Thanks all, for the factors you eloquently put into words :-)
Read, I think you're right that contra dancers are more familiar with it;
and that will help too. The proof is in the pudding though; or the dancing
as the case may be. I'd say get three friends and see what the two stars
feel like; and if dances feel more comfortable moving faster in one than
the other. My kinesthetic sense is that the mill grip can be faster, and
the feeling of connection allows folks listing to the beat and phrasing to
influence those who might be lagging. It may be a regional variation on how
connected folks are through their mill-grips though.
As yet another variant on the dance that doesn't require stars to go as
far, I propose the following for feedback:
Tamlin's Cast-off Cross
4x4
A1
Lines of Four go forward and back
Corner Swing, square set
A2
Gents cast off - behind the one they swung, one place counter-clockwise, to
stand next to partner
Ladies left hands across star 3/4, take hands in crossed wavy lines of four
B1
Balance the crossed wavy lines
1/2 grand hey for 8, turn to find partner
B2
Partner balance and swing
The tricky bit seems two-fold in A2, where the gents have to take their
momentum that would normally bring them into the middle with a left hand
ready and curve it out and around with a wide cast; and the ladies have a
3/4 star without a clear bench-mark of who they're landing on (it's not
their partner or the one they swung). But possibly those are minor
obstacles to a crowd you could through half a grand hey at anyway...
Thanks again for all the feedback and questions! :-)
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
In response to a question from one caller, I need to clarify the wording at the end of "Caller's Delight" which was ambiguous - it should say "with these N". The progression occurs when everyone balances the wave and walks forward to swing P. After that swing, everyone is facing new neighbors. The dance starts over with these new neighbors.
________________________________
From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of Charles via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2018 5:11 PM
To: Charles via Callers
Subject: Re: [Callers] new dances
In case it wasn't evident, there is a shadow effect in the second dance - I've noted it below.
Caller’s Delight (Becket) Chuck Abell 2/18
A1 Bal ring, pass through across and turn alone (8)
RHS (right hand star) 1x to long wavy line, gents face out (8)
A2 Bal, box circulate 1x (8)
N swing (8)
B1 On left diagonal ladies chain (to shadow), make ring (8)
Bal ring, PT to ocean wave (8)
B2 Bal wave, all walk fwd (8)
P swing (8)
w/ same N…
________________________________
From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of Charles via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2018 4:22 PM
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] new dances
Hello all - I have two dances I've been calling of late, and wanted to verify they are both original to the best of our collective knowledge. Both have been satisfying to call and dance, so I also wanted to share them in the hopes that others might want to call either or both. I'm not including instructions for the Zia dance - there are already general instructions in Shared Weight for Zia set up and calling tips. Thanks, Chuck
X, Y, and Zia (Zia formation, double progression) Chuck Abell 3/18
A1 - Into the middle and back (8)
Balance the ring/square, circle left four steps (8)
A2 - Bal the ring/square, w/ partner California Twirl (8)
New N swing on side (8)
B1 - Give right to partner, balance square through past two (8)
Give right to partner, balance square through past two (8)
B2 - P bal and swing in middle, face new N (16)
Caller’s Delight (Becket) Chuck Abell 2/18
A1 Bal ring, pass through across and turn alone (8)
RHS (right hand star) 1x to long wavy line, gents face out (8)
A2 Bal, box circulate 1x (8)
N swing (8)
B1 On left diagonal ladies chain, make ring (8)
Bal ring, PT to ocean wave (8)
B2 Bal wave, all walk fwd (8)
P swing (8)
w/ same N…
I don’t understand this—since you can’t comfortably give weight in the mill-grip (and you can in hands-across), why does it get you around faster? Just because people are more used to it?
> On Apr 14, 2018, at 8:01 PM, Luke Donforth via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Tamlin's Cross (variation)
> ...
> notes on calling:
> I ran it with a gents hands-across star; but I think it may work better with a mill-grip star for the gents, to get them all the way around faster (ladies still want hands across for the balance).
In case it wasn't evident, there is a shadow effect in the second dance - I've noted it below.
Caller’s Delight (Becket) Chuck Abell 2/18
A1 Bal ring, pass through across and turn alone (8)
RHS (right hand star) 1x to long wavy line, gents face out (8)
A2 Bal, box circulate 1x (8)
N swing (8)
B1 On left diagonal ladies chain (to shadow), make ring (8)
Bal ring, PT to ocean wave (8)
B2 Bal wave, all walk fwd (8)
P swing (8)
w/ same N…
________________________________
From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of Charles via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2018 4:22 PM
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] new dances
Hello all - I have two dances I've been calling of late, and wanted to verify they are both original to the best of our collective knowledge. Both have been satisfying to call and dance, so I also wanted to share them in the hopes that others might want to call either or both. I'm not including instructions for the Zia dance - there are already general instructions in Shared Weight for Zia set up and calling tips. Thanks, Chuck
X, Y, and Zia (Zia formation, double progression) Chuck Abell 3/18
A1 - Into the middle and back (8)
Balance the ring/square, circle left four steps (8)
A2 - Bal the ring/square, w/ partner California Twirl (8)
New N swing on side (8)
B1 - Give right to partner, balance square through past two (8)
Give right to partner, balance square through past two (8)
B2 - P bal and swing in middle, face new N (16)
Caller’s Delight (Becket) Chuck Abell 2/18
A1 Bal ring, pass through across and turn alone (8)
RHS (right hand star) 1x to long wavy line, gents face out (8)
A2 Bal, box circulate 1x (8)
N swing (8)
B1 On left diagonal ladies chain, make ring (8)
Bal ring, PT to ocean wave (8)
B2 Bal wave, all walk fwd (8)
P swing (8)
w/ same N…
Hello all - I have two dances I've been calling of late, and wanted to verify they are both original to the best of our collective knowledge. Both have been satisfying to call and dance, so I also wanted to share them in the hopes that others might want to call either or both. I'm not including instructions for the Zia dance - there are already general instructions in Shared Weight for Zia set up and calling tips. Thanks, Chuck
X, Y, and Zia (Zia formation, double progression) Chuck Abell 3/18
A1 - Into the middle and back (8)
Balance the ring/square, circle left four steps (8)
A2 - Bal the ring/square, w/ partner California Twirl (8)
New N swing on side (8)
B1 - Give right to partner, balance square through past two (8)
Give right to partner, balance square through past two (8)
B2 - P bal and swing in middle, face new N (16)
Caller’s Delight (Becket) Chuck Abell 2/18
A1 Bal ring, pass through across and turn alone (8)
RHS (right hand star) 1x to long wavy line, gents face out (8)
A2 Bal, box circulate 1x (8)
N swing (8)
B1 On left diagonal ladies chain, make ring (8)
Bal ring, PT to ocean wave (8)
B2 Bal wave, all walk fwd (8)
P swing (8)
w/ same N…
Never mind on the option A question below. I'm embarrassed to realize I
didn't diagram enough of the dancers to catch my error in it only working
for 50% of the couples.
