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2524 discussions

[Callers] Family dance- educational supplements?

by Claire Takemori via Callers

I’m a new contra dance caller (took Nils’ workshop at American Week last July). And my goal is to offer calling for Family dances to help spread folk music/dance in our community. (maybe College contras, but that’s a different thread) I’m calling my first Family dance on March 6th for a home-school community. I was hoping to offer a page of INTERESTING , Kid-friendly, FUN info, activities, links in case someone wants to delve further into the history, dance or music. Any great resources out there? I don’t have a ton of time to put this together from scrap. And I don’t know enough yet to figure out the history. I’m learning as I go! thanks ! Claire Takemori Bay Area California

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] ONS with a *tiny* inexperienced crowd?

by Winston, Alan P. via Callers

On 1/26/2016 7:53 AM, Don Veino via Callers wrote: > I've agreed to an extremely last minute "Hoe Down" gig this Saturday > for a local church, where I'm promised 25-75 people of mixed ages. No > dance experience at all. > > I've reset their expectation to a family/barn dance - no cowboy > outfits on the performers, no line dances. They asked for some squares > - ok. If the crowd is really that size, I'm all set. Have the > material, live music with a contra and squares, etc. fiddler & piano > player. Good to go. > > My nightmare is there's only 5 people that show, say: a toddler, a > teen, 2 parents and a grandparent. I have a few things I might do with > that small number of inexperienced folks, but not enough to fill 2 > (fun) hours. > > Any ideas on what you'd do/use in that instance? I'm all ears! > The toddler is kind of a challenge, since they'll be like half a dancer and not good at following instructions. You can get a good 10 minutes starting up by taking hands in a line (you at the lead) and wandering around the hall; as the music comes around, bend the line into a circle, circle left and right, into the center and back twice, peel off and wander around the hall some more, etc, never letting go of hands. That kind of group doesn't know that they need more than that to have fun. Keep your speed down to what the slowest walker can manage and don't worry about much phrasing, except form your circles at the top of a phrase. If you have people old enough to follow directions: COTTONTAIL RAG (or Hot Tub Rag) by Steve Schnur Circles of 5 dancers; each circle pick jack/jill to start A1. Left-hand star; jack/jill rolls out, walks clockwise around circle while others continue single file A2. Jack chooses anyone, balance and swing End facing the others who are three in line B1. Two face three, forward and back Do si do: the twosome with the center person in the line of three (who will become new jack/jill) B2. New jack faces out of circle with hands crossed, others face in and all join hands in a ring. Jack pulls two individuals through an arch made by his upper arm to form a basket, and all basket swing to the left. Finish to form new l.h. star. NOTES. Polka Dots (? author) (4/4 G Green Mountain Petronella - in several tune books, and I have music as well) 5 people - a diamond with #1 in middle, #2 with back to the music) via Mary Devlin A1 1 & 2 start hey for 3, R sh (up & down hall) A2 1 flow into hey for 3 (L sh) across with #3 & #5 B1 1 & 2 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places 2 & 3 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places B2 3 & 4 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places 4 & 5 set; R-hand turn 1/2 to change places (and 5 is now #1) DUMMER'S REEL Collected from Tony Saletan Houston '93? [Not by me] Circle of 5 people A1 Circle Left; Same way single file A2 Jack (the "it" person) turn back and weave in and out B1 Jack swing somebody; Swing their opposite B2 Hey for 3 A1 Jack swing somebody you haven't swun; Swing their opposite A2 Hey for 3 B1 Circle left; Jack raise left hand and pull himself and 1 other under B2 Basket swing FIVE-STAR WALTZ 12/3/2004 Alan Winston five people in pentagon formation moderate-tempo 32-bar waltz count off numbers before you start; #1 might be the point toward the band. A1: All set