Thank you for all the great advice!
I do plan to call a simple contra that is still interesting to the experienced dancers. I have no ideas of calling hard figures until I've got experience and am ready.
I'm still looking for good instructions on when to cue the band for the ending? Is it simply when a couple is out at the top that you signal during B1 that there are 3 more times left?
What I was mostly curious is if someone had written out ways to teach the various steps. I guess this is one of those things that is still passed down the old-fashioned way. I have to find a great caller, listen to them call and write down what they say..... I was hoping I would not have to miss out on dancing to learn this.
Thanks for the help.
claire takemori
Hi Callers,
In a couple of weeks, I'll be calling the annual Ferry Boat Contra for the second time. Last year I put a good deal of effort into coming up with nautical themes/jokes, so this year I'll really need to go "overboard."
I'd love to hear your ideas regarding entertaining (but not distracting) maritime moves/terminology/jokes/trivia to add into my program. The majority of folks in my area have at least been on a boat other than a ferry, and a number sail regularly, but I'd rather keep the references from becoming too obscure.
Looking forward to your suggestions!
Lindsey(Tacoma, WA)
Hi. I just called my first contra dance at camp last week. I didn't die, so I'm thinking of working with our son's nature class to do some family dances.
In the meantime, I will try to call a contra when I can as a guest at our local dances.
Do you know of a source/s (would you share yours) that has good clear wording for how to teach things like Hey, Pull-by, California Twirl, Petronella, Rory O'more, etc?
I will ask good callers if I can record their teachings when I'm at dances with lots of beginners.....
Where else can I learn good, simple wording? I sure don't want to reinvent it myself......
Thanks!
claire takemori
On 7/8/2015 1:00 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote:
> If you can get the band on-board, any number of sea chanteys are
> contra-tune-able--for instance, Drunken Sailor and South Australia, in
> addition to the sea songs already in the repertoire like Sailor's
> Hornpipe (which turns up in the Popeye theme!). Also, He's a Pirate from
> Pirates of the Caribbean is loads of fun to dance to (I've got a version
> that I engraved if you/the band wants).
>
> As far as dances in the theme, A Pirate's Life for Me by Nathaniel Jack,
> High Seas by Diane Silver, and Captain Shank's Revenge by Maggie Jo
> Saylor all come to mind, and I'm sure there are loads more! (Though my
> favorite part about Captain Shank can be applied to pretty much any
> dance: in a Petronella, instead of clapping, shout "yo ho!")
Andrea Nettleton may have already responded offline, but she's written a
really fun contra called Pirates Across The Atlantic, based on an
English dance called Dancing Across The Atlantic (by Loretta Holz). The
distinctive opening figure has a chase move that can get really silly.
Did someone already mention Nathaniel Jack's "Walk the Plank"?
Kalia
I recently attended a dance weekend where the excellent callers, while teaching dances, used the phrases ".. as in Rory O'More" and ".. as in Petronella"Many of the dancers in attendance probably have never danced either Petronella or Rory O'MoreThe movements implied by these terms can be easily explainedI've heard callers ask dancers to "Petronella one place."But if the the world can xerox a document, or google for information, no deity would probably object if contra dancers occasionally "petronella." Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 5844
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