Contra Callers

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4388 discussions

Re: [Callers] Positive values on the mic

by via Callers

I like to say, at the end of a dance and moving on to the next one, "Ask someone else to dance... Or let them ask you!" Ben Allbrandt ---- James Saxe via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I like to say things to promote the custom of frequent partner > changes. So after a dance, I would say at least > > Thank your partner and find a partner for the next contra > [or "... for a waltz" or whatever is next]. > > and more likely > > ... and find someone new for ... > > or > > ... switch around ... > > and perhaps at some point early in the evening > > ... and as usual [or "as is our custom"*] find someone new ... > > [*When I first heard "as is our custom" said by Ted Sannella, it > struck me that by injecting those four words, said in a relaxed > tone and taking about two seconds to say, he'd gotten the point > across as effectively, and far more pleasantly, than somebody could > with a two-minute harangue on the subject.] > > To be clear, if I see some dancers (new or experienced) who came as > a couple and seem glued together, I will not by any means attempt > to *pressure* them to separate and dance with different partners. > But I do want to empower people to feel comfortable mingling. In > particular, I don't want dancers who are new and unfamiliar with > the prevailing customs to have the agony of wondering > > "If I don't keep this partner for the next dance, will (s)he > think I didn't like dancing with her/him?" > > or conversely > > "My partner just thanked me and then ran off to dance with > someone else. Did I do something wrong?" > > Also, if new dancers are worried about imposing their klutziness on > experienced dancers, they will perhaps be less timid about making > or accepting an offer to dance if they understand that it's only > expected to be for one dance. > > And finally, if someone asks a member of one of those glued-together > couples for a dance, I hope that even if they say "No", awareness > that most people are mingling will keep them from being affronted > by the invitation. > > --Jim > > On Oct 31, 2016, at 7:28 AM, Ron Blechner wrote: > > I'd like to hear some examples of things you as a caller (or you as an organizer encouraging callers) say on the mic during a dance to promote positive dance values. > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 9 months

Positive values on the mic

by Ron Blechner via Callers

Hi Shared Weight, I'd like to hear some examples of things you as a caller (or you as an organizer encouraging callers) say on the mic during a dance to promote positive dance values. I ask because I'm reviewing my own dance's "calling our dance" communication with callers, as well as evaluating my own statements on mic. I'll get us started. I like to say, a couple times per evening, for dancers to look to the sidelines for dancers who were sitting out, in considering a partner. In dance, Ron Blechner

8 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Positive values on the mic

by John W Gintell via Callers

Often it is hard to hear the caller during the Walkthrough because of chatter from some of the dancers and the people sitting out. Any thoughts as to what the caller should say to politely get people to be quiet? John

8 years, 9 months

Dance Title

by Rich Sbardella via Callers

Hello Folks, I am looking for the title and author of the following dance. Can anyone help me? A1 CL 3/4, N Swg A2 LL, Partner Balance, Pull R, Pull L B1 Along Line RH Bal, Bx Gnat, Gents Alle Left 1 1/2 B2 P Bal & Swg Thanks, Rich

8 years, 10 months

Group Microphone

by Rich Sbardella via Callers

Hello folks, This is not a calling question, but I thought I'd ask, since so many of you are musicians. Is there a single microphone that would be good to pick up two guitarists/vocalists? I am thinking of the type of mic a bluegrass band might use for performance, not for studio work. Any recommendations? Rich Stafford, CT

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Calling a Halloween Dance Tonight?

