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2524 discussions

by Luke Donforth

Definitely worth dancing with the fine folks in Maine if you get a chance. From: https://deffa.org/events/2018-08/ Looks like your best bets in Maine would be Otis (1 hr) or Bangor (1.5 hr) on Friday; and Bowdoinham or Norway (each ~1 hr) on Saturday. Not sure about Sunday on the road back to Albany. Have fun. On Wed, Jul 25, 2018 at 5:08 PM, Mary Collins via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Will be in Jay Maine for a wedding on August 18th. Looking for a contra > dance to dance (not call but could be coerced) nearby either Friday night > or Saturday night. or Sunday afternoon somewhere between there and Albany > area. > > Thanks! > Mary Collins > “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning > to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown > > > <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free. > www.avg.com > <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> > <#m_1476480302216337371_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> > > _______________________________________________ > 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>

6 years, 5 months

[Callers] Looking to DANCE!

by Mary Collins

Will be in Jay Maine for a wedding on August 18th. Looking for a contra dance to dance (not call but could be coerced) nearby either Friday night or Saturday night. or Sunday afternoon somewhere between there and Albany area. Thanks! Mary Collins “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

6 years, 5 months

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

by Martha Wild

John already mentioned Family Contra, which is my favorite because the progression happens so easily, and it is so obvious that you are facing new people. In addition, it has no obvious differences in gender role - doesn’t matter who dances on which side, so great with piles of kids and parents dancing together, yet it teaches the progression concept. Next after that I like Ellen’s Green Jig by Roy Dommett. Though it has a swing for the 1s, it really doesn’t matter if people open up on the “wrong” side, as long as they face their neighbors, all is well. A1) Do-si-do neighbor Ones do-si-do A2) Ones balance and swing (sometimes I have them balance twice because swinging is not very comfortable for new people, and sometimes I just have them two hand turn after the balance(s). B1) Circle left with neighbors Circle right back to place (the only time I’ve seen this go wrong was when people circled so they ended up doing the next move sideways to the set) B2) Duck for the oyster/dig/Dive on through (all keep hands after circle - 1s take a little peek under an arch formed by 2s, then back up, 2s do the same through 1s, finally 1s pop through to a new couple) If a whole pile of new people show up at the start of a dance, having missed the walkthrough, this is my go to dance to get things started and then into the regular program. Martha > On Jul 24, 2018, at 7:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > 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> ) > > > ... > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years, 5 months

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

by Bill Baritompa

Hi Cheryl and all, I'm glad you like the dance, it's called Easy Progressive Contra 3 http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/2012-July/… I don't specify how much to move the circles or stars in A1 and A2 but just say to move for 8 beats. I tell them they will end of back where they started because moving both directions cancel out each time. Also I didn't specify the type of stars but stress the A1/A2 transition is to keep moving and put your 'inside' (left) hand in. This is to get them to learn to move the stars first and make the grip on the move. Also they don't need to know which hand is left, as they should use the hand closest to the center. If the dancer look up to it, I suggest the option to communicate with your Nbr in B2 and choose to allemand 1x or 2x. Cheers, Bill On 25/07/2018 11:33 a.m., Cheryl Joyal via Callers wrote: > One of my favorite is Easy Progressive Contra - I find it works better for me > with beginners, because the couples do-si-do 1+1/2 in Family Contra seems to > confuse people (or I dont teach it well!) > > Easy Progressive Contra (by ???) > > *A1*(8) Circle Left 1X > (8) Circle Right 1X > > *A2*(8) Star Left - Hands across > (8) Star Right - Hands across > > > > *B1*(8) Women Do-si-do > (8) Men Do-si-do > > *B2*(8) Neighbor allemande Right 1x > (8) Neighbor Balance and Pull by to New Ne’s > > Cheryl Joyal > clmjoyal(a)gmail.com <mailto:clmjoyal@gmail.com> > clmjoyal(a)aol.com <mailto:clmjoyal@aol.com> > 630-667-3284 (cell) > >

6 years, 5 months

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

by Linda S. Mrosko

More words of wisdom -- people remember a gypsy -- they may not all look you in the eye, but they get the concept. On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 9:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > 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 ) > > > ... > > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > -- *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko* *102 Mitchell Drive* *Temple, Texas 76501* *(903) 292-3713 (Cell)* *(903) 603-9955 (Skype)* *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>* *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)*