On Fri, Apr 13, 2018, 4:37 PM Don Veino <sharedweight_net(a)veino.com> wrote:
> Had a recent inspiration on a couple of Butterfly Whirl sequences -
> looking for input on a few questions/options... opinions welcome!
>
> Thanks,
> Don
>
> Butterfly DRAFT 20180410.1 - 4 Face 4 - Don Veino
> A1 LLF&B, Circle/8 RIGHT 1/2x
> A2 Circle/4 Left 3/4x, Opposite N Swing [at Gent’s progressed home]
> B1 (option A) Gents Star Left ~3/4x (to P)
> P Star Promenade 1/4x [all at progressed home], Butterfly Whirl to face
> center
> (option B) Opposite Gents Allemande Left 1+1/2x (to P)
> P Star Promenade 1/2x [w/in opp. 4; to all at progr. home], Butterfly
> Whirl to face up/down
> B2 (option A) Ladies Star Right 1x (to P), P Swing & face progression
> (option B) Opposite Ladies Allemande Right 1x (to P), P Swing & face
> progression
>
> Questions:
> - Option A, IMO, is more of a "real" 4 facing 4 - but I'm uncertain if the
> timing will work? (Option B = bog standard timing.)
> - Is there a strong argument for one option vs. the other - will dancers
> care if the majority of the action is in 2-couple groups with opposites
> rather than involving all 4 couples?
> - Will there be a significant space problem when all 4 couples pass
> through the center in B1 option B?
>
> Butterfly DRAFT 20180410.2 - DI - Don Veino
> A1 N Balance & Swing
> A2 Gents Allemande Left 1+1/2x (Ladies left arm over P’s right as picked
> up),
> P Star Promenade 1/2x, Butterfly Whirl CCW along set to next Ns*, stay
> connected with P
> B1 Ladies Catch RH, Star Promenade P 1/2x CW, Butterfly Whirl CW into P
> Swing [on L’s home side]
> B2 Ladies Chain, Half Hey (back to THIS N...)
>
> End effects: re-enter in Butterfly hold with P (where/how depends upon
> answer below)
>
> *Question: I believe the butterfly shift could progress this dance forward
> (whirl shift to right as face out) or reverse (shift left). I believe
> reverse progression would flow/feel slightly better but forward progression
> could be less confusing to dancers - which would be best?
>
>
Last night I ran a version of Tamlin's Cross at the local monthly dance.
Many dancers found it challenging, but folks seemed to enjoy it.
The version I ran:
Tamlin's Cross (variation)
4x4
A1
(4) All 8 go into the middle
(4) Ladies roll partners away on the way out
(8) Corner Swing, square set
A2
(8) Gents left hands star 1x; gents drop out
(8) Ladies left hands across star 1x;
ladies keep hands, and take right hand with corner (making crossed wavy
lines of 4)
B1
(4) Balance the wavy lines of four
(12) half grand hey, start passing corner you swung by right
then turn away from corner you swung
B2
(16) Partner Balance and Swing
End the swing facing new couple, having swapped sides with your trail-buddy
couple
Two notes on calling:
I ran it with a gents hands-across star; but I think it may work better
with a mill-grip star for the gents, to get them all the way around faster
(ladies still want hands across for the balance).
One caller who got to dance it suggested describing the grand hey in the
middle as a traffic circle, that everyone merges in and out of, rather than
as a hands-free star. I'll try that next time.
Note on the name:
As some of you may know, my wife and I just had our second child a month
ago; and she's named Tamlin. I was spending some time at 2 am bouncing her
while she was fussy; and thought "Tamlin's cross... that's got to be the
name of a dance". It's one of the few instances of a dance title coming to
me before the choreography. And although she's a remarkably chill baby,
I've still had plenty of early hours awake time to mull over choreography
and this bubbled up.
Thank you all for your feedback and insights!
Luke
Hi all,
I thru this together on the fly for a no walk thru, but I have to think someone already wrote this. Does anyone know the name and author?
Temporary name “Just Do It”, improper
A1 1-8 Neighbors balance and swing
A2 1-4 Long lines fwd and back
5-8 Gents allemande left 1-1/2
B1 1-8 Partners balance and swing
B2 1-4 Promenade across the set
5-8 Circle left ¾, pass thru
Thanx, Ric Goldman
letsdance(a)rgoldman.org