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[Callers] 2 new contra dance compositions

by Andy Shore

Both of these have been road tested on tour with Polaris. *Serving REELness* Andy Shore Type: Contra Formation: Duple-Improper Level: Intermediate A1 ----------- (16) Neighbor balance and swing A2 ----------- (8) Revolving Door - Ladies in center by the right but** (8) 1/2 Hey, pass partner by left B1 ----------- (16) Partner balance and swing B2 ----------- (8) Circle Left 3/4 and pass through along the set (8) [Next] Neighbor Do-si-do Notes: **release revolving door a little early so that Gents are in the opposite Lady’s spot & have time to turn toward their right (tight loop) to come in for the left shoulder pass I'd introduce Revolving Doors with a simpler dance that goes into a Swing. E.g., the RD variation of Bronwyn Wood's "The Missing Piece" The world premiere with walk thru & dance was captured on video by Doug Plummer here: https://youtu.be/uAZCZzm1tI8 Not mentioned in that debut was the early release of the Gents from Revolving Door and their tight loop to the right The title comes from the FX TV show "Pose". *Alpha Ursae Minoris* Andy Shore Type: Contra Formation: Becket-CCW [no circle] Level: Advanced (Weekend/Challenging level) * ID shadow beyond partner in becket A1 ----------- (8) Promenade across the Set (J hook to progress) (8) Mad Robin - ladies in front A2 ----------- (8) Neighbor RH Across - Balance & Box the Gnat (don't let go) (8) with N & Shadow, Square Thru 4 (no balances) - make the 4th hand an Allemande Left 1/2 w/ Shadow [to long waves with Gents facing OUT, partner in RH, shadow in LH] B1 ----------- (4,4) Balance the Wave, Box Circulate (8) Neighbor swing B2 ----------- (4,2) [1/4 ricochet hey] Gents go in and push back on diagonal, Ladies Cross passing Left (10) Swing Partner Notes: ** when out with partner, cross over & be ready for Balance & Box the Gnat to be there for Square thru with Shadow & P Take time to ID N & Shadow for square thru = the ONLY 2 people you touch! This is outside your minor set! This is a high piece count dance with little chance for recovery. *Not for the faint of heart! *Probably should introduce figures in other dances first - Mad Robin, Square Thru, ricochet hey, Box Circulate Named after Polaris (the band) who helped me finalize this dance. Alpha Ursae Minoris is another name for Polaris, the pole star. Enjoy! /Andy Shore

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Barn Weddings are a thing now

by John Sweeney

Hi Luke, I call for two or three weddings a year. There are as many non-weddings as weddings in barns. Some of the barns are terrible! The weddings tend to be in the better quality barns. I think a number of old barns have been refurbished to make bring them up to wedding/conference standard. I think those refurbishments are the reason more weddings are held in barns. The number of brides who want a barn dance has probably remained unchanged. 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 From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> On Behalf Of Luke Donforth via Callers Sent: 14 August 2018 15:02 To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] Barn Weddings are a thing now This is tangentially related to calling, but apparently the percentage of weddings hosted in barns has grown from 2% to 15% in the last decade (https://tinyurl.com/ycbm9god). While the article doesn't specific that called dancing has increased as well, I'd be surprised if it hadn't. A decade ago is about when I started calling. I'd appreciate hearing from folks with longer records how they feel the prevalence of wedding gigs has shifted over time; and how that varies geographically. Although possibly the fluctuations are too large to get a decent signal out of the small sample size. From my own records: 2017: I had 14 One-Night-Stand gigs, and 1 of those was a wedding. 2016: I had 14 family level dances, and 4 of those were weddings. 2015: 10 ONS, 3 weddings. 2014: 14 ONS, 7 weddings 2013: 13 ONS, 2 weddings 2012: 4 ONS, 1 wedding As an aside, I really think the 15% of couples having their wedding party in a barn should be framed as a rebound from a longer historic decline. But if it's getting noticed and push-back from banquet hall trade groups, it may be coming to a close. -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <mailto:Luke.Donev@gmail.com>

