Aside from "partner" and "neighbor," "balance" may be the most frequently
used word in calling, and experienced dancers and callers alike tend to
forget that beginners do not automatically know what it is. I teach it at the
very top of the lesson, particularly because it's used to launch other
moves -- balance and swing, balance the ring and.... I describe it as a
step-forward+tap and step-backward+tap, and emphasize that the convention is to
shift your weight forward onto the right foot first (many beginners will
start with the left foot), and then shift it onto the left foot, because the
next move is frequently to the right, but that either is acceptable.
April Blum
> This won't be for everybody -- but -- in an orientation I sometimes tell people that a balance is a lot like some relationships I have been in: when the other person gets too close you push them away, and when they get too far away you pull them closer. Another way of saying it's all in the arms, and there is always tension in the arms.
Richard Hopkins
Hopkinsrs at Comcast.net
8508949212
There have been a number of references to balances always involving a
stomp.
I was under the impression that there were lots of ways to balance, many
of which don't involve a stomp. I usually teach "balance to the
right-2-3, to the left-2-3".
I did notice more stomping than I was familiar with at The Flurry this
year, just step right, stamp left, step left, stamp right.
Is stomping now the standard across America?
What do YOU teach as the footwork in a balance?
See
http://www.izaak.unh.edu/dlp/NorthernJunket/pages/NJv05/NJv05-01/NJv.05.
01.p13.htm for 50 variations of the balance.
Thanks.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Greg wrote:
This sounds like a program suitable for a dance weekend or festival--but
not for an open, public contra dance. What would you offer as a "high
energy" dance at an open, public contra dance with first-timers in the mix?
Now I understand, that's where lots of balances would be good. They would help to anchor the dancers.
How about:
Salmonella Evening by Steve ZA
More 'O More by Jim Kitch
The Baby Rose by David Kaynor
Jill
With respect to music and the contra - certainly with great music a program that is otherwise uninspiring will still be lots of fun (like one with a lot of repetition and glossary moves), and if the music is poor the best program and caller will have a hard time overcoming that. You can see that in the fact that if you have a great band, you can let a dance run longer than you might normally, because the energy is higher and the dancers aren't tiring of it - they'll be disappointed if it ends too soon. With a less inspiring band, the dancers may enjoy gaining mastery of the dance and executing it well, but won't want to do it as long, so I find I might call more dances in the program than with a great band in order to keep the variety and interest level up.
,
On Apr 24, 2013, at 9:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
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> 1. Re: high energy (Ron Blechner)
> 2. Re: high energy (Laur)
> 3. Re: How do you balance? (Was High-energy dances) (John Sweeney)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:17:25 -0400
> From: Ron Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] high energy
> Message-ID:
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> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I have experienced this as a dancer.
> On Apr 24, 2013 8:16 AM, "Tom Hinds" <twhinds(a)earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> I always thought that high energy comes from the music and how a caller
>> uses his/her voice. Could a really fun contra flop because the music is
>> really boring?
>>
>> T
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> Message: 2
> Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 08:06:41 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Laur <lcpgr(a)yahoo.com>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] high energy
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> Absolutely.?
> ?
> ~
> Laurie
>
>
>
>> ________________________________
>> From: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net>
>> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 7:16 AM
>> Subject: [Callers] high energy
>>
>>
>> I always thought that high energy comes from the music and how a?
>> caller uses his/her voice.? Could a really fun contra flop because?
>> the music is really boring?
>>
>> T
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> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:46:26 +0100
> From: "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
> To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] How do you balance? (Was High-energy dances)
> Message-ID: <6E9CD304B97A4C04939FC8A783B43F87@study>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> There have been a number of references to balances always involving a
> stomp.
>
> I was under the impression that there were lots of ways to balance, many
> of which don't involve a stomp. I usually teach "balance to the
> right-2-3, to the left-2-3".
>
> I did notice more stomping than I was familiar with at The Flurry this
> year, just step right, stamp left, step left, stamp right.
>
> Is stomping now the standard across America?
>
> What do YOU teach as the footwork in a balance?
>
> See
> http://www.izaak.unh.edu/dlp/NorthernJunket/pages/NJv05/NJv05-01/NJv.05.
> 01.p13.htm for 50 variations of the balance.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Happy dancing,
> John
>
> John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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> End of Callers Digest, Vol 104, Issue 29
> ****************************************
When I think of "high energy" I think of something I would call early on when the dancers aren't tired, and a dance for which I would request a fast tune, probably an unforgiving dance with timing such that you barely make it from one move to the next, where everyone is moving all the time, like a good contra corners dance when active.
I think this is a good topic, related to assessing the energy requirements of a dance and the agility of the dancers. Whirligiggin' Around, by Cis Hinkle, is pretty busy and crazy, but really fun with good dancers. I once called it later on at an all night dance thinking that brain-dead dancers could handle it, but I didn't think about them also being body-dead! Their facial expressions said it all. I'm just glad no-one was injured!
Jill
Whirligiggin' Around
Cis Hinkle duple, improper
A1 circle L 1/4, R and L through across (8)*
circle L 1/4, R and L through up and down (8)
A2 repeat A 1 from new positions
B1 DSD N, swing N
B2 long lines, ones swing
* R and L through with no hands works best
Last weekend, I called Joyride by Erik Weberg. It was very smooth, flirty, interesting, and what I especially liked about it was that the beginners had no trouble with it! You can find it on Erik's website.
Jill
I always thought that high energy comes from the music and how a
caller uses his/her voice. Could a really fun contra flop because
the music is really boring?
T
Another way to put energy into a dance is to do more bouncing/stepping
and more movement - that is how many English ceilidh dancers use their
energy.
Here is a contra based on the old dance "Cumberland Square Eight":
Cumberland Contra (by John Sweeney)
Contra; Improper; Double Progression - 64 bars
A1: #1s Gallop Down & Back
A2: #2s Gallop Up & Back
B1: Basket - open out into a circle
B2: Circle Left; Circle Right - use the circles to reorientate the set -
optionally use slip circles to use up more energy
C1: Neighbour Dosido;
Two Changes of a Grand R&L around the WHOLE set: Neighbour Pull By
Right; New Neighbour Pull By Left - This is the Double Progression -
Pull By your Partner at the ends - no-one is ever out - Keep moving
forwards to make the Star
C2: With Next New Neighbours: Star Right; Star Left - skip it round to
use more energy
D1: This Neighbour Balance & Swing
D2: Long Lines Go Forward & Back - Men Roll the Ladies Away with a Half
Sashay from Right to Left
#1s Swing - finish facing down in Ballroom Hold ready to Gallop
No room at the end of the set for the gallop? Turn left and go round the
edge of the room (Lady on the outside).
To gallop back just turn your heads - don't mess around with arm/body
positions.
Optional Styling: Balance & Swing: Step R, Kick L (hopping on R), Step
L, Kick R (Hopping on L), Swing
Basket: Get close together; the men put their arms around the ladies'
waists and one grips the other's wrists; the ladies put their arms on
the nearest shoulders (get them to put them straight up in the air then
lower them onto the shoulder when teaching). Put your right foot in and
everyone does a buzz-step to spin the basket. Baskets only ever go
clockwise.
Please let me know if you try it. Thanks.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Hi all,
What are your favorite high-energy dances, especially those with lots of
balances and without heys? My search of my books has yeilded very few.
Thanks,
Rickey Holt,
Fremont, NH
