Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

6 participants
4371 discussions

by April Blum via Callers

I love Robert Cromartie's "Illegal in Most States" and whenever I call it at least one person comes up afterwards to say it was a wonderful dance. April Blum On Sep 9, 2015 6:34 PM, Chris Page via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > And yet, they're done. I know Carol Ormand writes and calls them. This Saturday at the contra weekend I attended, a national caller called "Head of the Bed." > > Yes, we've heard your opinion. Avoiding shadow swings be perfect for you, but it may not be for others. And I'd like to hear from the others, rather than having you (or someone else) try and shut down the conversation by repeatedly making absolute statements. > > There is more than one correct point of view. > > (Personally I almost never** use shadow swings, so I don't have much to contribute to this particular conversation. But I enjoy listening to others.) > > > -Chris Page > San Diego > > ** And yet I'm guilty of having written one, and called it at NEFFA. I've got my own hypocrisy. > > > > On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 3:02 PM, Michael Fuerst <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >> >> Chris: The indicates that someone in 2008 (Dave Eisenstadter) other than the composer (Nils Fredland) not call this dance written in 2003. >> Everyone has become more aware since then. >> One wonders if Nils still calls this dance >> >> Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 5844 >> >> >> >> On Wednesday, September 9, 2015 4:38 PM, Chris Page <chriscpage(a)gmail.com> wrote: >> >> >> Sigh. See "Head of the Bed", written by Nils Fredland. >> >> http://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2008.pdf#page=49b >> >> -Chris Page >> San Diego >> >

9 years, 9 months

Creating a safe dance space (was Shadow Swing Disclaimers)

by Ron Blechner via Callers

Erik, I'm alarmed at reading your reply in the shadow swing thread. I have seen, as a dancer, caller, and organizer, at a variety of dances, far too many incidents of inappropriate behavior. I refuse to simply wash my hands and say "oh, it's not the caller's place to worry about this." A caller is the MC, the coordinator, and often from the stage we can see everything happening in the room. It absolutely is our paid job to help create a safe dance space. I want to focus on what seems to be the crux of your statement from the shadow swing email: " that interpersonal conflicts will happen, and yet social interactions are required. They understand how to make everyone work together. Family schisms are inevitable." How many "conflicts" does it take before we take responsibility and address inappropriate behavior at a dance? I have seen many occasions where *one* conflict means a dancer who is new never returns, or an experienced dancer never returns, or they wind up having to spend every night avoiding *that creepy dude*. I know first hand what having a *single* bad experience can mean for a dancer. So if we leave these as "inevitable", then the people we lose aren't the people doing the inappropriate behavior - no, those jerks stay, stubbornly - we lose the nicer people who were victimized, harassed, made uncomfortable. Is that the kind of dance environment you want to promote? I don't believe so. Instead, asking questions, as Maia did, about things a caller can do to create a safe dance space, is essential to long term community building. This doesn't mean we are "dance police" or do anything extraordinary. But it does mean that we should be considerate to dancers and not write off their bad experiences as things that they need to merely tolerate and "be an adult" as you put it. Sincerely, Ron Blechner

9 years, 9 months

Amy dances

by Andrea Nettleton via Callers

Hi friends, I'm calling at my home dance this weekend, and my good friend Amy let me know it's her birthday. I want to call some dances with Amy in the title to honor her. Could you please share any Amy titled dances with me? Include instructions if you have them, so I don't have to hunt around. Amy and I thank you, Andrea N. Atlanta Sent from my iPad

9 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] back, with a free choreography idea

by John Sweeney via Callers

Dave talked about, "Long lines balance and spin to the right within your line." There are already some dances with this: The Balanced Diet by Sue Rosen The Slithy Dance by John Sweeney http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/SlithyDance.html Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

9 years, 9 months

back, with a free choreography idea

by Dave Merrill via Callers

Hey fellow members, i unsubscribed a while ago as i was working an online job that required ridiculous amounts of reading, so i burned out on keeping up with threads, but i'm back and looking forward to be part of the SW community. Meanwhile, amid composing a dance, i had an idea for a new (progressive! no pun intended) figure. Consider it the hybrid offspring of Moneymusk balances in non-wavy lines, and Petronella spins to the right. What do you get? Long lines balance and spin to the right within your line. I don't have a use for it in anything currently under construction, so thought i'd put it out there for y'all choreographers to play with if you so choose. If you do compose something with it, i'd love to see the result!

9 years, 9 months

Font choices

by Kalia Kliban via Callers

Hi Michael You may not be aware of how minuscule the font you've chosen for your email comes out at the email receiver's end, but it's close to unreadably tiny, as well as being a low-x-height, lightweight serif font in the first place. If you have any control over your outgoing font size, goosing it up a few points would be a kindness. Kalia

9 years, 9 months

Contra etiquette for the guys

by Michael Fuerst via Callers

9 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Shadow Swing Disclaimers?

by Jane Ewing via Callers

Maia - I have checked and the dance is in Carol's book "The Lizard Research Institute" which should be available thru CDSS. Anyway to quote Carol out of the book/"Because this dance has more satisfying interactions with one's shadow than with one's partner//, I have dancers line up in Becket formation, roll away with a half sashay and swing the one they meet, and take hands f//our from there ( with//a couple out at the top of the set ). I then explain that the person they asked to dance is now their shadow, the one they swung is their partner, and I tell them why. Inevitable, some dancers are not listening when I explain this, even if I repeat it a few times;try it at your own risk. /I have danced and called this dance and enjoyed it. This may not solve your dilemma but rather just moved it. Just a suggestion. Jane Ewing Grant, AL

9 years, 9 months

Contra- roll differences?

by Claire Takemori via Callers

In Contra dancing, what is the difference between "Roll your ___ Across/along" and "Roll away with a half sashay"? What are your favorite words to teach this move? thanks!! claire takemori (Bay Area, CA)

9 years, 9 months

Re: [Callers] Contra- roll differences?

by John Sweeney via Callers

In general dancing there are two distinct moves: Rollaway - where the roller stays stationary (moving backwards and forwards is OK) Rollaway with a Half Sashay - where the roller steps sideways (sashays) into the place of the person who is rolling across. The Rollaway happens in dances like Circle Waltz, but is not very common. The default is usually that the man rolls the lady on his right into his place as he moves into her place, but either gender can roll either way. You always need to specify who is rolling whom from where to where. The MWSD definition is: "From a couple, the dancer on the right (or the directed dancer) "rolls" across in front of the other dancer, turning a full 360 degrees to end on the other side, as the other dancer steps back and then forward, adjusting sideways as necessary, to move smoothly into the vacated position. At the completion of the call, the dancers have exchanged positions." Note it says "or the directed dancer", again showing that anyone can roll anyone in either direction. MWSD goes on to say, "In the past, "Rollaway" has also been called "Rollaway With A Half Sashay". This is improper language and should not be used." That is OK if you are only doing MWSD, but is completely wrong in general dancing where the two moves exist and are different and you need to make it clear which one is happening. The default would appear to be "with a half sashay", so it is probably most important to make it clear there is no sashay on the rare occasions that that happens. When walking through a contra I always state: - who is rolling - which hand they are rolling from - whom they are rolling (partner or neighbour) - the direction of the roll: along the set or across the set - if there is no sashay If it is "Men, roll neighbour from right to left, along the set" then it usually works OK. For any other rollaway there will always be some who have done that default roll without listening to the rest of the instruction! :-) Most contra dance choreography uses the Half Sashay, but not all. For example, "Roll Away" by Stohl & Rob uses two Rollaways without Half Sashays to make the progression. Hope that helps. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

9 years, 9 months

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Contra Callers