because you have a much better idea about the world of contra dancing/ folk dancing than I do, I was hoping you could point me in the right direction. Do you know of any websites that have lots of videos of the dances? I could probably invest in a set of DVD's if I new it was going to be helpful. Is there someone I could call with my questions?
>
> I unfortunately do not have much time to dedicate to developing this skill, but I figure a little improvement would be better than none. Thank you for your time. May God bless you.
> "
>
> Sister Mary Joseph <smjmicm2004(a)gmail.com <mailto:smjmicm2004@gmail.com>>
>
> --
> Cary Ravitz
> ravitz(a)ravitz.us <mailto:ravitz@ravitz.us>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
802-457-2075
deliaclark8(a)gmail.com
I received this note a couple of days ago. I am not qualified to answer it,
but I know there are many people here who could help. I gave her a limited
response and offered to help her out with SharedWeight - she asked me to
post here for her. You can email her directly or I will forward any posted
responses. Thanks, Cary Ravitz
"
My name is Sr. Mary Joseph and I am Catholic Sister who is very new at
calling dances. I'm not sure if the dances I do know are even contras
technically. I am pretty much working with the families who come here to
Mass and am looking to add to the ten or so dances that they already know.
Here are a few of our dances.
-The Virginia Reel
- The Bridge of Athlone
- Heel & Toe Polka
- Oh Suzanna
I have had success learning dances off a few YouTube videos especially the
set from Mark Geslison and Geoff Groberg. I have a very hard time
deciphering dances that are simply written out on some web sites. If I
knew the jargon a little better, I'm sure that would be a huge resourse.
Right now, I think I need to see it.
Because you have a much better idea about the world of contra dancing/ folk
dancing than I do, I was hoping you could point me in the right direction.
Do you know of any websites that have lots of videos of the dances? I
could probably invest in a set of DVD's if I new it was going to be
helpful. Is there someone I could call with my questions?
I unfortunately do not have much time to dedicate to developing this skill,
but I figure a little improvement would be better than none. Thank you for
your time. May God bless you.
"
Sister Mary Joseph <smjmicm2004(a)gmail.com>
--
Cary Ravitz
ravitz(a)ravitz.us
Hi callers, have you any dances for evenings when only a few folks show up,
say 10 or 12 or under, other than squares.
Rickey Holt with the summertime low attendance blues
holt.e(a)comcast.net
Lindsey,
I was looking for a fun but easy to call contra and found this one for your nautical theme. From Rich Goss' collection of dance cards. http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/
claire takemori
Dancing Sailors - Ed Shaw Proper
Reels
A1: Actives down the outside below two couples
Return up the center, cast off
A2: Actives turn contra corners
B1: Actives with their second corners
Hey-for-4 on the diag (actives start pass right sh)
B2: Actives swing in the middle (end facing up)
Um, yes, difference is in the B1, of course.
~erik hoffman
On 7/12/2015 1:30 PM, Amy Carroll wrote:
>
> Hi Erik -
>
>
> I'm thinking you mean the difference between your dance and Tony's is
> in the B1, not the B2? Am I right?
>
>
> Amy Carroll
>
> Seattle
>
>> On July 12, 2015 at 1:41 PM Erik Hoffman via Callers
>> <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> On Writing Dances that have been Written:
>>
>> Years ago our we danced Bill Cochran's:
>> /Third Friday/
>> A1 Neighbor Balance & Swing
>> A2 Down Hall 4 in Line, Turn as Couple, Return, Fold Line
>> B1 Women Chan -- over & back
>> B2 Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru
>> Two to next Neighbor
>>
>> I loved the B2 move, but wanted a partner swing in the dance, so I
>> made the:
>> /Second Third Friday/
>> Improper
>> Erik Hoffman
>> A1 Neighbor Balance & Swing
>> A2 Men Allemande Left 1½; Partner Swing
>> B1 Right & Left Thru Across the set; Women chain back
>> B2 Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru
>> Two to next Neighbor.
>>
>> And, I published it in my first book, Contra Comments.
>>
>> Turns out Tony Parkes had the same idea, and he wrote:
>> /Friday Night Fever/
>> with the only difference being the B2, where Tony's dance goes:
>> B2 Partner Promenade; Women Chain
>> -- Which I now like better. And, Tony wrote his dance prior to me
>> Tony published it in one of his books (don't recall which)
>>
>> Turns out Myrtle Wilhite also wrote and published this dance, the
>> same as my version, and called it /Balanced Out #2/
>>
>> In looking at composition dates, Tony's came first, mine second, and
>> Ms. Wilhite's third -- all in the late 80s or early 90s.
