Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

18 participants
4408 discussions

Re: [Callers] The Beginners' Lesson Tips?

by David.Millstone＠VALLEY.NET

Greg wrote: "Mixers are often used to force integration of the dance hall." I'm glad that he included the "often" qualifier, thereby leaving open the possibility that not every caller who chooses a mixer is condemned to the 9th circle of hell. Following the lead of my mentor, Ted Sannella, I include a mixer at nearly all of my home dances, typically the third dance of the evening. That was Ted's custom, and Tony Parkes, another great caller, once explained that the third dance is late enough to catch the late arrivals but early enough to help set the stage for the evening. I love mixers, as a dancer. It's an opportunity to see who's in the hall. It's a chance to dance, briefly, with folks I don't know. Oh, here's a face I don't recognize, but based on her swing, it's clear that she's a dancer who's been on the floor for some time... Aha, this is someone brand new, good smile but unsteady on her feet, good person to ask for a dance... yippee! she's here tonight! gotta make sure to get her for a partner if there's a square caller since I remember that she loves squares... and so on. And as a caller, I love calling them, to provide all of those opportunities, and for other reasons. I don't run most mixers for very long, perhaps 8-10 times, depending on the dance. That means that I'm adding one more dance into the mix, inthe course of which everyone is getting that many opportunities to dance with a different partner. Mixers also come in many shapes: big circle, Sicilian circle, scatter promenades, three person lines, and so on. That also allows me to vary the look and feel of the floor so that it's not all contra contra contra, and since the dance floor is part of life, I do believe that variety adds spice. David Millstone Lebanon, NH P.S. An interesting cultural sidenote: Greg's negative feelings about mixers are based on them being used as a form of social engineering, to get folks to partner up with people with whom they wouldn't normally. I've had the opportunity to call often in Denmark and in the Czech Republic, and there you can end a mixer and ask people to take that partner to line up for the next dance and that's okay, an accepted part of what people will cheerfully do. In Prague, for example, they usually dance squares without break figures, in part to language issues-- a steady stream of unexpected calls in a foreign language can be daunting But they'll run a partner-changing square five or more times, and at the end they'll take that final partner for the next dance. It's simply not a big issue. They're there to have fun, and it's not as important as it seems to be with hard-core contra dancers in the US that they have The Right Partner for a swing. It's a refreshing laid-back alternative to what sometimes is an overly-intense partnered scene at our dances in the US.

14 years, 1 month

The Beginners' Lesson Tips?

by jill allen

Has anyone found a good way to juggle the beginners' lesson with the sound check? When do you start each of them so they don't interfere with each other? What is working for you? Jill Allen

14 years, 1 month

Wireless headset

by Dhuntdancer＠aol.com

My wireless headset microphone died. I had an audio-Technica 600 series (ATW-601H which is the headworn Microphone system) and used it for 7-8 years. It was very reliable until this past month when I started getting intermittent connections on the receiver. I think it's the antenna from the transmitter. Before I replace the unit, I was wondering which brand other folks use and if you have a strong preference? Donna Hunt "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance." -unknown

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] The Beginners' Lesson Tips?

by John Sweeney

I don't like relying on the "experienced dancers" to teach a buzz-step swing as I know some of them have bad habits and I would like to minimize how much of that is passed on :-) I explain there are three parts: - the beginning - negotiating how to get into a comfortable position, especially with a preceding balance - the middle - the swing itself - focusing on being gentle and caring about your partner - how to avoid dizziness - the end - absolutely critical - this is where it all goes wrong and the lady ends up on the left - describe the position as an arrow-head, with the joined hands being the point and aim the arrowhead in the direction the caller calls - this is also the chance to explain the terms up, down and across - then open out and keep in contact (another element that beginners need to be taught - stay in contact with as many people as possible as often as possible) If time is short at the very least I cover: being gentle, avoiding dizziness and finishing with the lady on the right. A good way to practice the swing is to make a big circle, put on some music and call: Into the middle and back Swing your Neighbour Into the middle and back Swing your Neighbour . This give new dancers a chance to have lots of swings with different people and get used to finishing on the right side and at the right time, but without any pressure - they can recover from faults on the "into the middle" - which you can call multiple times if necessary until they are ready for the next swing. More details at http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#swinging Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