by Greg Allan via Callers

What a great suggestion! Thanks Amy. Here's another: Haunted Woods of Athlone. As Bridge of Athlone, but with a few Halloween changes: A1 Forward and Back, and Change with Partner* Zombie Style* A2 Repeat back to place B1 Top couple chasse down the center and back 8 steps B2 Top couple casts off, lines follow down to the bottom *Witches Broom (Or Gliding Ghost) style.* Top couple make an arch, everyone under the arch and back to place C1 Top couple back up the outside while everyone else makes the Haunted Woods (instead of the Bridge). Top couple runs through the haunted woods to the bottom. C2....? Not ever sure of the timing of this dance! But it's usually not done in distinct phrases. Enjoy! On Sat, Oct 29, 2016 at 3:01 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers- > sharedweight.net > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Calling a Halloween dance tonight? Try this circle mixer... > (Amy Cann via Callers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 29 Oct 2016 12:53:42 -0400 > From: Amy Cann via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>, > pourparler(a)yahoogroups.com, Lisa Sieverts <lisa(a)lisasieverts.com>, > Don > Primrose <limerickfarm(a)gmail.com>, Laurie Indenbaum < > lri(a)sover.net>, > Carol Compton <carol(a)bitdance.com>, David Kaynor > <davidkaynor(a)mac.com>, Dave Bateman <Dave.Bateman23(a)comcast.net>, > Tod > Whittemore <todw(a)stephensmtg.net> > Subject: [Callers] Calling a Halloween dance tonight? Try this circle > mixer... > Message-ID: > <CALZWU+tH+c6FobS2Xa94iedg=FrR-kjR9t41g2R8HzTbYJj5Lg@mail. > gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > I try and call the dances of Rich Blazej whenever I can and this one's a > Halloween favorite, re-done as "Werewolves and Zombies". > > *Garfield's Escape* -- circle of couples PLUS ONE EXTRA in the center > (Garfield) > > A1 All into the center EIGHT steps and back, menacing the Garfield > A2 Circle left, circle right > > B1 Women (werewolves) promenade single file to the right, while men > (zombies) "star" by the right -- each man puts his right hand on right > shoulder of the man in front - including Garfield. > > B2 Caller hollers "Escape!" ("Boo!", or maybe "Braaaiiins") and all men > run to the outside and swing with a woman in the outer circle. A new > Garfield remains in the center. > > Rich himself named this after Garfield the comic-strip cat, way back when > he was cynical and funny (the cat, not Rich). > "The single man remaining at the end of the dance is entitled to a pan of > lasagna and some fresh kitty litter". > > My favorite normal tune for this is the minor jig Coleraine, played at a > slightly slower lurch-y tempo, but if I'm lucky the band'll do the Alfred > Hitchcock theme. > > Have fun, just thought I'd share -- and I'd love to hear how it goes if you > do it, and what variations emerge. > > Cheers, > Amy >

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Square dance calling book - What would you like to see?

by Tony Parkes via Callers

Richard Hart wrote: > How about an answer to the question, Can contra callers who don't sing call squares, if so, how? The answer seems obvious to me, but that’s because I grew up with an eclectic assortment of squares in various styles, some of which involve no singing at all. Some square dance communities do singing calls exclusively; in others, the squares are done to fiddle tunes but in a chanting style in which every word is pitched to a note of the musical scale. If one’s background is in such a tradition, it can be hard to imagine calling a square without singing. I enjoy playing around with the harmony when I call. But it’s not necessary at all for effective calling. In fact, if you’re not comfortable doing it, it can get in the way. It’s quite possible to use either a patter or prompting style, or a combination of both, without singing a note. Ted Sannella, as he was the first to admit, was not a singer. He avoided singing calls for the most part; when he did one, such as Life on the Ocean Wave, it was obvious that he was uncomfortable and he had trouble finding the pitches. Yet he was one of the most successful and influential phrased-square callers of the 20th century. He simply spoke his calls rather than singing or harmonizing. If you look at YouTube videos of callers doing traditional squares (Eastern, Southern or Western), you can see that most of them don’t try to pitch their voices to the music. Some have a more shouting style, some are mellower, but nearly all are effective in their own way. Tony Parkes Billerica, Mass. www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com>

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Square dance calling book - What would you like to see?

by Tony Parkes via Callers

Luke Donforth wrote: <quote> I often wonder about pairing breaks with figures… there's some meta-level stuff I'd like to hear unpacked. Another meta-level thing; which squares do you want to stay square to phrasing (besides singing), and when does it not matter? A break-out of expected teaching and time it takes: i.e. this is a figure you'll have to walk once, versus this should be walked for heads & sides or everyone... A category of "these squares won't take longer than a contra to teach (but are still engaging)" <end quote> Thanks for your feedback, Luke. Several folks have responded off-list to my book announcement, and I’m grateful for all their thoughts. No one has suggested a broad category that I’d neglected to include, but all have made good points and/or forced me to clarify my thinking about several sub-categories. The more input I can get from a wide variety of callers and prospective callers, the better off I and my readers will be. Turning now to Luke’s requests: On pairing breaks with figures, I’m not sure there’s much to say beyond: (1) Avoid duplication. If the figure is based on stars, avoid them in the break; likewise with chains. There’s a break that alternates “all circle left” with “corner swing” four times; use it with a keeper figure, not one with a corner progression. (1a) Avoid immediate repetition. If the figure begins with heads or sides promenade, don’t call a promenade at the end of the opener and middle break. The same goes for forward and back. (2) Keep the break simpler than the figure in most of the squares you call. If you have a favorite tricky break, pair it with the simplest figure you know, one that barely needs a walkthrough, or save it for a workshop. Strict phrasing vs. loose or no phrasing: If a figure consists mainly of moves similar to contras – moves that position the dancers precisely (e.g. chain, R&L through, certain types of circles) – the moves should be synchronized with the musical phrases and the calls should be prompted. Unphrased dancing and calling is a hallmark of the Southern Mountain tradition, which favors figures in which the dancers describe circular paths around and between one another. Even some of these “swooping” figures can be phrased if desired; e.g. Lady Round the Lady is well-known as a singing or semi-singing call in the Northeast. Grand Square should always be phrased; Grapevine Twist is hard to phrase. But there’s a middle ground of figures where it’s the caller’s choice. All this will be in the book, of course. I’ll also point out which squares are likely to require enough teaching time to relegate them to workshops at camps and festivals, and which can be safely used at mostly-contra evenings. Keep the requests coming! Tony Parkes Billerica, Mass. www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com>

