Contra Callers

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4403 discussions

Help with figuring out a suuuuuuper simple medley?

by Emily Addison

Hi fellow contra callers :) Given the situations I usually call in, I've never done a medley. However, in a few weeks I'm calling in a situation where a medley would work really well. It's not an overly experienced group of contra dancers. However, they are really keen and want to try new stuff. I'd love to have a no-fail super simple contra medley. Might you have any suggestions on medleys that you've used that have been safe/no fail in a situation with mixed experienced levels? Much thanks :) Emily in Ottawa ON

1 year, 5 months

Follow up re :Videos of different things to do in short wavy lines?

by Katherine Kitching

Hi everyone - I wanted to thank you all for the super helpful information, tips, dances and videos you shared with me earlier this month. Our groups's introduction to Ocean Waves / Short Wavy Lines earlier in April went super well, and everyone had a great time. For those who are interested in our "beginner-friendly Halifax method*" of contra, I'm including the two introductory dances I used for SWLs .... According to our method, these dances did not have swings in them. * I've included the details of our method of structuring a dance at the end of this email :) TWO NO-SWING DANCES WITH SHORT WAVY LINES Composed by Kat Kitching but perhaps they already exist, I did not check extensively :) I do not have any interesting names for these dances, I just title them in a way that helps me remember what's in them... Balance-y dance with wave - In Short Wavy Lines (neighbours right shoulder to right shoulder), balance the wave to the right, to the left, and to the right - then push off each other's hands to form a circle with everyone in their home place (8) - Circle left - Circle right - Do si do neighbour ------ - Balance the ring 2 times - Do si do partner - 2-hand balance with your partner 2 times (veering slightly to the left the first time, to the right the second time) - 2-hand balance once with your neighbour, and tug by the right shoulder into a wave with new neighbours ------ ------ ------ ------ Dance with wave and down the hall Prior to this dance, get partners to discuss what they'd like to do for their "Free choice" figure together... - In Short Wavy Lines (neighbours right shoulder to right shoulder), balance the wave right then left, then right-hand-allemande half way around with your neighbour to reform the wave with neighbours having switched places - Balance the wave again right then left, and right-hand-allemande halfway around again, to come back to where you started - Push off your fellow dancers into a circle with everyone in their home place (2); circle left once all the way around back to home (10), balance the ring one time and snap open (2s splitting and going to the outside of the line) into short lines facing down the hall (4) ---- - Down the hall, turn alone - Come on back, bend line to face partner - Free choice figure across, with partner (I suggested do si do or 2x box the gnat) - 2 hand balance with N one time, then step towards each other again, then push off their hands and turn 180 to form new wave with next neighbours... * Halifax Contra's beginner-friendly dance evening sequence In our method, we spend the first 2/3 of the evening slowly building everyone's skills from scratch. We always follow this sequence: - Spiral dance - Simple circle mixer - Simple contra dance in a Sicilian circle (no swings) - Set up in short contra lines and practice doing random things with neighbours and partners while frequently progressing the lines until everyone's comfortable (using many short lines so everyone gets plenty of practice being ejected and moving up and down the lines) - band plays some silly music. - Teach the next dance, reform in fewer, longer lines, and do a contra dance without swings or anything that puts people out of home place. (Lots of balancing, allemands, do-si-dos, circles and stars, LLFB etc) - Teach our "feature figure" for the evening - which may be a swing, a hey, ocean wave, ravens' chain, larks chain, petronellas or something else. - Lead a dance with this figure but no other "advanced" figures from the above list. ("Advanced" being a relative term, in our case!). Ensure they come back to home place before progressing. - Lead another dance with this figure (and no other "advanced" figures), but this time have them progress during the dance. - Then for the final 45 min of the evening, announce we are moving on to the "advanced" portion of the evening. From this point on, we clearly delineate 1 or more lines as "advanced", and another 1 or more lines as "I have no idea what I'm doing but I'll give it a try!". - From this point on, we do almost no teaching, only one quick walkthrough of each dance, and run the dances longer. Now the dances may contain any combination of "advanced figures" and all contain swings. - Those who feel (at least reasonably) confident in what they are doing dance in the "advanced" line... - Those who feel confused or hesitant or want a lower pressure situation dance in the "I have no idea but I'll give it a try" line. - People are encouraged to move from one line to the other during the dance-- downgrading if they are too confused in the "advanced" line, or upgrading if they have nailed it and wish to progress to the "advanced" line. > Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers > <mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> > Thursday, April 4, 2024 6:14 PM > Here are dances you should find useful: > > To teach wavy lines > "Positional Thinikning" https://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#PosTh > > A great dance for beginners and for moderately skilled to guide beginners > "The Balter Dance" https://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#Balter > > For dancers comfortable with a hey > "A.O.'s No-No" https://aptsg.org/Dance/dances.html#AOs > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Katherine Kitching <mailto:kat@outdooractive.ca> > Monday, April 1, 2024 2:30 PM > Hi folks- > > As I've mentioned before, our Halifax group is not very advanced - we > welcome a lot of beginners each month, and our regulars are not super > regular or super skilled.. - and so the practice we've settled on is > to choose one "feature figure" each month to focus on teaching.... > > in the first part of the evening we break down the figure in detail so > everyone gets a chance to learn it inside-out... then do a few dances > that has that figure in it, but nothing else difficult (not even > swings! unless swing is the feature figure for that evening). > > Then at the very end of the evening we do an "advanced segment" where > we call a few dances quickly with little teaching (probably more like > what all of your dances look like!) - and those dances include all > sorts of figures that have been featured over the past 6+ months. > (Usually most of the beginners have been tired out and gone home at > this point) > > Anyhow, this month our feature figure will be short wavy lines - and I > don't have a lot of experience with them myself. > > Could anyone point me towards some videos where short wavy lines are > featured? > > I'm interested in being able to watch different fun things that can be > done in SWLs... including the Rory O'Moore sequence, and other > simple/basic actions. > > No need to send me videos of more elaborate and unusual types of SWL > figures. > > Also no need to worry about the content of the rest of the dance - I > generally write custom dances to incorporate the feature figure while > keeping everything else way simpler than you folks are used to :) > > I want to do 3 dances with SWLs - each one with a slightly different > type of SWL figure - I can think of balancing then allemanding haflway > around, repeat... > > and the Rory O'Moore sequence as the final more tricky one... > > But is there something else I could do in short wavy lines too? > > and I would like to see the first two in action so I can make sure to > feel confident in my teaching!! > > Many thanks :) > > Kat in Hfx