14 years, 1 month

Cabot School Mixer

by David.Millstone＠VALLEY.NET

The dance is easily located online in the syllabi of the Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, called in 2003 by Linda Leslie. I highly recommend both of Ted Sannella's collections of dances. David Millstone Lebanon, NH Cabot School Mixer By Ted Sannella (March 6, 1981) published in Swing the Next Formation: Circle mixer A1 Circle right All go into the center and back A2 Circle left Allemande right your corner, allemande left your partner B1 Do-si-do your corner and swing B2 Promenade

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] The Beginners' Lesson Tips?

by tavi merrill

As Richard said, it helps to focus on key concepts, rather than particular calls. There's a lot of great suggestions already in response to your query. I find it useful to organize the session around an outline, based on the styles of a couple callers who mentored me. 1. Have the dancers find a 'partner' and form a circle. Have the band, even just the fiddler, play a clearly-phrased tune - typically a jig. Have dancers circle L, circle R - internalize the feel of simply walking to the music, and feeling the eight-bar phrase. (Sometimes i teach the swing here, while the dancers are still in a circle, so two more experienced dancers can demo it in the center. This depends on how many beginners versus experienced dancers i have.) 2. I have the "gents" role face out. Emphasizing the elbows-down hand and arm position, i have them lean back, keeping the tension in their arms: this is shared weight. Ok, straighten up. Drop left hands and allemande R. Now allemande L. 3. Now, you've got your left hands joined. Join your right hands behind the lady's back.... promenade position. I have them promenade around the ring, (can have them reverse direction to teach the courtesy turn) and then promenade up to face the band. Turn to face that 'partner'. Voila: contra sets. >From here, it's pretty simple to teach hands-four, 1's and 2's, actives cross, ladies chain (remember that promenade position? here's a courtesy turn!) etc cetera. The truly fundamental concepts, though, like weight sharing, dance roles, feeling the music - are already established and easy to build on, and starting with the circle formation helps bring everyone in and allows you to interact with them more intimately and demo things with ease. As JD said, don't assume a move (e.g. a hey) is too 'difficult' for beginners. Most moves can be done easily if you find the right reference points and simple language to talk the dancers through them. I prefer to emphasize the concept of passing one shoulder with one dance role, and the opposite shoulder with the other; sneaking in a half-hey early in the evening and a full hey a couple dances later. Simple, positive.... amen. Don't forget that as the caller, you have a unique possibility to facilitate the learning curve, especially if the 'regulars' are cliquey. Ways to do that? After a few dances, have the noobs all raise their hands. Praise them, say they're doing great, and invite a round of applause. Sometimes i sneak in the suggestion that experienced dancers ask them to dance. Above all, though: have fun!!! If you're having fun, chances are the dancers will be having fun too. David "Tavi" Merrill

14 years, 1 month

Gig looking for talent

by Rickey Holt

Dear Caller, Musician or Sound Person A need for your talents is opening up with the re-starting of the dance in Deerfield, NH. We are writing to see if you, or any of those you call or play dances with, are available on a first Saturday sometime between November 2011 and May 2012. We are attempting to restart a local dance that the late Marianne Taylor started close to twenty years ago and that has continued since. The dance is special to us because of her tremendous and varied contribution to the dance community, and because of its special local character. For the love of the dance and in honor of the memory of Marianne Taylor. Contact Rickey Holt: holt.e(a)comcast.net ASAP Cheers, Rickey Holt, Peter Thompson and Sarah Mason, New Hampshire.