R&L into center, turn single R, circle left. A2: All set LEFT and RIGHT, turn single LEFT, circle RIGHT; #1 exits circle early and finishes next to choice for B1. B1: #1 and #1's choice, orbit outside the set, waltzing or promenading WHILE the other three right-hand star in the center, left hands back. [#1 drops his or her choice off at home and cuts back through the set to home place.] B2: #1 & #5, RH 1/2. #1 & #4, LH 1/2. #1 & #3, RH 1/2. #1 & #2, LH 1/2. (Try B2 with "step left and close; pull by right ..." etc if you prefer.) [For ECDers or a less prankish crowd, instead of randomly picking somebody out of the set and having to hustle home, have #1 and #5 (who is one place CCW from #1) promenade and finish at home, then start the progression in B2.] THE LESSER WEEVIL 12/2/2004 Alan Winston 5-person-set, line of 2 facing line of 3 5x 32-bar jig, reel (contra sound for either), or waltz (!) A tip of the hat to Richard Mason's "The Weevil" A1: 1-4: Lines balance forward (step close) and back (step close), cross over. 5-8: The same back to place. A2: 1-2: Stepping into "waves" with hands up and joined, balance forward and back. 3-4: Allemande right with right-hand neighbor (if any). 5-8: Waves balance f+b, allemande left into line (no hands). B1: 1-4: Right-hand neighbors do-si-do back into line 5-8: Four changes of a Right shoulder straight hey for five (progressive). B2: 1: Top person jumps out to THREE side. 2: Next person jumps out to TWO side. 3: Next person jumps out to THREE side. 4: Next 2 people jump out to correct side (having had time to figure it out). 5-8: 2s swing each other WHILE 3s basket or circle 3; open in the same position you started the swing. PEGGING THE NEEDLE 12/3/2004 Alan Winston 5-person-set, in a line holding hands, facing to right of line. 32-bar jig, reel, polka A1: Thread the needle: keeping hold of hands, #1 leads line through arch made by 4+5. Finish in circle facing in. A2: #2-#5 join hands in ring, raise to make four arches; they sidestep slowly left throughout WHILE #1, with any stepping and path, goes in and out through the arches. B1&2: (0) #2 and #5 break; #1 takes #2s hand, and the other arches stay up. 1&2 go under the 2-3 arch; 1&2&3 go under the 3-4 arch; 1&2&3&4 go under the 4-5 arch and draw the line straight in any direction. #1 and #2, holding hands only with each other, raise the joined hands as an arch and take it over the heads of 3-5, finish at bottom and turn into line, with #1 in fourth place, #2 in fifth place. ----- NOTE: This has the potential to wander all over the floor. If there are five danceable 10-year-old+, you can join them and then you can do three-couple sets. Plenty of simple-enough triplets, but here's some one-night-stand stuff I like: JANUARY JIG (Got it from Jonathan Coxhead - Easy, Ceilidh) three-couple longways. 1x= 3x32 bar jigs. ("Fair Jenny's Jig" rocks with this dance) A1:1-4: M1 sets to W2, W3, W2, W3 5-8: Those three circle left and right; M1 finishes at home A2: -- The same led by W1 with M2 and M3. B1: 1-4: 1s gallop down 5-8: 1s gallop back B2: 1s cast off to bottom place (skipping?), swing when they get there WHILE 2s and 3s right hand star, left hands back, all four drifting up to top place. FLYING SCOT longways set 3 or 4 couples. 32-bar jigs or reels * # of couples. Easy, ceilidh, vigorous. A1: Men hold hands and 1st man leads weaving through the women's line. (16 steps; with 4 couples, they have to keep moving). [I think this is weave from top to bottom and into the men's line] A2: Ditto for women, weaving through men's line. B1: 1s galop as far as possible down the room (8 steps) then back to BOTTOM of set. B2: Sides take hands and lines sidestep down the room (8 steps) and back (8 steps), led by the 1s who are now at the bottom of the set. AROUND ONE From "The Willow Tree" Easy, ceilidh 3-couple longways, 32-bar New England single reels (Gives "reel de Ti-Jean" and "Green Mountain Petronella") A1: Lines go forward and back then cross to the other side THUS: middles turn right hand one and a half WHILE ends do a half right and left four around them (hence the title) A2: Repeat to place. B1: Right hand star for six; left hand star for six. B2: 1s down the middle to the bottom while the others move up and swing. Hope this helps! -- Alan