1 year, 6 months

Surely thus dance has a name and author?

by Julian Blechner

Becket A1. Circle L, Pass Thru N (or slide L to next and circle) N Alle R 1 1/4 to long wavy line, Larks face out, Robins face in A2. Bal, Circulate x2 B1. N B+S B2. Larks Alle L 1.5x (or pull by) PS

1 year, 6 months

Videos of different things to do in short wavy lines?

by Katherine Kitching

Hi folks- As I've mentioned before, our Halifax group is not very advanced - we welcome a lot of beginners each month, and our regulars are not super regular or super skilled.. - and so the practice we've settled on is to choose one "feature figure" each month to focus on teaching.... in the first part of the evening we break down the figure in detail so everyone gets a chance to learn it inside-out... then do a few dances that has that figure in it, but nothing else difficult (not even swings! unless swing is the feature figure for that evening). Then at the very end of the evening we do an "advanced segment" where we call a few dances quickly with little teaching (probably more like what all of your dances look like!) - and those dances include all sorts of figures that have been featured over the past 6+ months. (Usually most of the beginners have been tired out and gone home at this point) Anyhow, this month our feature figure will be short wavy lines - and I don't have a lot of experience with them myself. Could anyone point me towards some videos where short wavy lines are featured? I'm interested in being able to watch different fun things that can be done in SWLs... including the Rory O'Moore sequence, and other simple/basic actions. No need to send me videos of more elaborate and unusual types of SWL figures. Also no need to worry about the content of the rest of the dance - I generally write custom dances to incorporate the feature figure while keeping everything else way simpler than you folks are used to :) I want to do 3 dances with SWLs - each one with a slightly different type of SWL figure - I can think of balancing then allemanding haflway around, repeat... and the Rory O'Moore sequence as the final more tricky one... But is there something else I could do in short wavy lines too? and I would like to see the first two in action so I can make sure to feel confident in my teaching!! Many thanks :) Kat in Hfx

