I used this dance recently (I was an emergency substitute) and was very pleased with how well it went. Not only is it a no-partner dance, it doesn’t even matter how big the circles are (though I did have them start out in circles of 4). So no one gets left out even if the scatter to make new circles is chaotic. It’s also easy to get them into one big circle for the last time through and that’s a very nice way to end.
I think I got it here on Shared Weight, thanks Claire!
Beaumont Boom!
By Claire Takemori (8/26/19)
*Any number in scattered circles
A1 Bal ring 2x, CL
A2 Bal ring 2x, CR
B1. LHS (pile of LH in the middle, keep walking same direction after CR) countdown 3-2-1
B2 Boom! Throw hands up and all twirl out of the star and make new circles.
Can end with one big circle
Claire says: I wrote a dance with no Partners that I love for family or parties where you start with a few and folks keep dropping in, but it also works for a large group.
Lisa Sieverts
603-762-0235
lisa(a)lisasieverts.com
Hi Em,
Beneficial Tradition is great fun, but I'd suggest is best left for a crowd
that has successfully dealt with end effects with minimal guidance. I'm not
sure the end effects are, in any event, much more difficult than navigating
the B2 crosses(?). That, to my mind, is a question of familiarity with
unusual orientations, which comes from contra experience and/or an a priori
natural spatial awareness and a firm sense of right and left!‹
ADPD, as I recall, is pretty easy and, as you say, needs the warning -- as
with any multi-progression, or extra-minor set daliance, dance -- that you
need to be aware at the ends and, at its simplest, go where you're needed!
Often forgotten, as well, is to provide guidance to the non "out" dancers
to self-recover when the "out" dancer is not there when/where needed! :)
Bonne chance!
Greg Frock in a Jun 9 thread, 'Dance Modules,' suggested " the 'mandatory swing requirements' these days, more and more choreographic sequences are just coming up with new ways to interestingly connect the swings"
I disagree. A mandatory partner swing requirement seems to exist, but no neighbor swing requirement.
Instead of a neighbor swing, either (a) substantial non-swing interaction with either or both neighbors (stars, allemandes, shoulder rounds, dosidos, chains or heys), or (b) distinctive choreography, can result in a great dances.
(1) Last time I danced an evening to Darlene Underwood's calling, she called 4 excellent dances without a neighbor swing. (As a dance composer I notice such dances.)
(2) The May Heydays festival held in England, just posted on this list (thread 'May the Serpent Be With you') the winners of its annual dance competition. The second place winner, Cherry Season, (3) The Callers' Box has 3525 duple minor dances without a neighbor swing including 9 by me. Clearer descriptions of some of mine may found at my web page
Hi All,
Just before COVID I wrote this dance (Composition 148):
A1: N1 All L 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All R 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
B1: Circle L 3/4, P swing;
B2: Balance the Ring, N1 Roll away across, Balance the Ring, Petronella
twirl to next.
Using this dance as a base, I created this dance yesterday afternoon:
(Composition 159)
A1: N1 All R 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All L 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
B1: Circle L 3/4, P swing;
B2: Right Hand Chain, Star Left.
If got me thinking that given the 'mandatory swing requirements' these
days, more and more choreographic sequences are just coming up with new
ways to interestingly connect the swings, and most of the connective filler
is just that. This is not an original concept; Cary Ravitz mentioned it
years ago. But, it got me thinking that rather than dances, I am more
creating modules these days. So, I am retitling my A parts (which appear
original, as far as checking callers' Box and Contradb)
Module A:
A1: N1 All L 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All R 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
Module A (Isomorph):
A1: N1 All R 1 1/2 to side waves, balance, N2 All L 3/4;
A2: Balance, All walk forward and swing N1;
Using the Circle L 3/4, P Swing B1 Module, here are some B2 modules that
quickly came to mind:
For Module A:
-
B2: Left Hand Chain, Star Right
-
B2: Balance the Ring, Neighbors Roll Away across the set, Balance the
Ring, Petronella twirl to next
-
B2: Larks Allemande left, Partners pull by right, Robins Pull by Left,
Neighbors Allemande Right ¾
For Module A Isomorph:
- B2: Left Hand Chain, Partners Balance Right hand across and square
through 2
- B2: Circle Left, slide left to next as a couple, circle left ¾
(rendezvous
finish)
- B2: Circle Right 1 ¼, Zigzag right then left to next
Of course, there are plenty more that can be worked out, and even more
changing B1 to a partner swing on the other side. I look forward to seeing
some of your own variants.
