Once, I dreamed that I looked down at my card, and it was a recipe card, a d so I said, "go down the hall, four in line, turn by yourself and return with a pound of hand-rolled pasta."
Nothing gives me anxiety dreams like calling ....
Meg
Sent from my iPhone
From: Tom Hinds <twhinds(a)earthlink.net>
>> John: We have slices, double slices and half slices as well.
> Just curious, can you tell us how to dance a double slice and a
> half slice? It's great to have all of these different ideas when
> writing dances.
> Thanks, Tom
Hi Tom,
A Double Slice is just another name for what some people call a
Yearn, forwards as a couple on the left (usually) diagonal to the next
couple, then backwards on a left diagonal to the next couple along - a
double progression.
Half a Slice: This was posted on this or another caller forum,
so I hope Bob won't mind me posting it again:
Half a Slice: As a couple, go forward towards each other on the
diagonal. The top two dancers join hands; the bottom two push off to
make a line of four facing down. This is an efficient way to get
everyone progressed and facing down in 8 beats, so there is time for
creative or dramatic push-offs.
Half a Slice (by Bob Isaacs)
Contra; Becket
A1: Half a Slice on Left Diagonal to a Line of Four Facing Down
Down the Hall in Lines of Four - Turn Alone
A2: Up the Hall in Lines of Four - Bend the Line
Ladies Allemande L 1 & 1/2
B1: Neighbour Balance & Swing
B2: Circle L 3/4
Partner Swing - finish facing on the Left Diagonal
= = = =
I had some ideas about using the Half a Slice move, but when I wrote
the dance it changed itself (these dances do that sometimes when you're
not looking!) and I ended up with:
The Pattern Unfolds (by John Sweeney)
Contra; Becket (CW) (when out wait Improper)
A1: Balance the Ring; Ladies Cross by the Left Shoulder (Lady
coming Up makes an Arch) - look for a New Neighbour - Men
turn to the new Circle as well (now progressed - couples out)
Balance the New Ring x 2 - on the second Unfold into a Line of
Four Facing Down
A2: Down the Hall in Lines of Four
Neighbour Swing - finish facing across
B1: Balance the Ring x 2 - on the second Unfold into a Line of Four
Facing Up
Up the Hall in Lines of Four - Bend the Line
B2: Neighbour Allemande Right; Ladies Allemande Left 1/2
Partner Swing
The Unfold is like the end of Half a Slice: the appropriate two push off
to make a line of four.
I haven't had a chance to try this one much. Feedback much appreciated
if anyone tries it.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Yes, everyone swings their own partner in the center of the
set. Extra room is needed up and down the set.
Jacob
>Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2012 19:11:46 -0500
>From: Luke Donforth <luke.donev(a)gmail.com>
>To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Genderless beginner dances
>Message-ID:
> <CAFrKOZYWECpnnc4sHyhAuuP_V0mOp3NxWbEnHy9+Jnws59hdkw(a)mail.gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
>Jacob, thanks for the dance. If I understand it correctly, you're having
>them swing along the set, rather than on the sides of the set?
> John Sweeney said,
> We have slices, double slices and half slices as well.
John,
Just curious, can you tell us how to dance a double slice and a half
slice? It's great to have all of these different ideas when writing
dances.
Thank
Tom
I just received this and thought I would pass it along to Shared Weight. The Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend is January 18-20 in Durham, New Hampshire. For information about the weekend: http://ralphpage.neffa.org/
---begin copied message---
The caller scholarship for RPDLW is up for grabs as the candidate just backed out. New deadline for applications will be this coming Thursday Dec 20, 2012.
If you know of anyone who would benefit from this opportunity please have them fill out the scholarship application found on the Neffa.org website.
http://ralphpage.neffa.org/images/ScholarshipApp.pdf
Address any questions to Sandy at: strumma(a)aol.com<mailto:strumma%40aol.com> or call (603) 673-8497.
---end copied message---
Note that the musician scholarships are not open at this time.