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] another new word idea

by jwcontrahands4 via Callers

I think that, if I decide to abandon gypsy, I will go with "ease about". I like the feel of it. An alternative would be "walkabout". Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S™ III, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Martha Wild via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Date:01/26/2016 10:17 PM (GMT-06:00) </div><div>To: Jonathan Sivier <jsivier(a)illinois.edu> </div><div>Cc: Callers(a)sharedweight.net </div><div>Subject: Re: [Callers] another new word idea </div><div> </div>How about “mimsy” then - kind of like Jets and Rubies, it has a similar feel to the word it replaces. Martha > On Jan 25, 2016, at 3:53 PM, Jonathan Sivier via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > That's what made me think of it. In some earlier message someone mentioned "Gyre" (probably a diminutive of gyrate) as a possibility. That led me to > > "Twas brillig, and the slithy toves > Did gyre and gimble in the wabe" > > "Gimble" may, or may not, be a real word spelled that way, but Gimbal is and seemed like it might have potential. > > Jonathan > > > On 1/25/2016 2:32 PM, Andrea Nettleton wrote: >> I love this! And it has a playful kind of sound, despite its technical origin. :-) reminds me of jabberwocky somehow... >> Andrea >> >> Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask >> >>> On Jan 25, 2016, at 11:26 AM, Jonathan Sivier via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >>> >>> I've been thinking about this as well. I'd like to propose "Gimbal" as a substitute for gypsy. You could even spell it "Gymbal" if you liked. ;-) This also has the same number of syllables and starts with the same letter as a bonus. A gimbal is a pivoted support that allows the rotation of an object about a single axis, so it also makes some sense with respect to the movement being named. It is sometimes used as a verb, as in the movement of rocket motors used for guidance, as well as being a noun. >>> >>> Jonathan >>> ----- >>> Jonathan Sivier >>> Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances >>> jsivier AT illinois DOT edu >>> Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html >>> ----- >>> Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? >>> A: It depends on what dance you call! > > _______________________________________________ > 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, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Fw: Fw: another new word idea

by Jeremy Gmail via Callers

My apologies – I was using something that claimed to be a verbatim copy of Callerlab but clearly wasn’t! The action is still different to how the G-move is danced on the UK, which is full face rather than a “glance” over the shoulder. Jeremy From: Callers [mailto:callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Andy Shore via Callers Sent: 28 January 2016 01:32 To: Caller's discussion list Subject: Re: [Callers] Fw: Fw: another new word idea On Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 11:51 AM, Jeremy Gmail via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: In MWSD, walk around (your corner) is effectively a “without hands” Right Hand Turn – it specifically does not have the “look at the other person” aspect. This is not in itself a reason for not using the phrase, but avoiding confusion with closely allied dance forms that share dancers is probably a good idea. Jeremy This is not correct. Current CALLERLAB definitions include styling that includes "eye contact" >From the current CALLERLAB Basic/Mainstream definitions (revised May 31, 2013) available for download at callerlab.org: [my emphasis added with underlining] 26. Walk Around the Corner Starting formations: Squared Set, Infacing Circle Of 8 Command examples: Walk Around the Corner Walk All Around Your Corner 4 Ladies Chain; Circle Left; Walk Around New Corner All Around the Left Hand Lady Walk All Around the Left Hand Lady; See Saw the Pretty Little Taw Dance action: Dancers face their corners. Walking forward and around each other while keeping right shoulders adjacent, dancers return to their original position, with their backs toward their corner. [underlining mine] Ending formation: Right and Left Grand Circle Timing: 8 Styling: Men hold arms in natural dance position. Women use both hands on skirt, moving skirt forward and back to avoid opposite dancer. Dancers should maintain eye contact over their shoulders until their partners become visible. [underlining mine] Comment: Square dancing is evolving towards a preference for "Walk Around the Corner" instead of "All Around The Left-Hand Lady", which requires the women to mentally translate the command to "All Around The Right-Hand Man". While I'm not suggesting we adopt the MWSD nomenclature (in particular, the left-shoulder version is called "See Saw" in current MWSD which is something different in current contra), I do want to point out that the dance action is exactly what we desire for a right-shoulder gy--y. The only difference is that MWSD it is essentially restricted to exactly 1x around, and in contra gy--y is 'as far as directed'. -- /Andy Shore Santa Cruz, CA http://andyshore.com/

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Walk around, ease around etc.

