Let me suggest Victoria’s Waltz, by Australian dance leader Peter Foster.
American dancers will recognize the B1 sequence as Gay Gordon’s, in waltz tempo. The dance has both English and contra characteristics, but is wholly itself.
VICTORIA’S WALTZ
By Peter Foster
32 bar waltz
A1 All holding hands in a circle, balance forward and back
Men take the lady on their left and pass her across to place her on his right
All holding hands in a circle, balance forward and back
Women take the man on their left and pass him across to place him on her right
(it’s the same man who just passed her across)
A2 All holding hands in a circle, balance forward and back
Men take the lady on their left and pass her across to place her on his right. This is
your new partner
Two hand turn partner once around, open out standing next to your partner facing
anticlockwise around the room, men on the inside, women on the outside
B1 Two waltz steps forward, turn on the spot (turning towards your partner) and take
their other hand
Two waltz steps backward (so still going in the same direction)
Repeat the other way: two waltz steps, turn on the spot, two waltz steps back.
Then take a ballroom hold
B2 Waltz on
Richard Hopkins
Middlebury, Vermont
hopkinsrs(a)comcast.net
850-544-7614
> On Nov 6, 2023, at 12:00 AM, contracallers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net wrote:
>
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: ISO closing circle mixer for Holiday Ball (John Sweeney)
> 2. Re: ISO closing circle mixer for Holiday Ball (Val Medve)
> 3. Re: ISO closing circle mixer for Holiday Ball (Dorcas Hand)
> (Claire T)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 5 Nov 2023 11:22:56 -0000
> From: "John Sweeney" <john(a)modernjive.com>
> Subject: [Callers] Re: ISO closing circle mixer for Holiday Ball
> To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <000d01da0fda$6d1aa1c0$474fe540$(a)modernjive.com>
> Content-Type: multipart/alternative;
> boundary="----=_NextPart_000_000E_01DA0FDA.6D1B16F0"
>
> Hi Dorcas,
>
> Here are a few of mine:
>
> http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/Calliope.html
>
> http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/TheWinsomeWaltz.html
>
> http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/RollingWaves.html
>
>
>
>
>
> Happy dancing,
>
> John
>
>
>
> John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574
>
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
>
>
>
> From: Dorcas Hand via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
> Sent: 04 November 2023 20:34
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] ISO closing circle mixer for Holiday Ball
>
>
>
> We have the idea to close our Holiday event in Houston with a dance welcoming both contra and ECD dancers to enjoy a dance together at the end of our evening – I’m certain this community has some great suggestions! Thanks in Advance
>
> Dorcas Hand
>
>
Hi All,
I hope this helps someone in our community save money on a cordless
microphone.
Just now, a caller friend asked me about the ~$130 Monoprice-brand cordless
mic system that we use for calling and teaching. We've used this
inexpensive but perfectly adequate cordless mic system for over a year and
16 dances.
https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=600060
2x mics, 2x headpieces, 2x transmitters, 1x 2-channel receiver.
Outputs: 2x XLR for ea. channel or 1x 1/4" combined.
~$130
We've noticed no downsides in spite of the low price, except that Ellen
finds the headpiece slips. I understand the issue as being that long thick
straight hair prevents the head piece from clamping snugly. She solved it
once by wearing a baseball cap. I've worn the mic about six times for
calling single dances and to help teach walk-throughs and -- short hair no
baseball cap and wearing reading glasses -- had a seamless experience.
Another semi-local caller, who calls a monthly dance and to whom I
recommended the same set, hasn't mentioned to me any downsides or
frustrations.
I have no relationship with the manufacturer or dealer. I've bought other
things from Monoprice. The one time I had an issue, they quickly resolved
it.
Hope this helps someone.
Rob
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Robert Matson
Cell: (917) 626-2675
Sometimes a dance looks good on paper, and it's difficult to know dance's
issues until you dance it.
I wonder if anyone has variations to Bob Isaacs' "Hinge Binge"?
I really like the hinging part of the dance, but ... in lark/gent/lefthand
role, I find my right arm is strained from having it up so much.
