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2524 discussions

by Richard Hart via Callers

I always describe a gypsy as being just like a dos à dos, but face to face, instead of back to back. As that is the case, why not use French again. As "dos à dos" means back to back, why not use "face à face" which means face to face? Pronunciation would probably be difficult for those who don't speak French, so it would probably become "facey-face" for many. On Sat, Oct 24, 2015 at 10:08 AM, Don Veino via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Before I respond directly, I ask that all of us posting what I expect to be > many replies to trim post quotes to just the pertinent bits (particularly > those reading the "digest" version). > .... > Curiously enough, I'd raised this naming issue with a group of callers (and > dancers glommed on) at a house party recently. An area caller had tried > rebranding the Gypsy as an Orbit, which this group rejected due to the > existing usage & meaning for that term. One participant was of Romani > heritage and expressed pride at the existing term and satisfaction at it > being used for such a nice dance move and would feel loss were it to be > renamed. I don't mention this to make excuses for anything that might offend > but rather to show that there are many possible perspectives. I'd since > thought of other possible names and came up with these: > > Swirl - gentlest, unfortunately similar to "twirl" in sound > Cyclone - too "violent", encouraging abandon? > Vortex - distinct in sound, 2 syllables and short when spelled out. > > Sorry you find yourself in this situation. We know your actual intent was to > bring happiness, not offend. > > -Don >

9 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Advice about "gypsy"

by Bree Kalb via Callers

9 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Advice about "gypsy"

by Jeff Kaufman via Callers

On Sat, Oct 24, 2015 at 5:17 AM, Chris Page via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > "Gypsy" comes from Cecil Sharp, when he was trying to name a figure that > appeared in the literature of two dancers going around each other. > > My hearsay understanding is that he named it after some Romani dances he > knew of where partners didn't touch each other. > Sharp called the figure "Whole-Gip" in The Country Dance Book Part II, and seems to have taken the name from Morris: The figures which occur in the course of the dances described in "The Dancing Master" are very varied and very numerous. With the exception of the Set, the Side, and the Honour, and others of a like character, all of which are essentially Country dance figures, I have been able to connect nearly all of them with similar evolutions in the Morris or Sword dances. The Whole-Poussette and, of course, the Roll, are sword-dance figures, and I believe that all those Country Dance figures, in which an arch is made by the joining of hands, handkerchiefs, or ribbons, were originally derived from the same source. Other evolutions such as Whole-Gip, Back-to-Back, Cross-over, Foot-up, Corners, etc., are familiar Morris figures. If anyone knows where to look for how Morris dancers got "gip" I'd be very curious. http://www.jefftk.com/p/history-of-the-term-gypsy

9 years, 5 months

[Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question

by Leslie Gotfrit via Callers

I’ve been asked to call a one hour set in a rural heritage hall for a party for about 130 folks. There will be two sets at the end of the evening with a Blues Band. Yep, its a bit odd, but the organizer wants to bring all his various friends together and thought, rightly, that having someone organize some dancing would help that along. Has anyone ever called a community dance (circle mixers, scatter sets, longways, maybe a square) to a blues band? The band seems willing to work with me. Any suggestions about what to say to them so that I could call La Bastringue or Galopede, for example, and it would work? Any suggestions for youtube links for a caller calling to something other than the usual trad tune? I could bring in a fiddler and ask the band to back the fiddler up. Any advice on doing it that way? Is this so ridiculous that you’re all doubled over laughing? People will be there not because they are blues lovers so much as their buddy is throwing a party. In any case, I’d be grateful for advice Leslie Gotfrit

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Blues for contra dancing

by Keith Wood via Callers

Here's a Blues Contra of mine (http://keith-wood.name/mydances.html#ShortButSweet): Short But Sweet April 2015 Becket formation Beginner/Intermediate 12 bar blues - "Sweet Home Chicago" A Circle left 3/4 Swing neighbour B Balance the ring (4 beats) Nevada twirl with partner (California twirl with other hands) (4 beats) With next couple, balance the ring (4 beats) Petronella turn one place anti-clockwise (4 beats) C Half hey, starting with women passing left shoulders Swing partner End effects: After coming out out the set on the Nevada twirl, wait until the next one to rejoin. Cheers Keith >>> I?ve been asked to call a one hour set in a rural heritage hall for a party for about 130 folks. There will be two sets at the end of the evening with a Blues Band. Yep, its a bit odd, but the organizer wants to bring all his various friends together and thought, rightly, that having someone organize some dancing would help that along. Has anyone ever called a community dance (circle mixers, scatter sets, longways, maybe a square) to a blues band? The band seems willing to work with me. Any suggestions about what to say to them so that I could call La Bastringue or Galopede, for example, and it would work? >>> >>> Any suggestions for youtube links for a caller calling to something other than the usual trad tune? I could bring in a fiddler and ask the band to back the fiddler up. Any advice on doing it that way? >>> >>> Is this so ridiculous that you?re all doubled over laughing? People will be there not because they are blues lovers so much as their buddy is throwing a party. >>> >>> In any case, I?d be grateful for advice >>> Leslie Gotfrit >>> >>>

