Import1 October 2016

import1@lists2.sharedweight.net

1 participants
123 discussions

by Don Veino via Callers

Last night at bedtime my 5 year old daughter and I had the following interaction: Raeden: "Daddy. I want to write a new dance, Pony Fun." Me: "OK, how does it go?" R: "Star, Star, Swing. Swing, Courtesy Turn, Circle 3 places, Pass Through, repeat." A little bit of back and forth figuring out the glue resulted in the following. Has someone else written it first? Thanks, Don Pony Fun - DI - Raeden Veino 20161012 A1 Star Left Neighbor Allemande Left 1x Gents start Hands-Across Star Right (1/4x) A2 Ladies join Star behind N, all Star Right 3/4x Partner Swing B1 Give & Take to Gents Side, N Swing B2 Ladies Chain Circle Left 3/4, Pass Through BTW, in case you may call this, Raeden's name is pronounced "RAY-den VEE-no"

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Style

by via Callers

This might shed some light on the subject - https://www.library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/ralph-page-dance-lega… Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend The Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend (RPDLW) is held every January at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. It takes its name from the man who was perhaps the single most important figure in the preservation of traditional dance in New England and was conceived to keep his legacy alive. Begun in 1988, the RPDLW celebrates the music and dance of New England: contras, squares, and more. From the beginning, the emphasis has been on preserving the smoother style of dancing that Ralph Page favored. A significant portion of the program celebrates the tradition's roots and includes traditional contras and quadrilles, triple minor dances, singing squares, and couple dances as part of the program. The program also includes a retrospective focusing on a particular caller or musician's contribution to the tradition. The approach is not only one of preservation; there is a deliberate attempt to connect the past with the future of traditional dance. It also features some of the best new choreography and newly-composed tunes. Over the years the event has become noted for its cultivation of community, for being a gathering of "the ones who have played the music, called the figures, and danced the dances in crowded, joyful halls for decades," and for being a weekend of outstanding dancing. Ben ---- Neal Schlein via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I would agree--giving a place to smoother, calmer, and inequal dances that > give people time to interact, chat, make eye contact, etc, instead of > forcing a rapidity of constant interaction. It's not so much a matter of > music speed as choreographic selection. > > He was also known to occasionally use patter when calling contras and > quadrilles. Apparently the tradition historically existed in New England, > but was much less pronounced than elsewhere and has since virtually > vanished. > > I forget the source from which I got that tidbit, but it very possibly was > Time to Dance by Richard Neville. Or it could have been a letter in the > Lloyd Shaw Foundation Archive collection. Not sure. > > Neal > > Neal Schlein > Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library > > > Currently reading: *The Different Girl* by Gordon Dahlquist > Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system. > > On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 10:11 AM, Jeff Kaufman via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > I think they're trying to refer to the style of dancing that was > > popular before Larry Jennings-style "zesty contra". > > > > On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 4:21 AM, John Sweeney via Callers > > <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > Hi all, > > > I was at a workshop recently where someone asked me if I liked > > "the > > > Ralph Page style" of contra dance. They claimed that they had been told > > > that he wanted dances to be slower and calmer. > > > > > > Is there a "Ralph Page style"? If so what is it? > > > > > > If he wanted the music slower, what speed did he want? Did he > > want > > > it slower than the 130+bpm that square dancers used to use? Or slower > > than > > > the 120bmp that is common now in contra? > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > Happy dancing, > > > John > > > > > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 > > > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Callers mailing list > > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Wrist-Lock Stars

by Read Weaver via Callers

When I’m teaching, I make the point that it’s pretty much the only move in contra where you _shouldn’t_ give weight even though you could—human wrists being neither strong nor flexible in that direction. And that if someone behind you is uncomfortably giving weight, you can just let go and turn it into a single file for yourself, since you’re not giving weight to aid the circle's momentum anyway. Read Weaver Jamaica Plain, MA http://lcfd.org > On Oct 10, 2016, at 1:49 PM, Don Veino via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Not sure how I came by it, but I call them "pack saddle" stars when I teach beginners ("wrist-lock", no). "Raise your right hand, put it in the center and now lay it on the wrist of the person in front of you, like a pack saddle on a horse, to make a star. Notice you don't need to clamp on or even really use your thumb at all." > > And yes, very much the default star form from my experience. > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Good dances for beginners to safely leave/return to minor set.

by Joy Greenwolfe via Callers

I’ve had god success in teaching out of minor set moves by orienting the dancers before they move to the new neighbor. If they will simply visit another neighbor, I’ll point out that they are visiting, and then coming back. Or I will have them look ahead to their next neighbor and have them wave at each other. Then I’ll them them, “tell your first neighbor, 'I’ll be right back’” and wait until they do. That helps them get the storyline in their head, and think two steps ahead rather than one. Joy Greenwolfe > On Oct 11, 2016, at 12:07 PM, Don Veino via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > My opinion is "current Neighbor", from a dancer's standpoint, is equivalent to simply saying "Neighbor" (but with possible added confusion). Current is contextual in conventional experience, so many people would interpret it as the closest Neighbor. > > I've started trying to find remembered/distinguishing features to describe the targeted individual in my call. For example, in my dance I posted above, I call "...look AWAY, NEXT Neighbors Star Left, find your ALLEMANDE Neighbor, Swing..." for the first few times through and then fall back to simpler language once they've got it. > > On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 10:19 AM, Chet Gray via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: > Does anybody have any experience with using "original neighbor" vs "current neighbor" in these outside-minor-set-interaction dances? My thinking is to prefer "current neighbor" for dances with previous neighbor interaction, and "original neighbor" for dances with future neighbor interaction, but I don't have enough evidence for any strong decision in the matter. > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 2 months