1 year, 6 months

Some contra dance history of interest:

by Michael Fuerst

In 1810, and for some years before and after, Sudbury MA (incorporated in 1639) was the site of a monthly barn dance. One of the local dance masters, Allen Ortep, composed a contra dance, where four dancers would balance in a circle, left foot then right foot, followed by shift/spin left one place. Allen and another local dance master both had interest in the same lady. To shorten a long story, Allen did not get the lady, and eventually stopped attending the Sudbury dances. His successful rival then composed a dance where four dancers balanced in a circle, right foot then left foot, followed by a shift/spin right one place, and named it petronella (spell petronella backwards to find out why). To honor these events, Sudbury MA was given the zipcode 01776. (Thanks to Don Veino for pointing out Sudbury's zipcode.)

1 year, 6 months

Modified ballroom swing position: seeking more conversation and info

by Becky Liddle

In the discussion about some men being uncomfortable doing ballroom dance hold swing with other men, the modified ballroom hold (hand above elbow of partner instead of on robin’s shoulder) was mentioned. In this discussion, much has been said about men who don’t want to do ballroom hold with other men, but what nobody has mentioned yet is the scads of women (both straight and queer) who have long been uncomfortable dancing ballroom swing with men (or often just with particular men). I am intrigued by this modified ballroom swing idea because it might solve many problems at once. I have two simultaneous (and conflicting) emotional responses to men uncomfortable swinging with other men: The ungenerous one is: "As a lesbian I had to get over my discomfort swinging with you in order to participate in the joy of contra. If I can do it, you can do it." But more importantly (and more generously): We’d like everyone to be as comfortable at contra dances as is reasonably feasible. To that end, I am very interested in this idea of the modified ballroom hold. It might solve MANY different problems. Here are a few that come to mind: 1. The enforced intimacy problem: this is not just a problem with straight men being uncomfortable swinging with other men. There is a lot of forced intimacy in the ballroom hold. Maybe that intimacy is not the best thing to force on anyone?. Modified ballroom swing would help with the problem of not wanting enforced closeness/intimacy with others for all kinds of reasons: keeping distance from the lecherous dancer who uses the ballroom hold as an excuse for unwanted intimacy; but also simply to provide a bit of space for folks who simply aren’t comfortable being that close to ANYBODY. I recently struck up a conversation with a new dancer who was leaving early (because we need to know why we’re losing potential dancers) and she said “It just feels too intimate.” She didn’t say too intimate swinging with men or with women. Just “too intimate” and I got the definite feeling that it was the enforced close hold (with everyone) that was difficult for her. I wonder if we would have lost her if we used the modified ballroom swing (hand above elbow instead of on shoulder). 2. There are other difficulties with the ballroom hold: sometimes there is simply not enough room: short arms or large girth can make it difficult to reach the back of the shoulder of the other partner at times, and this leaves the Lark in the uncomfortable/dangerous position of “where do I put my hand now?” While trying to avoid the “accidental side boob graze” issue. 3. Speaking of which, is nobody else out there having trouble with this “side boob graze” problem with the ballroom hold? I’m a lesbian who dances the Lark role because of knee and hip issues. At least once/evening when moving into or out of the ballroom hold I accidentally graze the side of my partner’s breast. If I were straight I wouldn’t worry about it. But as a lesbian my mind always leaps to “what if she thinks I did that on purpose?” Do straight men not also have this problem?? Why is nobody talking about this?? If the robin is female-presenting, the back of the robin’s shoulder is dangerously close to the side of her breast. Which means (a) it’s easy for a sleaze to cop a feel and pass it off as an accident, and (b) it’s easy for a lesbian or straight man to truly accidentally graze and then worry that they’ll be perceived as a sleaze. The elbow hold would solve both of these problems. 4. The robin clamping down their arm problem: Larks, have you ever danced with a robin who clamps down their arm on your wrist during the swing? Again, elbow hold would solve this. 5. The problem of robins dancing backwards when swinging: I have never danced the modified ballroom hold, but I’d like to know from folks who do: does it solve the problem of many robins feeling like they need to dance backwards when swinging? On the occasions when I do dance robin (usually because I’m pairing with a newbie who is dancing lark) I often find myself skittering backwards in the swing, instead of both of us walking/dancing forward. I’m not experienced enough as a robin to fully understand this phenomenon, but I think it has to do with the closeness and rigidity of some Larks’ hold in the ballroom swing. Question for folks who have used the elbow hold: does this hold solve this problem and allow the robin to dance forward instead of backward in the swing? I am particularly interested in this issue because I am about to move from Toronto (where the ballroom hold is firmly established) to an island off the coast of Vancouver (Bowen Island) where, if I want to continue to dance, I will have to start my own contra dance. This conversation has made me wonder whether I should start that group with the modified ballroom hold to solve many of these problems. I’d love to hear from others who have used this swing about the pros and cons (if any) and any other advice you’d have for someone starting a dance using this swing hold. Thanks!! Becky Liddle (Note: my email is changing from beckyliddle(a)bell.net <mailto:beckyliddle@bell.net> to becky.liddle(a)icloud.com <mailto:becky.liddle@icloud.com> )