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] A Burning Chorus Jig as seen from space

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

So Amy, in the first photo, which shows the whole camp, the word "Tribe" is visible in the desert. Why is the "e" backwards? Dyslexic burners, or Something Of Significance? David (former elementary school teacher) Millstone

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 86, Issue 1

by Donna Calhoun

It would not bother me to have my name left of, but some long-time dancers use that information in deciding which dances they can attend. Maybe you don't have to leave the name off. Just change the role to MC or some other title that does not have the square dance connection. Sent from my iPad On Oct 1, 2011, 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. Re: Recruiting new dancers (Greg McKenzie) > 2. Re: Recruiting new dancers (Richard Mckeever) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:09:14 -0700 > From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers > Message-ID: > <CAFqkWLtB9Lpvn3_xm7nc6vLTMYx23tgmOgKtJJBTc1ZR-2S-ow(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Thank you all for these great ideas. > > I agree that the square dance connection is a turn-off to lots of new > dancers considering contras. I just completed a flyer for an upcoming dance > here and this discussion has influenced my design. I love putting the > musician and band names on the flyer because it emphasizes the live music > and the kind of instruments used. After reading these comments, however, I > asked myself: Why list the caller's name? The presence of a "caller" > definitely links the dancing to the square dance tradition. So I removed my > own name as caller from the flyer. > > I'm not sure how other callers will take this but it makes sense to me. > Only the regular dancers will note who the caller is, and *the flyer is not > meant to target the regulars*. The name of the caller only raises questions > in the minds of people who know nothing about a contra dance. It seems to > me that the phrase: "All dances taught," should be sufficient information > for new folks. > > What do *you *think? How would you, as the caller, feel about having your > name left off of a flyer for a dance you are calling? > > - Greg McKenzie > > ************** > > On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com>wrote: > >> Just to set a record straight, I believe it was Spider Vetter who came up >> with the "Ants-Pants-Contradance" idea. My kid went to UChicago about the >> time she started the UChicago dance, and I heard the story back then. It >> was >> such a great idea I've been bragging on her ever since, and feel she should >> be given a whole bunch of credit from us! >> >> Here's what she said when I checked with her about it: >> >> That's absolutely true. I came up with the Ants-Pants-Contra dance >> promotion >> idea in November of 2001, and put it into circulation for the Hyde Park >> contra dance in the first week of January 2002. We accompanied the flyer >> with a huge campaign of sidewalk chalk, all around the University of >> Chicago >> campus, which Jena Barchas Lichtenstein and I spent several hours doing one >> cold January night in the snow. The flyers went up the same night. The >> guerilla approach to advertising was a huge success--the next day, people >> were talking about it nonstop, and I believe we had almost 80 attendees at >> the dance, most of them just interested parties who didn't have any idea >> what the event was. >> >> This was, incidentally, right around the time that we started holding the >> Hyde Park dances consistently every month, so the Hyde Park dance is now >> almost 10 years old. >> >> I met Julia Nickles only once, at a New Year's Eve party at the end of >> 2004. >> At that time, she was interested in new ideas to promote the dance at >> Brown, >> which she had just become involved with. I told her about my experience >> with >> the Hyde Park dance, and about some of my ideas, and I suggested that she >> try something like that. Julia asked if she could use some of my ideas and >> I >> said "sure, they seem to have worked in Chicago." >> >> Not a Big Deal, and Julia deserves a lot of credit, too, for getting the >> idea well-promoted. >> >> Spider also taught me NOT to tell people that "contra dancing is sort of >> like square dancing." Sometimes, she won't even tell people what it is. >> "You >> have to show up to find out," she'll say, or "it's fun dancing to live >> music." >> >> M >> E >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >> > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 30 Sep 2011 16:38:47 -0700 (PDT) > From: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com> > To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers > Message-ID: > <1317425927.20654.YahooMailNeo(a)web120401.mail.ne1.