Re: Singing Squares

In the UK I've only ever dance singing squares as part of the evening. At general clubs dances like Redwing (which I think started life to a different tune). Dances for PTA etc might include simpler dances like I want to be near you (also recorded to Solomon Levi) and Hinky DInky (Parlezvous?). Ralph (??) who had a Squares club in the Midlands and taught a lot of the modern moves also included singing squares (e.g. Blue Ridge Mountains). He ran workshops at Whitby in the 80s with members of his club. Trevor Day had a Modern Squares club in Manchester - he used records and included some singing squares, e.g. Rocking in Rosalies Boat John Meechan writes fairly complex Singing Squares as well as other dances, to tunes that he grew up with, e.g. Does your Chewing Gum Lose it's flavour? and Lady Madonna, though sadly he doesn't call those two much now, we get Red Roses for a Blue Lady instead. Mo Waddington ----- Original Message ----- From: Sylvia Miskoe sylviasmiskoe(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 4:56 PM Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares Hi Rich - I'd like to offer a few opinions about the lack of interest in singing squares from a musician's point of view. Most of the tunes are simple, often only 8 bars, repeated 4 times, for one round of the dance. There is no room for substitution or picking alternate tunes. Nowadays, unless the musician has a copy of Ralph Sweet and Nils Fredland's singing calls book, they may not know where to find the appropriate tune. Once found, there is the question of what key to play. I have played the same dance in 4 different keys for 4 different callers: F, G, Bb and D. If one plays the same program for a weekly or monthly dance, boredom will set in. For example, Golden Slippers put to the dance 'Down the Middle with a Butterfly Twirl'. It is played AAB. One must pay attention to that pattern. By the time you finish the dance, you will have played it 24 times. I don't want to see singing squares die out and willingly play them if asked but a whole evening, repeated every week loses its magic. Cheers, Sylvia Miskoe, Concord NH On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 10:47 AM, Rich Sbardella richsbardella(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote: Bob, I found this clip online but I could not make out your calls. Would you transcribe them? https://squaredancehistory.org/items/show/1200 Thanks, Rich On Sun, Jun 11, 2017 at 11:41 PM, Robert Livingston rlivngstn(a)yahoo.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote: Absolutely, among those dancing on a regular basis (and those who drop in) 4Poster-Soldiers Joy is #1. Can't go home without calling it (just fancy goal posting) Next is Engine #9..."1st couple round the hollow, 2 & 3 will follow, 4 make an arch and come on thru." Down in the Caribbean Great beat, Hank Snow song. These tunes are not that difficult and if I start calling a cappella someone picks up the rhythm. From the Falltown String Band and we'll do it Saturday at Chesterfield. (MA) These are the favorites not found in your usual searches. So many American tunes were used for squares and are old enough (1800s early 1900s) to be out of copyright. Find Tod Whittemore's "San Antonio Rose" figure on line - it's a different figure and should be brought back.. Bob Livingston Middletown, CT -------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Rich Sbardella richsbardella(a)gmail.com [trad-dance-callers]" <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2017 10:12 PM Subject: [trad-dance-callers] Singing Squares Hello folks, I am curious what singing calls, if any, are being called nowadays. I am hoping to build a traditional"singing square dance locally, and hope to use tunes that bands might have heard or been exposed to. I am familiar with the ones on Ralph Sweet's CD and Bob Dalsemer's two collections. Thanks, Rich Sbardella Stafford, CT Virus-free. www.avg.com