[Callers] Mark Widmer's email address is changing

by via Callers

Please change your address book to use Mark Widmer's new email address: widmermt98(a)gmail.com The old email address (mark(a)harbormist.com) will be going away soon.

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Style

by Neal Schlein via Callers

I would agree--giving a place to smoother, calmer, and inequal dances that give people time to interact, chat, make eye contact, etc, instead of forcing a rapidity of constant interaction. It's not so much a matter of music speed as choreographic selection. He was also known to occasionally use patter when calling contras and quadrilles. Apparently the tradition historically existed in New England, but was much less pronounced than elsewhere and has since virtually vanished. I forget the source from which I got that tidbit, but it very possibly was Time to Dance by Richard Neville. Or it could have been a letter in the Lloyd Shaw Foundation Archive collection. Not sure. Neal Neal Schlein Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library Currently reading: *The Different Girl* by Gordon Dahlquist Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system. On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 10:11 AM, Jeff Kaufman via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I think they're trying to refer to the style of dancing that was > popular before Larry Jennings-style "zesty contra". > > On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 4:21 AM, John Sweeney via Callers > <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Hi all, > > I was at a workshop recently where someone asked me if I liked > "the > > Ralph Page style" of contra dance. They claimed that they had been told > > that he wanted dances to be slower and calmer. > > > > Is there a "Ralph Page style"? If so what is it? > > > > If he wanted the music slower, what speed did he want? Did he > want > > it slower than the 130+bpm that square dancers used to use? Or slower > than > > the 120bmp that is common now in contra? > > > > Thanks. > > > > Happy dancing, > > John > > > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 > > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Good dances for beginners to safely leave/return to minor set.

by Don Veino via Callers

My opinion is "current Neighbor", from a dancer's standpoint, is equivalent to simply saying "Neighbor" (but with possible added confusion). Current is contextual in conventional experience, so many people would interpret it as the closest Neighbor. I've started trying to find remembered/distinguishing features to describe the targeted individual in my call. For example, in my dance I posted above, I call "...look AWAY, NEXT Neighbors Star Left, find your ALLEMANDE Neighbor, Swing..." for the first few times through and then fall back to simpler language once they've got it. On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 10:19 AM, Chet Gray via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Does anybody have any experience with using "original neighbor" vs > "current neighbor" in these outside-minor-set-interaction dances? My > thinking is to prefer "current neighbor" for dances with previous neighbor > interaction, and "original neighbor" for dances with future neighbor > interaction, but I don't have enough evidence for any strong decision in > the matter.

8 years, 2 months

[Callers] Ralph Page Style

by John Sweeney via Callers

Hi all, I was at a workshop recently where someone asked me if I liked "the Ralph Page style" of contra dance. They claimed that they had been told that he wanted dances to be slower and calmer. Is there a "Ralph Page style"? If so what is it? If he wanted the music slower, what speed did he want? Did he want it slower than the 130+bpm that square dancers used to use? Or slower than the 120bmp that is common now in contra? Thanks. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Wrist-Lock Stars