>>
>> I'm pretty sure we all came out with this dance independently. Both
>> Tony and I attribute Bill Cochran for the basic Idea. Myrtle doesn't,
>> so, perhaps she came up with the dance independently.
>>
>> But the point of this is, we choreographers are all bound to put
>> together some dance that someone else has also come up with. At this
>> point, it's great to have this list to check that a sequence is
>> original. It goes a long way to checking this.
>>
>> ~erik hoffman
>> oakland, ca
>>
Hi everyone. I'm teaching a summer string intensive near Asheville NC this
week and my host has emergent family medical issues that need evening
attention.
I'm in a charming B&B in Weaverville and get done with teaching at 5:00...
I would DEARLY love to find a carpool to the local dances, I'd be HAPPY to
recompense gas/mileage.
If anyone has any suggestions re: who to contact, which Facebook page to
post on, I'd love to hear them. My phone's 802-222-7598.
IN RETURN, may I offer you the chance to call dances in FABULOUS Pierce's
Hall, East Putney, VT, longtime home of callers Fred Breunig and Rich
Blazej?
Possessor of one of the best two-holer outhouses on the contra scene? Last
Saturday of every month, and if you want a TRULY scintillating time, come
on the months the All-Comers band is playing with its phalanx of fiddlers,
masses of mandoliners, fleets of flautists, grand line of guitarists, and
also a few dogs? We pay a PRINCELY sum.
Actually, if you want to call Putney and know nothing about Asheville, you
can still email me.
Cheers,
Amy
Keith,
You probably missed my response. The Becket dance you refer to was
written by me and is called The Host. I'm embarrassed that I took
credit for The Host since it really isn't original. I just never
figured out that it was the same as Piece of Cake until Martha
mentioned it. So I'd say yes the dance you called is Piece of
Cake. In my mind the first one who writes the dance get the credit
and variations like this are not original compositions.
T
On 7/11/2015 7:32 PM, Luke Donforth via Callers wrote:
> Levi Jackson! Although the band has to know it...
Not every band is up to this tune, either, even with sheet music in
advance. A while back Martha Wild suggested that Ragtime Annie (minus
the C part) worked well for this dance, and it's a tune that a lot more
bands might know. Thanks, Martha, for the suggestion!
> Are you looking for triplets?
>
> Microchasmic
> by Ann Fallon
One of my favorite triplets, and great for teaching contra corners to
newer dancers.
> David’s Triplet #7
> David Smukler
> Formation: Triplet
>
> A1 -----------
> (8) (Couple one around couple two) Lady round two and the gent cut through
> (8) Circle four hands to the left, once around
> A2 -----------
> (16) Neighbor balance and swing (top 2 couples, 3s may swing Ptr if desired)
> B1 -----------
> (8) (Couple one around couple three) Gent around two and the lady cut
> through
> (8) Circle six hands to the left, halfway around
> B2 -----------
> (8) Partner Do-si-do
> (8) Partner swing
The "gent round 2 lady drop through" part moves surprisingly quickly.
If your dancers lag at all during that section, you'll need to adjust
later by dropping out the balance or the dosido.
There's a square set dance by Brooke Friendly and Chris Sackett called
"Banjo in a Bear Suit" that might work well for an adventurous contra
group. It's another challenging tune that you don't want to surprise
your band with, but as with LJR there may be a more common tune that
would work for this. It's kind of a mixer. It's written for English
dancers, hence the turn singles.
Banjo In A Bear Suit
4C sq
A1 1-4 P balance F&B then pass through with a turn single R to meet
someone new at corner of set.
5-8 Repeat. Heads and sides have swapped position.
A2 1-8 Actives (current sides) form ring and balance, Petronella R,
balance and Petronella R, then face nearest head person for...
B 1-8 Parallel whole heys for 4 along set, starting by R.
9-12 In 4s (not the 4 who were in the hey, but 2 from each hey),
R-hand star once around
13-16 While heads (ends) swing, the actives/sides/middles square
through (starting with the active who was in the star with them, 4 beats
for each change of the square through), ending in a square.
There are some orientation challenges involved in this dance, so it's a
"high five" moment when you get a set all the way through.
Kalia