The question of “contras” being called at ONSs has been raised before, and fairly recently, and several of us chimed in quickly with “WHY?” If the gig is a one nighter, and 95% of the folks there have not been exposed to contras before, then no matter what you choose for a dance, it will have to be taught and walked through, which, even if done well, can throw a damper on that kind of a party.  So, why?  There are so many other good dances, whole set, sets, circles.

 

We played for a rowdy barn dance near here once for another caller.  After a few fairly successful whole sets and circles he said “Oh, we haven’t done a duple contra yet.” and proceeded to spend the next half hour trying, unsuccessfully, to do

A-Roving.  Train wreck and end of evening.

 

What happens is that the musicians are having a great time playing the chunes and the dancers appreciate that, and the dancers are having a great foot stomping time, but the poor caller is sometimes not getting much attention and so cooks up a figger too complex so that the dancers have to work too hard to get it which they might not, so they don’t feel successful.....

 

But if you must do a “contra” at an ONS Jefferson & Liberty is the one.  Even ONSers like to swing, so I sometimes leave out the star, just call it A1 circle left & right,/ A2  down the outside and back/ B1 Down the center 4 in line, inside arch, outside under/ B2 All swing partners..  Or, do it with the stars, and do the swing at the end, adding an extra 8 bars of music, making it a 40 bar dance.  You can look around for a 40 bar chune, or just roar into it and have it come out right occasionally. 

 

Dudley

 

 

 

Dudley & Jacqueline Laufman
PO Box 61, 322 Shaker Rd
Canterbury, NH 03224
www.laufman.org
603-783-4719
jdlaufman@comcast.net
Education book & CD at www.humankinetics.com
Performance Calendar at www.laufman.org