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2524 discussions

Re: [Callers] Having settled the geography debate, lets move on to entomology

by Don Veino via Callers

On Sat, Jun 20, 2015 at 10:42 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > The recent discussion about California versus Nevada twirls and all the > related variants suddenly flashed through my mind when I was writing this > dance: > > Whipped Butter > [snip] > > The odd thing that's (to me) evocative of the previous name debate is the > butterfly whirl. If the woman is on the left of her partner, but still > moving forward, is it a butterfly whirl? Or some other species of > lepidoptera? > > I had a similar question in mind when writing the following dance. At that time I was assured by those I spoke with that the varying configurations of this move were all Butterfly Whirls. -Don *Give the Gents a Whirl* [Type]: Contra [Formation]: Becket CW [Author]: Don Veino [Status]: DV:: [Comments]: Romantic start with Neighbor and promenade into a Gents (Butterfly) Whirl along the set. Have lines stretch out to make room for A1 simultaneous gypsy in middle. :: [A1]: (3,2,3) LINES FORWARD, GYPSY NEIGHBOR 1/2, LINES BACK (so all cross set to N's place) (6,2) STAR LEFT 3/4, SHIFT TO TAKE NEIGHBOR IN PROMENADE POSITION facing CCW around oval :: [A2]: (6,2) Everyone PROMENADE THE OVAL, LADIES TURN BACK over right shoulder #PROGRESSION (8) NEW N SWING end facing CW around oval in promenade position :: [B1]: (6) PROMENADE BACK until opposite Partner (6,4) GENTS WHIRL* 1+1/4, GENTS CROSS to P (passing Left) :: [B2]: (4,12) PARTNER BALANCE, SWING (alternate for smooth, slinky feel: Partner Gypsy, Swing) :: [Notes]: A1 - Shift to take Neighbor in Promenade: All drop hands from Star, Gent walks forward to join hands with current Neighbor lady in promenade position - left in left, right in right. A2 - EVERYONE (ENDS!) MUST PARTICIPATE IN THE A2 PROMENADE, as it is the progression. B1 = *Gents Whirl in this case is a CW rotation Butterfly Whirl with the Gents going forward and the Ladies backing up. Mention eye contact with Neighbor in whirl.:: [Tunes]: :: [Provenance]: From author. Composed 4/8/15. Opening part of A1 taken from Cary Ravitz's dance Terry & Sherry, which derives from an ECD sequence The Hole in the Wall. First called by Sue Rosen 5/4/2015 Monday Contras, by Don 5/25/15 Thursday Contras at Scout House.:: [Tags]: oval, gypsy lines, hole in the wall, gents whirl, DV, intermediate::

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Having settled the geography debate, lets move on to entomology

by Neal Schlein via Callers

Funnily enough, I wrote a dance years ago called Crickets Contra. It uses the same progression method (ladies turn, pick up the men, men hook and go 3/4 before whirling)---but its in reverse hands from yours. Taking your joke seriously, I'm not certain about women/men on reversed sides, but there was a differentiation in some communities between ladies wheeling forward and backward for a standard couple. Learned that from Larry Edelman, although I don't recall the other term. Neal Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Luke Donforth via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Date:06/20/2015 9:42 AM (GMT-06:00) </div><div>To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> </div><div>Cc: </div><div>Subject: [Callers] Having settled the geography debate, lets move on to entomology </div><div> </div>The recent discussion about California versus Nevada twirls and all the related variants suddenly flashed through my mind when I was writing this dance: Whipped Butter by Luke Donforth Contra/Becket-CW A1 ----------- (8) Men allemande Left 1-1/2 (8) Neighbor allemande Right 1-1/2 A2 ----------- (8) Women allemande Left 1-1/2 (2) Women scoop partner for short star promenade (6) Gents immediately hook right elbow with new gent (ladies let go), promenade 1/4 and butterfly whirl with partner (on home side, progressed) B1 ----------- (16) Hey, women passing left shoulders B2 ----------- (16) Partner gypsy and swing The odd thing that's (to me) evocative of the previous name debate is the butterfly whirl. If the woman is on the left of her partner, but still moving forward, is it a butterfly whirl? Or some other species of lepidoptera? I'll admit, I tend to use butterfly whirl for any instance of side-by-side, facing same direction, both folks' close arm around around other's back, one person moving forward one person backing up couples turn in place but change facing. But possibly I'm short-changing the extensive taxonomy of Insecta. Think of all the variants we could come up with if we branched into beetles! Joking aside, I hope folks find the dance programatically useful and enjoyable. I think contra dancing and calling is an organic process, and some variation in naming, calling, and styles is healthy and fun. I don't have different names for heys depending on larks or ravens start, or by which shoulder they start, but do use swat the flea to differentiate from box the gnat. But in either case I teach what I want to happen in the move. Take care, -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com