9 years, 6 months

[Callers] Blues for contra dancing

by Richard via Callers

The structure of a classic blues song is 12 bars long (24 beats). Modern blues bands do play a lot of tunes that are not in this structure. In any case it might be interesting to think about contras that are or could be made to be 48 or 72 beats long, rather than 64. R Richard Hopkins 850-544-7614 Hopkinsrs(a)comcast.net Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 18, 2015, at 4:01 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Dances For Short Line (Louie.cromartie via Callers) > 2. Re: Dances For Short Line (Linda Leslie via Callers) > 3. Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > (Leslie Gotfrit via Callers) > 4. Re: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > (John Rogers via Callers) > 5. Re: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > (JD Erskine iDance via Callers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:32:15 -0400 > From: "Louie.cromartie via Callers" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net> > Cc: sharedweight <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line > Message-ID: <C99FE837-4B91-4DDB-8469-645083D7DAB5(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Just curious. Robert doesn't recall writing (or calling) a dance called Saint Louis Cruise. Perhaps it was created by someone else. > -Louie (not a saint) > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Dances For Short Line (Louie.cromartie via Callers) > 2. Re: Dances For Short Line (Linda Leslie via Callers) > 3. Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > (Leslie Gotfrit via Callers) > 4. Re: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > (John Rogers via Callers) > 5. Re: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > (JD Erskine iDance via Callers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2015 16:32:15 -0400 > From: "Louie.cromartie via Callers" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net> > Cc: sharedweight <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line > Message-ID: <C99FE837-4B91-4DDB-8469-645083D7DAB5(a)gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Just curious. Robert doesn't recall writing (or calling) a dance called Saint Louis Cruise. Perhaps it was created by someone else. > -Louie (not a saint) > >> On Oct 16, 2015, at 12:56 AM, Martha Wild via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> It's a good time to call dances that might need extra space along the line - for example, there are some dances with a ladies chain up and down as opposed to across the set such as Saint Louis Cruise by Robert Cromartie. > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2015 17:12:51 -0400 > From: Linda Leslie via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: "Louie.cromartie" <louie.cromartie(a)gmail.com> > Cc: sharedweight <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line > Message-ID: <F564544E-28C1-4939-8285-71308A7036B1(a)comcast.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > I believe it was written by Roger Diggle?. > Linda > >> On Oct 17, 2015, at 4:32 PM, Louie.cromartie via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> Just curious. Robert doesn't recall writing (or calling) a dance called Saint Louis Cruise. Perhaps it was created by someone else. >> -Louie (not a saint) >> >>> On Oct 16, 2015, at 12:56 AM, Martha Wild via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >>> >>> It's a good time to call dances that might need extra space along the line - for example, there are some dances with a ladies chain up and down as opposed to across the set such as Saint Louis Cruise by Robert Cromartie. >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sat, 17 Oct 2015 21:02:33 -0600 > From: Leslie Gotfrit via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Subject: [Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > Message-ID: <00563DE5-85B3-4272-810C-6A2CC08B86F8(a)me.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > I?ve been asked to call a one hour set in a rural heritage hall for a party for about 130 folks. There will be two sets at the end of the evening with a Blues Band. Yep, its a bit odd, but the organizer wants to bring all his various friends together and thought, rightly, that having someone organize some dancing would help that along. Has anyone ever called a community dance (circle mixers, scatter sets, longways, maybe a square) to a blues band? The band seems willing to work with me. Any suggestions about what to say to them so that I could call La Bastringue or Galopede, for example, and it would work? > > Any suggestions for youtube links for a caller calling to something other than the usual trad tune? I could bring in a fiddler and ask the band to back the fiddler up. Any advice on doing it that way? > > Is this so ridiculous that you?re all doubled over laughing? People will be there not because they are blues lovers so much as their buddy is throwing a party. > > In any case, I?d be grateful for advice > Leslie Gotfrit > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2015 00:24:52 -0700 > From: John Rogers via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Leslie Gotfrit <lgotfrit(a)me.com> > Cc: "callers(a)sharedweight.net" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > Message-ID: <65CF175B-3ADF-4823-9D15-A42D75F21167(a)icloud.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 > > With the right cooperation from the band it could work out just fine. I've called contras to all sorts of music, including Romanian folksongs. But, you do need to talk with them about the fact that every tune needs to be 32 bars and of uniform tempo. (And the tempo should be an appropriate one.) The AABB structure that we are used to is nice, but you can probably cope with ABCD if that is what they will play. It will help if you can get a recording of them playing, so you can get used to timing your calls. > > Sent from my iPhone > >> On Oct 17, 2015, at 8:02 PM, Leslie Gotfrit via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> I?ve been asked to call a one hour set in a rural heritage hall for a party for about 130 folks. There will be two sets at the end of the evening with a Blues Band. Yep, its a bit odd, but the organizer wants to bring all his various friends together and thought, rightly, that having someone organize some dancing would help that along. Has anyone ever called a community dance (circle mixers, scatter sets, longways, maybe a square) to a blues band? The band seems willing to work with me. Any suggestions about what to say to them so that I could call La Bastringue or Galopede, for example, and it would work? >> >> Any suggestions for youtube links for a caller calling to something other than the usual trad tune? I could bring in a fiddler and ask the band to back the fiddler up. Any advice on doing it that way? >> >> Is this so ridiculous that you?re all doubled over laughing? People will be there not because they are blues lovers so much as their buddy is throwing a party. >> >> In any case, I?d be grateful for advice >> Leslie Gotfrit >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Sun, 18 Oct 2015 01:12:55 -0700 > From: JD Erskine iDance via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Subject: Re: [Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question > Message-ID: <56235487.2060704(a)shaw.ca> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed > > On 2015-10-17 2002, Leslie Gotfrit via Callers wrote: > snip > >> In any case, I?d be grateful for advice >> Leslie Gotfrit > > Try it. Maybe. <grin> > > I worked a Contra series dance with my first (advertised as such) old > time band tonight. The No Jigs thing initially felt a bit unsettling, > however the musicianship and music was great. No medleys, which I'm fine > with, and a bit of joint effort looking for variety had it work out > well. I'd mentioned all the basic parameters and communications points > prior to the event and tonight we went over them before the intro > session this series hosts. > > This past summer I worked with my first Bluegrass band. I'd been > concerned a bit with that as well. A "Contra", really a barn dance/ONS > on "grass" (beaten down by the sheep for a few years), worked out well. > > I covered off the points John Rogers made about tempo, length with both > of them. Also starts and endings, who to talk to about what, how to > speed up/slow down (if possible.) All the usual things. > > A few weeks ago I attended a free, intro night of MWSD. The point I took > away from that was that someone could really use any music if it met the > basic criteria. There were Beatles tunes/songs, pop "standards" and > such. Not much in the way of tune as many of us might generally expect > or appreciate. > > A number of callers I've experienced have offered the old saw that a > dancers need for rhythm might just as easily be met by a drum stick > attached to a car wiper as a band. > > If the band is not an established one, or don't have a recording, some > practises/time with several of them playing prior to the event might > prove useful. It might also be a chance to introduce some of the key points. > > A friend was working with a "Celtic" band a winter ago and had to work > mostly on -- endurance, even tempo, how to start and end. Doing so > seemed to suck up quite a bit of energy and take several sessions. > > So, it appears it is also good to know when to bail on an idea in some > fashion if it appears bleak. For any of these one may require more lead > time/contact time that might be expected. > > Cheers, John > -- > J.D. Erskine > Victoria, BC > > Island Dance - Folk & Country > Vancouver Island & BC islands > dance info - site & mail list > http://members.shaw.ca/island.dance/ > > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > ------------------------------ > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 18, Issue 11 > ***************************************