by Susan McElroy-Marcus via Callers

Just a bit of Louisville dance community history on this subject—when my husband started dancing there in the late 70’s and I came in 1982, the Monday night dance was a mix of English and contra. The default contradance star grip was the “wrist lock” not hands across as in English. We called it a basket handhold or wrist grip. Our influence came from New England because our friend, Norb Spencer, who started the group along with Marie and Frank (Cassidy?) and who called much of the time—learned in New England. We then taught it that way when we moved to Cincinnati and started that group. Louisville only became a “bastion of hands-across-by-default” sometime in the late 1990’s or ealy 2000’s during my calling hiatus. When I re-entered the calling scene 6-7 years ago, I was surprised and bemused upon calling in Louisville to learn of the high regard held for their ‘traditional’ hands-across star style. Susan McElroy-Marcus From: Chet Gray via Callers Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 9:44 AM To: Tim Klein Cc: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: Re: [Callers] Wrist-Lock Stars I tend to consider my home dance, Louisville, KY, and nearby Lexington, as two of the last bastions of hands-across-by-default. Wrist-grip seems to be the default (for contra; squares are a different matter) even in relatively nearby cities: Indianapolis, Bloomington, IN, Nashville, Cincinnati. Not sure about Berea and Somerset, KY, also nearby. I'd be hesitant to use weekends, Flurry in particular, as bellwethers of what is typical in anything but weekends. I'd wager that the vast majority of contra dancers, even habitual dancers, have never been to a dance weekend, perhaps not even their "home" weekend. Just as there is a sort of "weekend-style" dance program, there is a "weekend-style" of dancing that is a pidgin not necessarily representative of any particular regional style. On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 9:41 AM, Tim Klein via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: I call for dances in Knoxville, TN and occasionally in the surrounding area (Jonesboro, Chattanooga). I've been dancing here for 30 years. Kaufman was correct. I recall hands across stars in Knoxville, Atlanta, Brasstown, Asheville and points between, but wrist grip stars in Lexington, Louisville and Nashville. I'm certain about Knoxville, but perhaps others can confirm for the other cities. The wrist star has gradually taken over as the default in the area, but a couple of us old-timers are still holding out. I still teach the hands across star in the pre-dance lesson because it's quicker, but acknowledge that there are variations. When I call and dance, I still prompt and encourage the hands-across grip. We've got to hold onto our traditions and fight the globalization of contra, right? Of course, there are situations where one variety works better than another - to/from a move with an adjacent person (star to alemande, courtesy turn to star) suggests a wrist star, while moves where the contact is across (star old neighbors to star with new, ladies start star then gents join in) suggest the hands across. In those cases, I'll explicitly suggest one version in the walk through. Tim Klein Knoxville, TN ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ From: Dave Casserly via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> To: John Sweeney <john(a)modernjive.com> Cc: "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 8:37 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Wrist-Lock Stars Jeff Kaufman wrote a paper on regional variations in contra dance. Here's what he found for wrist-grip stars (page 31 of the link). Basically, they're common everywhere in the US except in some parts of the South. This is based on data from ten or more years ago, so I'm not sure if that's still true. I would not be surprised if it isn't-- there's enough cross-contamination that wrist-grips could have taken over even in the South. We do have people from Georgia and North Carolina on the list; hopefully they'll chime in. -Dave Washington, DC On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 4:31 AM, John Sweeney via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Hi all, I have been to contra dances and festivals all over America and everywhere I have danced everyone automatically uses a wrist-lock star (unless the caller has specified hands-across because of the subsequent choreography). But I am constantly challenged in England by people claiming that wrist-lock stars are not the standard in America. When I go to somewhere like The Flurry and see 600 people from all over the country all doing wrist-locks it seems to me that it must be the standard way of doing things. And obviously it has been common in America for a long time; this video is from 1964 in Northern Vermont and shows wrist-lock stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=pZubTju7g_s So, are there still significant communities that don't use wrist-locks? Is the wrist-lock the de facto standard? Thanks. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent ______________________________ _________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/ listinfo.cgi/callers- sharedweight.net -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761 _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Good dances for beginners to safely leave/return to minor set.

by Chet Gray via Callers

Maia, thanks for sharing Will's advice on "go back to". I appreciate his insight on word choice. I called "Becky's Brouhaha", shared by Meg Dedolph yesterday, last night in Louisville, and, though it went quite well overall, I think a few small hiccups early on could have been avoided with "return to" rather than "back to". Noted for the future. Does anybody have any experience with using "original neighbor" vs "current neighbor" in these outside-minor-set-interaction dances? My thinking is to prefer "current neighbor" for dances with previous neighbor interaction, and "original neighbor" for dances with future neighbor interaction, but I don't have enough evidence for any strong decision in the matter. On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 9:04 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Anything that gets a laugh is more likely to be remembered. I've heard > folks (Adina Gordon comes to mind) say something like: "If there's no one > on your left diagonal... (dramatic pause) ...for the love of God, don't do > anything!" Still don't have a particularly good way to get folks back IN on > a diagonal though, eagerly following this thread for that! > > I *will* mention a bit of advice I got (believe it was from the esteemed > Will Mentor) on calling new/old neighbor figures: and that's to avoid use > of the phase "go BACK to your..." because to many that implies backwards > motion and generally folks will be walking forward, and you only perceive > that direction as "back" if you have a pretty well-developed sense of > contra geography. Instead, say something like "return". I also find it > useful, in this cases, to give the players funny and memorable names other > than "current neighbor" and "next neighbor"--like maybe your "one true > neighbor"? > > Cheers, > Maia > > On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 8:27 AM, K Panton via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> Thanks to all for the ideas. >> >> Special thanks to Maia! >> >> If anyone has insights into teaching diagonal figures to the uninitiated >> I'd love to hear them. >> >> Ken >> >> On Oct 10, 2016 12:36, "K Panton" <panton90(a)tricolour.queensu.ca> wrote: >> >>> 3-33-33 is not a good choice for introducing beginners to extra-4some >>> expeditions. I've also found that a diagonal chain followed by a >>> straight-across figure causes confusion. >>> >>> The Young Adult Rose,and others, have a pass-through to shadow allemande >>> which is doable. >>> >>> Does anyone have some reliable key to unlock this mystery for new >>> dancers, thereby opening up a whole new world! >>> >>> Thanks >>> >>> Ken >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >

8 years, 2 months

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Import1 October 2016