[Callers] Using music in the pre-dance lesson

Thu Sep 12 06:06:11 PDT 2019

Woody, I'm so glad to hear your explanation of your workshop. I've seen you
do it many times and always thought to myself, "he's putting them through
drills, that's not fun. Why not get them dancing." But I've also seen that
it works. I haven't called quite as many dances as you, but I've definitely
done my share in a variety of settings - weekly urban dances with mostly
very experienced and demanding dancers, monthly series in small towns with
mostly beginners, dance weekends, one night stands and county-fair-like
settings. My workshops have also been successful in that most of the time
beginners have stayed to the end, they often thank me afterwards, and they
participate and appear to be having fun during the evening.

I'm in the "get 'em dancing" camp, but now I understand your philosophy,
and I think it comes down to our goals for the workshop. Yours is for the
participants to learn (at least some) of the moves so they can do them
correctly in a dance. Mine is to put them in a mindset that will allow them
to learn on the fly from other dancers, and mostly, have fun without
causing too much chaos. I trust them to learn moves, and the crowd to teach
them, over the evening. So I want them to get lots of experience going
through a sequence of moves in time to the music and realize quickly that
the phrases come fast and there isn't time to stop and think before the
next one. I emphasize that if they're lost it's OK to skip a move you
missed and just join into the right place at the end of it. I also want
them to get the feel of giving weight, so I spend time on that, and how to
avoid being twirled against your will. Usually the only move I explicitly
teach is the swing and I talk about not get dizzy during it. (Hint, looking
into your partners eyes (or chin) helps a little. But the real keys are
holding your head straight forward, rather than up or down, and only
looking up or down with your eyes if your partner's a very different
height, and doing a walking swing instead of a buzz-step so you're not
bouncing up and down in addition to going round and round.) I spend a bit
of time talking about the etiquette of asking and being asked to dance. I
also tell them not to sit out if they can avoid it, especially at the
beginning. That the dances will build and get more complex over the
evening. Part of the reason this works is that I construct a program where
I introduce no more than one, or two if they're simple, moves each
dance.Some more complicated moves, like the hey, I'll program two dances in
row with then when they're first introduced.

I came to this approach when I was a new caller and did a more moves-heavy
workshop. I found that the first time the dancers actually did a dance,
they were surprised by how fast the music came and even though they'd
practiced the moves, they'd often fall behind and get lost. That's probably
a commentary on my teaching ability, and I definitely didn't drill moves
over and over like you do. But that's what led me to focus more on teaching
skills attitude and skills about how to dance successfully and enjoy it,
rather than on moves. That's what's worked for me.

So I think either approach can work. It depends on your goals and how you
view the learning process. Also possibly for your tolerance for people
getting things wrong over the course of the evening. But I think
understanding why you craft a workshop one way or the other and making sure
it meets your goals for the dancers is important. I also don't think it's
either-or. I definitely teach the swing and spend a lot of time on it
because it's a move they'll do a lot. I also sometimes teach the courtesy
turn because it can be so unintuitive, especially in a right and left
through. I've watched you and you don't only do moves, you also talk about
phrasing, weight, etiquette and those other "how to dance" things too. It's
just a matter of emphasis and time apportionment.

