The latest version of my Dance Organiser program (which runs on Windows, including a Windows tablet) has extra features which may
appeal to contra callers. Now you can see a grid of which figures appear in which dances of your event, and you can change things
to give more variety of figures. I realised the necessity of this while calling in the States in June!
Download a trial copy from http://colinhume.com/download.htm and experiment with some of my existing program(me)s.
Apologies to those of you who subscribe to two or three lists and will see this two or three times.
Colin Hume
I'd like to give the choreographer credit:
Becket contra:
A1. Ladies Chain (to N) (8)
Star L 1x (8)
A2. Gypsy/Face-to-face/Spiral R Next N 1x (6)
N1 Sw (10)
B1. Gents Alle L 1.5 (8)
1/2 Hey (PR, LL, NR, GL) (8)
B2. P Gypsy + Swing (16)
I have been poking at the idea of coming out of a star L, having a
next-neighbor/shadow peek, and then returning to swing the person you
starred with. (Thanks to the dance "Here's to the Ladies" for getting my
gears going.)
A more complex, partner heavy dance that I'm poking at:
Becket contra
A1. w/P pass thru across, turn left, single file to next (6)
w/n2s Star L 1+1/4 (10) (til on side w/N, gents home side)
A2. N3 Gypsy/F2F/Spiral Right 1x (6)
N2 Swing (10)
B1. Mad Robin (8) (CW, gents in front, same N2s)
1/2 Hey (8/ (GL, PR, LL, NR)
B2. G pass L (2)
PS (14)
In dance,
Ron Blechner
Hi all
I was just working a wedding gig and my old Samson headset mic crapped
out. If the piano player hadn't had hers along, I would have been in
serious trouble. Time for a new and more reliable headset mic. I use
my hands a LOT when I'm doing ONS gigs, so a handheld cordless isn't
really an option for me.
I'd love recommendations from any of you about models to look at. I'm
planning to plow the funds from this wedding and some of my caller piggy
bank into a new mic, so I want something that's really good quality. It
doesn't have to be tiny and invisible, but it does need to be reliable.
If it doesn't have a belt pack that's a plus, but it seems like most of
the good-quality headset mics have belt packs. I'll deal with it if
that's the best bet. So, recommendations?
For reference, the one I was working with was a Samson Airline 77, often
referred to as the "aerobic instructor mic." It had the transmitter on
the headset, so there were no wires or belt pack, and it worked just
fine for a long time until suddenly it didn't. I would like to hear
what folks are using who rely on a headset mic for their calling gigs.
Kalia Kliban in Sebastopol, CA
Hi Luke,
I use Chain 'n' Hey http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/ChainnHey.html a lot with groups where at least some of the people know what they are doing. No, I don't generally draw imaginary lines on the floor for ordinary heys (yes, for a Lichfield Hey!), but I often demonstrate and tell them to watch how we are walking figure eights (with extra loops) and weaving between each other.
I teach the Courtesy turn first, hand positions and hips together - tell them to imagine a pole between them and the man walks backwards around the pole, the lady walks forwards. Once they get it I tell them, "OK. Now you are Pole Dancing". :-)
I then tell the ladies to make sure they only "touch & go" with their right hands - no holding on - and that their objective is to get around the man by passing him with their left shoulder - and to walk forwards all the time (so many try to back into the man's arm!). Then I tell the men that their job is to step in and scoop up the lady with their right arm (I used to focus on the left hand, but have found that focussing on the right arm has more success), then do the courtesy turn that they have learnt.
Once they get it (reasonably well) I tell the ladies to step forwards and the men to step back and make a line of four ready for the hey (it really helps to get the men to step back!). Now the ladies already know the path since it is exactly the same as two ladies' chains. As long as I can persuade them to keep their eye on the last person they pass so they turn the easy way, and to make that turn a big loop, then there is a high level of success. The dance is also forgiving since they have 16 beats of partner balance and swing to get back to their own side and get ready for the lines.
I think the R & L Through is the worst move of all! It is completely counter-intuitive. The lady pulls by with her right hand, and especially if the man hangs on, she automatically starts to turn to the right, when she needs to turn to the left. There are areas and styles where it is the standard to pass through without hands, then do the courtesy turn with hands. I have a much higher success rate when I teach it that way. I quite often change a R & L Through to a Half Promenade if there is only one dance I want to do in an evening that has a R & L Through.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
From: Luke Donforth via Callers [mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net]
Sent: 23 August 2016 13:42
To: callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite dance to teach a ladies chain?
Interesting approach John. I'd personally hesitate to introduce both chain and a hey in the same dance for mostly new dancers. Do you draw an extensive parallel of the motion on the floor for the ladies?
