Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

41 participants
4388 discussions

Re: [Callers] Need help teleporting to other side of set - new dance

by K Panton

Another great option, Jack; and plenty creative. Thanks. I can see this will need some blind taste tests! Now I'm very curious what further solutions may appear. Ken On 8 April 2018 at 23:46, Jack Mitchell <jmitchell.nc(a)gmail.com> wrote: > I’m with Tom - I think that a wave is going to be too limiting. One thing > that comes to mind is circle left 3/4, balance the ring, partner roll away > - swing neighbor. I think that would be a slightly modified Wowee (a la > Bob Isaacs & friends). I’m sure that others will come up with more creative > options but that is what came to mind. > > On Sun, Apr 8, 2018 at 9:00 PM K Panton via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> I am need of some choreographic gerrymandering from the braintrust. >> >> I have the flow the way I want in a dance that first gelled about 10 >> years but when some folks walked it through for me, more recently, they >> said, "uh, Ken, I'm not swinging my N, it's my P." >> >> "Dang," said I. >> > etc etc etc. > -- > Jack Mitchell > Durham, NC >

7 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] CDs with full length dance tune

by Bev Young

My favorites are: New England Dancing Masters - Assembly, Other Side of the Tracks Any Jig or Reel Sashay the Donut Chimes of Dunkirk (These last two have a lot of children's dances, but many of the tunes are medleys and can be used for various community & contra dances) High Clouds, Greenfield Dance Band Susan Kevra's Full Swing Richard Forest and Domino (Quebecois music) Bev Young

7 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] How many beats to a rip/snort?

by K Panton

Tom, Ben & Jane: Thanks for your responses; I feel relieved. The dance I've written is as follows and includes a ring balance followed by R'n'S then down the hall. the transition A2->B1 will be a bit of a run (X trails to a ring balance). Here it is, in case you are curious. The name? Inspired by Love at First Swing (Bob Isaacs) - the basic structure is the same - with a, (granted) somewhat forced, allusion to that first time your new sweetie makes you laugh just as you've taken a large sip of a fizzy beverage! ha ha :) *Love at First Snort (Ken Panton, April 2018)* Improper *CALL * *A1* *(8)* *Bal the ring; spin R* *(8)* *Swing P* *A2* *(8)* *Bal the ring; spin R* *(8)* *Swing N* *B1* *(8)* *Bal the ring; x trails* *(4)* *with new N, Bal the ring* *(4)* *Rip/Snort to line of 4* *B2* *(8)* *Line of 4 down the hall* *(8)* *with N, turn as couples and return*

7 years, 4 months

How many beats to a rip/snort?

by K Panton

I've looked in the usual places and came up with only two examples of a dance with a Rip/Snort (Rip 'n' Snort?) but one is inaccessible online. How many beats does it take to dance a rip/snort for two couples? My brain says 4 is too short and 8 is too long. I found one dance that pairs it with a ring balance for a total of 8 beats. I haven't access to "Roll Over Johannes" to see how Becky Hill made use of it. Thanks Ken Panton

7 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Great dances for learning how to dance with ghosts?

by K Panton

Colin, Thanks to Yoyo for setting me straight, it looks like "treat P as N" does work on The Hobbit. I stand corrected. Cheers, Ken Panton Colin Hume via Callers <https://www.mail-archive.com/search?l=callers@lists.sharedweight.net&q=from…> Thu, 05 Apr 2018 02:42:50 -0700 <https://www.mail-archive.com/search?l=callers@lists.sharedweight.net&q=date…> I'm not sure that dancing with ghosts is the best way to deal with end-effects - I prefer "treat your partner as a neighbour". I have a whole section of notes on End-effects athttps://colinhume.com/dtendeffects.htm Colin Hume

7 years, 4 months

Baridhara

by Alexandra Deis-Lauby

Does anyone call Chris Weiler’s baridhara? What kind of music do you ask for? And tempo? Here’s the dance. Thanks! Baridhara Improper Chris Weiler A1 Star Right; Neighbor Gypsy A2 Circle Single File Left Half (still looking at Neighbor Women lead) (4) Neighbor Gypsy (some more) (4); Neighbor Swing B1 Give & Take: Women pull Partner back B2 Women Chain; Star Left Sent from my iPhone

