One of my absolute favorites, even with international folk dance groups, is this
one
which I *think* I got from Ralph Page. He commented that the tune is claimed by
the Irish,
the English, the Scots - and that therefore it most probably is French <g>.
Mason's Apron
three facing three in big circle, best with original tune
A 1 1 - 8 all six circle left
A 2 1 - 4 middle person with person on right:
balance, allemande right
5 - 8 middle person with person on left:
balance, allemande left
B 1 1 - 4 teapots* right, once around
5 - 8 teapots left
B 2 1 - 4 groups of three forward and back
5 - 8 pass through, meeting new group of three
* teapots right: middle person + diagonal right person + own right person RH star
teapots left: middle person + diagonal left person + own left person LH star
Enjoy!
Hanny
--
This email address will expire shortly. Please update your address book to my new address:kyrmyt@cotse.net
Hi folks,
I just came across some old scribbled notes I wrote down for a dance, but don't recall if it's a musing or something I saw. In any
case, I didn't jot down any name or author. Does anyone recognize this?
(Improper, start facing across)
A1 1-4 Long lines fwd & back
5-8 Balance neighbor; roll away women (L-to-R)
A2 1-4 Women chain to partner
5-8 Women lead 1/2 hey right-shoulder (actually more like 3/8 into...)
B1 1-8 Partner balance and swing
B2 1-4 Men allemande left 1-1/2
5-8 Neighbor swing
Thanx in advance,
Ric Goldman
letsdance(a)rgoldman.org
(I was thinking about driving minor-key jigs in English dancing, where there
are only a few that really have a sense of headlong motion, and I ended up
drafting a contra dance to to show what I was talking about. Then I thought
about calling the dance and had to rejigger it a bunch to provide things like a
recovery point, etc. Now it has less obvious novelty than it did, is probably
danceable - but I don't know that it's unique. Anybody recognize the
sequence?)
Thanks!
SOLAR NOON
Becket contra
Alan recommends driving minor-key jigs
- "Sailor's Wife", "Jack's Health/Bolt the Door", "Female Saylor", etc -
or slinky reels.
Form:BK Figs: YearnL,CL.75,NG,NS,WH4+,PG&S
A1:1-4: LL forward (and usually to the left to a new couple), and back
5-8: CL 3/4 to face neighbors up and down
A2: 1-4: Neighbors gypsy Rsh
5-8: Neighbors swing
B1: 1-8: Hey for four over and back (women pass rsh)
B2: 1-4: Women pass wide right into partner gypsy
4-8: Partner swing on the side, open facing in.
END EFFECTS: Inactive couple wait on the long 2nd diagonal (left side as
you face up or down the set).
-- Alan
--
===============================================================================
Alan Winston --- WINSTON(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: 650/926-3056
Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA 94025
===============================================================================
This dance is "The Elegant Trogan" by Kathy Anderson
> (Improper, start facing across)
> A1 1-4 Long lines fwd & back
> 5-8 Balance neighbor; roll away women (L-to-R)
> A2 1-4 Women chain to partner
> 5-8 Women lead 1/2 hey right-shoulder (actually more like 3/8
> into...)
> B1 1-8 Partner balance and swing
> B2 1-4 Men allemande left 1-1/2
> 5-8 Neighbor swing
>
> --
> *Deb Comly
> Flagstaff, AZ
> *
>
Hi Alan,
I don't recognize this specifically, but it's similar to a dance a group of us put together during a session at BACDS Spring Weekend
a couple years back. Musically, the idea was to have something that could start easy with jig tempo and then switch to a reel once
the dancers were comfortable with it. Dance wise we wanted a mostly smooth flow.
Cary House Shuffle (CW Becket), written Mar, 2010 (a collective effort at BACDS Spring Weekend)
A1 1-4 Long lines fwd & back
5-8 With new Nbrs (diagonally left across the set), circle L 3/4
A2 1-4 (Same) Nbr DSD (or gypsy)
5-8 Nbr swing
B1 1-8 Hey-for-4, gents start L-shoulder (GL,PR,WL,NR)
B2 1-4 Gents give-and-take (bring Ptr to original side)
5-8 Partners swing (end facing across)
I notice some differences from Solar Noon. We used the A1 1-4 long lines as an easy recovery after the ending swing, and then
"hid" the progression in the A1 5-8 circle (a move we borrowed from a lot of other becket dances <G>). The B section has the men
actively lead the L-shoulder hey since it was already the direction they were traveling in coming out of the A2 5-8 swing. We ended
up with a split decision on A2 because most the group REALLY liked the DSD for jig time, but also REALLY liked the gypsy-meltdown in
reel time. :-)
Thanx, Ric Goldman
letsdance(a)rgoldman.org
P.S. If you like, I can try for more feedback at the next February Woodshed dance (For those not familiar with the BACDS Woodshed
series, we try out new dances or calling techniques and get feedback from the dancers about what they like; callers chip in to cover
cost of the hall and dancers get in Free!).
> -----Original Message-----
> From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Alan Winston - SSRL Central
> Computing
> Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 7:25 PM
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: [Callers] Is this a dance already?
>
> (I was thinking about driving minor-key jigs in English dancing, where there are only a few that really have a sense of headlong
motion,
> and I ended up drafting a contra dance to to show what I was talking about. Then I thought about calling the dance and had to
rejigger
> it a bunch to provide things like a recovery point, etc. Now it has less obvious novelty than it did, is probably danceable - but
I don't
> know that it's unique. Anybody recognize the sequence?)
