Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

21 participants
4391 discussions

Dancing in prison at Christmas: does anyone remember this? Did I post it here?

by Amy Cann

I'm currently sitting in an airport with balky wifi and my google-fu has deserted me. Many moons and several computers ago I went on a post-gig rant. The gig was in the correctional facility up in St. J at Christmastime, and it was...thoughtprovoking. I'm in the midst of some work that relates to the for-profit prison industry and wish I could put my hands on it, but I can't. Is it archived somewhere? Why can't I get to it from the sharedweight homepage? Does anyone remember if it was printed in the NEFFA newsletter or CDSS? (am I just a moron?) I would dearly appreciate any links you could pass on. And thank you for not laughing at me (at least not audibly) :) Cheers, Amy

13 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 5

by Dan Pearl

I can't remember it in the NEFFA news. ________________________________ From: "callers-request(a)sharedweight.net" <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2012 12:00 PM Subject: Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 5 Send Callers mailing list submissions to callers(a)sharedweight.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to callers-request(a)sharedweight.net You can reach the person managing the list at callers-owner(a)sharedweight.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Dancing in prison at Christmas: does anyone remember this? Did I post it here? (Amy Cann) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2012 11:54:03 -0400 From: Amy Cann <acann(a)putneyschool.org> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: [Callers] Dancing in prison at Christmas: does anyone remember this? Did I post it here? Message-ID: <CALZWU+uBpzOkduLBQ8gncwWxmJVeuf_0+D+qv5bTUg5cX1F_0w(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I'm currently sitting in an airport with balky wifi and my google-fu has deserted me. Many moons and several computers ago I went on a post-gig rant. The gig was in the correctional facility up in St. J at Christmastime, and it was...thoughtprovoking. I'm in the midst of some work that relates to the for-profit prison industry and wish I could put my hands on it, but I can't. Is it archived somewhere? Why can't I get to it from the sharedweight homepage? Does anyone remember if it was printed in the NEFFA newsletter or CDSS? (am I just a moron?) I would dearly appreciate any links you could pass on. And thank you for not laughing at me (at least not audibly) :) Cheers, Amy ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers End of Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 5 **************************************

13 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Dancing in prison at Christmas: does anyone remember this? Did I post it here?

by David.Millstone＠VALLEY.NET

Amy, your "Dancing in Prison" article appeared in the September/October, 2006, issue of the CDSS News. I cannot locate it online, but I can scan it and send you a PDF if you want. David Millstone

13 years, 2 months

caller's insurance?

by Amy Larkin

There's a dance instructor here who's planning to start a weekly Argentine Tango class. Any advice about insurance? The studio he wants to rent from requires him to have his own liability insurance. Thanks, Amy Larkin