Cheers,
Adam

On Wed, Sep 11, 2019 at 10:52 PM Woody Lane via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Hi Michael,
>
> We are going to agree to disagree. My pre-dance lesson has been very
> successful -- we've observed that many newcomers in those lessons continue
> to stay into the second half of the evening or all the way to the end.
> I've run my style of pre-dance lesson for more than 400  dances, and the
> observed results are quite clear. It works.
>
> But one thing I consider important -- that the ultimate goal of a lesson
> is for people *to learn*, not for us to teach. As teachers, we may favor
> certain things -- like dancing to music -- but that might not be the best
> way for the newcomers to learn to dance. Too many things happening at the
> same time, with too many words of explanations.
>
> So I break it down -- first the moves, lots and lots of muscle
> repetitions. Then placement and holds, including allemandes, swings,
> balance and swing, circle left, circle right, etc. Then the courtesy turn
> -- again and again and again. Then counting -- a right-and-left through
> with a courtesy turn takes 8 counts.  Then, and only then after they have
> done these moves 10-20 times, then we add the music. So in 20 minutes my
> lesson builds, piece by piece in small, logical, understandable steps. For
> example, first the courtesy turn. Then the pass through with a courtesy
> turn. Then the right-and-left through with the courtesy turn. Then the
> ladies chain with the courtesy turn. All in a firm count of 8. Sometimes
> I'll add 9 and 10 for slow movers and everyone laughs. Then a half-hey, in
> a count of 8. Then the full hey in the count of 16. Then and only then, the
> music -- when the dancers can put this together in response to the calls,
> one move after another without a break, all to the music. And so the
> dancers get the "feel" of the music and moves subliminally. And it works
> because by then they are ready to add the music to their knowledge base.
>
> This way of learning is also the best way of learning languages -- just
> copy and speak, copy and speak. We don't spend time on verb declinations or
> extensive rules of grammar. That's how they do it in academia, of course,
> but not in the Peace Corps or the Foreign Service. Or when we are young
> children and we learn our language by copying and speaking. Musical bars
> and musical phrases don't mean anything to newcomers who don't play
> instruments; counting does.
>
> Do you remember the old movie "The Karate Kid"? The newcomer kid wants to
> learn Karate, but the sensei tells him instead to spend his time waxing his
> cars. A lot. But eventually, in a scene where the sensei suddenly throws
> punches at him, the kid uses those same arm motions to automatically block
> the blows successfully. Much to his surprise. Of course that was Hollywood,
> but the lesson is real. Learning doesn't have to be direct. Sometimes
> indirect roads lead to a more successful outcome.
>
> BTW, "no music, no dance". Have you ever seen an acapella clogging
> routine? It's dancing without "music", but it's clearly in rhythms and
> tempo; it's clearly dancing.
>
> Woody
>
> ------------------------------
> On 9/11/2019 3:24 AM, Michael Barraclough wrote:
>
> Hi All
>
> I couldn't disagree more with the comments below.
>
> For me, dance is movement laid upon music - no music, no dance. Having the
> band is best, but if the band can't do it (why not?) then recorded music
> can work fine. I start with a circle (no partner) and get everyone moving.
> Dancers get to feel the music and to listen to the caller. People aren't
> necessarily used to listening and to being told what to do. Take this as an
> opportunity for new dancers to learn that they need to do this at a contra
> dance. Try 8-bars, 4-bars, 2-bars etc, mix them up, after a few circle
> left/right throw in a right/right or left/left. As well as circling, you
> can do some in and out (again, mix up everyone/men/ladies/tall/short) etc.
> After that, I pair people up randomly by getting concentric gendered
> circles going in opposite directions and you get a partner when the music
> stops. Now you can do a few turns, do-si-dos and maybe swinging. After that
> promenade out of the circle into lines. Then I teach the concept of
> progression (at length, it's probably the most important thing for a
> successful contra evening). Then, and only then, a few figures.
>
> Michael Barraclough
> On 11/09/2019 02:53, Woody Lane via Callers wrote:
>
> Hi Jim,
>
> I never use music during the pre-dance lesson until the very end of the
> lesson. I don't think there is a need until the end.
>
> My entire lesson is filled with moves -- either as a couple or as a
> foursome. We repeat the moves; we repeat the moves, again and again. For
> moves like courtesy turn, pass through, right-and-left through, ladies
> chain, 1/2-hey, and full hey -- once they learn the actual move, then I add
> the count -- either 8 or 16. Again, with no music, just my voice.
>
> Then, during the last 4 minutes or so of the lesson, I ask the band to
> play a single tune -- whatever the band likes, reel or jig. I want the
> tempo at regular dance speed -- 112-118 or so. The dancers are still in
> their foursomes. Then I call those moves to the music -- hash call so no
> one knows what move is next. The dancers dance to the music, do the moves
> at speed in the right tempo, finish the moves on time, and learn to listen
> to the caller. I don't worry about lining up for a contra and learning the
> progression -- I can teach that in 30-seconds during the first dance of the
> evening. Basically, I want dancers to have fun and confidence in dancing.
>
> I think this lesson does a good job of getting new dancers confident and
> dancing to the music.
>
> Best,
> Woody
> --
> <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
> Woody Lane
> Caller, Percussive Dancer
> Roseburg, Oregon
> http://www.woodylanecaller.com
> cell: 541-556-0054
> ------------------------------
>
> On 9/10/2019 12:41 PM, jim saxe via Callers wrote:
>
> I'd like to hear from any of you who can share experience or advice about making use of music during the introductory lesson (a/k/a "new dancers' orientation", "beginners' workshop", etc.) that often precedes a regularly scheduled contradance.
>
> What source of music do you use? (Recorded music played on a device that you control? Live music played by a musician assisting with the lesson? Music that you yourself can play on some instrument while leading the session? Your own singing of song lyrics, nonsense syllables like "la la la", or dance calls? Music that may happen to be coming from the evening's band doing their sound check at the other end of the hall?  ..)  How--in as much detail as you care to supply--do you use that music in your teaching? What do you think/hope your use of music contributes to the effectiveness or fun of the lesson?
>
> I tossed out a few ideas on this topic, with much uncertainty about which ones were any good, in a message I sent on September 2 in the "Brain Dead - Need Suggestions" thread.  I'm re-raising the topic here under a more descriptive Subject line in hope of getting responses from people who can offer comments based on actual experience.
>
> Thanks.
>
> --Jim
>
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