Import1 July 2018

import1@lists2.sharedweight.net

33 participants
41 discussions

by Charles

I'm posting a new dance of mine - the hook is a half hey into a long wavy line of gents in the center. Haven't seen it before, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of other dances with this figure. Also, I looked for other dances called the Portland Reel and couldn't find any, but if that name has been used let me know. Other feedback welcome: Dugan’s Duck Dynasty (Becket) Chuck Abell 7/18 (aka The Portland Reel) A1 Half hey, gents pass left to start (8) Same gents take left hands in center to make long wavy line of gents (4)* Gents bal left/right (4) A2 Gents alle left 1 1/4x (4) N swing (12) B1 On right diagonal ladies chain to shadow (if someone is there) (8) (w/ current N) LHS 1x (8) B2 P dosido and swing (16) w/ these N… *Gents be sure to take four full steps/beats to get into the middle

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Teaching Larks & Ravens

by Ben Werner

Mary, This doesn't really answer your question, but I think it is important to bring up. Please try to avoid gendered pronouns. As a male person who often dances The Raven role, one thing I really appreciate is a caller who doesn't use gendered pronouns regardless of the terms being used. So for instance, don't say "Larks allemande left to your partner and swing her" instead just say "... And swing your partner" or "swing them". Usingg endered pronouns defeats the entire point of using larks and Ravens. While still using gents and ladies (community preference) I have been trying really hard to remove any use of she, he, her, him, etc. Regards, Ben Sent from my iPhone > On Jul 15, 2018, at 4:44 PM, Angela DeCarlis via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Hi Mary, > > The important thing, I think, is that you communicate something along the following lines: "Contra dance is divided into two roles, so that sometimes half the people dancing do one thing while the other half do something different. Otherwise, the two dance roles are nearly identical, with most moves happening for dancers in both roles. The two roles have been named to correspond to positions, so that the Lark begins the dance and ends the swing on the Left, and the Raven does those things on the Right. If you abide by these positional rules, you'll always find yourself in a good place to move on to the next piece of choreography." > > As is the case with technically simple but uncommon figures like 'Circle Right,' beginners will generally have an easier time with new terms than will experienced dancers. Their brains are already in learning mode, whereas some of the old hands may be flying on autopilot. The tricky part is that you can't necessarily rely on the experienced folks to be as helpful to the newbs as they may be ordinarily, so programming just a tick easier than you are used to could be a safe bet, especially if you're in the process of getting comfortable using the new terms yourself! > > If you're on Facebook, I highly recommend joining the group Larks and Ravens Contra Dancers. There have been a lot of really great conversations in that group, including several about how calling with genderfree terminology benefits the whole community, including those of us who are straight and cisgendered. > > For what it's worth, I've officially gotten to a point where calling Larks and Ravens is easier for me. It's lovely that the common Allemandes alliterate with the new terms (Larks typically allemande left, while Ravens often allemande right), and it now feels so strange to say "Ladies allemande right"; it feels like I've messed up! > > Good luck and please feel free to reach out to me if you have further questions on this! > > Angela > >> On Sun, Jul 15, 2018 at 6:27 PM, Mary Collins via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> I call in primarily a traditional dance community but am investigating starting to call using larks and ravens. I am curious about what words you use and how you teach larks and ravens positioning. Thanks. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List Name: Callers mailing list >> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ >> > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Teaching Larks & Ravens

by Angela DeCarlis

Hi Mary, The important thing, I think, is that you communicate something along the following lines: "Contra dance is divided into two roles, so that sometimes half the people dancing do one thing while the other half do something different. Otherwise, the two dance roles are nearly identical, with most moves happening for dancers in both roles. The two roles have been named to correspond to positions, so that the Lark begins the dance and ends the swing on the Left, and the Raven does those things on the Right. If you abide by these positional rules, you'll always find yourself in a good place to move on to the next piece of choreography." As is the case with technically simple but uncommon figures like 'Circle Right,' beginners will generally have an easier time with new terms than will experienced dancers. Their brains are already in learning mode, whereas some of the old hands may be flying on autopilot. The tricky part is that you can't necessarily rely on the experienced folks to be as helpful to the newbs as they may be ordinarily, so programming just a tick easier than you are used to could be a safe bet, especially if you're in the process of getting comfortable using the new terms yourself! If you're on Facebook, I highly recommend joining the group Larks and Ravens Contra Dancers <https://www.facebook.com/groups/1340769606022971/?ref=br_rs>. There have been a lot of really great conversations in that group, including several about how calling with genderfree terminology benefits the whole community, including those of us who are straight and cisgendered. For what it's worth, I've officially gotten to a point where calling Larks and Ravens is *easier* for me. It's lovely that the common Allemandes alliterate with the new terms (Larks typically allemande left, while Ravens often allemande right), and it now feels so strange to say "Ladies allemande right"; it feels like I've messed up! Good luck and please feel free to reach out to me if you have further questions on this! Angela On Sun, Jul 15, 2018 at 6:27 PM, Mary Collins via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I call in primarily a traditional dance community but am investigating > starting to call using larks and ravens. I am curious about what words you > use and how you teach larks and ravens positioning. Thanks. > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > >

6 years, 5 months

[Callers] Teaching Larks & Ravens

by Mary Collins

I call in primarily a traditional dance community but am investigating starting to call using larks and ravens. I am curious about what words you use and how you teach larks and ravens positioning. Thanks.

