Contra Callers

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Need caller this Sunday, 45min. outdoor family dance part of Harvest Fest

by Amy Cann via Callers

at The Putney School in Vermont. Galopede, Lucky Seven, Alabama Gal, maybe one more, boom done. Band/sound system provided. I'd do it myself but I can't be in three places at once. Respectable budget. Email me directly or call 802-222-7598. Thanks, Amy

9 years, 1 month

Fewer than 6 dancers - Ideas?

by Edmund Croft via Callers

Scottish dances can also be a good source when you're short on numbers. And if you have internet, you can look them up when you arrive at the venue, as the abbreviated instructions for many of them can be found at http://my.strathspey.org/dd/index/ (you can filter for set size using the menu: Extra > Complex Dance Search). At least for the quick ones (jigs and reels, not Strathspeys), the step doesn't really matter. There are many dances for 2 couples in a longwise set (which could be as short as 2C or 3C if that's what you've got). And they are almost all proper, so you don't need to worry about swapping sides each time through. And they don't (ever?) feature interactions outside your group of four for that time through the dance. There are quite a few triplets (3C in a 3C set), but they'll be different from the standard repertoire of contra triplets. Most of the dances are for 3C in a longwise set of 4C (1s lead from 1st place, repeat from 2nd place, run away to the bottom as the new 1s start), so in a 3C set you will need to make the 1s run to the bottom every time. This often happens in Scottish dance groups (one of my local groups is often seven couples, so one set will have to make this adjustment), so it should be pretty feasible. If you're trying to fill a whole evening, you could teach them a figure or two that you don't get in contra, to widen your choice of Scottish dances. For instance the Allemande (not the hand-turn contra figure!) - two or three couples, depending on the dance, promenade round half way and the ladies spin round back to their own sides, basically - is quite a common progression. Edmund Croft, Cambridge and Worcestershire, UK Michael Barraclough wrote: > There are many, many 2-couple English Country Dances. Yoyo Zhou wrote: > Proper dances make the 2-couple progression easy. Jacqui Grennan wrote: > I recently called at a contra dance where we had exactly 6 dancers for almost the entire evening… > 1) Do you have any dances you can share that would work for 4 or 5 dancers? Or also dances for 6 dancers that are not triplets (have plenty of triplets).

9 years, 1 month

Two dances...are they already written?

by Kelseyannehartman＠gmail.com via Callers

Hi! Thank you to all who keep this email stream lively. I wrote these and got to check them out on Saturday (thanks San Francisco dancers) and wondered if they have already been written? The Wandering Soul was written for Stuart Kinney's tune of the same name: Delish by Kelsey Hartman Duple Improper A1: LLFB swing neighbor A2: R & l thru/courtesy turn then Promenade across B1: Balance ring and swing partner B2: Women Allemande R 1-1/2 Swing neighbor again Wandering Soul by Kelsey Hartman (Inspired by Stuart Kinney's tune of the same name) Duple Improper double progression In long wavy lines gents facing out: A1: Box circulate and partner swing A2: shift left and circle with next neighbors 3/4, swing neighbor B1: Full hey: ladies pass right to start B2: ladies Allemande R 1x back to neighbor Neighbor Allemande left 1-1/2 to long wavy lines (next neighbor in right) Sent from my iPhone

9 years, 1 month

new (?) dance - with a shadow swing

by Luke Donforth via Callers

Hello all, I know the list has had big debates about shadow swings in the past. If you don't like 'em, you can pitch this. This dance was written for someone who wanted a shadow swing, and is something I might call at a shadow-themed festival session. As shadow swings go, I like the idea of swingus interuptus going from shadow to partner. To my knowledge, it's a new composition. Haven't gotten to test it yet. But I present it for comment and/or collection. Becket, cw A1 Circle L 3/4 Neighbor Swing A2 Promenade across with neighbor Left Diagonal Ladies chain (to shadow) B1 women start 1/2 hey straight across by Right shoulder Women Do Si Do 1x B2 Shadow swing Partner swing (no slide required, circle with couple straight across)