9 years, 6 months

[Callers] Having settled the geography debate, lets move on to entomology

by Luke Donforth via Callers

The recent discussion about California versus Nevada twirls and all the related variants suddenly flashed through my mind when I was writing this dance: Whipped Butter by Luke Donforth Contra/Becket-CW A1 ----------- (8) Men allemande Left 1-1/2 (8) Neighbor allemande Right 1-1/2 A2 ----------- (8) Women allemande Left 1-1/2 (2) Women scoop partner for short star promenade (6) Gents immediately hook right elbow with new gent (ladies let go), promenade 1/4 and butterfly whirl with partner (on home side, progressed) B1 ----------- (16) Hey, women passing left shoulders B2 ----------- (16) Partner gypsy and swing The odd thing that's (to me) evocative of the previous name debate is the butterfly whirl. If the woman is on the left of her partner, but still moving forward, is it a butterfly whirl? Or some other species of lepidoptera? I'll admit, I tend to use butterfly whirl for any instance of side-by-side, facing same direction, both folks' close arm around around other's back, one person moving forward one person backing up couples turn in place but change facing. But possibly I'm short-changing the extensive taxonomy of Insecta. Think of all the variants we could come up with if we branched into beetles! Joking aside, I hope folks find the dance programatically useful and enjoyable. I think contra dancing and calling is an organic process, and some variation in naming, calling, and styles is healthy and fun. I don't have different names for heys depending on larks or ravens start, or by which shoulder they start, but do use swat the flea to differentiate from box the gnat. But in either case I teach what I want to happen in the move. Take care, -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

by John Sweeney via Callers

If "a picture is worth a thousand words" then a demo must be worth even more. Of course you should do demos if they help. Demonstration is one of the oldest ways of teaching contra dances. When contra dances were first recorded in the 1650s, demonstration was generally the ONLY way of teaching. You made up contra lines, the music started, and the top couple danced the dance without a call with the second couple while everyone else watched the demonstration. In those dances the #1s were often a lot more active than the #2s so the #2s just followed the #1s. The #1s moved down and danced the dance with the #3s while the #2s watched. The #1s moved down and danced with the #4s while the #2s started dancing with the #3s, and so on down the set. There was no calling. Everything was learnt by watching the dancers. (Just in case anyone thinks that they didn't contra dance in 1650: "The term "Country Dance" is the one invariably used in all books on dancing that have been published in England during the last three centuries, while all works issued in France within the same period employ the term Contra Dance, or in French "Contre Danse". As the authority is equally good in both cases, either term is therefore correct. The Country or Contra Dance has been one of the most popular amusements in the British Isles, France, and other continental countries from time immemorial." Howe, 1858) So, yes, demonstration is one of the key ways to teach a Ricochet Hey, and I use it whenever necessary. In response to some of the amusing comments about my insight that a Ricochet Hey follows the same path as a Mad Robin: - I would never teach it solely by saying that it is like a Mad Robin. - If you know that most of the dancers do know a Mad Robin, then I believe it could be useful. - If you plan your programme for the session so that you do a dance with a Mad Robin, then later on do a dance with a Ricochet Hey, then telling the dancers to follow the same path could help. - Even if you don't want to have anything to do with Mad Robins, you can still use the techniques for teaching a Mad Robin to teach a Ricochet Hey. Many callers teach a Mad Robin by getting the dancers to do a Dosido and then explain that they need to follow the same path while looking at their opposite. The same technique could be used for the Ricochet Hey. Two of the main challenges I have found with the Ricochet Hey is that people either cross the set (as they are fooled by the word "Hey" in the name!) or they stop moving when they are at the back. Building the Ricochet Hey movement on top of a Dosido movement will help to reinforce these two key elements of the move. Of course you would have to be careful using the comparison of the move to a Mad Robin if you were working with ECD dancers, since they might know the original Mad Robin which is a different move! :-) Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

