15 Oct
2015
15 Oct
'15
11:43 p.m.
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~ ~
16 Oct
16 Oct
1:35 a.m.
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 P
West 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~ ~
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--
Jack Mitchell
Durham, NC
2:20 a.m.
I'll make the suggestion that you be very careful about any dances you
want to call that involve traveling outside the foursome. Those dances
often introduce end effects that can ripple one or two foursomes into
the set from each end, so with only 5 or 6 foursomes, the whole line is
confused.
Also, any dance with double progression will leave the dancers feeling
that they are bouncing off the ends of the line and being really limited
in who they dance with.
Other than those issues, I agree with Jack that most dances should work
fine.
David
On 10/15/2015 6:43 PM, Laur via Callers 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 P
West 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~ ~
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Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
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2:24 a.m.
Okay, I agree, so the next thought is - how long do dancers in shorter lines WANT to
dance. Up and down to the beginning place? Normally this isn't appreciated. But in a
shorter line, do they want to continue and it doesn't matter? I know as a dancer I
don't want the dance to go "too" long. But in a short line would I
appreciate dancing longer regardless of whether I go through the line twice?
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 10:21 PM, David Harding via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I'll make the suggestion that you be very careful about any dances you want to call
that involve traveling outside the foursome. Those dances often introduce end effects
that can ripple one or two foursomes into the set from each end, so with only 5 or 6
foursomes, the whole line is confused.
Also, any dance with double progression will leave the dancers feeling that they are
bouncing off the ends of the line and being really limited in who they dance with.
Other than those issues, I agree with Jack that most dances should work fine.
David
On 10/15/2015 6:43 PM, Laur via Callers 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 P West 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
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9:33 p.m.
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
10:13 p.m.
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
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5 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
David Harding via Callers -
Jack Mitchell via Callers
-
Laur via Callers
-
Rich Sbardella via Callers
-
Tom Hinds via Callers