Contra Callers

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45 participants
4388 discussions

by Ron Blechner via Callers

Hi all, I'm looking to expand the number of contra-friendly Squares in my box. 1. Keepers preferred unless it's a really good mixer. 2. Not too gimmicky. 3. Not really interested currently in Southern style visiting couple squares (heads and sides fine, but not one couple at a time). (Got Kimmswick Express, First Night Quadrille, a couple others) Thanks, Ron

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Style

by John Sweeney via Callers

Hi Neal, Thanks. But I don't understand what Ralph's smoother style was. To me, modern contra dancing is beautifully smooth. Larry Jennings defines the style in Zesty Contras as "zesty, purposeful, extroverted, smooth, meticulously phrased, strongly connected, vigorous, New England, contra dancing" and goes on to define "Smooth: Refers both to the way the dancers carry their bodies and to the flow from one figure into another." If anything I would say that modern choreography has made much smoother dances; many of the Chestnuts have disjointed flows. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent Neal Schlein said: This might shed some light on the subject - https://www.library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/ralph-page-dance-legac y-weekend Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend The Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend (RPDLW) is held every January at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. It takes its name from the man who was perhaps the single most important figure in the preservation of traditional dance in New England and was conceived to keep his legacy alive. Begun in 1988, the RPDLW celebrates the music and dance of New England: contras, squares, and more. From the beginning, the emphasis has been on preserving the smoother style of dancing that Ralph Page favored.

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Style

by via Callers

This might shed some light on the subject - https://www.library.unh.edu/find/archives/collections/ralph-page-dance-lega… Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend The Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend (RPDLW) is held every January at the University of New Hampshire in Durham. It takes its name from the man who was perhaps the single most important figure in the preservation of traditional dance in New England and was conceived to keep his legacy alive. Begun in 1988, the RPDLW celebrates the music and dance of New England: contras, squares, and more. From the beginning, the emphasis has been on preserving the smoother style of dancing that Ralph Page favored. A significant portion of the program celebrates the tradition's roots and includes traditional contras and quadrilles, triple minor dances, singing squares, and couple dances as part of the program. The program also includes a retrospective focusing on a particular caller or musician's contribution to the tradition. The approach is not only one of preservation; there is a deliberate attempt to connect the past with the future of traditional dance. It also features some of the best new choreography and newly-composed tunes. Over the years the event has become noted for its cultivation of community, for being a gathering of "the ones who have played the music, called the figures, and danced the dances in crowded, joyful halls for decades," and for being a weekend of outstanding dancing. Ben ---- Neal Schlein via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I would agree--giving a place to smoother, calmer, and inequal dances that > give people time to interact, chat, make eye contact, etc, instead of > forcing a rapidity of constant interaction. It's not so much a matter of > music speed as choreographic selection. > > He was also known to occasionally use patter when calling contras and > quadrilles. Apparently the tradition historically existed in New England, > but was much less pronounced than elsewhere and has since virtually > vanished. > > I forget the source from which I got that tidbit, but it very possibly was > Time to Dance by Richard Neville. Or it could have been a letter in the > Lloyd Shaw Foundation Archive collection. Not sure. > > Neal > > Neal Schlein > Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library > > > Currently reading: *The Different Girl* by Gordon Dahlquist > Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system. > > On Tue, Oct 11, 2016 at 10:11 AM, Jeff Kaufman via Callers < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > I think they're trying to refer to the style of dancing that was > > popular before Larry Jennings-style "zesty contra". > > > > On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 4:21 AM, John Sweeney via Callers > > <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > Hi all, > > > I was at a workshop recently where someone asked me if I liked > > "the > > > Ralph Page style" of contra dance. They claimed that they had been told > > > that he wanted dances to be slower and calmer. > > > > > > Is there a "Ralph Page style"? If so what is it? > > > > > > If he wanted the music slower, what speed did he want? Did he > > want > > > it slower than the 130+bpm that square dancers used to use? Or slower > > than > > > the 120bmp that is common now in contra? > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > Happy dancing, > > > John > > > > > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 > > > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Callers mailing list > > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >

8 years, 10 months

Wrist-Lock Stars

by John Sweeney via Callers

Hi all, I have been to contra dances and festivals all over America and everywhere I have danced everyone automatically uses a wrist-lock star (unless the caller has specified hands-across because of the subsequent choreography). But I am constantly challenged in England by people claiming that wrist-lock stars are not the standard in America. When I go to somewhere like The Flurry and see 600 people from all over the country all doing wrist-locks it seems to me that it must be the standard way of doing things. And obviously it has been common in America for a long time; this video is from 1964 in Northern Vermont and shows wrist-lock stars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZubTju7g_s So, are there still significant communities that don't use wrist-locks? Is the wrist-lock the de facto standard? Thanks. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

8 years, 10 months

Good dances for beginners to safely leave/return to minor set.

by K Panton via Callers

3-33-33 is not a good choice for introducing beginners to extra-4some expeditions. I've also found that a diagonal chain followed by a straight-across figure causes confusion. The Young Adult Rose,and others, have a pass-through to shadow allemande which is doable. Does anyone have some reliable key to unlock this mystery for new dancers, thereby opening up a whole new world! Thanks Ken

8 years, 10 months

Mark Widmer's email address is changing

by via Callers

Please change your address book to use Mark Widmer's new email address: widmermt98(a)gmail.com The old email address (mark(a)harbormist.com) will be going away soon.

8 years, 10 months

Ralph Page Style

by John Sweeney via Callers

Hi all, I was at a workshop recently where someone asked me if I liked "the Ralph Page style" of contra dance. They claimed that they had been told that he wanted dances to be slower and calmer. Is there a "Ralph Page style"? If so what is it? If he wanted the music slower, what speed did he want? Did he want it slower than the 130+bpm that square dancers used to use? Or slower than the 120bmp that is common now in contra? Thanks. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

8 years, 10 months

Re: [Callers] Wrist-Lock Stars

by Louise Siddons via Callers

Here in Oklahoma I call it a wagon-wheel grip, but I think I picked up that term in either Michigan or California when I was starting to dance contra circa 2008. Wagon-wheel stars are the default in OK/TX/KS/MO local dances, and also seem standard in the SF Bay Area. When I teach a star in a room with a lot of new dancers, I say “our convention here is to make a wagon-wheel in the middle — your hand should be on the wrist of the person in front of you.” Our intro workshops usually speak to the question of grip (nothing the other person can’t get out of wordlessly without injury, please), so we don’t generally get people who are gripping tightly. Incidentally, I enjoy the wagon wheel as a moment when experienced dancers can help new dancers have an “ah ha!” moment without disrupting my teaching. It’s a neat opportunity to introduce the concept of dancers being able to learn details of technique from each other, which I hope then continues throughout the evening. Louise (Stillwater, OK)

8 years, 10 months

Mark Widmer's email address is changing

by via Callers

Please change your address book to use Mark Widmer's new email address: widmermt98(a)gmail.com The old email address (mark(a)harbormist.com) will be going away soon.

8 years, 10 months

What dance is this?

by Maia McCormick via Callers

Any insights? A1: neighbor B&S A2: long lines gents alle. L 1 1/2 B1: PB&S B2: circle L 3/4 Bal. the ring, CA twirl to face new neighbors Cheers, Maia

8 years, 10 months

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