by Neal Schlein via Callers

Sure, there are lots of good teaching reasons to demonstrate a move--and we all use them during a lesson. But there are also reasons not to, and that is one of the ways a workshop is different from a walk-through. Demos are perfect for workshops and OK for beginner lessons. Workshops are usually smaller than a regular dance, with people who came explicitly to learn or practice a skill. The size makes it easier for them all to see what you want them to, you are trying to teach specific things, and they don't mind being pulled out of formation for a teaching point. At a regular dance demos are usually not ideal on those fronts, along with a few others. You can't control who or what people decide to watch and learn, and there is the potential for embarrassment of or errors among your demonstrating set. If one of them doesn't know the figure, you will have to talk it through to the demonstrators in order to help them not teach the wrong thing; if they do know it, they may decide to show off and cause confusion. Still, saying it is "failure as a caller" to have used a demo is absurd; sometimes that is the best way to communicate complex info, or if people just aren't "getting it". They just need to be used sparingly. Neal Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device <div>-------- Original message --------</div><div>From: Tom Hinds via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> </div><div>Date:06/19/2015 6:04 AM (GMT-06:00) </div><div>To: Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com> </div><div>Cc: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net, John Sweeney <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>, callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net </div><div>Subject: Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey </div><div> </div>I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet? In my mind there are some advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing both with a wireless mic). My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have exceptional verbal skills. Maybe some callers don't value a good demonstration. Or is a demonstration too beneath some of us? One of my calling students told me that I failed as a caller because I demonstrated a move. My own view is that watching and learning is an integral part of being human. We could make a long list of older skills (like hunting) or newer ones like learning to play a musical instrument where watching and imitating is the key to learning. I recently took an informal workshop on dance history. The teachers pointed out that when people watch something, appropriate synapses fire in preparation for performing a task. This physiological response helps the person actually learn a task better. T _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

9 years, 6 months

[Callers] FWD: Using the correct e-mail address

by Aahz Maruch via Callers

Howdy, I don't know when it entered the thread (forwarded message below), but the e-mail address callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net does *NOT* go to the list, it goes to the moderator. I find that it's good practice to check the addresses in posts before I send them -- usually it works best if you have only ONE address. Thanks, Aahz ----- Forwarded message from Amy Wimmer via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> ----- > Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 13:01:39 -0700 > From: Amy Wimmer via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net> > Cc: "callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net" > <callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net>, > "callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>, > John Sweeney <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk> > Subject: Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey > Reply-To: Amy Wimmer <amywimmer(a)gmail.com> > > I concur: a demonstration is usually very helpful for my learning > something. I am very visual, and the use of too many words confuses > me. I have many "Ah HA!" moments while seeing a demonstration. Phooey > on those who poo-poo them. > -Amy in Seattle > > > > > On Jun 19, 2015, at 4:04 AM, Tom Hinds via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > > I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet? In my mind there are some advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing both with a wireless mic). > > > > My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have exceptional verbal skills. Maybe some callers don't value a good demonstration. Or is a demonstration too beneath some of us? One of my calling students told me that I failed as a caller because I demonstrated a move. > > > > My own view is that watching and learning is an integral part of being human. We could make a long list of older skills (like hunting) or newer ones like learning to play a musical instrument where watching and imitating is the key to learning. > > > > I recently took an informal workshop on dance history. The teachers pointed out that when people watch something, appropriate synapses fire in preparation for performing a task. This physiological response helps the person actually learn a task better. > > > > T > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > 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 ----- End forwarded message ----- -- Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/ <*> <*> <*> Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

by John Sweeney via Callers

Michael Fuerst said, "To me one of the more challenging to describe succinctly is ricochet heys". One of the challenges of a Ricochet Hey is the name - it is not actually a Hey in any sense of the word, though Ricochets mixed with Half Heys do make pleasing figures. I have had a few challenges with this as well, but in trying to think of a way to do it better, I just had a major breakthrough... I think! I just realised that a Ricochet Hey is actually a Mad Robin in which the people passing through the middle interact with each other. So, next time I teach it I am going to try getting the dancers to do a Mad Robin first then get them to change their path from a rectangle to a pizza slice and touch hands in the middle. Does that make sense? Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Box - Swat - CA - Jersey/Nevada

by Neal Schlein via Callers

Sorry! I finished that email in a hurry and meant to say what Aahz noted: slide thru is not actually gender neutral; it simply can be done by two people dancing the same role, with the results of a curlique. I really wouldn't encourage folks to use all of the square dance figures and terms, tough. Down that path lies CallerLab. While I enjoy MWSD myself, it is too complex to be readily accessible and I am afraid contra is heading that way already. Neal Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