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] New 4x4 composition with a tunnel, and related questions

by Dale Wilson

I called this sunday to a room full of experienced dancers. The feedback was positive. It's not something I will call often, but I plan to keep it as a "novelty" dance for the right circumstances. Dale On Tue, Aug 7, 2018 at 1:14 PM Luke Donforth via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > In honor of John calling it before I had a chance to test it (and after > checking in with him), I'm going to call this "The Brave Sir Sweeney". > > Hope other folks get to enjoy it. > > On Mon, Aug 6, 2018 at 6:51 PM, John Sweeney via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> Hi Luke, >> >> I called it tonight. We had low numbers so I tested it >> during the interval with some volunteers as a Four Couple Dance. At the >> end of the Partner Swing we just faced back to the same line. Or changed >> it from Head Lines to Side Lines if we wanted different people to go >> through the arches. >> >> >> >> I wanted all the Box the Gnats at the same time, so I did >> Balance & Box the Gnat. They may have been very slightly late getting >> through the tunnel, so, to avoid the possibility of the Balance being late >> or random, I changed the Balance & Swing to Dosido & Swing which worked >> fine. >> >> >> >> I indicated who should go through the tunnel first via a >> geographic reference: pick a feature of the room and let people know that >> you are going to use it. I called “Window People Tunnel” – that worked >> well. >> >> >> >> We had lots of room, so the first swing tended to end up >> with the set as a square, which meant that the four steps into the middle >> were fine, but with less room the “Head Couples” might not have very far to >> travel, but I don’t think it would be a problem. >> >> >> >> The dancers said that they liked it. I will definitely use >> it again. >> >> >> >> Does it have a name? >> >> >> >> 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 >> >> >> >> >> *From:* Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> *On Behalf Of *Luke >> Donforth via Callers >> *Sent:* 02 August 2018 19:36 >> *To:* callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> *Subject:* [Callers] New 4x4 composition with a tunnel, and related >> questions >> >> >> >> Hello all, >> >> >> >> I've had an idea for a 4 facing 4 dance rattling around, and it seems >> unlikely I'll have enough dancers to house-party it anytime soon, so I'd >> appreciate feedback on an untested dance. >> >> >> >> 4 facing 4 contra >> >> A1 >> >> (4) Lines of 4 go forward, take right hand with the one in front of you >> >> (4) box the gnat, keep and lift right hand to make a tunnel >> >> (4) couple at stage right side of line of couples duck through to far side >> >> (4) couple that was at stage left side of line of couples duck through to >> far side >> >> A2 >> >> (16) Initial corner balance and swing >> >> (end couples, it's the one they tunneled with, middle folks it's their >> trail buddy) >> >> B1 >> >> (4) All 8 go into the middle >> >> (4) On the way out, gents roll the one they swung with away with a half >> sashay >> >> (8) Gents right hand star ~1x (ladies adjust position as needed, stepping >> a little to left) >> >> B2 >> >> (16) Partner balance and swing, end facing new couple >> >> >> >> Questions for those so inclined: >> >> Would you be interested in dancing and/or calling this dance? Why, or why >> not? >> >> >> >> The inspiration for the tunnel came from "plow the row", a (to my >> knowledge) traditional square (at least, it's traditional enough to have >> lots of variations). Anyone know of a tunnel figure in a 4x4 contra? >> >> >> >> In the B1, I wrote it as the gents roll the ladies, and the gents star. >> It could instead be the ladies roll the gents and ladies star. Preferences? >> >> >> >> There are two places where what would normally be "balance+move" have >> been replaced with "in to the middle+move"; is the four steps forward >> before the box the gnat and the roll away going to throw folks? >> >> >> >> How would you prompt the couples on the end going through the tunnel so >> that there's only one couple in the tunnel at a time? Or would you prompt >> it as both going through and let them figure it out inside the tunnel? >> >> >> >> Thanks for feedback. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Luke Donforth >> Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List Name: Callers mailing list >> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ >> >> > > > -- > Luke Donforth > Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com> > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > -- There are only two hard things in computer science: cache invalidation, naming things, and off-by-one errors.

