Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

12 participants
4372 discussions

by Don Veino via Callers

What do folks do to ensure dance booking contacts remember that they've booked you? I just had my second booking in a row in a certain geography forget that they had booked me. What's curious is that in both cases these dances approached me by email (I could understand it maybe if it were the other way around?), we had an exchange where we clarified the dates, etc. and confirmed we were all set. We agreed to connect again with any final questions on program, accommodation, etc. as we approached closer to the date. The first case turned out to be rather comical in their confusion - the second I can't figure out. So, short of calling/emailing monthly, what do YOU do to ensure folks remember their booking commitment with you? Thanks, Don

9 years, 1 month

Triplet Times Through?

by Don Veino via Callers

I've been adding Triplets into my programs in certain situations and have given some thought about the duration to run them. I'm curious what others have determined - how many times through do *you* run a Triplet? Let's see if we can get a consensus value via a simple poll: http://doodle.com/poll/yz9ubdr5e7fs4tuu It would be helpful to me if you'd focus quantitative responses through the poll. Discussion or qualitative responses which inform your poll input are welcome here in this thread. Thanks, Don

9 years, 1 month

Crickets (was WordPress: Custom Dance Post Type?)

by Don Veino via Callers

OK. So, hearing only crickets, I'm guessing I may be the first to try creating a WP custom post type for dances. If I go that way, I'll share back here. Speaking of crickets... you might be interested in the below dance I recently tested successfully. Happy dancing, Don *Cricket's Flight - DI - Don Veino 20160320* *A1* (4,12) Neighbor Balance & Swing *A2* (8) Mad Robin - Gents into center first, left to right (CW around Neighbor) (8) Gents Glance Around*^* LEFT 1x *WHILE* Ladies Orbit 1/2 CW (pass RIGHT shoulders w/adjacent set Lady) *B1* (8,8) Partner Glance Around*^*, Swing *B2* (8) LLFB (8) Gents start Left Hands-Across Star 1x, Ladies Fall In behind P The A2 here was inspired by Kent Koeninger's "Cricket's Delight" ( http://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2009.pdf#page=44). *^Please, oh please*, I don't want to get the whole terms debate fired up again and *I ask you not to* rekindle it on on the basis of this post. Given the move is used twice here, I found myself in a quandary as to how to annotate this dance to post it. "Glance Around" (or shortened to "Glance") is a term I'm personally evaluating (a.k.a. Gypsy). I welcome you to annotate/call this dance however you chose, or to ignore it, as you see fit. On Mon, May 2, 2016 at 12:38 PM, Don Veino <sharedweight_net(a)veino.com> wrote: [snip] > I'm wondering if anyone has already done the work of developing a custom > post type and taxonomy for dances in WordPress? > > If not in WordPress, has anyone created a similar approach using another > common blogging or Content Management System? > [/snip]

9 years, 1 month

Looking for LGBTQ caller

by Elizabeth Guy Szekeres via Callers

Someone in Ontario has contacted me looking for a caller of Contra and/or English dance who is part of the LGBTQ community. This is for a one night event in August this summer, in Haliburton, Ontario, within a week-long camp for the LGBTQ community. Contact me and I will hook you up. Thanks! Elizabeth Szekeres Talent Coordinator Toronto Contra Dance Sent from my iPhone

9 years, 1 month

WordPress: Custom Dance Post Type?

by Don Veino via Callers

Hey folks! I'm evaluating options for posting my dance compositions. I'd like to do so in a way that provides capability for searching on pertinent characteristics and for feedback/comments. I could hack something together (slowly) on my main web site but I currently also use WordPress as a blogging platform, and that already has many of the desired features built in (search, categories, tags, comments, anti-spam tools, etc.). However, the generic WordPress blog post format doesn't provide a suitable taxonomy for presenting a dance. I could just format stuff consistently into the body of the post but I'm wondering if anyone has already done the work of developing a custom post type and taxonomy for dances in WordPress? If not in WordPress, has anyone created a similar approach using another common blogging or Content Management System? Thanks, Don

9 years, 1 month

A balanced view of ECD

by Aahz via Callers

[I'm writing this "to" Kalia because she was calling English at the Queer Contra Dance Camp a couple of weekends ago, but then I figured other people might find it interesting and/or useful] Howdy Kalia, I think I finally figured out part of the reason why I overall dislike English despite its similarity to contra. Part of the figuring out was teaching Postie's Jig at CALLERLAB this year. Basically, I don't have a sense of balance, and something about the way English puts less emphasis on giving weight makes it feel less comfortable for me. (I've got similar issues with certain folk dances, such as Zemjo Makedonska, but that's slow enough and repetitive enough that I can focus on balance.) For anyone not familiar with Postie's Jig: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVYYCx7snk4 I noticed that you did some ECD that was different from the usual turn single, slide across, etc, and I enjoyed that a whole lot more. I don't have problems with e.g. heys because there's enough momentum to carry me around. Note that my balance issues are different from most other people's because I literally have no sense of balance (e.g. can't tell when a hammock is swinging) and I rely on visual/kinesthetic mechanisms to balance -- which actually gives me good functional balance when I'm moving, but much less when I'm standing. If you run across other people with balance issues, this analysis may allow you to do a better job of helping them figure out what works for them. Thanks, Aahz -- Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/ <*> <*> <*> Why is this newsgroup different from all other newsgroups?