9 years, 1 month

Fwd: Boys and Girls

by Donna Hunt via Callers

Not sure if this reply from Betsy Gotta went through on the list. I'm reprinting it here for her. Read below Donna -----Original Message----- From: Betsy Gotta <ugottadance(a)optonline.net> To: 'Donna Hunt' <dhuntdancer(a)aol.com>; jeremy.m.child <jeremy.m.child(a)gmail.com> Cc: Callers <Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Thu, Sep 29, 2016 6:28 pm Subject: RE: [Callers] Boys and Girls Hi All, Donna shared the information string with me, since I am one of the callers for Independence Squares, the club in Phila that she mentioned. In addition to calling and teaching for Independence Squares in Phila, I also call and teach for the gay/lesbian square dance club in New York City. Both groups accept gender specific terms and use the method of identifying dancers by raising a hand and saying “Boy/Girl” when the choreography makes it important for the dancers to know with whom they need to work. Personally, when calling, I have a sense of who often dances which part and that helps me keep track of where the dancers of different roles are positioned. Another help is for me to call “Boys or Girls u-turn back (turn around) which allows me to see where they are. I have the freedom to do this because I am calling MWSD with flexible choreography. As a long time caller, I have always preferred the terms Gent and Lady, because to me they are roles that people adopt more than men/women and boy/girl. Lead/Follow is not useful in MWSD because the term “Lead” means the dancer in front, and not person dancing the “man’s” role. Betsy Gotta From: Donna Hunt [mailto:dhuntdancer@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2016 11:42 AM To: jeremy.m.child(a)gmail.com Cc: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: Re: [Callers] Boys and Girls When there's a role specific move called ie, "Boys trade from a wave" the dancers in that role say "Boy" (or "Girl" if it's "girl" specific). The dancers only say it loud enough for their set to hear, the dancers don't yell it loud enough for the callers to hear. The callers usually make a note of who the couples are prior to starting the tip so they have a record of who is in which position. If they are teaching and need clarification they will ask the "boys" or "girls" to identify with a raised hand. Our dancers don't try to identify who they are supposed to be dancing with, they dance to the definition of the call and dance with whomever is coming at them. Sometimes during class this becomes very interesting especially if someone boldly moves in the wrong direction and does a move with the wrong person. Occasionally dancers become confused and can be heard muttering, "Oh, yeah I'm supposed to be a (insert role here)." Our group has dancers and classes from Mainstream up to C2. Check it out: http://www.independencesquares.org/ Donna Hunt -----Original Message----- From: Jeremy Child <jeremy.m.child(a)gmail.com> To: Donna Hunt <dhuntdancer(a)aol.com> Cc: callers <Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Wed, Sep 28, 2016 2:35 am Subject: Re: [Callers] Boys and Girls Thanks Donna. How do the dancers know who's dancing boy and who girl? Sometimes they need to, or do the callers avoid any calls requiring this knowledge (e.g. boys trade from a wave)? Jeremy On 28 September 2016 at 01:58, Donna Hunt <dhuntdancer(a)aol.com> wrote: Here in Philadelphia the MSW group (Independence Squares) is an LGBT and straight group and we dance to the calls of girl/boy and are free to dance whichever role we wish without any identifying "sashes". Our callers are fantastic at remembering who the couples/boys/girls are during any square. Donna Hunt -----Original Message----- From: Jeremy Child via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> To: Callers <Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Tue, Sep 27, 2016 2:47 pm Subject: [Callers] Boys and Girls Hi This is for the MWSD callers amongst you. There has been much discussion on this group about the terms used for the two roles in contra dance. I do not propose to resurrect that here, I mention it to emphasise that many feel the terms used to be important, and that we should be moving away from any gender connotation in them. MWSD uses Ladies, Gents, Men, Women, Girls, Boys - all highly gendered. Is it time we changed these? If so, how? In theory with Callerlab it will be easier, but I suspect they would strongly resist such a change, since the "maleness" and "femaleness" of the roles (e.g. skirt work) is such a fundamental part of what MWSD is. Thoughts? (Apologies to those to whom this is all gibberish) Jeremy Child www.barndancecaller.net www.genderfreedance.net _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

9 years, 1 month

Boys and Girls

by Jeremy Child via Callers

Hi This is for the MWSD callers amongst you. There has been much discussion on this group about the terms used for the two roles in contra dance. I do not propose to resurrect that here, I mention it to emphasise that many feel the terms used to be important, and that we should be moving away from any gender connotation in them. MWSD uses Ladies, Gents, Men, Women, Girls, Boys - all highly gendered. Is it time we changed these? If so, how? In theory with Callerlab it will be easier, but I suspect they would strongly resist such a change, since the "maleness" and "femaleness" of the roles (e.g. skirt work) is such a fundamental part of what MWSD is. Thoughts? (Apologies to those to whom this is all gibberish) Jeremy Child www.barndancecaller.net www.genderfreedance.net