6 years, 4 months

[Callers] Barn Weddings are a thing now

by Luke Donforth

This is tangentially related to calling, but apparently the percentage of weddings hosted in barns has grown from 2% to 15% in the last decade ( https://tinyurl.com/ycbm9god). While the article doesn't specific that called dancing has increased as well, I'd be surprised if it hadn't. A decade ago is about when I started calling. I'd appreciate hearing from folks with longer records how they feel the prevalence of wedding gigs has shifted over time; and how that varies geographically. Although possibly the fluctuations are too large to get a decent signal out of the small sample size. From my own records: 2017: I had 14 One-Night-Stand gigs, and 1 of those was a wedding. 2016: I had 14 family level dances, and 4 of those were weddings. 2015: 10 ONS, 3 weddings. 2014: 14 ONS, 7 weddings 2013: 13 ONS, 2 weddings 2012: 4 ONS, 1 wedding As an aside, I really think the 15% of couples having their wedding party in a barn should be framed as a rebound from a longer historic decline. But if it's getting noticed and push-back from banquet hall trade groups, it may be coming to a close. -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

by Alan Winston

Here's one of mine. Low piece count, promenade to chain is good flow. (I never totally love the "chain, look for new neighbors" because you either have to bail out of the courtesy turn to face new neighbor or complete the turn (now facing partner) and turn away to new neighbor, but it's common enough that it works. I think this really is easy enough for your busload of beginners. Low piece count, don't have to identify the neighbor who's dancing with your partner (like many oval dances). It does have a chain; sorry about that. CLAIRE'S REQUEST Alan Winston 11/17/2017 Form:IC Fig:NB&S;OvalL&R;BTR,PS;Prom,WC: A1: Neighbor balance and swing A2: Big Oval left and right B1: 1-2: With hands, balance ring in original foursome (keep the hand you've got with neighbor and take the free hand with your partner) 3-8: Ravens/ladies draw Partners to their side for a swing. B2: 1-4: Partners promenade to gents/larks side 5-8: Ladies/Ravens chain to current neighbor, look for new neighbor [But if you really don't want a chain even in the good flow from promenade situation, ladies/ravens allemand R 1.5 to new neighbor, which may be preferable given the courtesy turn problem mentioned above] -- Alan ] On 8/13/18 10:36 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: > Yep, Alex, I totally agree on the point of promenade (or RL thru, or > ladies' chain) > circle L not flowing great! So I'm amending my > original criteria: *dances with a promenade, no chain or RL thru, and > promenade is NOT followed by a circle L*. > > Thanks for the suggestions, folks :D > > On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 1:00 PM Yoyo Zhou <yozhov(a)gmail.com > <mailto:yozhov@gmail.com>> wrote: > > On Sun, Aug 12, 2018 at 6:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers > <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: > > Had a busload of beginners at my dance last night and realized > I have a hole in my program -- I don't have any good > glossary/beginner-friendly dances with a promenade but no > chain or RL through. Any suggestions? > > > A nice one is Promenade Right by Luke Donforth (note: it has a > circle right): > http://www.madrobincallers.org/2013/06/25/three-tries-at-simple-dances/ > > Also, some of the dances below can be adapted by changing a right > and left thru to a promenade across. > > > On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 11:42 AM, > AlexandraDeis-Lauby<adeislauby(a)gmail.com > <mailto:adeislauby@gmail.com>>wrote: > > I find that there aren’t many dances with a Promenade or RL > that are NOT followed by a circle left. When Dancing > promenades to circle lefts, I don’t like them as an > experienced dancer because they don’t feel good and as a > caller I watch new dancers struggle with them because they > don’t flow logically unless the dancers correct for it (which > one won’t know how to do unless they’ve been dancing a very > long time and are attuned to momentum.) > > > I agree with your assessment about promenade/right and left thru > to circle left. > I find right and left thru or promenade can also often be followed > by one of these, which flows better: > > - ladies chain (very common) > > - left hand star (example: True Grit by Chris Page: > http://chrispagecontra.awardspace.us/dances/#true-grit) > > - circle right (see above) > > - hey, ladies pass right (example: Zoey and Me by Sue Rosen: > http://dance.suerosencaller.com/dancedb/view/?title=Zoey+and+Me) > > - ladies allemande right (example: A-1 Reel by Chris Weiler: > http://caller.chrisweiler.ws/dances.htm#a1reel) > > Yoyo Zhou > > > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Fwd: Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

