Contra Callers

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21 participants
4391 discussions

by John Sweeney

Sam said, "I tried ECD a couple of times, and while I enjoyed the people, and thought a lot of the dances were really interesting, I couldn't help but wonder why I'd want to do something that didn't leave me sweaty and breathless afterwards." It doesn't have to be like that! Come to one of my English country dances and I'll get you sweating! :-) Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

11 years, 11 months

What made you contra addicted?

by Jeanette Mill

Hi I am designing workshop for a dance weekend here in Australia and would like to crowd source some inspiration: Simply answer the question - what made you addicted to contra? Looking forward to your answers Cheers Jeanette "The piano - 88 little mistakes waiting to happen." Peter Barnes.

11 years, 11 months

Do you have any of the following dances ??

by Michael Fuerst

If you have the sequences for any of the following dances, please send me a private message: Hang Time (Isaacs/AUman) I Wish They All Could Be California Twirls (Jim Kitch) Moody Street (Rosen) Round the House by Bob Isaacs Sneak Peek (Bob Isaacs) Square Affair (Becky Hill) Walk the Walk (Bob Isaacs) Thanks Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] down-the-hall moves (P E)

by Jerome Grisanti

P.E., That same sequence change is generated in some dances by having the #1 gent do a "Right hands high, left hands low" figure while the other gent turns alone. The move is different, but you might find some existing choreography/dances that inspire you (or that you might avoid repeating). Unfortunately, I can't provide titles offhand. --Jerome -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com "We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

11 years, 11 months

down-the-hall moves

by P E

Hello, all! I'm look at a down-the-hall move and wondering if it has been done before, and if so with what results, so any feedback would be appreciated. Results mainly meaning: did it cause confusion for the dancers/ did they enjoy it. Improper, 1's between 2's, line of four down the hall, gent #1 turns in place holding both ladies who pivot around him. Gent #2 turns alone. Return the line, this time lady #2 (center lady) is the pivot point for both gents. This "turn" would be better described as Lady #1 "bends-the-line" alone, gent #1 stays in place beside her. Lady and gent #2 cast outside to make a full turn until they are both facing in, lady on the right. Any thoughts? Thanks, Polly

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] formations VS progressions: battle of the terms

by tavi merrill

I find "indecent" a rather useful term. At a base level, it at least suggests the dance is neither proper nor what dancers reflexively think of as improper. "Improper" doesn't really describe anything either; though dancers recognize it, and there's a giggly association with the antiquated-notion-of-gender-segregation-as-"proper" concept, it's as much a "code word" as any other term we use. But the association between a particular term and position on the dance floor affords precision without an excess of explanation; for dancers at an average level of contra-literacy, caller says "improper", and they know where to be. Could argue every term we use is "just a code word", doesn't make that precision less valuable. [What the hell does "hey" describe?!] "Reverse improper" (like "backwards becket") so lacks clarity it gives me convulsions. If it's improper, 1s below 2s, well, that's *progressed*improper, but dancers don't really need to know, they just need to swing their neighbor, and voila, progressed improper. But if a dance is reverse progression, being clear about seems important (having experienced Jo Mortland's "Galina" in situations where dancers *understood* the reverse progression and others in which we were confused or unclear about it...). And not all "indecent" dances are reverse progression. I agree we should teach, to quote Woody, "in as few carefully-chosen words as possible"; i agree with Michael that whether we go into detail about a dance's progression is a case by case decision, but take issue with the notion that which side of the set is "home" in a becket is a piece of information that only matters when visualizing or reading choreography. Maybe we could say, becket-CW versus becket-CCW are terms more useful to visualizing choreography, while becket and becket-right are more useful to dancers? I guess there's a point to be made - because i would never tell a dancer something is "becket counterclockwise". I was mostly trying in original post to make a point about proliferation of terms and need for precision - iow, that *because we as callers lack a unified vocabulary for certain less-common moves and formations, they remain rare and automatically qualify as "challenging" with dancers because unlike more common moves which are relatively standardized, they're a) infrequently used b) referred to in different ways by different callers*. As opposed to the more common "code words", like "hey" and "improper". Here's an interesting question: do 1's still think of themselves as 1's when a dance is becket? Also back to the end-fx thread: teaching Chris Page's "Chain the Corner", I once made a risque joke - "wait out at the end with your clothes off! it's indecent, with the lady on the left" - and that's the one time dancers have reliably remembered what i said about end effects ;] Apologies if any of this sounded venomous; i just get frustrated when people respond to anything but the point i was actually trying to make, which is obviously my fault for not making the point clearly. y'all must take with a grain of salt. Yet, in the pursuit of efficiency and precision, some terms do give me convulsions. ~ seven of nine, tertiary adjunct of unimatrix zero one

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] What does "hey" describe?