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Circles, Crazy Circles

by John Sweeney

Hi Rich, If you have a great dance that you want to call but it has a circle, and you have called too many circles, then why not just rechoreograph it to remove the circle? For example you can replace Neighbour Swing; Circle Left 3/4; Partner Swing with Neighbour Swing; Balance the Ring; Ladies Cross Over (by the right shoulder); Partner Swing or with Neighbour Swing; Ladies Balance F/B with Right Hand; Ladies Pull by; Partner Swing with no effect on the rest of the dance. Both versions send the lady smoothly across the set, flowing into her partner's arms with the right momentum. The second version can be especially satisfying if the ladies use just enough tension to catapult each other into their partner's arms. 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

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Does a 1/2 figure 8 and cast off exist in ECD? In Contra?

by John Sweeney

Hi Luke, I am not sure why you are calling it a Half Figure Eight. Unless I have misunderstood something, you just have the ladies crossing the set, going around each other instead of straight across, while the men move out of the way. Since the active dancers don't go around a gatepost (person or position) then it doesn't seem to be a Figure Eight sort of move. I call that move a Bombast (Headcorn Morris use it and call it that and I thought it would make a nice dance figure for us). In this version of the move, instead of the men casting they move straight to their destination, then turn (the turns aren't full turns - just until you can see your next destination); the ladies turn as well at their destination. I also have the move along the set instead of your version across the set. The dances below are more ECDish dances, but may help clarify the idea. The "Turn Single Changing Places" starts as a Gypsy Right, but once you are past each other you keep turning to face away - I often call it a Spin Past. Bombast I (by John Sweeney) Longways; Improper A1: Bombast: Men go straight across to the Ladies’ places WHILE Ladies Gypsy Right 1/2 to Men’s Places; All Turn Single Ladies go straight across to the Men’s places WHILE Men Gypsy Right 1/2 to Ladies’ Places; All Turn Single A2: Repeat B1: Set to Partner, Turn Single Changing Places [End facing out] Lines Lead Away; Fall Back [Face In at last moment] B2: Balance the Ring; Ladies Cross; Balance the Ring; Men Cross Bombast II (by John Sweeney) Longways; Improper A1: Bombast: Men go straight across to the Ladies’ places WHILE Ladies Gypsy Right 1/2 to Men’s Places; All Turn Single Ladies go straight across to the Men’s places WHILE Men Gypsy Right 1/2 to Ladies’ Places; All Turn Single A2: Set to Partner, Turn Single Changing Places [End facing out] Lines Lead Away; Fall Back [Face In at last moment] B1: Long Lines Go Forward & Back – Men Roll the Ladies from Right to Left as you Fall Back Mad Robin – Men through the Middle B2: Long Lines Go Forward & Back – Ladies Roll the Men from Right to Left as you Fall Back Mad Robin – Ladies through the Middle 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

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Circles, Crazy Circles

by Paul Wilde

Rich, Twilight Deliverance (DI): no circles, has both N & P Sw. A-1 N-S LL F&B A-2 Star L 3/4 (Gent turns over R Sh for) P-S B-1 Gents start 1/2 hey (L sh) Gents chain B-2 Bal & Pet 2X (on 2nd turn 1/2 extra to swing new N) To end dance: Bal & Pet 1X, P-S Yours in dance, Paul Prov RI

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Circles, Crazy Circles

by Colin Hume

On Tue, 10 Jul 2018 10:23:02 -0400, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: > Re: g&t -- that's totally fair, and an experience I've had on the floor as well, but oh man when it's done right it's > lovely! Maybe worth spending some time teaching the right way to do it from the mic? In my experience, a lot of callers teach Give and Take wrongly. They do it with long lines going forward, whereas you should be going forward with one person in a shoulder-waist hold. That makes it much more satisfying - in addition to the resistance, of course. Colin Hume

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Does a 1/2 figure 8 and cast off exist in ECD? In Contra?