6 years, 5 months

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

by Kalia Kliban

On 7/24/2018 7:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers wrote: > 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. Lots of really good advice in the replies here. One contra that has worked well for me with very beginning dancers is this version of the Washington Quickstep. The big bonus in this one is that the progression doesn't depend on the propriety of the 1s, so even if a couple gets confused about which side they should be on, the dance still works. It does use a R&L through, which can be a challenging move for the very new. Washington Quickstep duple improper (or proper, depending on how you've taught the R&L through) Star R/L 1s down/back/cast off R&L thru over/bk LLFB, 1s sw Jefferson and Liberty, in its infinite variations, is another good starter contra. Here's the version I tend to use: Jefferson and Liberty duple improper or proper Star R/L Circ L/R Lines of 4 (1s ctr) dn, 1s arch 2s thru, 2s up, 1s follow 1s swing This one does rely on the dancers being able to remember which role they're dancing, but it's nice and basic. Unruly Reunion (Robert Cromartie) duple improper Lines of 4 (1s in middle) dn, turn alone, bk, bend circle L/R N dos/sw LLFB, 1s sw My new favorite mixer, which I learned here on Shared Weight, is The Wheel by Gene Hubert. Needs a big crowd and a roomy dance space, but it's loads of fun. A1 Promenade (CCW)(16), and at the end of A1 gents move the ladies to the middle, so ladies are facing out and gents facing in (note: this is a variation from someone here, was it Mac? Somebody on this list. But it's a really good change). A2 Join 2 hands with partner and walk 8 steps IN (ladies backing up), then 8 slightly smaller steps out (gents backing up), and join hands in 2 concentric circles. (Here's where that modification makes the dance work better. Since men tend to have the longer arms, they're now in the larger, outer circle.) B1 All circle LEFT (opposite directions obviously) B2 *SWING* (nearest person) There are ALWAYS people who don't find a partner at the start of B2, and part of the fun is to then dive into the "odd-sock pile" in the center to find a partner, and rejoin the ring either in the swing or the next promenade. This dance can relieve a lot of the tension about "doing it right," since it's a big silly scramble. Also good swing practice. Kalia in Sebastopol

6 years, 5 months

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

by Jacob or Nancy Bloom

WITH BEGINNERS, AVOID RIGHTS AND LEFTS! Half of them will turn right when they should have turned left, and the other half will turn all the way around and look back at the person they just walked past. To experienced dancers they seem similar to a ladies chain, but people who have never done either before find rights and lefts vastly more confusing. Jacob On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 11:17 AM, Jen Morgan via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Not necessarily. I called a contra dance in the ceilidh tent at a UK folk > festival with few if any experienced contra dancers. I made a list of very > basic figures and chose only dances with those figures in. I think I used > either only right and left throughs, or only ladies chains, but not both > (can't remember which sorry!) No work outside minor set, I preferred eight > bar figures to four bar figures (over and back etc). Lots of line of four > lead down sort of dances. Lots of the easier chestnuts. > > And I delivered the explanation of how to line up, how to know if you're a > one or two, how the progression works etc, before *every* *single* > *dance*. It worked and the dancers had a great time. > > Hope it goes well! > Jen > > > On 24 July 2018 at 15:53, Mac Mckeever via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> I stay away from contras unless you have a good number of experienced >> dancers to hold things together. There are lots of dances that are more >> self correcting and don't have the complexity that progression creates. >> Virginia Reel works good with beginners >> >> Mac McKeever >> >> On Tuesday, July 24, 2018, 9:48:59 AM CDT, Lorraine Sutton via Callers < >> callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> >> 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 ) >> >> >> ... >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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/ >> >> > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > -- jandnbloom(a)gmail.com http://jacobbloom.net/ View my Arlington Food Pantry fundraiser at https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657

6 years, 5 months

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

by Jacob or Nancy Bloom

Beginners are often confused by contra dances in which they focus on their partner across the set and progress sideways. For a first contra, I recommend that you start with a dance where the progression is "Pass through to the next" or "Duck through to the next couple", so that the dancers are focusing their attention up and down the set. In fact, you can start by having them do a Sicilian Circle, then stop, change the sets into lines, and have them continue with the same dance. Haste to the Wedding is a good choice, or here's a dance of mine which has been successful with beginners. Jacob's Polka Contra by Jacob Bloom Duple Improper Music: polka or polka-like reel Requires extra room up and down the line Give both hands to the next, or take ballroom position With the outside foot, heel, toe, two slides out, with inside foot heel, toe, two slides in Heel, toe, two slides out, Heel, toe, two slides in Dosido below All dosido partner Allemande left below, All swing partner Circle left with same couple Pass through, bow to next On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 10:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > 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 ) > > > ... > > > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > -- jandnbloom(a)gmail.com http://jacobbloom.net/ View my Arlington Food Pantry fundraiser at https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657

6 years, 5 months

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

by Mac Mckeever

I stay away from contras unless you have a good number of experienced dancers to hold things together. There are lots of dances that are more self correcting and don't have the complexity that progression creates. Virginia Reel works good with beginners Mac McKeever On Tuesday, July 24, 2018, 9:48:59 AM CDT, Lorraine Sutton via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: 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 ) ... _______________________________________________ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/

6 years, 5 months

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

by Lorraine Sutton

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 ) ...

6 years, 5 months

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