by John Sweeney

Tavi asked, "What the hell does "hey" describe?" Well, since you asked... As far as we know it comes from the French "haie" or "haye" meaning "hedge". There are two theories as to why a hedge should mean a weaving pattern: 1) hedges were made of interwoven branches - the path we follow in a hey is the same path that a branch follows as it weaves between the other branches. 2) the term was also used to describe a line (or hedge) of soldiers lining the route for the gentry - if you were to dance in and out of that line of soldiers you would be following the path of a hey. One of the earliest references we have of a hey is in Thoinot Arbeau's Orchesographie from 1589. The Branle de la Montarde includes: Le premier fait une haye, en passant par devant les femmes, & par derrier les hommes, & se met a la queuhe prenant par la main la derniere femme. Roughly: The leader then dances a hay, passing in front of the ladies and behind the men, going to the end of the line and taking the last ladys hand. Interestingly the very next dance in the book also has a hey, but this time it is a hey as we know it: Branle de la Haye: La dance de la haye que vous dictes est aultre: Elle se dance par mesure binaire, comme la Courante Les danceurs seuls, & l'un aprez l'aultre, premierement dancent l'air en façon de Courante, & sur la fin s'entrelacent, & font la haye les uns parmy les aultres. Roughly: The Branle de la Haye discussed here is different. It is danced in double measures, like la Courante the dancers act individually, first dancing to the tune in the fashion of la Courante, and then at the end, interlacing themselves, they dance a hey each one between the others. The text then describes a hey for three as we know it: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=musdi&fileName=219/musdi219.db&r ecNum=183 So, the term is quite descriptive, but only if you know where it came from :-) 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

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] backwards becket (was end effects)

by tavi merrill

A quick thought on "backwards becket", which is the starting formation of one of my dances as well - i tend to think of it as "becket indecent" since that regularizes the term with other formation terms, implying lady on the gent's left. The basic list of course - proper, improper, indecent, improper-progressed, becket, becket-right (or CCW)... and then our friendly distant outlier, the backwards becket. I'd theorize one reason Bill's dance "Weeks on the Road" folk-processed to start in normal becket is that "backwards becket" isn't a widely recognized formation. I run into the issue that - because becket-CCW dances are much less common than becket-CW (though more common now thanks to some great dances from Cary Ravitz and Heather Carmichael to name a couple) dancers zone out as soon as i say "circle one place to the..." [AUTOPILOT kicks in, dancers assume left]. Have found a variety of strategies to combat this, such as circling them to the left three places, or spelling R-i-g-h-t so there's no chance they, by some trick of perception, hear "left". Bringing these points up because a) i believe that formations, like certain moves, suffer from lack of use when general unfamiliarity on the dancers' part creates situations where dancers go on autopilot and b) while callers share common and frequently-used strategies for setting up / teaching / introducing the more standard moves and formations, there's a less uniform vocabulary and/or lack of shared strategies for the outliers... just a thought, from someone who likes anti-becket (oh, crap, there's ANOTHER way of saying becket-right) and reversed (or "mirrored") courtesy turns (see what i'm saying about vocabulary?) and such... which are in no wise more difficult than their normative counterparts, but confuse dancers who don't encounter them often.

11 years, 11 months

End Effects

by Paul Wilde

Kalia, Last month @ Pinewoods George Marshall was calling the afternoon contra sessions @ E & A. Lots of fun & really interesting dances. On some of the beckets, where the cpl out at the end (whether partners or neighbors) needed to stay right where they are, he taught/called, 'stand where you land'. I think diagonal chains or pass thrus would usually put the cpl out in this position. Another nice call for end effects for cpls who are not involved w/ a diagonal move (etc.) is, 'for those who can'. If the dance has a very unusual series of end effects, I try to analyze the scenario the end cpls are experiencing, then synthesize it into the most helpful but pared down advice that will alert dancers to at least what sorts of things to be ready for. This may not require telling them every little pc, as it may differ slightly for top and bottom cpls, depending on even or odd # of cpls in the line. More specific example provided upon request. Would love to hear what others have to say on topic. hugs around, Paul

11 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Feline dislocation syndrome

by Ben Hornstein

"Feline dislocation syndrome" sounds like a good name for a dance. A1) balance and jump onto your partner's lap (4) sit there uncomfortably (12) A2) jump off and wander anywhere (16) B1) take a nap (16) B2) keep walking around the hall I'm in the process of programming tomorrow's Berkeley contra and my desk > is covered wall-to-wall with a carefully-arranged layer of index cards. > On the left edge is, was, the program I had sorted out before dinner. > I came back in to take a look at it, carefully closing the door. My > husband came in to ask a question, leaving the door open. Shortly > thereafter, Sam the cat came flying through the air, skidding across the > desk and sending cards flying every which way. > > I have finally, with the doors closed again, re-created something like > the program I had earlier. > > This is another compelling argument for programming dances on the computer. > > Kalia > Closing the door behind her >

11 years, 11 months

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Contra Callers