The wrist lock is the common star formation in the Northwest, with a hands
across being the exception.
-Amy
Seattle
On Oct 10, 2016 5:37 AM, "Dave Casserly via Callers" <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Jeff Kaufman wrote a paper on regional variations in contra dance. Here's what
> he found
> <https://www.swarthmore.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/linguistics…>
> 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
>
>
Dave, Andrea,and Yoyo,
My apologies, you are absolutely correct. I somehow confused "Boys from
Urbana" with another dance. The two dances are very similar, and the
untitled dance could easily be considered a variation of "Boys from
Urbana".
Rich Sbardella
On Fri, Oct 7, 2016 at 6:43 PM, Dave Casserly <david.j.casserly(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
> I agree with Andrea and Yoyo that this dance is very similar to Boys from
> Urbana, enough certainly to qualify as a variation of the same dance.
> Literally the only difference is that there's a 1/2 gents allemenade after
> the progression in Boys from Urbana. And this one starts at a different
> spot than Boys from Urbana usually starts, but there's no reason Boys has
> to start there.
>
> I also agree with Yoyo about the timing. The reason Boys from Urbana
> works well is that there are 2 beats to veer each direction, then 4 beats
> for the gent to allemande left 1/2. In this dance, timing in B2 is
> unclear: 3/4 circle left is typically 6 beats, which leaves 10 for the veer
> left and veer right. Dancers won't split that into 5 beats and 5 beats, so
> it's uneven. Some dancers will compensate by taking extra time to circle
> left, and doing it in 8 beats instead of 6, but other dancers find such
> circles unsatisfying.
>
> -Dave
> Washington, DC
>
> On Fri, Oct 7, 2016 at 5:58 PM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> Sent from my external brain
>>
>> On Oct 6, 2016, at 2:44 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <
>> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>> While we are at this, here is another untitled dance. I am not sure
>> where I collected it.
>>
>> Can anyone name it?
>>
>> a1 N B&S
>> a2 LL, Ladies Alle R 1 1/2
>> b1 P B&S
>> b2 CL 3/4, Veer Left, Veer Right
>>
>>
>> This looks like Boys from Urbana
>>
>>
>> Rich Sbardella
>>
>> On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 2:29 PM, frannie via Callers <
>> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>>> I have it as a variation of Berkeley Bind by Erik Hoffman. Long lines
>>> instead of a full circle Left. If it's actually something else I'd love
>>> to give it correct credit.
>>>
>>> ~Frannie
>>>
>>> On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 11:08 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers <
>>> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Any insights?
>>>>
>>>> A1: neighbor B&S
>>>> A2: long lines
>>>> gents alle. L 1 1/2
>>>> B1: PB&S
>>>> B2: circle L 3/4
>>>> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>> Maia
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Callers mailing list
>>>> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> twirls,
>>> Frannie
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> David Casserly
> (cell) 781 258-2761
>
Sent from my external brain
> On Oct 6, 2016, at 2:44 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> While we are at this, here is another untitled dance. I am not sure where I collected it.
>
> Can anyone name it?
>
> a1 N B&S
> a2 LL, Ladies Alle R 1 1/2
> b1 P B&S
> b2 CL 3/4, Veer Left, Veer Right
This looks like Boys from Urbana
>
> Rich Sbardella
>
>> On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 2:29 PM, frannie via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>> I have it as a variation of Berkeley Bind by Erik Hoffman. Long lines instead of a full circle Left. If it's actually something else I'd love to give it correct credit.
>>
>> ~Frannie
>>
>>> On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 11:08 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>> Any insights?
>>>
>>> A1: neighbor B&S
>>> A2: long lines
>>> gents alle. L 1 1/2
>>> B1: PB&S
>>> B2: circle L 3/4
>>> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
>>>
>>> Cheers,
>>> Maia
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Callers mailing list
>>> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> twirls,
>> Frannie
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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
Hi Everyone,
Bill is correct: Cherokee Shuffle is an entirely different dance.
The dance in question is one of those great blue-collar contras which were somewhat dismissively referred to as “glossary dances” by some of the bigwigs of the late 20th century. Unsurprisingly, it seems to have been independently composed by a number of people, me included. My composition came together on the occasion of Matthew Justin Kenney’s birth however many years ago that was (he is now entering college). When I walked it through at my old Greenfield dance (at which Stuart Kenney played bass and banjo in the Greenfield Dance Band) for the first time, explained its inspiration, and asked the crowd what I ought to call it, someone shouted out “Matthew Just in Time”. And it stuck.
I suspect that as time goes on and more and more people compose dances, there will be more occasions of independent composing of identical sequences.
David
> On Oct 7, 2016, at 4:04 PM, Bill Olson via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Ummm... from David's web page:
>
> Cherokee Shuffle
> Improper
>
> A1 (facing up and down set) w/Ns, F & B; w/N, dos-a-dos; form circle
> A2 Bal. Circle; W/N, swing, end progressed
> B1 Gs LH turn 1/2; W/P, bal. & swing (12 beats)
> B2 Circle L 3/4; Circle Bal. 2x; W/P, California Twirl to swap places, face new Ns
>
>
> This is the 36 bar version to match the tune. I seem to remember the dance originally was Cir L x1, N DSD in A1 and in B1 the men turned half way to a wave across for the balance.
>
>
>
>
> From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of Jim Williams via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Friday, October 7, 2016 5:15 PM
> To: Aahz via Callers
> Subject: Re: [Callers] What dance is this?
>
> Note how similar this dance is to David Kaynor's Cherokee Shuffle.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Oct 7, 2016, at 10:58 AM, Michael Dyck via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> >
> >> On 16-10-06 02:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote:
> >> Any insights?