by kops-and-robs via Callers

My father said it was a tool, maybe a type of drill? I can't remember, unfortunately. Sarah Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Smartphone ------ Original message------From: Richard Fischer via Callers Date: Thu, Jan 28, 2016 1:34 PMTo: Andrea Nettleton;Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net;Subject:Re: [Callers] Walk around, ease around etc. The Oxford English Dictionary gives both pronunciations for "gimbal" with the "soft" g first: /ˈdʒɪmbəl/ /ˈɡɪmbəl/ I followed their etymology trail, and it seems to ultimately come from a word meaning "twin." Richard On Jan 27, 2016, at 6:30 PM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers wrote: Thanks, Delia, for somehow understanding what I meant despite the spate of autocorrects and typos. It is pronounced with a hard "g" as in gill, just to be clear. Andrea Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask On Jan 27, 2016, at 3:10 PM, Delia Clark <deliaclark8(a)gmail.com> wrote: I agree that a playful name would be a wonderful way to go for this very playful move. I like Gimbal for that reason. Just checking, it’s pronounced “gym-bal” right? There was one other playful suggestion sometime in the past couple of weeks, in addition to gyre, but try as I might, I just can’t find it in the rich flow of email on this topic, so if someone wants to re-nominate it, with the goal of a rememberable and playful name in mind, please do. I know that indicates it’s not passing the rememberability test for me at the moment but, to be fair, I was just skimming on a work night when it flew by. On Jan 27, 2016, at 5:57 PM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: What I feel Is missing from these expressions is twofold. One is memorability. We remember things better to which we attach emotions of some kind. A name people giggle or oo ah about is going to stick and be pleasurable each time they hear it. I love the name Mad Robin, as an example of a distinctive and whimsical name for a dance move, which could as easily be called a sideways do si do. The second is the sense of playful interaction that gypsy has always engendered. I don't want to restart the discussion of why that is, but I do want to keep that in the move, along with eye contact, rather than go to a dry workmanlike term. So nice of to have to invite play, but perhaps only need to mention that you look at your P, N, Sh, as you (new name) around them by the (R/L Sh). I think that was the appeal to me of the word Gimbal, which somehow revoked both rotation and play all in one. I hope I'm not alone in this desire, though I know we are often of very diverse opinions as a group. Cheers, Andrea Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> Delia Clark PO Box 45 Taftsville, VT 05073 Office/mobile: 802-457-2075 deliaclark8(a)gmail.com _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight..net

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] ONS with a *tiny* inexperienced crowd?

by JD Erskine via Callers

On 2016-01-27 2107, Don Veino via Callers wrote: snip > ps: I've had a chance to meet with the sponsors and see some of the > all-out decorations they've got going for the hall - including hay > bales, old time milk cans, saddles on sawhorses, etc. - may need to pull > together some themed outfit for myself after all. :) Ah, what one ceilidh band I do a lot of work with with calls A Sneezer. If I get there first I text one member to bring her antihistamine. I also look for a broom and clear safe space. Sometimes I have to make _dance_ space. A big thank you to Colin Hume for wise words on setting up which I read some time ago. http://www.colinhume.com/callers.htm Funny how brief that part of the one paragraph is on review. However when I was looking for support for my decision to move/remove tables on the-night-of for one dance some years ago (to make a usable space) they loomed large in my memory. Helpful. Have fun. Report back now. <g> John -- J.D. Erskine Victoria, BC

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] ONS with a *tiny* inexperienced crowd?

by Don Veino via Callers

Thanks for all the great input! I've now got quite a few options for the tiny crowd scenario offered. Much appreciated! -Don ps: I've had a chance to meet with the sponsors and see some of the all-out decorations they've got going for the hall - including hay bales, old time milk cans, saddles on sawhorses, etc. - may need to pull together some themed outfit for myself after all. :)

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Fw: Fw: another new word idea

by Andrea Nettleton via Callers

Andy, I'm not sure that the action 'face your corner' necessitates making or keeping eye contact. It is heard by many, in my experience, merely as the instruction which gets your body facing around the ring so you are interacting with your corner, not at all as an injunction to look into their face. That I interpret it that way seems to be an artifact of my contra background. Best, Andrea Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask > On Jan 27, 2016, at 5:32 PM, Andy Shore via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > >> On Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 11:51 AM, Jeremy Gmail via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> In MWSD, walk around (your corner) is effectively a “without hands” Right Hand Turn – it specifically does not have the “look at the other person” aspect. >> >> >> This is not in itself a reason for not using the phrase, but avoiding confusion with closely allied dance forms that share dancers is probably a good idea. >> >> >> >> Jeremy >> > > > This is not correct. Current CALLERLAB definitions include styling that includes "eye contact" > > From the current CALLERLAB Basic/Mainstream definitions (revised May 31, 2013) available for download at callerlab.org: > [my emphasis added with underlining] > > > 26. Walk Around the Corner > Starting formations: Squared Set, Infacing Circle Of 8 > Command examples: > Walk Around the Corner > Walk All Around Your Corner > 4 Ladies Chain; Circle Left; Walk Around New Corner > All Around the Left Hand Lady > Walk All Around the Left Hand Lady; See Saw the Pretty Little Taw > > Dance action: Dancers face their corners. Walking forward and around each other while keeping right shoulders adjacent, dancers return to their original position, with their backs toward their corner. [underlining mine] > > Ending formation: Right and Left Grand Circle > > Timing: 8 > > Styling: Men hold arms in natural dance position. Women use both hands on skirt, moving skirt forward and back to avoid opposite dancer. Dancers should maintain eye contact over their shoulders until their partners become visible. [underlining mine] > > Comment: Square dancing is evolving towards a preference for "Walk Around the Corner" instead of "All Around The Left-Hand Lady", which requires the women to mentally translate the command to "All Around The Right-Hand Man". > > While I'm not suggesting we adopt the MWSD nomenclature (in particular, the left-shoulder version is called "See Saw" in current MWSD which is something different in current contra), I do want to point out that the dance action is exactly what we desire for a right-shoulder gy--y. The only difference is that MWSD it is essentially restricted to exactly 1x around, and in contra gy--y is 'as far as directed'. > > > -- > /Andy Shore > Santa Cruz, CA > http://andyshore.com/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] another new word idea