by Kalia Kliban

On 8/13/2018 8:53 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote: > Old Time Elixir #2 by Linda Leslie and Wrinkled Riccon by Melanie Axel > Lute are two great dances. > Rich In Wrinkled Ribbon, have you found it awkward to switch from promenade hold to the handhold for the circles? Kalia in Sebastopol

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

by Rich Sbardella

I agree that calling a circle right after a promenade across, has better flow than a circle left, but I am reluctant to call a circle right in my first dance (unless it follows a circle left). I prefer to use the first dance to teach basic calls I will be using all night, and I believe that the body, or muscle, memory learned in that first dance will help the danceability all evening. Teaching them to circle right, when they will be circle left all evening, works against my goals. I do call dances with circle right, just not as part of my first few dances of the evening. Rich On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 1:00 PM, Yoyo Zhou via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > On Sun, Aug 12, 2018 at 6:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> Had a busload of beginners at my dance last night and realized I have a >> hole in my program -- I don't have any good glossary/beginner-friendly >> dances with a promenade but no chain or RL through. Any suggestions? >> >>> > A nice one is Promenade Right by Luke Donforth (note: it has a circle > right): > http://www.madrobincallers.org/2013/06/25/three-tries-at-simple-dances/ > > Also, some of the dances below can be adapted by changing a right and left > thru to a promenade across. > > > On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby <adeislau > by(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> I find that there aren’t many dances with a Promenade or RL that are NOT >> followed by a circle left. When Dancing promenades to circle lefts, I don’t >> like them as an experienced dancer because they don’t feel good and as a >> caller I watch new dancers struggle with them because they don’t flow >> logically unless the dancers correct for it (which one won’t know how to do >> unless they’ve been dancing a very long time and are attuned to momentum.) >> > > I agree with your assessment about promenade/right and left thru to circle > left. > I find right and left thru or promenade can also often be followed by one > of these, which flows better: > > - ladies chain (very common) > > - left hand star (example: True Grit by Chris Page: > http://chrispagecontra.awardspace.us/dances/#true-grit) > > - circle right (see above) > > - hey, ladies pass right (example: Zoey and Me by Sue Rosen: > http://dance.suerosencaller.com/dancedb/view/?title=Zoey+and+Me) > > - ladies allemande right (example: A-1 Reel by Chris Weiler: > http://caller.chrisweiler.ws/dances.htm#a1reel) > > Yoyo Zhou > > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > >

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

by Alexandra Deis-Lauby

I find that there aren’t many dances with a Promenade or RL that are NOT followed by a circle left. When Dancing promenades to circle lefts, I don’t like them as an experienced dancer because they don’t feel good and as a caller I watch new dancers struggle with them because they don’t flow logically unless the dancers correct for it (which one won’t know how to do unless they’ve been dancing a very long time and are attuned to momentum.) Does anyone have dances with promenade or right and left throughs that flow into the next figure in a logical and satisfying way? Sent from my iPhone > On Aug 13, 2018, at 11:08 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Hello Maia, > I put one together a couple of years ago. I tried to make the timing as forgiving as possible, thus the Balance the Ring and Pass Thru, instead of CL 3/4 & Pass Thru. > > My Corduroy Blazer (D/I) > > A1: N DSD, N Swg > A2: Gents Alle L 1-1/2. P Swg > B1: Prom Across, LL > B2: CL 3/4. Bal Ring, Pass Thru > > Rich Sbardella > > On Sun, Aug 12, 2018 at 9:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> Hi folks, >> >> Had a busload of beginners at my dance last night and realized I have a hole in my program -- I don't have any good glossary/beginner-friendly dances with a promenade but no chain or RL through. Any suggestions? >> >> Thanks! >> Maia >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List Name: Callers mailing list >> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ >> > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