13 years, 3 months

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 3

by Joyce Isen

Thanks, Jacob. Some of my leads are starting to come together today. I hope to have the full story by the end of the week and will certainly update you. Best, Joyce On Mon, Jun 11, 2012 at 12:00 PM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > callers(a)sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > callers-request(a)sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > callers-owner(a)sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Rich Castner (Jacob & Nancy Bloom) > 2. Re: Looking for Rich Castner -- can you help? (John C. McIntire) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2012 20:57:41 -0400 > From: Jacob & Nancy Bloom <bloom(a)gis.net> > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Subject: [Callers] Rich Castner > Message-ID: <133938771401(a)mx04.gis.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed > > Hi Joyce, > > Here's what I could find as contact info for Richer. He was > advertising himself five years ago as being available for calling, > and as far as I can tell without calling it, the 832-0888 number > seems to still be valid. > > Phone numbers: 207-832-0888 > 207-832-0889 > Email: richercastner(a)netscape.net > > Jacob Bloom > > At 12:00 PM 6/10/2012, you wrote: > > > >Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 14:46:27 -0400 > >From: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> > >To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > >Cc: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> > >Subject: [Callers] Looking for Rich Castner -- can you help? > >Message-ID: > > < > CALr5BzkgG0nLHxmTZvNn2J8ZF_ZV0gHFX777jqDeCvn3ohFbBg(a)mail.gmail.com> > >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > > > >Dear friends in the traditional dance community, > > > >I am looking for information that can help me locate Richard Castner, > >former head of the dance department at the State University of New York at > >Brockport, and accomplished square and contra dance caller. Rich authored > >some contra dances that are classics today, including ?The Road to > Boston,? > >and ?All the Way to Galway.? > > > >I am a musician (hammered dulcimer and percussion) who was often hired by > >Rich for dances in Rochester, NY, and it was through his mentoring that I > >attended my first Ralph Page dance camp at East Hill Farm and my first > >local contra dance in Nelson, NH. I moved to the Boston area in 1976 > >because this kind of music and dance was a living tradition in the > >northeast and I wanted to be part of it. > > > >I?ve been living in Concord lately and playing snare drum with a local > fife > >and drum company. I?m struck, as Rich must have been a long time ago, by > >the common ground in repertoire between the fiddle and fife in the > >18thcentury, and I finally bonded with ?The Downfall of Paris,? a tune > >Rich had > >asked me to play for him and that I never liked. The very first drum part > >I memorized was ?The Road to Boston,? so of course Rich was on my mind. > It > >would be wonderful to sit down with him and talk about old times, and to > >tell him about the ways in which my musical and personal life evolved as a > >result of his influence. > > > >I heard that he?d moved to Maine and was last seen at a festival in 2005. > The > >last information I got is that he was living in Waldoboro and had restored > >the old family homestead to its 18th century appearance. Unfortunately, > >the contact information is out of date and all my leads so far have been > >dead ends. > > > >I would be most grateful for any information anyone could provide about > >Rich recently or in the form of a story from the past. There are other > >friends here in Boston who would like to be in touch with him, too. We > >agree that even sad news would at least bring closure. > > > >With thanks, > > > >Joyce Desmarais Isen, Concord, MA > > > >978-369-2671 > > > >joyceisen(a)gmail.com > > > > > >------------------------------ > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Callers mailing list > >Callers(a)sharedweight.net > >http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > >End of Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 2 > >************************************** > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2012 11:30:11 -0400 > From: "John C. McIntire" <circleleft(a)uninets.net> > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Cc: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Looking for Rich Castner -- can you help? > Message-ID: <4FD5D6C3.13076.6CA440D5(a)circleleft.uninets.net> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Hi Joyce & all, > > A quick phone call to the Waldoboro Town office revealed that his tax > bills are > being sent to his wife in Rochester NY at the following address: > > Janis Rickerman > 25 Lida Lane > Rochester NY 14616 > > The town office did not think he had passed on but the last time I spoke > with > him, several years ago, his health was not good. The phone # provided by > Jacob is out of service. > > best of luck, > > John, Unity ME > Date sent: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 14:46:27 -0400 > From: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Copies to: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [Callers] Looking for Rich Castner -- can you > help? > Send reply to: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net > > > <mailto:callers- > request(a)sharedweight.net?subject=unsubscribe> > <mailto:callers- > request(a)sharedweight.net?subject=subscribe> > > [ Double-click this line for list subscription options ] > > Dear friends in the traditional dance community, > > I am looking for information that can help me locate Richard Castner, > former head of the dance department at the State University of New York at > Brockport, and accomplished square and contra dance caller. Rich authored > some contra dances that are classics today, including "The Road to Boston," > and "All the Way to Galway." > > I am a musician (hammered dulcimer and percussion) who was often hired by > Rich for dances in Rochester, NY, and it was through his mentoring that I > attended my first Ralph Page dance camp at East Hill Farm and my first > local contra dance in Nelson, NH. I moved to the Boston area in 1976 > because this kind of music and dance was a living tradition in the > northeast and I wanted to be part of it. > > I?ve been living in Concord lately and playing snare drum with a local fife > and drum company. I?m struck, as Rich must have been a long time ago, by > the common ground in repertoire between the fiddle and fife in the > 18thcentury, and I finally bonded with "The Downfall of Paris," a tune > Rich had > asked me to play for him and that I never liked. The very first drum part > I memorized was "The Road to Boston," so of course Rich was on my mind. It > would be wonderful to sit down with him and talk about old times, and to > tell him about the ways in which my musical and personal life evolved as a > result of his influence. > > I heard that he?d moved to Maine and was last seen at a festival in 2005. > The > last information I got is that he was living in Waldoboro and had restored > the old family homestead to its 18th century appearance. Unfortunately, > the contact information is out of date and all my leads so far have been > dead ends. > > I would be most grateful for any information anyone could provide about > Rich recently or in the form of a story from the past. There are other > friends here in Boston who would like to be in touch with him, too. We > agree that even sad news would at least bring closure. > > With thanks, > > Joyce Desmarais Isen, Concord, MA > > 978-369-2671 > > joyceisen(a)gmail.com > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 3 > ************************************** >