8 years, 10 months

Square dance calling book - What would you like to see?

by Tony Parkes via Callers

[Posted to Shared Weight callers' list and trad-dance-callers list, simultaneously but separately so replies won't go to both lists] This message is for those of you who call squares, or have thought you might like to call squares. The rest of you may allow your attention to wander. I'm writing a book on calling squares in what I think of as neo-traditional style (the style, borrowing from many regional traditions but compatible with contra handholds and timing, that callers tend to use on the contra circuit). It will be at least as long as my contra calling text (300 pages), but will include more repertoire than the contra book, as it seems to me that squares in general, and good squares in particular, are harder to find these days than contras and good contras. I've reached a stage where I know pretty well what I want to cover, but I want to make sure I haven't overlooked anything. So... What would you like to see in such a book (assuming you'd buy and/or read it)? What aspects of calling squares are you particularly interested / excited / terrified about? Public and private replies are welcome. Thanks for your interest and your feedback. Tony Parkes Billerica, Mass. www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com>

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] A Question Re: Contra friendly squares

by Tony Parkes via Callers

Jim Saxe wrote: <quote> *** My question is, have any of you ever seen something like this happen? The caller (whether you or someone else, and using whatever words) instructs, say, the head dancers to swing their opposites, face the nearest side couple, and circle with that side couple. In some square, one of the following misinterpretations occurs: 1. Instead of swinging in a spot directly in front of one of the side couples, a pair of head dancers swing either very near the gent's home place or very near the lady's home place. (And you believe that they aren't intentionally dancing offset from their theoretical position to avoid crowding but that they actually don't understand where they are supposed to be.) OR 2. Head dancers swing opposites, then fall back to home places. Then they go together with their *partners* to circle with whichever side couple they consider "nearest". OR 3. Somehow (whether or not you see exactly how it happens) dancers end up in a circle of five and a circle of three. <end quote> I have seen #3 happen several times when I was calling Ted's "Do-si-do and Face the Sides." I now teach it more carefully. Granted, it has a do-si-do rather than a swing, but I think I could now teach a similar dance with a swing and still keep the circles of four where they belong. Jim again: << My point is that even bits of choreography that aren't really difficult can take more care to teach efficiently and effectively when they are unfamiliar to many of the dancers present than when they are familiar to almost all. >> Yes. This is why squares are such a challenge to present effectively at a mostly-contra evening. The caller needs to think about what contra dancers know in terms of basic movements and transitions between them. Then s/he can focus on the potential trouble spots in a square and think about various ways of teaching them. I just finished vetting the square "Head for Home" for a new caller who was thinking of using it. It has two stars, each of which leads the dancers to someone they haven't just been working with. I suggested freezing the action just before each star and having the dancers locate the person they'll be going to from the star. I find that freezing the action is important in walking through a lot of the squares in my repertoire. Sometimes it helps to say "When you're done with the next move, you'll have switched places with [person or couple]" or "you'll be right back where you are now, facing the same way" or to have them take a shortcut to the next place they'll be, to get their bodies familiar with it, then back up and get them there the real way. (It could be argued that this last device is like showing how a magic trick is done, but in traditional calling we're not giving the dancers puzzles to solve, we're letting them take the scenic route even if there may be a more direct path to where they're going. Sandy Bradley used to say "When we're all done you'll be right back where you started, so the only thing that matters is that you had fun along the way.") Tony Parkes Billerica, Mass. www.hands4.com

8 years, 10 months

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