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Greg, > > I hadn't thought about that before - but it makes sense.? The caller's name is meaningless to new dancers and could even be a distraction.? The bands often have colorful names that could attract attention.? You do have to try to look at it from a potential dancer's perspective.? I want to know about the event.? The caller's name is kind of an inside thing - I am sure no one sees the flyer and says - wow - look who's calling - I need to do this. > > Mac McKeever > > > > ________________________________ > From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> > To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Sent: Friday, September 30, 2011 4:09 PM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers > > Thank you all for these great ideas. > > I agree that the square dance connection is a turn-off to lots of new > dancers considering contras.? I just completed a flyer for an upcoming dance > here and this discussion has influenced my design.? I love putting the > musician and band names on the flyer because it emphasizes the live music > and the kind of instruments used.? After reading these comments, however, I > asked myself: Why list the caller's name?? The presence of a "caller" > definitely links the dancing to the square dance tradition.? So I removed my > own name as caller from the flyer. > > I'm not sure how other callers will take this but it makes sense to me. > Only the regular dancers will note who the caller is, and *the flyer is not > meant to target the regulars*.? The name of the caller only raises questions > in the minds of people who know nothing about a contra dance.? It seems to > me that the phrase: "All dances taught," should be sufficient information > for new folks. > > What do *you *think?? How would you, as the caller, feel about having your > name left off of a flyer for a dance you are calling? > > - Greg McKenzie > > ************** > > On Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 1:46 PM, Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com>wrote: > >> Just to set a record straight, I believe it was Spider Vetter who came up >> with the "Ants-Pants-Contradance" idea. My kid went to UChicago about the >> time she started the UChicago dance, and I heard the story back then. It >> was >> such a great idea I've been bragging on her ever since, and feel she should >> be given a whole bunch of credit from us! >> >> Here's what she said when I checked with her about it: >> >> That's absolutely true. I came up with the Ants-Pants-Contra dance >> promotion >> idea in November of 2001, and put it into circulation for the Hyde Park >> contra dance in the first week of January 2002. We accompanied the flyer >> with a huge campaign of sidewalk chalk, all around the University of >> Chicago >> campus, which Jena Barchas Lichtenstein and I spent several hours doing one >> cold January night in the snow. The flyers went up the same night. The >> guerilla approach to advertising was a huge success--the next day, people >> were talking about it nonstop, and I believe we had almost 80 attendees at >> the dance, most of them just interested parties who didn't have any idea >> what the event was. >> >> This was, incidentally, right around the time that we started holding the >> Hyde Park dances consistently every month, so the Hyde Park dance is now >> almost 10 years old. >> >> I met Julia Nickles only once, at a New Year's Eve party at the end of >> 2004. >> At that time, she was interested in new ideas to promote the dance at >> Brown, >> which she had just become involved with. I told her about my experience >> with >> the Hyde Park dance, and about some of my ideas, and I suggested that she >> try something like that. Julia asked if she could use some of my ideas and >> I >> said "sure, they seem to have worked in Chicago." >> >> Not a Big Deal, and Julia deserves a lot of credit, too, for getting the >> idea well-promoted. >> >> Spider also taught me NOT to tell people that "contra dancing is sort of >> like square dancing." Sometimes, she won't even tell people what it is. >> "You >> have to show up to find out," she'll say, or "it's fun dancing to live >> music." >> >> M >> E >> _______________________________________________ >> 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 > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 86, Issue 1 > **************************************

14 years, 1 month

New dance?

by Chris Weiler (home)

> > > > Hi All, > > I was wondering if you could tell me if this is a new sequence or not. I'm two states away from my cards and I don't know if this is too close to Melanie Axel-Lute's Almost Never Too Late. > > LL > Gent 's al R 1 1/2 > > P bal & sw > > Down the hall, turn as a couple, come back, bend the line > > R&L thru > Ladies Chain > > Let me know as soon as you can. > > Thanks! > > Chris >

14 years, 1 month

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