13 years, 3 months

Looking for Rich Castner -- can you help?

by Joyce Isen

Dear friends in the traditional dance community, I am looking for information that can help me locate Richard Castner, former head of the dance department at the State University of New York at Brockport, and accomplished square and contra dance caller. Rich authored some contra dances that are classics today, including “The Road to Boston,” and “All the Way to Galway.” I am a musician (hammered dulcimer and percussion) who was often hired by Rich for dances in Rochester, NY, and it was through his mentoring that I attended my first Ralph Page dance camp at East Hill Farm and my first local contra dance in Nelson, NH. I moved to the Boston area in 1976 because this kind of music and dance was a living tradition in the northeast and I wanted to be part of it. I’ve been living in Concord lately and playing snare drum with a local fife and drum company. I’m struck, as Rich must have been a long time ago, by the common ground in repertoire between the fiddle and fife in the 18thcentury, and I finally bonded with “The Downfall of Paris,” a tune Rich had asked me to play for him and that I never liked. The very first drum part I memorized was “The Road to Boston,” so of course Rich was on my mind. It would be wonderful to sit down with him and talk about old times, and to tell him about the ways in which my musical and personal life evolved as a result of his influence. I heard that he’d moved to Maine and was last seen at a festival in 2005. The last information I got is that he was living in Waldoboro and had restored the old family homestead to its 18th century appearance. Unfortunately, the contact information is out of date and all my leads so far have been dead ends. I would be most grateful for any information anyone could provide about Rich recently or in the form of a story from the past. There are other friends here in Boston who would like to be in touch with him, too. We agree that even sad news would at least bring closure. With thanks, Joyce Desmarais Isen, Concord, MA 978-369-2671 joyceisen(a)gmail.com

13 years, 3 months

Rich Castner

by Jacob & Nancy Bloom

Hi Joyce, Here's what I could find as contact info for Richer. He was advertising himself five years ago as being available for calling, and as far as I can tell without calling it, the 832-0888 number seems to still be valid. Phone numbers: 207-832-0888 207-832-0889 Email: richercastner(a)netscape.net Jacob Bloom At 12:00 PM 6/10/2012, you wrote: >Date: Sat, 9 Jun 2012 14:46:27 -0400 >From: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> >To: callers(a)sharedweight.net >Cc: Joyce Isen <joyceisen(a)gmail.com> >Subject: [Callers] Looking for Rich Castner -- can you help? >Message-ID: > <CALr5BzkgG0nLHxmTZvNn2J8ZF_ZV0gHFX777jqDeCvn3ohFbBg(a)mail.gmail.com> >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 > >Dear friends in the traditional dance community, > >I am looking for information that can help me locate Richard Castner, >former head of the dance department at the State University of New York at >Brockport, and accomplished square and contra dance caller. Rich authored >some contra dances that are classics today, including ?The Road to Boston,? >and ?All the Way to Galway.? > >I am a musician (hammered dulcimer and percussion) who was often hired by >Rich for dances in Rochester, NY, and it was through his mentoring that I >attended my first Ralph Page dance camp at East Hill Farm and my first >local contra dance in Nelson, NH. I moved to the Boston area in 1976 >because this kind of music and dance was a living tradition in the >northeast and I wanted to be part of it. > >I?ve been living in Concord lately and playing snare drum with a local fife >and drum company. I?m struck, as Rich must have been a long time ago, by >the common ground in repertoire between the fiddle and fife in the >18thcentury, and I finally bonded with ?The Downfall of Paris,? a tune >Rich had >asked me to play for him and that I never liked. The very first drum part >I memorized was ?The Road to Boston,? so of course Rich was on my mind. It >would be wonderful to sit down with him and talk about old times, and to >tell him about the ways in which my musical and personal life evolved as a >result of his influence. > >I heard that he?d moved to Maine and was last seen at a festival in 2005. The >last information I got is that he was living in Waldoboro and had restored >the old family homestead to its 18th century appearance. Unfortunately, >the contact information is out of date and all my leads so far have been >dead ends. > >I would be most grateful for any information anyone could provide about >Rich recently or in the form of a story from the past. There are other >friends here in Boston who would like to be in touch with him, too. We >agree that even sad news would at least bring closure. > >With thanks, > >Joyce Desmarais Isen, Concord, MA > >978-369-2671 > >joyceisen(a)gmail.com > > >------------------------------ > >_______________________________________________ >Callers mailing list >Callers(a)sharedweight.net >http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > >End of Callers Digest, Vol 94, Issue 2 >**************************************