9 years, 6 months

[Callers] Fwd: New Zealand Ad

by Susan Rudder via Callers

Calling All Callers! Join 32 musicians, callers, and dancers for a month long tour of 10 dance communities in New Zealand. Join our Facebook Group, or contact Julie for information. https://www.facebook.com/groups/AllemandeJoy/ Julie Anspach, Allemande Joy Contra Tour 2016, 2016NZContra(a)gmail.com <2016NZContra(a)gmail.com>

9 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

by James Saxe via Callers

On Jun 18, 2015, at 6:43 AM, Dale Wilson via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > ... I [spend] a lot of time thinking about how to teach dance moves So do I. And I think Dale says some good stuff. > during a workshop and during a walk-thru (they are different.) [Dale, I'd be interested if you'd care to amplify on the remark "they are different" and particularly if you have specific examples of what you might do differently when presenting the same figures in a "workshop" situation vs. a walk-through.] > > A couple guidelines: > > 1: Make it concrete. "Gents look at each other." That's concrete. Look at the place your neighbor is standing -- that's concrete (ish) Even more concrete would be "Gents *point* at each other". If they point instead of just looking, then * you (the caller) can visually confirm that they have heard and understood your instructions; * dancers who didn't catch your instruction might see what's happening around them and maybe figure out their part in it ("The people around me are doing something; I guess it's time to start paying attention. Oh, someone's pointing at me; I guess I should point back."); and * dancers who did catch your instructions can see whether there are other dancers nearby who aren't on track (e.g., someone who's woolgathering instead of pointing, or someone who's pointing in the wrote direction) and perhaps manage to wave at them and get their attention. [Alas, the idea of "point at <designated person> and *keep pointing* so that the caller and your fellow dancers can see" can be a difficult sell to some dancers. They seem to think that it's enough that they have mentally identified the designated person and to see no value in giving a visual indication of that fact. We've all seen the similar situation where some dancers seem satisfied with mentally identifying their own minor set and don't bother to take and hold hands four for the benefit of those below them.] > Imagine a slice of pizza. Nope. Despite having heard the pizza slice analogy recommended by a caller whose teaching I generally admire highly, I nonetheless share Dale's skepticism. Dancers who already understand how to do a ricochet hey may recognize that their path vaguely resembles the perimeter of a giant pizza slice. But the ones who need help are the ones who don't already understand--the ones who want to "ricochet" directly back on the same path they came in on or who want to "ricochet" their way to the far side of the set. And I think those people will have no idea what "pizza slice" the caller is talking about. Possibly if you do a demo, and if you can get all the people near the demo set to hunker down or back away so that everybody in the room has a 100% unobstructed view of the action, and if you point at the floor and describe the edges of the imaginary pizza slice as you walk them, maybe that will put the idea across to the people who didn't already get it. (Or maybe not.) But if you just stand on the stage and tell people to imagine a pizza slice, I'm not convinced it will do much to help the dancers who need help most. > .... > 3) Try to serve up the teaching in bite-sized chunks (ooh--an analogy). Yup. In Dale's previous message, he wrote: > Gents look at each other. Now look at your neighbor. When I say 'GO' (not now) you will meet [that is, you will meet the other gent, not your neighbor] > in the center and push back to your neighbor's place. For new dancers, and even for some experienced dancers learning a new figure, the description above is already approaching the limit of how much you can reasonably ask them to visualize ahead of time without moving. In this case, I don't see an easy way to ask for much less visualization into the future, but it's a good thing not to be asking for more. The total amount of action people can hold in their heads goes up if the action can be grouped into familiar chunks. Experienced dancers who already understand heys and ricochets could likely cope with being told something like When I say 'GO' (not now) men will start a hey for four by left shoulder, but when the men meet again in the center, they'll ricochet and swing their neighbors. They might not visualize where everybody would end up as a result of those actions, but they'd understand enough so that you could say "GO" and then prompt them through the actions. If you tried having a typical group of brand new dancers stand and listen while you described the same action by enumerating all the little pieces of the hey, they'd of course be hopelessly overloaded. --Jim

9 years, 6 months

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