> >>
> >> A1: neighbor B&S
> >> A2: long lines
> >> gents alle. L 1 1/2
> >> B1: PB&S
> >> B2: circle L 3/4
> >> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
> >
> > That matches "California Twirl No2" by Al Green:
> > http://www.dancing-without-a-care.me.uk/contras.html
>
> Contras - Al Green - Al Green - dance caller - Home
> www.dancing-without-a-care.me.uk
> California Twirl-Duple improper A1 Neighbour dosado, neighbour swing A2 Down in 4s, turn as couples, return & bend the line B1 Right & left through, ladies chain
>
>
>
> >
> > and also "Easy Peasy" by Diane Silver
> > in "Barely Legal: A Modest Collection of Modern Contra Dances".
> >
> > -Michael
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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
On 16-10-06 02:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote:
> Any insights?
>
> A1: neighbor B&S
> A2: long lines
> gents alle. L 1 1/2
> B1: PB&S
> B2: circle L 3/4
> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
That matches "California Twirl No2" by Al Green:
http://www.dancing-without-a-care.me.uk/contras.html
and also "Easy Peasy" by Diane Silver
in "Barely Legal: A Modest Collection of Modern Contra Dances".
-Michael
Awesome, thanks all!
While we're at it, does this one exist?
> becket L
> A1: slice L
> ladies chain (to N)
> A2: ladies chain (to P)
> ladies allemande R 1 1/2 (to N)
> B1: N b&s
> B2: circle L 3/4
> P swing
On Fri, Oct 7, 2016 at 12:14 PM, Dugan Murphy via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Hi, Maia,
>
> I have that choreography as "Easy Peasy" by Diane Silver, as published in
> her choreography book "Barely Legal."
>
> Dugan Murphy
> Portland, Maine
> dugan(a)duganmurphy.com
> www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com
> www.NufSed.consulting
>
>
>> Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2016 14:08:35 -0400
>> From: Maia McCormick via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
>> To: "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
>> Subject: [Callers] What dance is this?
>> Message-ID:
>> <CAHUcZGMpVd1W7abpLSOVTv1eyLE_678AQ6NEzbDrm=NQApu6Rg(a)mail.gm
>> ail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>>
>> Any insights?
>>
>> A1: neighbor B&S
>> A2: long lines
>> gents alle. L 1 1/2
>> B1: PB&S
>> B2: circle L 3/4
>> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Maia
>>
>> **************************************
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
>
Hi, Maia,
I have that choreography as "Easy Peasy" by Diane Silver, as published in
her choreography book "Barely Legal."
Dugan Murphy
Portland, Maine
dugan(a)duganmurphy.com
www.PortlandIntownContraDance.comwww.NufSed.consulting
> Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2016 14:08:35 -0400
> From: Maia McCormick via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
> To: "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] What dance is this?
> Message-ID:
> <CAHUcZGMpVd1W7abpLSOVTv1eyLE_678AQ6NEzbDrm=NQApu6Rg@mail.
> gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Any insights?
>
> A1: neighbor B&S
> A2: long lines
> gents alle. L 1 1/2
> B1: PB&S
> B2: circle L 3/4
> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
>
> Cheers,
> Maia
>
> **************************************
>
Yoyo,
I do not consider this dance and Boys from Urbana variations of the same
dance. I would have no trouble calling this dance to start off an evening,
but Urbana is much more difficult.
Where are your concerns with timing and flow? The only difference I see is
that there are 8 beats available for the zig/zag versus 4 beats in Urbana.
That is a plus early in an evening.
Rich Sbardella
On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 3:01 PM, Yoyo Zhou <yozhov(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 11:44 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> While we are at this, here is another untitled dance. I am not sure
>> where I collected it.
>>
>> Can anyone name it?
>>
>> a1 N B&S
>> a2 LL, Ladies Alle R 1 1/2
>> b1 P B&S
>> b2 CL 3/4, Veer Left, Veer Right
>>
>
> This looks like a variation of the Boys from Urbana by John Coffman. I
> think the timing and flow in the original works better.
>
> See here: https://sites.google.com/site/capecontradance/home/
> contra-dances-by-john-coffman
>
> Yoyo Zhou
>
>
On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 11:44 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> While we are at this, here is another untitled dance. I am not sure where
> I collected it.
>
> Can anyone name it?
>
> a1 N B&S
> a2 LL, Ladies Alle R 1 1/2
> b1 P B&S
> b2 CL 3/4, Veer Left, Veer Right
>
This looks like a variation of the Boys from Urbana by John Coffman. I
think the timing and flow in the original works better.
See here:
https://sites.google.com/site/capecontradance/home/contra-dances-by-john-co…
Yoyo Zhou
While we are at this, here is another untitled dance. I am not sure where
I collected it.
Can anyone name it?
a1 N B&S
a2 LL, Ladies Alle R 1 1/2
b1 P B&S
b2 CL 3/4, Veer Left, Veer Right
Rich Sbardella
On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 2:29 PM, frannie via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> I have it as a variation of Berkeley Bind by Erik Hoffman. Long lines
> instead of a full circle Left. If it's actually something else I'd love
> to give it correct credit.
>
> ~Frannie
>
> On Thu, Oct 6, 2016 at 11:08 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers <
> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Any insights?
>>
>> A1: neighbor B&S
>> A2: long lines
>> gents alle. L 1 1/2
>> B1: PB&S
>> B2: circle L 3/4
>> Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Maia
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> twirls,
> Frannie
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
>