Regards,
Greg
Hi friends!
You may remember I asked a while ago about what sort of dance I could call to a specific quebecois tune that one of our bands always played and I hate to call to.
In the end that conversation shifted into one regarding how to communicate with bands generally, and what sort of expectations I could have of a band that doesn't get into the business of choosing tunes to match dances themselves.
It was all very helpful and I am pleased to report that my relationship with the band I was previously having some friction with has improved!
And- at our upcoming dance they're doing a wonderful thing - they've invited any interested and aspiring musicians to come and play along unmic'd behind them - and they've set up a google drive folder with the tunes, containing both recordings and sheet music,.
This is great for me because finally I can preview all the tunes and be ready with the desired order they will be played in!
But listening to the Aime-Gagnon-Telephone tune set, I realized this is the other set this band plays that really bums me out.
I just can't get a dance of mine to feel good to it.
Could you folks have a listen and let me know your thoughts?
I can't really put my finger on it other than ... it kinda feels plodding to dance to at this speed, and yet it feels like the musicians are playing really fast already?
and....it has a bit of a stressful and on edge feel- rather than a "sit back and enjoy" feel of other tunes?
I will close by saying this band also plays LOTS of great tunes, which I love, and they are fabulous musicians :)
here is the tune in the google drive....
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qsoLthlIYvBNRqD2Kvd0JyYzSjwj4KS4/view?usp=…
or if you prefer, on spotify!
https://open.spotify.com/track/7fAJSwoKsQQC1cqlAmouLJ?si=nijl2dibR6Ktupc-w0…
thank you for thoughts and/or dance suggestions :)
Kat in Halifax
*"if we had more time we'd throw in a square"*
The contra dance medley at NEFFA
<https://www.neffa.org/folk-festival/new-england-folk-festival-2023/> is
normally six dances, each six times through (well, the last one is five or
seven). I was thinking about what you'd need to do if you actually wanted
to include a square...
The main problem is that you need to switch the dancers from groups of four
to groups of eight, and there isn't really a great way to do this. In
computer science speak the issue is that it takes time linear in the number
of dancers. But maybe you could have the top couple sashay down from the
top, and everyone takes hands eight as they pass, which is fast enough even
in a long hall that it's ok (~16 beats, and you adjust the time by figuring
out how much intro to do on the square)? And then tell anyone left out at
the bottom to square up?
(Going back into contra lines from aligned squares should be easier: side
couples circle left three quarters and twirl to swap, lines at the sides,
etc)
Would this work?
Jeff
I attended an advanced dance this afternoon that was intermediate at best,
and had a few raw beginners in there, and it got me wondering:
1. As callers, what do you do when a bunch of intermediate and/or beginner
dancers show up to an advanced session?
2. As organizers, what do you do to try and keep your advanced sessions...
advanced? (Either in messaging or at the dance itself?) Obviously I'm not
advocating for kicking anyone out, but if a bunch of newbies show up at an
advanced session, both they and the dancers who came for gnarly stuff are
going to have a less-than-ideal time.
3. As dancers (/organizers/callers), how do we elevate the dance level of
our local communities? I'm talking about increasing familiarity with some
of the less common moves (contracorners, left hand chains, etc.) but also
about building awareness of the dance and recovery skills, and technical
things like giving satisfying weight, swinging correctly, guiding linemates
into the next figure, etc.
I welcome any thoughts and musings!
Cheers,
Maia (Brooklyn, NY)
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
