Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

18 participants
4408 discussions

Re: [Callers] tune structure as second nature

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

--- Chrissy wrote: But once in a great while there is a tune that just 'sounds backward.' --- end of quote --- Keep in mind that there are some tunes where different musicians know the two parts in different order. I've run across bands who play the Growling Old Man and the Cackling Old Woman in what sounds to me like the wrong order and yes, that throws me off, too. And then there are tunes such as Mackimoyle, where some musicians put the first beat at the start of opening four eight notes, while others treat those as pickup notes. I know the tune best this second way-- that's the way I learned it-- so when I encounter it the other way, it takes me a moment to adjust. David Millstone Lebanon, NH

13 years, 11 months

Invitation to connect on LinkedIn

by Bob Fabinski

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. - Bob Bob Fabinski Engineer at Eastman Kodak Rochester, New York Area Confirm that you know Bob Fabinski: https://www.linkedin.com/e/-v6oloc-gvnskqhn-4j/isd/5098453310/5yjwo8Qn/?hs=… -- You are receiving Invitation to Connect emails. Click to unsubscribe: http://www.linkedin.com/e/-v6oloc-gvnskqhn-4j/q323nL1k2p_VceDamJt3kmDzBtNVX… (c) 2011 LinkedIn Corporation. 2029 Stierlin Ct, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

13 years, 11 months

Catapult Caller Applications: t-Minus 3 days

by Rob Harper

Don't want to spam this list but as a caller, you might be interested. Last month I announced the Catapult Showcase in Atlanta over Memorial Day Weekend 2012. The Caller (and Band) applications are due on 11/30 - that's this Wednesday. If you're a caller (or in a band) who'd be perfect for Catapult, get your application at http://www.catapultshowcase.com/registration.html. If you're not sure you'd be perfect, you should apply anyway. You never know. If you're not quite right for this year, you'll be first on the list to get applications for 2013. Or if you've got a favorite up and coming band or caller you'd like to recommend, please direct them to www.catapultshowcase.com. Don't delay. Act now! Hope to see you in May in Atlanta. ciao, rah Rob Harper Catapult! The National Contra Showcase info(a)catapultshowcase.com 404-307-3444

13 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Callers Companion - how is it working for you?

by The Witful Turnip

>From: "kanara(a)triton.net" <kanara(a)triton.net> >Sent: Monday, November 14, 2011 3:34 PM >Subject: [Callers] Callers Companion - how is it working for you? Hi Karin, I *LUV* Callers Companion! I highly recommend it. Will's program does everything I ever wanted a dance database to do and more. I found it very easy to adopt and use it all the time. At this point, I have 80 programs in it and just under 300 dances. >Are you using the basic version, or the expanded version? - I use the basic version. >How long have you been using it? - I believe since 2009. I was one of the original beta testing team. At this point, I can't remember my calling life before using it. >Are you using it with a Mac or a PC? - I use it with PC. I have it installed on a little Lenovo netbook that I use for calling. It's great! >My husband is just taking up calling, and I've been calling and collecting >dances for about 6 years now. We are wondering whether we could use one >database for both of our collections; do any of you users have a sense of >the workability of a combination database using Callers Companion? I can't speak to your last question. Hope that helps, Bev

13 years, 11 months

Re: [Callers] Steps to "Winter in Summerland"? | Seek caller videos

by Brian Hamshar

Hey Jonathan, I've been working gradually for the past year or so on a project related to yours. Many folks all around VA, NC, etc. have noticed that I tend to tote around a videocam to nearly every contra dance I attend lately. I'm working on a collection of video clips of dances (especially the trickier ones) taught and called - by top callers when available - with each video clip typically containing the teaching plus twice through with music. I expect to get some of them on my YouTube channel over the next year or so, but since it's merely a hobby by an enthusiastic and increasingly busy caller/musician, we shall see. Right now I'm also working on switching over from my cards to Will Loving's "Caller's Companion." If anything, this new level of organization will hopefully lead to more as I seek to properly harness the video link feature of that database software. Brian Hamshar Contra dance caller/producer (trad & crossover) Based in Charlottesville, VA -----Original Message----- Date: Sunday, November 13, 2011 2:01:12 pm To: "Post to Callers" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> From: "Jonathan LF King" <squash(a)ufl.edu> Subject: [Callers] Steps to "Winter in Summerland"? | Seek caller videos I'm a "cub caller" from Gainesville, FL, and seek the choreography for "Winter in Summerland" by Jeff Spero and James Hutson. I'm aware of several online videos of the dance, e.g, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlisHB8G8GQ and can glean the steps from the video, but wonder if someone could provide the official choreography? ================================================================ For my own reference, I assembled a few well-known dances with steps and video-links of the dances. Another "cub caller" told me the page was useful to her, so I've put it online at http://www.math.ufl.edu/~squash/contradance.dances-tunes.html Errors in the dance-steps are mine, as I've re-written some for my own edification. I'm looking to add to this collection. If you know of an online video of a good dance, please email me [eddress below]. Useful are videos where the caller can be clearly heard [a plus if the teaching is included], and where the video shows, uncut, at least one full cycle, together with the transition to the next cycle. Another plus: Videos that show the end-effect, for complicated dances. I currently only have one video of a 4-facing-4, and would like especially to expand that section. Sincerely, -Jonathan King ================ PS: My eddress is squash at ufl dot edu PPS: I thank "ccpage19143", Chris Page (whom I've not yet met) for taking the time and having the expertise to label /many/ YouTube contras with the title and author. My "dance-tunes" page would be half its size without his public-service work. _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