by Maia McCormick

Yep, Alex, I totally agree on the point of promenade (or RL thru, or ladies' chain) > circle L not flowing great! So I'm amending my original criteria: *dances with a promenade, no chain or RL thru, and promenade is NOT followed by a circle L*. Thanks for the suggestions, folks :D On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 1:00 PM Yoyo Zhou <yozhov(a)gmail.com> wrote: > On Sun, Aug 12, 2018 at 6:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> Had a busload of beginners at my dance last night and realized I have a >> hole in my program -- I don't have any good glossary/beginner-friendly >> dances with a promenade but no chain or RL through. Any suggestions? >> >>> > A nice one is Promenade Right by Luke Donforth (note: it has a circle > right): > http://www.madrobincallers.org/2013/06/25/three-tries-at-simple-dances/ > > Also, some of the dances below can be adapted by changing a right and left > thru to a promenade across. > > > On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby < > adeislauby(a)gmail.com> wrote: > >> I find that there aren’t many dances with a Promenade or RL that are NOT >> followed by a circle left. When Dancing promenades to circle lefts, I don’t >> like them as an experienced dancer because they don’t feel good and as a >> caller I watch new dancers struggle with them because they don’t flow >> logically unless the dancers correct for it (which one won’t know how to do >> unless they’ve been dancing a very long time and are attuned to momentum.) >> > > I agree with your assessment about promenade/right and left thru to circle > left. > I find right and left thru or promenade can also often be followed by one > of these, which flows better: > > - ladies chain (very common) > > - left hand star (example: True Grit by Chris Page: > http://chrispagecontra.awardspace.us/dances/#true-grit) > > - circle right (see above) > > - hey, ladies pass right (example: Zoey and Me by Sue Rosen: > http://dance.suerosencaller.com/dancedb/view/?title=Zoey+and+Me) > > - ladies allemande right (example: A-1 Reel by Chris Weiler: > http://caller.chrisweiler.ws/dances.htm#a1reel) > > Yoyo Zhou > >

6 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

by Yoyo Zhou

On Sun, Aug 12, 2018 at 6:08 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Had a busload of beginners at my dance last night and realized I have a > hole in my program -- I don't have any good glossary/beginner-friendly > dances with a promenade but no chain or RL through. Any suggestions? > >> A nice one is Promenade Right by Luke Donforth (note: it has a circle right): http://www.madrobincallers.org/2013/06/25/three-tries-at-simple-dances/ Also, some of the dances below can be adapted by changing a right and left thru to a promenade across. On Mon, Aug 13, 2018 at 11:42 AM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby <adeislauby(a)gmail.com > wrote: > I find that there aren’t many dances with a Promenade or RL that are NOT > followed by a circle left. When Dancing promenades to circle lefts, I don’t > like them as an experienced dancer because they don’t feel good and as a > caller I watch new dancers struggle with them because they don’t flow > logically unless the dancers correct for it (which one won’t know how to do > unless they’ve been dancing a very long time and are attuned to momentum.) > I agree with your assessment about promenade/right and left thru to circle left. I find right and left thru or promenade can also often be followed by one of these, which flows better: - ladies chain (very common) - left hand star (example: True Grit by Chris Page: http://chrispagecontra.awardspace.us/dances/#true-grit) - circle right (see above) - hey, ladies pass right (example: Zoey and Me by Sue Rosen: http://dance.suerosencaller.com/dancedb/view/?title=Zoey+and+Me) - ladies allemande right (example: A-1 Reel by Chris Weiler: http://caller.chrisweiler.ws/dances.htm#a1reel) Yoyo Zhou

6 years, 4 months

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