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Re: [Callers] Contras with square dance figures

by Charles

Here's one I wrote and have used many times successfully. You may wish to look up the figure on YouTube if you have difficulty visualizing it: Sow the Wheat Contra (improper) Chuck Abell 1/15 A1 Bal and swing N (16) A2 Gents alle left 1 1/2x (8) (8) P swing (8) B1 Ladies chain (8) Bal ring, gents roll P across set (8) B2 Bal the ring (4) Sow the wheat/mow the clover 1 1/2x, ones duck first (12)* w/ new N…. * Twos arch, ones duck under, then back up arching over the twos, then duck again to progress. Basically an inside dosido 1 1/2x while holding partner’s hand. ________________________________ From: Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of Rachel Shapiro via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Saturday, August 4, 2018 7:51 PM To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] Contras with square dance figures Hi all, I'm in search of contras that have borrowed interesting figures from traditional and modern western square dances. Do you have any favorites you're willing to share? I've got Rang Tang Contra and some dances with Dixie Twirls. Lots with Box the Gnat and Swat the Flea. Any others you love? Thank you! Rachel Shapiro Wallace

7 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Contras with square dance figures

by Robert Livingston

Rachel, Sending you a link with "Trade the Wave" pass the ocean, swing thru. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2miW4hSWGhk Bob LivingstonMiddletown, CT On Saturday, August 4, 2018, 3:51:43 PM EDT, Rachel Shapiro via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Hi all,I'm in search of contras that have borrowed interesting figures from traditional and modern western square dances. Do you have any favorites you're willing to share? I've got Rang Tang Contra and some dances with Dixie Twirls. Lots with Box the Gnat and Swat the Flea. Any others you love?Thank you!Rachel Shapiro Wallace _______________________________________________ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

7 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Contras with square dance figures

by Rich Sbardella

Square thru is certainly from square dance as is Star Thru, and Cal Twirl. Rip and Snort can be used instead of 1s split the 2s and return, as in Roll Over Johannes. Right Hand High, Left Hand Low Peek Experience by Ridge Kennedy uses Take a Peek from square dance. Pass the Ocean/Pass Thru to a Wave is from square dance as is Sliding Doors/Tag the Line. On Sat, Aug 4, 2018 at 3:51 PM, Rachel Shapiro via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hi all, > I'm in search of contras that have borrowed interesting figures from > traditional and modern western square dances. Do you have any favorites > you're willing to share? I've got Rang Tang Contra and some dances with > Dixie Twirls. Lots with Box the Gnat and Swat the Flea. Any others you love? > Thank you! > Rachel Shapiro Wallace > > > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > >

7 years, 1 month

[Callers] Contras with square dance figures

by Rachel Shapiro

Hi all, I'm in search of contras that have borrowed interesting figures from traditional and modern western square dances. Do you have any favorites you're willing to share? I've got Rang Tang Contra and some dances with Dixie Twirls. Lots with Box the Gnat and Swat the Flea. Any others you love? Thank you! Rachel Shapiro Wallace

7 years, 1 month

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

by Mac Mckeever

interesting - the a1 looks pretty ambitious - but if they don't finish in time, the a2 is forgiving Mac McKeever On Thursday, August 2, 2018, 1:36:35 PM CDT, Luke Donforth via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: 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 contraA1(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 sideA2(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 _______________________________________________ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

7 years, 1 month

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

by Luke Donforth

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>

7 years, 1 month

[Callers] Dance ID and question

by Richard Hart

Two questions. First I collected the following dance long ago. Does anyone know the author and title? Becket formation. A1: Circle L 3/4 Flatten circle to wavy line or 4, woman in middle. Balance wave. W alla main L 1 x. A2: N Bal & Swing. B1: Circle L 3/4 Flatten circle to wavy line of 4, women in middle. Balance wave. W alla main L 1 x. B2: P Bal & Swing. Slide L to progress. In this dance, the A and B parts are essentially mirror image repetitions of each other. Do you know of any other dances where the A and B parts repeat in a similar way? The only other dance that I know of that does this is Chart Guthrie’s Hey in the Barn. Thanks, Rich Hart. Sent from my iPhone