13 years, 3 months

Triplets

by Paul Wilde

Hey all, Anyone have some interesting easy to intermediate triplets they'd be willing to share? I've got Ted's Triplets #3, #4, #6, Linda Leslie's Corner Triplet, and David Smuckler's David's Triplet #5. Thanks, Paul W. Prov. RI

13 years, 3 months

Re: [Callers] practice vs. preparation

by Becky Nankivell

On knowing what's been called on previous nights: in my previous post I mentioned not calling a dance too frequently, but I also believe there's value in repetition, as well as variety. Dancers should have the opportunity to have the thrill (or comfort, at least!) of recognizing a dance, and to develop favorites. The caller's preparation job is to make sure it doesn't get to the point of "oh no, not THAT one again!" :-) ~ Becky in Tucson, Ariz. & Long Beach, Calif.

13 years, 3 months

Re: [Callers] practice vs. preparation

by Brian Hamshar

Becky's comments about keeping records of what dances are called are interesting. My experiences that this is often done at longer events with multiple callers in the same day, but I've never heard of it done at a community dance series. I do agree that it would be easy to do and potentially beneficial to many. Brian Hamshar Virginia Becky Nankivell <becky4dance(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Andy Shore (Tue, 29 May 2012 14:05:31) wrote: > >"How did the previous caller fair and were there any pitfalls or >problems in that session that I can learn from or avoid? What dances >have been called thus-far and should I avoid ones that are too similar >(e.g., there were LOTS of dances with "balance the ring, california >twirl" progressions called this weekend.)" > >Once upon a time when I was starting calling and also involved with >organizing the multiple-caller contra dance in Tucson, Arizona, we >maintained a notebook where each caller (or an organizer) recorded the >dances that had been called in an evening, and a few other notes on >the evening. The idea was that this would be a resource that a caller >could use in planning the next dance. > >I don't know that any of the callers except for me actually ever used >this (and I know I didn't use it frequently), and after a few years >the practice was dropped. > >This still seems like a good idea to me for venues where there are >multiple callers. I know that I keep a record myself so that I don't >call the same dances too frequently at one venue, (and in planning an >evening I check for the distribution of figures). If you're not a >regular dancer at a venue (whether you're visiting, or just dancing >less frequently), without some record it's hard to know what's been >called. > >Nowadays, an electronic record would be easy to share, via web posting >or a file. Our not using the TFTM notebook was probably because the >dance planning happened at each caller's home, and the notebook wasn't >handy. > >Are there communities that are keeping such records and making them >available? Comments on that from organizers and/or callers? > >The trick is, as with any record keeping, it requires someone or some >people to make sure it happens and to keep track of the file(s)... > >As an additional note, I believe the dance records are still in the >TFTM archives, and undoubtedly show some interesting changes in the >style of dances called. As someone with an interest in dance history, >I think it would be great if there were more records like this out >there. > >~ Becky >_______________________________________________ >Callers mailing list >Callers(a)sharedweight.net >http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

13 years, 3 months

Jump to page:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Contra Callers