Beth Parkes
Luke, I looked at the dances on your blog. I was surprised by Rory
and Juliet, with its turns once and a quarter and three quarters
around, since the last thing I would want to burden beginners with is
fractions.
Here's a dance you can use. I call it my House Dance Special, since
I've often called it at dances held in houses, where there wasn't
room to do a Sicilian Circle.
House Dance Special
Jacob Bloom
Duple Improper Contra
Circle Left
Circle Right
Star Right
Star Left
Dosido partner
Swing partner (or two hand turn)
Dosido neighbor
Pass through, Dosido the next (or bow to the next)
Jacob
>Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:11:13 -0500
>From: Luke Donforth <luke.donev(a)gmail.com>
>To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>Subject: Re: [Callers] Questioning a sacred cow of contra dancing
>Message-ID:
> <CAFrKOZaEO=bCswNGQVwNdTzgr3mdMSEzActoCkMg1vmQX59ekg(a)mail.gmail.com>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
>Thanks John for the dances (and thanks to Greg & Ron for the groaners).
>Some of them I had as great candidates for One Night Stand dances.
>Something with a 1st corners/2nd corners wasn't what I had in mind here (as
>if you accidentally swapped role post swing, you'd suddenly have to
>remember you were a different number), but they're good dances.
>
>I've put up a few that I wrote to fit what I was looking for at my caller
>blog:
>http://www.madrobincallers.org/2012/12/14/three-gender-neutral-dances/
>I'm not saying they're great (and they may not even be original), but
>they're in the spirit of what I was looking for (although even there the
>different roles will have different feels).
>
>Thanks again, and I look forward to hearing what others have to say.
>Luke
I think usage and the folk process has led to yearn meaning head off as
a couple on the (left) diagonal towards a new couple then do what the
caller says, usually either back off straight so that they are your new
neighbours or back off on the next diagonal to make the next couple your
new neighbours.
We have slices, double slices and half slices as well.
I think this is similar to the way that you have to be careful whether
you say half a ladies' chain, a ladies' chain, or a full ladies' chain
depending on the context.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Luke said " Something with a 1st corners/2nd corners wasn't what I had
in mind here (as if you accidentally swapped role post swing, you'd
suddenly have to remember you were a different number)".
Like Linda I always think of them as "right diagonals" and "left
diagonals" - it's not who you are, but where you are. So it should
work, but of course there are bound to be some confused people :-)
Linda asked for the timing of:
"A1/A2: Four Changes of Right & Left with Balances Forward & Back before
each one - Start Right with Partner"
Alan's response was spot on:
Finding Your Balance (by John Sweeney)
Contra; Becket (CW)
A1: Right hand Balance Forward & Back with Partner (4)
Pull by Partner, face Neighbour (4)
Left hand Balance Forward & Back with Neighbour (4)
Pull by Neighbour, face Partner (4)
A2: Repeat A1 from these places, finishing at home
B1: Balance the Ring; Men Cross
Balance the Ring; Ladies Cross
B2: Half Promenade
Yearn on the Left Diagonal to New Neighbours (Single
Progression)
I use this dance with less experienced dancers when I want to do a dance
later in the session which has normal Right & Left Changes. The Balance
in this dance gives them more time to orientate themselves and get used
to going round a four person Grand Chain (Grand Right & Left) without
superfluous turns. I can get people to do a Grand Chain in a big
circle, then a Grand Chain in a three-couple circle, but as soon as I
reduce it to a two-couple circle some of them start turning the wrong
way as they pull by. :-)
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
Fairly new caller, first time poster here. In calling, I know there are
many ways you have to change your perspective from being on the dance
floor. As a dancer, I've had those many wonderful moments when the music
is so good that it feels like the tune is carrying you. You lose
yourself in the music. Have there ever been times when the music has the
same effect on you as a caller? How do you handle it? Do you have
separate yourself from the feeling, or do you go with it? Or a bit of both?
Stephanie Marie Voncannon