>
> Thanks!
>
> SOLAR NOON
> Becket contra
>
> Alan recommends driving minor-key jigs
> - "Sailor's Wife", "Jack's Health/Bolt the Door", "Female Saylor", etc - or slinky reels.
>
> Form:BK Figs: YearnL,CL.75,NG,NS,WH4+,PG&S
>
> A1:1-4: LL forward (and usually to the left to a new couple), and back
> 5-8: CL 3/4 to face neighbors up and down
>
> A2: 1-4: Neighbors gypsy Rsh
> 5-8: Neighbors swing
>
> B1: 1-8: Hey for four over and back (women pass rsh)
>
> B2: 1-4: Women pass wide right into partner gypsy
> 4-8: Partner swing on the side, open facing in.
>
> END EFFECTS: Inactive couple wait on the long 2nd diagonal (left side as you face up or down the set).
>
> -- Alan
*Short story: I wanna play fiddle with Laurie, not call. Want my gig? You
can use it to break in new material...*
Whole story:
The East Putney dance has been happening last-Saturday-of-the month for *
decades*, and by gum this Saturday will be no exception.
It's a great local dance - a real core following of warm, idiosyncratic
local people who will gladly dance any dance in any formation.
Plus there's the always popular outhouse.
This month I'm on the docket to cover calling; it's also an "All-Comers"
open band night, with Laurie Indenbaum on fiddle and Carol Compton on piano.
Usually that brings out a slew of local sit-in musicians, and all their
friends. Usually.
Here's the deal this month:
down in Greenfield they're having a big Extravadance so that's where the
hardcore supertwirlers are going to go.
in Brattleboro, it's the big Northern Roots festival weekend, so all of the
usual All-Comers will be at the culminating concert.
So it's my turn to be loyal and keep the home fires burning, and I'm happy
to do it.
It's going to be small but convivial and we'll probablyl have a short but
good time -- probably go straight through without a long break until
ten-ish and then head home.
Here's the rub, though - I loooove playing twin fiddle harmonies with
Laurie.
If I'm going to make lousy money having a good time, I'd rather have an
even better time and make REALLY lousy money.
So if you want to call the whole night while I play, great!
Want to pull out a bunch of French Canadian five-couple dances and use us
as guinea pigs? Sound's terrific!
Practice your Ted's triplets, or chestnuts like Moneymusk, or sing a
square? We like 'em all.
Want to call half the night, and do only squares, and dance with your
sweetie inbetween while I call the circles and contras? Sure!
email me back or call my cell phone 802-222-7598
*PRE-DANCE "potluck" at my house beforehand, let's pool our resources and
check out the TAKE-OUT CHINESE from the newly-revived General Store!*
Jim posted his dance here about a month ago, it was a subject of some
discussion for a while. The ending is as Richard Fischer had said.
Mark Widmer
Here is Jim's post:
Date: Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:31:08 -0600
From: Jim Hemphill<arcadian35(a)gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Groundhog Day
I'm fairly new to Calling and fascinated with Contra dance choreography.
Below is my attempt at a Groundhog day dance. The groundhog starts his
day by looking for his shadow and so does this dance.
Groundhog Daze Becket
A1 Gypsy your shadow
Partner swing
A2 Circle left 3 places
Balance the circle, 1's make an arch, 2's dive thru
B1 Next neighbor balance and swing
B2 Long lines forward and back
Ladies allemande right 1/2, partner allemande left 3/4
I know there are thousands of dances out there so if this is not an
original, please let me know the true name.
Thanks, Jim Hemphill
> From: Dave Colestock<contradancerdave(a)yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow Dances?
>
> Looks like the B2 is incomplete.? Do you have the last move of the dance, Bob?? It doesn't work as written, nor with a repeat of the long lines f&b.? Thanks,
> ?
> Dave Colestock
> Harrisburg, PA
> ?
> ?
> ?
> ?
> --- On Wed, 1/25/12, Bob Green<bobgreen(a)swbell.net> wrote:
>
>
> From: Bob Green<bobgreen(a)swbell.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow Dances?
> To: "Caller's discussion list"<callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Date: Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 12:39 PM
>
>
> Here's one that would be totally appropriate for the occasion
>
> *Groundhog Daze*???by jim Hemphill???Becket
> A1 Shadow Gypsy once around
> ? ???Partner Swing
> A2 Circle left 3 places
> ? ???Balance the circle, 1's arch, 2's dive thru
> B1 Next neighbor balance and swing
> B2 Long lines forward and back
>
> Bob
> :
>
>
>
Andrea, given that the ladies have to take a step to center before taking hands and turning, it seems to take 4 beats, then the 3/4 takes 4 more. But even if folks reach their shadow a beat or two early, there's no harm since it's a gypsy. It seemed to me like a minimum of teaching was adequate.
As we've discussed here, look at my video of it on YouTube (search for it by dance title or check out my channel, "Contra Dances with Brian Hamshar").
Brian
Hello all,
Ground Hog's Day is more than a month away, but I wanted to send the
question out now. What are your favorite dances with shadows (or trail
buddies)?
Thanks
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
www.lukedonev.com