9 years, 1 month

Yet another "Anyone seen this dance?"

by Ric Goldman - Letsdance via Callers

Hi folks, I was thinking about dances for tonites gig and this sequence came together in my heard. I figure someone mustve come up with it before me. Anyone recognize it? A1 Circle L 1x Nbr swing, end facing down A2 Down hall, turn alone Come back, bend line B1 Balance ring, petronella Ptnr swing B2 Circle L ¾ Balance ring, California Twirl Thanx, Ric Goldman

9 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Dance Variety

by via Callers

Rich, I avoid many of the pit falls by not calling an "all modern" program (though I do not know to what venue, dance crowd you call for.) I like to mix in older unequal dances, Proper, Chestnuts, Classics Shadracks Delight Chorus Jig Nantucket Sleighride Becket Reel to name a few. (Lately I have become bored with dances that feel the same, Partner swing, Neighbor Swing, Chain, Hay) Check out some of the older tried and trues, You may be surprised! Gale Wood

9 years, 1 month

Fwd: dance caller desperately needed, please! - Vermont, Oct 8

by Ron Blechner via Callers

Forwarding with permission, since I am unavailable that weekend - any caller available and interested in southwest VT dance - sounds like a barn dance, family-friendly, etc - can reach out directly to Cynthia Larson, email included below. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Cynthia Larson" <cynthial(a)myfairpoint.net> Date: Sep 19, 2016 1:54 PM Subject: dance caller desperately needed, please! ... our annual family-style contra/ square dance on Sat, Oct 8. We have 2 musicians, but could flex if you have your own. Our usual caller is out of town that day! We roast a steer, make cider, and have a charity auction that day on the farm. Please let me know if this is possible, and if not, please give me ideas! We pay our musicians. We usually dance from 7-10. > We are in Wells, VT, SW Rutland county. > Thank You! > Cynthia Larson > www.larsonfarmvt.com

9 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Fw: Does this dance exist? Calling Joy Greenwolfe - Calling Joy Greenwolfe

by Dan Black via Callers

Joy, I agree with you. The picture from our Callers Workshop at Pinewoods is on my computer at work. My pics are my screensaver, so I see the gang often. Good hearing from you. See ya, Dan Black -------------------------------------------- On Sun, 9/18/16, Joy Greenwolfe <joy2the(a)mindspring.com> wrote: Subject: Re: [Callers] Fw: Does this dance exist? Calling Joy Greenwolfe - Calling Joy Greenwolfe To: "Dan Black" <blackjunier(a)yahoo.com> Cc: callers(a)sharedweight.net Date: Sunday, September 18, 2016, 6:33 PM Dan, Your dance has a similar sequence in the A part of my dance Gypsy Chase, but yours looks like a difference dance to me. Mine looks like this: Gypsy Chase Joy Greenwolfe, March 2006Improper A1 Long lines forward and back (8) Gents Allemande L 1.5 (8)A2 Gents pick up partner, Star Promenade, Butterfly Whirl (4,4) Ladies lead 1/2 a Hey (LR, NL, GR, P) (8)B1 Partner Balance & Swing (16) (Ladies’ original side)B2 Gypsy Chase - Ladies gypsy by the R shoulder x1 while Gents fall in behind Neighbor to chase her half way to the other side. Neighbor Swing (8) Gypsy Chase Revisited is in Becket with the partner and neighbor interaction reversed. Hope this helps~Joy Greenwolfe On Sep 18, 2016, at 4:54 PM, Dan Black via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: I was informed by the sage that is Chris Page, that the dance below is very similar to Joy Greenwolfe's dance "The Gypsy Chase", Joy could you confirm and share your dance? Thanks, Dan Black --- On Thu, 9/15/16, Dan Black via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: From: Dan Black via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] Does this dance exist? To: "Caller's Discussion List" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Date: Thursday, September 15, 2016, 7:18 PM Hey Gang, Been a member for a while but I haven't posted in a few years. Does any one know if this dance below has been credited already? Alyssa’s Gift becket by Dan Black A1. 8,8 Slice on Left Diagonal, Gents allemande Left 1-1/2 A2. 8,8 Star Promenade Neigh, 1/2 Hey, (LR, NL, GR) B1. 4,12 Neigh Bal & Swing B2. 4,12 Give & Take to the Ladies side, Part Swing Thanks all, See ya on the floor soon. Dan Black -----Inline Attachment Follows----- _______________________________________________ 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

9 years, 1 month

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Contra Callers