9 years, 1 month

caller suggestions for beginner handout

by Emily Addison via Callers

Hello shared weight callers :) Knowing that callers do so much to support brand new contra dancers, as a dance organizer, I have a question for you! Ottawa Contra is working on a 1-pg handout to give to first time dancers. The goal of the handout is to provide tidbits that will help convince first timers to come back, that contra's accessible/they can be successful/climb that learning curve, and that contra's a great fit for them. Who knows if the handout will actually work but we want to try as part of our focus on increasing the retention of all the beginners we get. I have a few examples of other handouts but they often focus on explaining the specific moves. We're thinking more along things that speak to the spirit of contra/are inspiring PLLLUS great technical tips (nuggets!) that can make a huge different to their experience as beginners. If you have any ideas, please pass them along. They may be little messages you feel every beginner should know, or even tips you provide in the beginner/intro lesson before the actual dance. With much thanks! Emily Addison in Ottawa ON

9 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] caller suggestions for beginner handout

by Claire Takemori via Callers

Emily, as a relatively new dancer, I still remember my first dance and what made me want to come back. The music was awesome, Seth Tepfer was the newcomer’s lesson teacher!! We were welcomed and despite it being the Post-American-Week Gala dance, the dancers were kind to new dancers. We only made it to the break and had to get our son to bed, but we all wanted to go back. I don’t think anything written on paper would’ve made a difference if we were shouted at, pushed to get some place on time, or scowled at when we made a mistake. This did happen to me at a recent ECD (not local) and being new to ECD made me very leery of going back. just my 2 cents. Claire Takemori (SF bay area) On Apr 20, 2016, at 1:01 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2016 13:40:35 -0500 From: Emily Addison via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@sharedweight.net>> Subject: [Callers] caller suggestions for beginner handout Message-ID: <CAD7WKUUs4-9AC=2pWHf6MYZDZnEcaNRLkytVS+0vsirtNFZhTQ(a)mail.gmail.com <mailto:CAD7WKUUs4-9AC=2pWHf6MYZDZnEcaNRLkytVS+0vsirtNFZhTQ@mail.gmail.com>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hello shared weight callers :) Knowing that callers do so much to support brand new contra dancers, as a dance organizer, I have a question for you! Ottawa Contra is working on a 1-pg handout to give to first time dancers. The goal of the handout is to provide tidbits that will help convince first timers to come back, that contra's accessible/they can be successful/climb that learning curve, and that contra's a great fit for them. Who knows if the handout will actually work but we want to try as part of our focus on increasing the retention of all the beginners we get. I have a few examples of other handouts but they often focus on explaining the specific moves. We're thinking more along things that speak to the spirit of contra/are inspiring PLLLUS great technical tips (nuggets!) that can make a huge different to their experience as beginners. If you have any ideas, please pass them along. They may be little messages you feel every beginner should know, or even tips you provide in the beginner/intro lesson before the actual dance. With much thanks! Emily Addison in Ottawa ON

9 years, 1 month

does this dance exist?

by Andy Shore via Callers

(Sent this to Chris Page a week ago and no answer!.. so I'm asking the hive mind.) Using the G-word until there's a widely accepted substitute that doesn't need a footnote to explain. from a dance-writing session led by Jeff Spero at a recent dance camp... This Was Your Idea by John Kelley, John Bartlett, Sandy Gabucan, Andy Shore Contra/ Duple Improper A1 ----------- (8) Gypsy Neighbor1 Right 1.5 (8) Gypsy Neighbor2 Left 1.5 A2 -----------. (8) Gypsy Neighbor3 Right 1x come back ... (8) Neighbor2 swing B1 ----------- (4) Give & Take to Lady's Side (12) Partner swing B2 ----------- (8) Right and left through (8) Balance the ring and spin to the right (petronella) to face N2 Note that the progression happens in A2. The Petronella into a (right shoulder) Gypsy seems unusual. I don't have any dances in my collection that do that. Dancing it with a test group seemed to be fine. Thoughts? -- /Andy Shore http://site.andyshore.com/ best email - andyshore(a)gmail.com

9 years, 1 month

New (?) dance, with hey and no neighbor swing

by Luke Donforth via Callers

Hello all, I was flying home after some fun gigs in DC, and wrote out a dance sequence that I didn't recognize. It's fairly straightforward, so I wanted to see if it was already out there: Improper A1 (8) Neighbor Do-si-do 1x (8) Women allemande Left 1.5x A2 (16) Partner pass by Right for whole Hey for 4 B1 (16) Partner ____ & swing B2 (8) Ladies chain (8) Left hand star 1x The B1 could be a balance and swing, a do-si-do & swing, a walk-around & swing, etc. In the one I wrote, I went with a walk-around by right shoulder; but if someone had already written this with a Ptr B&S or such in the the B1; I wouldn't consider this a new dance. I house-called it for a small test group, and it went reasonably. The DSD only 1x in (8) and the overall flow means there can be a smidge of extra time by the end of the hey; hence going with a walk-around instead of a balance. Could also just be done to a slightly faster tune (I had music-in-a-box, instead of the easier to adjust tempo of live musicians). Looking forward to finding out if I've re-written someone else's dance again. I've unintentionally done it more times than I can count. Take care, -- Luke Donforth Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>

9 years, 1 month

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