7 years, 4 months

Looking for a CD that would have full length contra tunes for calling

by Cheryl Joyal

Fellow Callers - Does anyone know of a CD that would have full contra length tunes that I could use to call from…… Thinking it is time I called a contra for my work friends in Greece in May. (Alternately know of any contra bands in Greece ?) Thanks in advance - Cheryl Cheryl Joyal clmjoyal(a)gmail.com clmjoyal(a)aol.com 630-667-3284 (cell)

7 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Great dances for learning how to dance with ghosts?

by K Panton

Thanks, Don. My brain hurts too much to reply. :) I think Yoyo nailed it in his reply. Treat P as N seems to do the trick. Ken Don Veino via Callers <https://www.mail-archive.com/search?l=callers@lists.sharedweight.net&q=from…> Fri, 06 Apr 2018 15:36:07 -0700 <https://www.mail-archive.com/search?l=callers@lists.sharedweight.net&q=date…> Hi Ken, I've never called this one, but this is my take on the end effects from a quick review (what the heck - the worst that could happen is I'm wrong!). -Don

7 years, 4 months

Re: [Callers] Great dances for learning how to dance with ghosts?

by K Panton

Thanks, Yoyo. I am causing myself serious brain injury mind-dancing this one. In the end, I agree with you that treating your P as N works in this dance. There remains another issue of locating error-recovery opportunities (and possible caller interventions!) which I will look at (and NOT report back) Ken Yoyo Zhou via Callers Fri, 06 Apr 2018 15:50:03 -0700 On Fri, Apr 6, 2018 at 2:52 PM, K Panton via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: In The Hobbit, here are the 3 places you come back in. Let's call the top couple "couple 1", and if someone is waiting out above them, call them "couple 0". 0. as couple 1 (with nobody out), top of A1 The start of the dance - it's a regular improper dance. Couple 1 should come in as usual (gents left, ladies right). 1. as couple 1 (with nobody out), B1: pass through to original neighbor If there's no couple 0, couple 1 goes out in the pull by in A1. We can figure out that couple 1 should come in as usual (gents left, ladies right). 2. as couple 0, A1: pull by to previous neighbor This is the couple that just went out at the top. They have to come back in with gents on the right, ladies on the left! However - this is the key - if they treat their partner as neighbor at the end (box the gnat, pull by), they end up in the correct place. All this is to say that the advice for this dance should be "dance with your partner as neighbor at the end", because it turns out that works for all the situations here.

7 years, 4 months

Looking for a CD that would have full length contra tunes for calling

by K Panton

Perpetual Emotion - self titled (awesome contra dance tracks but not trad music. If you want Zen trance dancing, this is the one to get. The phrasing is not always obvious, though, so new dancers won't get as many clues as the music of other bands as to the As & Bs. Ed and John made a great pairing) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/PerpetualeMotion Only $10 to download! Great deal. The Old Sod Band - Grass Roots (our very talented house band in Ottawa. Great trad tunes/arrangements. Still going strong! Calling with them in 2 weeks.) Typically longer tracks of 6-7 minutes http://www.ottawacontra.ca/oldsodband/ hotpoint String Band - hotpoint Special (different twist on trad) https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/hotpoint3 $10! Giant robot Dance - spontaneous animation (though this seems to be live tracks with the calling muted - longer tracks as a result) https://store.cdbaby.com/Artist/GiantRobotDance Brittany Bay - spirit of the dance (best choice for spirited trad tunes with terrific, varied arrangements) I bought through their website several years ago. Typically, 3 tunes per medley, 3 times through each tune = 4+1/2 minutes per track, generally. http://www.betsybyars.com/guy/BrittanyBay/mus.html KGB - Volga Notions (I'll second this choice but check out their other albums as well. Not "driving" but great to dance to with a variety of moods. Many original tunes or original twists on trad tunes) https://store.cdbaby.com/Search/a2di/0 Elsewhere - find several very danceable tracks on various Lunasa CDs (totally awesome band. but listen through to make sure they don't slip in an extra measure/beat here or there in the tunes you select) e.g. https://www.emusic.com/album/61623544/Lnasa/Lnasa sample: Meitheamh (live recording, driving and danceable right through!) but there are many other tunes. A wonderful band ranging from absolutely "driving" to melodically romantic. Ken Panton

7 years, 4 months

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Contra Callers