1 year, 6 months

The Weaving Way

by Louise Siddons

Hi all, I have a note to myself from pre-pandemic times about a square-within-a-square called The Weaving Way. I have no other information about it, and searching the archives of this list and the trad callers list produced no useful results, so… I turn to all of you. Do you know this dance, and if so, are you willing to share? Thanks very much, Louise.

1 year, 6 months

Digest

by Kathryn Bowman

Can I get a digest instead of individual emails? Kathryn Bowman

1 year, 7 months

Looking for contra dances that are more difficult .......

by Michael Fuerst

... to teach to reasonably experienced dancers than they are for them to dance.

1 year, 7 months

Re: April Fools fun

by steve Pike

As mentioned earlier, know your crowd. With some I can say with a grin “What did you expect what you booked me to call on April 1?” and we can all have a good time. With others, not so much, so use “Fool-ish” dances sparingly. Some of my usual, easy enough for most crowds, Foolish tricks, include: Left hand chain: Any dance with a full chain (e.g Summer Sunshine <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=49>), alternate full left hand chain (formerly Gent’s chain, from the usual side), with the standard full right hand chain.) I’ll often use this early if I have a left hand chain later in the program, teaching the LH chain first, demo-ing if necessary. Swing the wrong way: Morning Star <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=3498> or here <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=3498> (Actives Balance Swing CW as usual, then Bal and Swing CCW, “Ideally with the 'other hands joined’ in waltz position, with the left foot in front for the buzz step --- or some other way you can work it out!”) Amazing how hard it is for even many experienced dancers - think about how new dancers must feel! Can alternate 1s 2s as the actives, and dance proper or not. What, no progression? Teach (1 or no walkthrough) and call a Becket A1 Slide left and Circle L dance without the slide left the first 2 or 3 times through…”same 4, circle left 3/4…” before, as some dancers catch on and start to murmur, “April Fools! This time, slide left and circle…” An Alternating Dance, esp Sun Dance and Moon Dance. Robert Cromartie. Alternates A2 Larks BS in middle with A2 Robins BS in middle, with some alternating tweaks to A1 and B2 to make it work. Or other two similar dances, maybe 1 version 4X, then spring the other version 4X then 2/2, then 1/1 e.g Hey Man <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=12333>, or a Jed’s Reel/Edna’s Reel medley A real dance (not much foolish except for the A2 which give those that only dance that lefthand/Larks/Gents role a chance to experience the lovely chain to hey combination): Chain of Fools, Steve Pike A1 BSN A2 Left hand chain to P, 1/2 hey (those who chained - Larks - pass left shoulder to start, NR, they pass L in middle) B1 P BS (or RSR/Swing) B2 Cir L 3/4, PT, next N DsD ( alt: Cir L 3/4, Bal, PT…) Steve Pike Mequon, WI

1 year, 7 months

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