Here's the original:
Becket
A1: Larks Give and Take, Neighbor Swing
A2: Circle L 3/4, Partner Dosido to short wavy line, P in RH, larks in ctr
with LH
B1: Bal Wave, Hinge + Circulate (Partner Alle R 1/4, then box circulate
with Robins crossing set to new wave, larks, looping right to face back in
and join wave on the same side)
Bal Wave, Hinge + Advance (N1 Alle R 1/4, then walk forward to new
neighbors, make another wave)
B2: Bal Wave, Hinge + Circulate (N2 Alle R 1/4, Robins cross, larks loop
right)
Partner Swing
So the Lark role is holding their arm up and providing weight:
A1: 8 beats for swing
A2: 6 beats during circle, continued from the swing
B1a: 4 beats for the balance, 2-3 beats for the allemande, and you don't
really have any time to move your arms down and let them rest before you
have to take hands in the next wave
B1b: 4 beats for the balance , another 2-3 beats for the allemande, again,
no real time to put your arms down.
B2a: 4 beats for the balance , another 2-3 beats for the allemande, and,
again, no real time to put your arms down before the swing.
B2b: 8 beats for swing
So the dance for the larks/gents is an 8 beat break, 14-16 beats of swing
-> circle, a 8 beat dosido where the last beat or two to raise your arms
for the wave, and then 32 beats continuously keeping right arms up.
Could give a longer rest in the A:
A1: Robins G+T, NS
A2: Robins Chain, Pass Thru to an Ocean wave w/P in right, robins in ctr.
This keeps the dance nearly intact, a bit harder since Pass-the-Ocean isn't
a glossary move, but affords 6-8 more beats of rest. Roles are swapped in
the waves, but it doesn't matter since you progress the same and wind up
with your partner.
We could lose the neighbor swing in the A1 and make it something like:
A1. LLFB
Larks Alle L 1.5x
A2. 3/4 Hey (NR, Robins L, PR, Larks L, NR, Robins L)
Partner Alle R 1/4 to short waves
... which preserves the B1-B2 of Hinge Binge more closely without the role
swap.
There's probably a way to move the partner swing to the A1 and remove the
neighbor swing.
Anyway. Curious if there's already dances out there.
In dance,
Julian Blechner
> Which do you speculate will come first?
> a) The press will regularly refer to "X" rather than "X, formerly known as Twitter"
> OR
> b) The contra dance world will agree to one of larks/robins or gents/ladies
>
I like to point out two important factors that should influence the transition to larks/robins.
1. To some LGBTQ+ people being called a Lady or Gent is mentally harmful because gender ID is a very important matter and sometimes has a long and often uncomfortable personal history.
2. It helps encourage people to dance both roles.
a) I’ve been at dances where there are more people of one gender than the other and as a result some dancers sit out a dance because they feel uncomfortable about asking someone of the same gender to dance. And there are some people who think that Ladies shouldn’t ask Gents to dance.
b) I think dancing both roles makes you a better dancer because you get to appreciate the affect of some moves on the other person.
Which do you speculate will come first?
a) The press will regularly refer to "X" rather than "X, formerly known as Twitter"
OR
b) The contra dance world will agree to one of larks/robins or gents/ladies
I've been asked if I will teach/lead a one hour long 'contra dance' at a
day program for young adults with a variety of physical and cognitive
disabilities. (The staff probably would be happy for me to do more than one
session, but I'm not willing to commit to that. At Least not now.)
My usual repertoire for a wedding or party of non-dancers seems tricky for
many of the clients--especially those who are uncomfortable being touched.
I did a similar event about 10 years ago--at a different program-- and it
didn't seem many of them had a good time.
I'd like to figure out a way to make it fun for this group.
I have a couple of ideas and am looking for more. Have you ever led a
dance/music event with a similar population?
I'd appreciate any advice/suggestions.
Bree Kalb
Carrboro NC
Hi all,
Does anyone know when the Balance & Swing as we know it today
become popular with a 12-beat Swing instead of the more standard 8-beat or
16-beat Swing?
Thanks.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802
940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
