Import1 March 2019

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35 participants
63 discussions

Re: [Callers] Leading a 1 hr contra dance

by Casey Carr

I would also start with a circle - teach giving weight, hand holds, 8 counts. Might teach La Bastringue (keeping partners and 2 hand turn instead of swing). I would definitely not teach swings in an hour - no ladies chains. Just circles, stars, allemandes, dos si dos. Depending on the crowd could start with Gallopede or Virginia Reel, then Family Contra would be perfect and end with another simple contra. Casey Carr On 3/29/2019 8:52 AM, Liz Burkhart via Callers wrote: > I have a gig coming up at a library wherein I have one hour to teach > and call contra dances. It's a mixed crowd, and I heard there may be a > lot of tweens present. I think I'd like to focus on bigger picture > things - moving up and down the line, swinging, interacting with their > set. I imagine I may even cut out courtesy turns in order to minimize > the time we spend on the lesson. I've taught for small, mostly > inexperienced crowds before but I usually have a lot more time. I'd > really rather get them moving than to get bogged down in teaching. > Does anyone have insight, suggestions, or advice? > > Thanks, > > Liz Burkhart > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years

Re: [Callers] Leading a 1 hr contra dance

by John Sweeney

Hi Liz, I would start with something like: In a big circle teach: 8-count moves; hand-holds and connection; how to swing Family Contra so they learn to progress. No swings so that they can’t end on the wrong side and mess things up. Tell them not to switch lines when they get to the top or bottom! https://folkdancemusings.blogspot.com/2015/05/family-contra-usa.html East Litchfield Volunteers - use wrist-lock stars instead of circles as they did circles in the previous dance http://biteyourownelbow.com/conndanc.htm Or I would do a completely different repertoire of easy dances since trying to do actual modern American contras with beginners can be a disaster :-) Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> On Behalf Of Liz Burkhart via Callers Sent: 29 March 2019 12:53 To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] Leading a 1 hr contra dance I have a gig coming up at a library wherein I have one hour to teach and call contra dances. It's a mixed crowd, and I heard there may be a lot of tweens present. I think I'd like to focus on bigger picture things - moving up and down the line, swinging, interacting with their set. I imagine I may even cut out courtesy turns in order to minimize the time we spend on the lesson. I've taught for small, mostly inexperienced crowds before but I usually have a lot more time. I'd really rather get them moving than to get bogged down in teaching. Does anyone have insight, suggestions, or advice? Thanks, Liz Burkhart

6 years

[Callers] Leading a 1 hr contra dance

by Liz Burkhart

I have a gig coming up at a library wherein I have one hour to teach and call contra dances. It's a mixed crowd, and I heard there may be a lot of tweens present. I think I'd like to focus on bigger picture things - moving up and down the line, swinging, interacting with their set. I imagine I may even cut out courtesy turns in order to minimize the time we spend on the lesson. I've taught for small, mostly inexperienced crowds before but I usually have a lot more time. I'd really rather get them moving than to get bogged down in teaching. Does anyone have insight, suggestions, or advice? Thanks, Liz Burkhart

6 years

[Callers] Does this exist? (Rory O'Moore > Partner Balance and Swing)

by Maia McCormick

I wanted a closer with a Rory O'Moore and a partner balance and swing. This is what I came up with. Does this (or a variant thereof) already exist? *Wave Goodbye* (becket L) A1: (on the L diagonal) give and take N (to lark's side) N swing A2: ravens chain (to P) ravens alle. R 1 1/2 to short waves (LH to N, ravens by R) B1: bal. L and R, slide L (short waves, RH to N, larks by L) bal. R and L, slide R, ravens sliding extra to pass each other B2: P b&s

6 years

Re: [Callers] Calling techno?

by Maia McCormick

Ah, more specific questions! - have you found on-the-floor demos doable at techno, or should I not even try? - techno no-walk-through's: do they work? On Thu, Mar 28, 2019 at 5:13 PM Maia McCormick <maiamcc(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Hey folks, > > I haven't called all that many techno contras, and I'm slated to do so > this weekend. Any tips or things to keep in mind about how techno differs > from your standard contra evening? (Particularly curious about anything > relating to dance choice and dance length.) > > Cheers, > Maia >

6 years

[Callers] Calling techno?

by Maia McCormick

Hey folks, I haven't called all that many techno contras, and I'm slated to do so this weekend. Any tips or things to keep in mind about how techno differs from your standard contra evening? (Particularly curious about anything relating to dance choice and dance length.) Cheers, Maia

6 years

[Callers] Neffa 75th contra winner

by Greenleaf

The winner of the Neffa 75th Contra Choreography Contest is Diamonds Are For Neffa, written by Chris Page. The judges feel that his dance has good flow, is suitable for the NEFFA audience, and includes very NEFFA-appropriate inter-set allemandes and a celebratory diamond. Even the title is clever. We honor Chris for this wonderful contribution to the NEFFA tradition. Congratulations! Thanks to the many people who submitted dances. There were 21 entries, with only one repetition of title (Diamond Jubilee). Bob Isaacs and I had fun trying out the dances in various parts of the country. Choreography for all of the submissions will be posted after the Festival. Bob will call the winning dance at the Festival’s 75th Dance Bash on Saturday, April 13. We hope that many of you will be there to help us celebrate. Many thanks, Lisa Greenleaf