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line

by JD Erskine iDance via Callers

On 2015-10-18 1652, Rich Dempsey via Callers wrote: snip > I love the use of shorter sets to bring asymmetric dances out for a > spin. Chestnuts and triplets and triple minors come to mind. In the > circumstance that started this thread, a hearty Chorus Jig sounds like > a win. > > Rich It's nice to have 7 couples to make a Triple Minor work well. Doing so keeps a relatively high number of folks from standing out at some point. One may also dance a Triple Minor as in the Scottish Country dance standardised way of using a four couple set. There it is oft referred to as "a dance for three couples in a four couple set." Triplets are great fun, as can be other Whole Set dances. In them one effectively gets to dance with many of the others in the set. Kathy Anderson ran a workshop some years back at a Contra dance weekend I was at covering dances for strange, small or mixed numbers, or some such name. Good fun. Wish I could find the notes from it. Not be missed are "other" country dances which, as they are not in a Longways Set For As Many As Will, 1s Improper formation, have largely been relegated in perception to the role of barn/community/family/ceilidh/eceilidh dance events. Not "proper" Contra. Check them out. Some are once-and-to-the-bottom, others shift within a given dance between dancing in duple minor sets to a whole set figure and back. It's all dance. The now late James Barber, television cooking show host we had "up/over here" a few years back (The Urban Peasant), had a catch phrase of, "Use what you got." That might apply here, for numbers, for choices. Cheers, John -- J.D. Erskine Victoria, BC Island Dance - Folk & Country Vancouver Island & BC islands dance info - site & mail list http://members.shaw.ca/island.dance/