7 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Dance ID and question

by Don Veino

Midwest Folklore by Orace Johnson is another repeating/mirror pattern dance On Sat, Jul 28, 2018, 11:48 AM Don Veino <sharedweight_net(a)veino.com> wrote: > This dance is Will You Marry Me by Seth Tepfer. > > -Don > > On Sat, Jul 28, 2018, 10:16 AM Richard Hart via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> Two questions. First I collected the following dance long ago. Does >> anyone know the author and title? >> >> Becket formation. >> >> A1: Circle L 3/4 >> Flatten circle to wavy line or 4, woman in middle. >> Balance wave. W alla main L 1 x. >> >> A2: N Bal & Swing. >> >> B1: Circle L 3/4 >> Flatten circle to wavy line of 4, women in middle. >> Balance wave. W alla main L 1 x. >> >> B2: P Bal & Swing. >> Slide L to progress. >> >> In this dance, the A and B parts are essentially mirror image repetitions >> of each other. Do you know of any other dances where the A and B parts >> repeat in a similar way? The only other dance that I know of that does this >> is Chart Guthrie’s Hey in the Barn. >> >> Thanks, Rich Hart. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> _______________________________________________ >> List Name: Callers mailing list >> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ >> >

7 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

by John Sweeney

Hi Lorraine, As has been said, if you really want to do contras the you need to have a program which teaches basic concepts and builds on them. Family Contra is a great dance for teaching the concept of progression: https://folkdancemusings.blogspot.com/2015/05/family-contra-usa.html Your next big problem is getting them to do a good buzz-step swing and finish with the man on the left, lady on the right. With large numbers of beginners there will some who get in wrong every time and break down the dance. I would practice that in a circle mixer like: http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/TheExchangeSwing.html or http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/VirginiaReelCircleMixer24.html You can have lots of fun without swings: http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/CheekboneCity.html http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/Duck.html http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/GrapevineJig.html Here’s an easy one with a swing: http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/GirlsofOakhill.html East Litchfield Volunteers is a great dance for beginners: http://www.biteyourownelbow.com/conndanc.htm I would agree that Right & Left Through is to be avoided. It is the most non-intuitive move in contra dancing. If you really want to use it in some of your dances then I would use something like this to help teach it: http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/ToMoveorNottoMove.html Flirtation Reel is great and I use this a lot with beginners as well – the Chris Page version: = = = = = = = = = Ellen's Green Jig (by Roy Dommett) Contra; Improper A1: Neighbour Dosido; Partner Dosido A2: #1s Balance & Swing (Step, Kick) – finish facing down B1: Circle Left; Circle Right – keep holding hands in the Circle B2: Duck for Oysters: #2s Arch - #1s Peek; #1s Arch - #2s Peek #2s Arch over #1s who pass through to New Neighbours "Duck for the oyster, dive for the clam, duck through the hole in the old tin can." Alt (Chris Page): A1: Dosido Neighbour; Men Dosido A2: Ladies Dosido; #1s Swing, end facing down = = = = = = = = = I hope that helps. 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 Lorraine Sutton via Callers Sent: 24 July 2018 15:49 To: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners Hello All, I am calling a 2 hour Intro to Contra dance ....at an Ontario Canada Festival. ( more a music focus than a dance focus, at this festival) I would appreciate hearing from you as to contra dances ( lws proper & Improper) that you have found successful with very novice dancers and why you think those dances work for beginners.(I love Larry Jennings definition of easy vs complicated ) I do plan on doing some non progressive lws as well as a both a circle and a Sicilian circle in the program mix , to get the concept of progression. Thanks so much. Lorraine Sutton ( lorrainesutton7(a)gmail.com <mailto:lorrainesutton7@gmail.com> ) ...

7 years, 1 month

[Callers] Looking for help finding a West Coast band

by Amy Cann

Hello all -- I'm traveling to Santa Cruz in August to call a community-level dance at a family event of an old and dear friend. I need to put together a band and would VERY MUCH welcome contact info of coastal musicians, or dance organizers/callers likely to have a contact list of good prospects. There's a respectful budget for the gig, and even a finder's/booker's fee set aside. Thanks, Amy (in Vermont!)

7 years, 1 month

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