by Andrea Nettleton via Callers

You all are tickling me every which way today! Mome raths and slithy toves, raths and toves. :D which is which? Andrea Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask > On Jan 25, 2016, at 12:49 PM, David Chandler <chandler.dr(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > Jabberwocky, as in: > ’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves > Did gyre and gimble in the wabe > > I'm not sure dancers will appreciate being called "slithy toves," though we have been looking for new terms to use to describe dancers in different positions. Perhaps the other position could be "mome raths" as in: > All mimsy were the borogoves, > And the mome raths outgrabe. > > Raths and toves? > > David > >> On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 3:32 PM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> I love this! And it has a playful kind of sound, despite its technical origin. :-) reminds me of jabberwocky somehow... >> Andrea >> >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >

8 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] another new word idea

by James Saxe via Callers

I tried typing each of the following into the Google search box: "frontier twirl" square dance "frontier whirl" square dance The "whirl" version got more hits, but the "twirl" version also got enough to show that it's more than just one person's idiosyncratic variant. Bonus history tidbit: In Ed Gilmore's dance "The California Whirl", as published in the May 1951 _Sets in Order_ magazine and on page _Sets In Order_'s _5 Years of Square Dancing_ compilation (a/k/a _Five Years of Sets In Order_), the term "California Whirl" is used to mean what would now be called a "Left Star Thru". That is, it's done by dancers who are facing each other, rather than by those who are side-by-side, with gent using left hand and lady using right hand. On the other hand (as it were), when Ed describes the "Inside Arch Outside Under" routine in his 1949 callers course syllabus http://squaredancehistory.org/items/show/581 he uses "California Whirl" just as we now use "California Twirl'. The terminology just wasn't as precicodified in those ®®days as it is in MWSD today. --Jim > On Jan 27, 2016, at 1:20 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Erik, > I have heard Frontier Whirl as a California Twirl, but never Frontier Twirl? Are you sure? (Maybe I am mistaken.) > Rich Sbardella > Stafford, CT > > On Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 12:26 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > What Michael Fuerst said at a readable size (It's still coming through to me in some microscopic font): > > > Are you also contemplating to abandon the awkward to say "California > > Twirl" > > If you use your gypsy alternative for new dancers, will you advise them > > of all the synonyms being conjured ? > > Aha! A whole new topic. Well, actually old. Larry Edelman, one of my favorite dance callers, and someone I feel lucky to have spent time with, and from whom I have learned so much, use to complain about "California Twirl." I don't recall his reasons, but he always called it a "Frontier Twirl," which I think he got from old square dance books. > > I've been using "right shoulder turn," and "left shoulder turn," and mentioning that there's been a discussion on the use of the word Gypsy. Then again, somewhere around sixty percent of the time I tend to call a "right hand turn," instead of "allemande right," as it's more descriptive. > > This, in some ways, gives another reason for using different words: the use of descriptive calls. Thus abandoning a non-descriptive call for one that is more readily interpreted by all dancers has other benefits than just abandoning a word that some--or all--find pejorative . > > ~erik hoffman > oakland, ca > > > On 1/27/2016 7:03 AM, Michael Fuerst via Callers wrote: >> Are you also contemplating to abandon the awkward to say "California Twirl" >> If you use your gypsy alternative for new dancers, will you advise them of all the synonyms being conjured ? >> >> Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 5844 >> > > > _______________________________________________ > 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, 11 months

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