by Alan Winston

Luke -- This isn't directly responsive to your actual question, but here's what it reminded me of: In proper duple formation, the place where same-sex neighbors would stand in improper formation is diagonally opposite. Most longways English dances are proper, so in English for these purposes, English "first corners" = contra "ladies", English second corners = contra gents. In "News From Tripoli", first corners cast up or down the outside (pulling the shoulder back, a real cast) while their same-side neighbors slide (just move sideways along the line) into the places they've vacated, then do a full figure eight and finish in their neighbors place. (Now second corner people are standing in first corner places, and they repet the figure doing what the first corner people did; everybody's at home.) In Barbarini's Tambourine (and Sally in Our Alley, which has the same A parts), first corners cast around neighbor on the side, half figure eight, and finish in each other's place. Second corners cast around (it's their partner, but standing next to them on the side), half figure eight, finish in each other's place. In some 1700s dances as reconstructed, in a duple minor proper formation, 1s half -figure eight to the right (gents down, ladies up) to go through the 2s next to them; those 1s encounter the opposite-role 1 from the next set up (it's not quite a shadow interaction since while you do see the same person for a while, it stops happening when one of you goes out at the end of the set), so it's effectively long diagonals. In a number of dances (Kelsterne Gardens may be the earliest, although some like to do it in Childgrove, which is an earlier dance) there are double figure eights, where one couple is is crossing through the middle while the other couple is going up or down the outside. In fewer dances, there are double half figure eights; one couple goes through the middle, the other on the outside. So you don't need the diagonal half-figure to not have to worry about them running into each other. I would add to Michael's mention of Chevrons that a lot of people have trouble waiting one bar to start their part of the figure, and it does raise the difficulty level of the dance. There's an "all cast one place" in "Wa is Me, Wa Mun I Do", which takes two bars of triple time music and a fair amount of room but is very pretty in context. I think your "gents pull left should back and cast" has some of the logistical problems of an orbit (it's a quarter orbit) as far as using space, with increased chance of collision with gent from other set because of not facing the way you're going for the first half. Slide across, orbit 1/4 while making a point of interlacing with other gent, or lots of room in the set. -- Alan On 7/10/18 5:18 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers wrote: > Hello all, > > I've been thinking about half figure eights, and variations on them. > Is anyone familiar (in ECD, contra, or other traditions), where > instead of the 1s or 2s half figure eight, having the gents or ladies > do the move from improper formation? > > As soon as you have something like the ladies do a half figure eight > from duple improper; they're either going to have to shift where they > land, or the gents are going to have to get out of the way. It seems > to me (during my insomnia, not with actual dancers in a house party) > that you could have the gents cast off and over to a ladies place. i.e.: > > /Ladies half figure eight, passing left shoulder in the middle to take > neighbor gents' place > / > /Meanwhile, gents cast over left shoulder to take partner's place > / > > Which takes > (head of hall) > W1 M1 > m2 w2 > > to > (head of hall) > M1 W1 > w2 m2 > > Which ends in the same place as everybody doing a half figure eight, > but without 4 people trying to go through the middle at the same time. > I think it can still happen in 8 beats of music, with nobody standing > around. > > Is that a sequence people have danced or used? > > Here's a wrapping to put the whole thing in context. > > Calliope's Cross > Improper contra by Luke Donforth > A1 > Long lines forward and back > Ladies half figure eight, passing left shoulder in the middle to take > neighbor gents' place > Meanwhile, gents cast over left shoulder to take partner's place > A2 > Neighbor Right Shoulder Gyre and Swing > B1 > Circle Left 3/4 > Partner Swing > B2 > Promenade across set with partner, courtesy turn > Ladies chain to neighbor > > The name, and idea, comes from my older daughter (4), who wanted a > "Calliope's Cross" dance for herself after hearing about "Tamlin's > Cross" for her sister. Calliope like riding figure 8s on her bicycle. > > I've deliberately kept this simple, instead of trying to get a gents > figure 8 while ladies cast in for symmetry. I'm not sure how I'd teach > that from the stage; and think I'd have to use a demo. > > I look forward to hearing the experience of the group! > Thanks > > -- > Luke Donforth > Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <mailto:Luke.Donev@gmail.com> > > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Does a 1/2 figure 8 and cast off exist in ECD? In Contra?

by Michael Dyck

On 2018-07-10 11:46 AM, Luke Donforth wrote: > > I'm not sure about prompting it as an all cast, since that implies the > ladies facing back in after the move, and then casting out again. I was > envisioning more of a swoop wide, I was too! For me, that qualifies as a "cast". See, e.g. https://round.soc.srcf.net/dances/elements#Cast which indicates that you don't have to turn up + out if you're already facing out or down. Or consider https://round.soc.srcf.net/dances/elements#Cross%20and%20Cast where it doesn't say to face back in between the 'cross' and the 'cast'. Mind you, that's ECD. I'm not sure what (if anything) a non-ECD contra crowd would infer from the term "cast". (It *could* work to have the ladies turn back in after the corner-crossing, but only if there's time, which there typically wouldn't be in a contra dance. Maybe an ECD to a slowish 3/4 tempo.) Anyhow, the best wording will depend on what the dancers are used to, but my guess is that you'll get better results by breaking the figure into a corner trade + all move ccw rather than a half figure eight variant. -Michael

6 years, 5 months

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Import1 July 2018