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line

by Laur via Callers

I'm more thinking lines with maybe 5 or 6 sets, the smaller groups I think I have an understanding of, but I'm sucking in any other observations, of course. Would medley's work for a smaller line? L ~ When I dance, I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole, that is why I dance. ~Hans Bos~ ~ On Thursday, October 15, 2015 9:35 PM, Jack Mitchell <jmitchell.nc(a)gmail.com> wrote: If the numbers work out, then some triplets or squares could be good. If it's a lot of new dancers, you could even do some dances that just the top couple is "active" like the virginia reel or galopade (or lots of other older dances). If you have lots of experienced dancers, you could either do medleys or run the dances much shorter than usual. Also, it can be a good time to do an unequal dance since everyone will have time to be 1's -- was calling in Greenwood, VA for a relatively small group -- maybe 4 -5 hands 4 -- and called Fiddleheads for the first time. Such a great dance. J On Thu, Oct 15, 2015 at 7:49 PM Laur via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Fellow callers, what are things to look for in dances for a short line. I'm afraid that a limited number of dancers will be at an upcoming gig and I want to be prepared in the best possible way, and so am looking for input and for confirmation of my thoughts. They are intermediate/ experienced dancers. Laurie PWest MI ~ When I dance, I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole, that is why I dance. ~Hans Bos~ ~_______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net -- Jack Mitchell Durham, NC

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line

by Robert Livingston via Callers

Same dance, but the formation is already set up with a square of 4 and a 5th couple facing couple 1.Do the Dip & Dive once or twice thru - until back to original positions.Couples 1 & 5 circle half (or equiv) -- Outside 4 couples now circle 3/4.Begin again. Alternative: each couple can 1/2 promenade in and out of the center to progress one position. Maybe call it tonight up in Chesterfield, MA but those "Eastern" old timers like to keep it in squaresunless it's Oh Johnny, Climbing Up Them Golden Squares or Wearing of the Green. Bob LivingstonMiddletown, CT From: Rich Sbardella <richsbardella(a)gmail.com> To: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net>; Robert Livingston <rlivngstn(a)yahoo.com> Cc: Laur <lcpgr(a)yahoo.com>; "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Friday, October 16, 2015 6:13 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Dances For Short Line Bob Livingston has another great Dip and Dive for a five couple square. Perhaps he will share it.Rich On Fri, Oct 16, 2015 at 5:33 PM, Tom Hinds via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Laur, Even with great music and calling it's tough to create excitement when the hall feels empty. I've tried to think of everything I can do to make that kind of evening fun. My personal choice is to call a large proportion of contras where the dancers swing their partner not their neighbor. The logic is this: If you swing your neighbor in every dance, especially early in the evening, what is there to look forward to? With partner swing dances only, when you get a new partner you haven't swung him/her 10 times before hand. In general I usually run contras until everyone has swung their neighbors and then end the dance. So for me contras with a partner only swing is preferred when numbers are small. And I include many dances that are in other formations and also take some time to teach and dance. Here's one. Dip and Dive for Five (my name) Formation is a small circle of 4 couples numbered 1-5. There's sort of a home place but this is not critical. I learned this from Fred Park and if my memory is correct it comes form the border area between West Virginia and Ky. Couple 1 swings in the center of the set, others form a square around couple 1. Couple 1 faces up or down, heads dip and dive- takes 16 beats Couple 1 faces a side couple, dip and dive.... 8 dancers join hands and go forward and back. Go forward and back again and bring couple 1 back where they belong. Break Allemande left grand right and left. With partner, turn back (5th hand is with partner and is a left allemande). Swing partner at "home". I usually call break, figure, break, figure etc..... Tom _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

9 years, 6 months

[Callers] Dances For Short Line

by Laur via Callers

Fellow callers, what are things to look for in dances for a short line. I'm afraid that a limited number of dancers will be at an upcoming gig and I want to be prepared in the best possible way, and so am looking for input and for confirmation of my thoughts. They are intermediate/ experienced dancers. Laurie PWest MI ~ When I dance, I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole, that is why I dance. ~Hans Bos~ ~

9 years, 6 months

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