13 years, 11 months

Steps to "Winter in Summerland"? | Seek caller videos

by squash＠ufl.edu

I'm a "cub caller" from Gainesville, FL, and seek the choreography for "Winter in Summerland" by Jeff Spero and James Hutson. I'm aware of several online videos of the dance, e.g, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlisHB8G8GQ and can glean the steps from the video, but wonder if someone could provide the official choreography? ================================================================ For my own reference, I assembled a few well-known dances with steps and video-links of the dances. Another "cub caller" told me the page was useful to her, so I've put it online at http://www.math.ufl.edu/~squash/contradance.dances-tunes.html Errors in the dance-steps are mine, as I've re-written some for my own edification. I'm looking to add to this collection. If you know of an online video of a good dance, please email me [eddress below]. Useful are videos where the caller can be clearly heard [a plus if the teaching is included], and where the video shows, uncut, at least one full cycle, together with the transition to the next cycle. Another plus: Videos that show the end-effect, for complicated dances. I currently only have one video of a 4-facing-4, and would like especially to expand that section. Sincerely, -Jonathan King ================ PS: My eddress is squash at ufl dot edu PPS: I thank "ccpage19143", Chris Page (whom I've not yet met) for taking the time and having the expertise to label /many/ YouTube contras with the title and author. My "dance-tunes" page would be half its size without his public-service work.

13 years, 12 months

(no subject)

by Martha Edwards

Three days ago we learned that the good ladies of the Monday Club (who own the building where we dance) don't like the word "Whiskey" in our English/American dance weekend (High Tea & Whiskey), so we're changing the name to wait for it High Tea & Sasparilla M E

13 years, 12 months

(no subject)

by Mary Collins

Great ideas guys, I'll check out the CDSS information, most of this is stuff we've heard before and holding a dance on campus is a bit more than we can handle. the sites are great and so are the suggestions, but I really am looking for a "hook" on a poster...like Michale Ludgate's "Support Live Music, Go Contra Dancing"...but I'm not sure that will work either. I've seen "turn off the TV...dance!" A night of aerobics... and some other things, that's really what I'm looking for. Trying to hold dances on campus is great, but you need to have a person or group on campus that will sponsor the dance etc, and that's almost like starting a whole new dance series (dont' really have time or resources to do this), our dance is readily excessible to almost all the campuses that have dorms, most of the colleges are "comuter" colleges with day campuses and some of them (mostly in the city or what is considered the city) have campus housing. All are on bus routes and our dance is in the heart of the "cool" section of town. Most young adults know about our area and the shops restaurants and bars. So, as you see, it's not so much getting individuals to view contra dancing or host a dance but just to get the option out there, visible, so that some might try it and help spread the word. And then, I need an artist to create the poster..... Thanks again guys! Mary Collins QCCD

14 years

posting on relevant lists

by Chrissy Fowler

Hi all, As much as I've enjoyed the recent "marketing-to-college-students" thread on the SW Callers list, I would have much preferred to see it happening on the SW Organizers list instead. It's not necessarily* relevant for people who are callers, but it's definitely relevant to organizers, and folks on the SW organizers list might themselves enjoy the brainstorming/solutions offered by this particular thread. (*Meaning, yes, some callers are involved in organizing, but not all of us are.) I acknowledge that many of us wear multiple hats in the traditional dance world - caller/organizer/musician/sound/webmaster/dancer - but since we have these thoughtfully-created separate lists for each little hat we wear, I'm requesting that my fellow posters please consider which lists are appropriate for their topic of concern, and post on that list instead. If people on SW Callers list want it to be something less-defined, then I guess that's a separate question, but it seems to me it would make each list more useful if the content was specific to the name of the list. So, can you please post only caller concerns here? Thanks! Chrissy Fowler P.S. Unless anyone objects, I'm going to cut/paste these most recent organizer-related exchanges, sans contact info/addresses, and send to the SW organizer list. You can email me directly (ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com) to voice your objection.)

14 years

dance posters

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

Dear Mary, I'll just add that I don't think the poster is what will bring students to an unfamiliar activity off campus. Ultimately, it's people who bring other people to a dance, friends bringing friends. When some dance organizers have surveyed newcomers to find out what brought them to the dance, the overwhelming reason was, "A friend brought me." One of the points made somewhere-- sorry, can't find the source-- is that when trying to attract young people in particular, you do best to think in terms of groups rather than individuals. Broad generalization: they'll go if others are going. So, the effort needs to be to get a group. Case in point: our monthly dance is a mile from a good-sized college, 4,000 undergraduates and 2,000 more grad students. That mile is a vast distance. In fact, business located three blocks from the edge of the campus have folded because students are reluctant to go that far. We have a handful of regular dancers from among the college population. Several times a year that number grows dramatically when someone from the Outing Club organizes a trip, complete with van, to bring students over, in a group. In November, we're expecting 30+ grad students coming to the dance. (One of our regular dancers spoke with another student who happens to chair the grad student social committee; she in turn got excited by the idea and is promoting it.) Again, they're coming as a group. Setting aside the regular younger dancers at our event, most of whom have grown up in the music/dance community, when high school students come to the dance they come as a group. Or perhaps "pack" is a more accurate word. ;-) Posters are great reminders that something is happening, and jog the memory of those who are already thinking of coming. But just think of all the posters you've passed by for some event and they didn't get you to go. My 2 cents... let us know what you end up trying and with what degree of success. David Millstone Lebanon, NH

14 years

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