6 years

Re: [Callers] [External] Re: Opposite StarThru and functional difference in LD v Slide

by jim saxe

On Mar 24, 2019, at 9:51 PM, Don Veino via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > I think I've actually heard Arizona Twirl from somewhere as well. > > In the interest of keeping the lexicon as small as possible, why not just say "with inside hands, twirl to swap" or similar? From the position of facing couples, if the caller says "with inside hands, twirl to swap," would that mean that you're supposed to do the "twirl to swap" with the dancer beside you, or would it mean that you're supposed to do it with the dancer facing you? I thing that without additional words (and without the benefit of a previous walk-through), the meaning isn't obvious. Adn if dancers think the meaning *is* obvious, they might not all come up with the same "obvious" meaning that the caller intended. --Jim

6 years

Re: [Callers] [External] Re: Opposite StarThru and functional difference in LD v Slide

by Don Veino

I think I've actually heard Arizona Twirl from somewhere as well. In the interest of keeping the lexicon as small as possible, why not just say "with inside hands, twirl to swap" or similar? -Don On Sun, Mar 24, 2019 at 9:03 PM Tepfer, Seth via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I believe Rick Mohr called it a Nevada twirl in one of his dances. > ------------------------------ > *From:* Andy Shore <square.a.shore(a)gmail.com> > *Sent:* Sunday, March 24, 2019 6:53:43 PM > *To:* Tepfer, Seth > *Cc:* callers > *Subject:* [External] Re: [Callers] Opposite StarThru and functional > difference in LD v Slide > > > > On Thu, Mar 21, 2019 at 9:57 AM Tepfer, Seth via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Two questions: > > 1) We have box the gnat (right hand to right hand), swat the flea (left > hand to left hand), and star thru (Lark/Gent right hand to Lady/Raven left > hand). What is the name of the opposite of a star thru (Lark/Gent left > hand to Lady/Raven right hand)? > > > > MWSD offers one option, probably not a term to use in a contra setting. > > *Arky Star Thru* is a position dependent (rather than dance role > dependent version): > > From Facing Couples. > Beaus do the Boys part, and Belles do the Girls part of a Star Thru. > (Everybody uses the inside hand) > Ends in Facing Couples. > https://www.ceder.net/oldcalls/viewsingle.php?RecordId=155 > > > This is not exactly what you asked for, which is to use the OTHER HAND > than typical of your role, but independent of your position. > > *Left Star Thru (edited slightly)* > From a boy facing a girl: boy holds left hand up and girl places her right > palm against it. boy steps forward and does a quarter left as the girl > passes the boy left shoulders under the raised arms and does a quarter > right. Finishes as a couple. > https://www.ceder.net/oldcalls/viewsingle.php?RecordId=3616 > > > Note that Bob Isaacs uses "Jersey Twirl" for a wrong-side California Twirl > with the Lark going under. > > Note that California Twirl (and Jersey Twirl) are 180˚ turns, while Star > Thru and Arky Star Thru are 90˚ turns. > > /Andy Shore > > > > ------------------------------ > > This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of > the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged > information. If the reader of this message is not the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution > or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly > prohibited. > > If you have received this message in error, please contact > the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the > original message (including attachments). > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ >

6 years

Re: [Callers] [External] Re: Opposite StarThru and functional difference in LD v Slide

by Tepfer, Seth

I believe Rick Mohr called it a Nevada twirl in one of his dances. ________________________________ From: Andy Shore <square.a.shore(a)gmail.com> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2019 6:53:43 PM To: Tepfer, Seth Cc: callers Subject: [External] Re: [Callers] Opposite StarThru and functional difference in LD v Slide On Thu, Mar 21, 2019 at 9:57 AM Tepfer, Seth via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: Two questions: 1) We have box the gnat (right hand to right hand), swat the flea (left hand to left hand), and star thru (Lark/Gent right hand to Lady/Raven left hand). What is the name of the opposite of a star thru (Lark/Gent left hand to Lady/Raven right hand)? MWSD offers one option, probably not a term to use in a contra setting. Arky Star Thru is a position dependent (rather than dance role dependent version): From Facing Couples. Beaus do the Boys part, and Belles do the Girls part of a Star Thru. (Everybody uses the inside hand) Ends in Facing Couples. https://www.ceder.net/oldcalls/viewsingle.php?RecordId=155 This is not exactly what you asked for, which is to use the OTHER HAND than typical of your role, but independent of your position. Left Star Thru (edited slightly) From a boy facing a girl: boy holds left hand up and girl places her right palm against it. boy steps forward and does a quarter left as the girl passes the boy left shoulders under the raised arms and does a quarter right. Finishes as a couple. https://www.ceder.net/oldcalls/viewsingle.php?RecordId=3616 Note that Bob Isaacs uses "Jersey Twirl" for a wrong-side California Twirl with the Lark going under. Note that California Twirl (and Jersey Twirl) are 180˚ turns, while Star Thru and Arky Star Thru are 90˚ turns. /Andy Shore ________________________________ This e-mail message (including any attachments) is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this message (including any attachments) is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact the sender by reply e-mail message and destroy all copies of the original message (including attachments).

6 years

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Import1 March 2019