There’s been a discussion on balancing forward & back, or right & left, or starting the balance left, then right when the balance precedes a left allemande. And there’s been a discussion on the timing of circles. Like, does a circle left ¾ take 6 or 8 beats? And how long should a circle left 1¼ take?
Balances & Direction
I think it was Cammy Kaynor who told me he always teaches, “Balance in the direction you’re going to go.” This, as stated, is obvious in a box circulate: you’re going to go forward after the balance. It’s also obvious in a Rory O’More type balance: the balance is right, then left making that right slide or twirl gratifying. And it’s the one place where we do teach the left then right balance, to make that slide/twirl left so cool. Now, consider the allemande:
The initial motion of an allemande is forward. The connection of arms is what turns the forward motion into a circular motion. It is not very satisfying to balance right—tension in the left arm—then left—no tension in the left arm—then go into an allemande left. But a forward & back creates some loss of tension in both arms, then tension in both arms, and you can even favor tension in the left arm facilitating a wonderful launch into that left allemande. When doing this there is no need to alter our “normal” right then left balance. Thus I’ve strongly adopted the above rule: Balance in the Direction you’re going to go. And remember: the initial direction of an allemande—any allemande—is forward. Thus following this rule yields satisfying results whether the balance precedes a left or a right allemande. I try to bring this up whenever I teach a dance.
Circles, Allemandes, & Circumference
Back in the old days (when I started dancing in the 1980s), callers could and would give styling points. We did dances where, in 8 beats, we might allemande left once, dances with an 8 beat 1½ allemande, and dances, like Hull’s Victory, where we’d make it twice around in 8 beats. Some of us were taught that we could get a good connection and give good weight by varying the circumference of the circle we traveled. Keep arms wide, travel a larger circle, and once around in 8 beats feels great! Pull in close, and you can make it around twice in 8 beats.
At times there has been discussion about how a circle left ¾, swing someone is a 6, then 10 beat set of figures. I think of it as 8 & 8, but let dancers do whatever they want. Then we have a circle left ¾, ring balance, California twirl. The timing of this is definitely 8, 4, 4.
It is easy to have a good connection, give good weight in a circle ¾, and make it last 6 or 8 beats by expanding or contracting the circle. Aware dancers will adjust to make the move fit the timing of the dance. Circle left ¾ into a balance: make the circle bigger so the path is a bit longer. Want that extra two beats of swing? Contract the circle, and get there early…
I do agree that a circle left 1¼ in 8 beats does not work well. So, make the circle a bit bigger and turn it into a zesty 12 beats.
Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA
Hello all,
I was trying to find an easy and accessible dance, a real glossary basic
contra.
I feel like this must already exist, but I'm not finding it in my notes.
Someone got a prior?
Type: Contra
Formation: Duple-Improper
A1 -----------
(8) Neighbor Do-si-do
(8) Neighbor swing, end facing down the hall
A2 -----------
(8) Down the hall, four in line (turn as couples)
(8) Return and Bend the line
B1 -----------
(6) Circle Left 3/4
(10) Partner neighbor
B2 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Women allemande Left 1-1/2
The B2 could be W DSD 1.5, although I like the allemande for the connection
for brand new dancers. I specifically chose the left hand to leave the
women facing towards their new neighbor.
I know it's really close to a bunch of other stuff. B2 could be C L 3/4,
balance and pass through; or chain to left hand star à la The Nice
Combination; etc.
Barring it already having been named by someone else, I'm going to call it
"Having Fun with PAM" to keep track of it in my box; since I just got back
from the fabulous PAMFest (Peacham Acoustic Music Festival).
Thanks.
Excuse me, that B1 is Partner Swing, not Partner Neighbor.
(Thank you David Harding for catching my copy/paste error)
A1 -----------
(8) Neighbor Do-si-do
(8) Neighbor swing, end facing down the hall
A2 -----------
(8) Down the hall, four in line (turn as couples)
(8) Return and Bend the line
B1 -----------
(6) Circle Left 3/4
(10) Partner swing
B2 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Women allemande Left 1-1/2
> Hi, all,
>
> I wrote a dance recently and called it over the weekend and it was well received. Would like to see if anyone knows if it’s already written. Thanks.
>
> Jacqui Grennan
>
>
> Mad Orbin
> by Jacqui Grennan, 8/13/16
> Contra/Improper
>
> A1 -----------
> (4) N RH Balance
> (4) Box the gnat
> (8) Mad Robin, gents in front
> A2 -----------
> (8) Gents allemande Left 1-1/2
> meanwhile ladies orbit CW
> (8) N Sw
> B1 -----------
> (8) Ladies give & take their P
> (8) P Sw
> B2 -----------
> (6, 2) Circle left 3/4, pass thru
> (8) Next N DSD
>
>
