Contra Callers

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4391 discussions

Re: [Callers] Firedancing/ Hooping while calling and other possible future Burning Man innovations

by Brian Hamshar

I was just thinking the same thing...we could integrate lighting signals into "techno" contras to help reinforce the dance phrasing as an alternative or adjunct to the extensive vocal cueing that is often called for with this music. I'm looking forward to exploring this idea. Brian Hamshar -----Original Message----- Date: Sunday, August 07, 2011 11:12:34 am To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> From: "Dorcas Hand" <handd51(a)tekkmail.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] Firedancing/ Hooping while calling and other possible future Burning Man innovations I've never done techno, but this lighting plan sounds well suited to some of that. So interesting. Dorcas Hand -----Original Message----- From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Greg McKenzie Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 10:09 AM To: Caller's discussion list Subject: Re: [Callers] Firedancing/ Hooping while calling and other possible future Burning Man innovations I can understand Jolaine's hesitation. But the "Look at ME!" part of the caller's ego has always been a factor at contra dances. Like Jolaine I also feel that the caller should "fade into the background" as soon as possible, but I recognize that I am in the minority of callers and I am willing to let others experiment. I also recognize that burning man is a unique venue with extreme considerations for anyone attempting to call a contra dance there. If we learn from our mistakes then those organizing the burningman contra will learn much. I wish I could participate. I hav

14 years

Firedancing/ Hooping while calling and other possible future Burning Man innovations

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

I applaud Mark for all his efforts to spread contra dancing. But I have to ask what is the purpose of firedancing/hooping while calling? I would argue that this is an unnecessary distraction and puts the focus on the caller instead of on the dancers. Am I supposed to watch this person firedance/hoop while I am trying to contra dance? I hope that organizers will ask if this "innovation" is really making the dancing more enjoyable, or simply for the sake of being "different." My personal opinion is that the caller should be as invisible as possible - call clearly and get out of the way of the dancers. There are certainly callers who contribute beyond the calls such as Beth Molero and Nils Fredland's with their wonderful singing voices and other callers who may clog or play spoons or some other contribution to the experience. But firedancing/hooping is a distraction from the dance, not a contribution to it. May Burning Man contra grow and thrive for years to come! JoLaine -- JoLaine Jones-Pokorney "We are as gods and might as well get good at it!" - Stewart Brand

14 years

Firedancing/ Hooping while calling and other possible future Burning Man innovations

by Mark Stowe

A little while ago I posted a call for a replacement caller for our contradance at Burning Man. In that post I misidentified our caller who is planning to firedance up and down the side of the lines while calling - it is Tracy Wilkins. In the future we might also try to combine hooping and calling (it took a youtube search to make me aware how amazing hooping can be). Now that we have several replacement volunteers, I must drop off of this list for lack of time. But I thought before I go that I would present some of the ideas that we hope to explore many of which are relevant to this group. I should also say that we will be looking for adventurous experiment- friendly callers (and to generally spread the word to dancers/callers/musicians) into the indefinite future. There is also a nascent Western Square Dance camp at the festival (I don't know how experimental they are going to be.) The Vision Beyond all the usual magical music, dancing and camaraderie, I hope organizing this event will allow me to 'give something back' to contradancing. I hope first that we will attract a significant number of new young dancers at this huge heavily under 30 festival and that this will snowball (CA is one of the parts of the country that is graying and needs more young dancers). I hope we help broaden the contradancing subculture as a whole with new moves and dance structures - see my remarks here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/burningmancontradance/message/13 I hope that we expand musical styles and technology. I hope that our use of video (looping slomo views from the side and from above with L and R labels of the relevant hands/ shoulders , etc) to enhance and speed up contradance instruction is perfected and spreads. I hope we can come up with ('tastefully' flashing or varying) reactive lighting that will reinforce the AABB structure of the music and give new dancers more cues to pick up on for their timing. And maybe we can solve the problem of finding a kind of lighting that is easy enough for older eyes to see with, but has the magic and romance of darker venues. At this year’s dance we will be providing water at both ends of all the lines – couples who are waiting out can reach up to a dangling tube with a beer tap and direct a flow of water into their mouths (the beer tap and nozzle will be inside a glowing silk flower so that no one puts the nozzle in their mouth, the whole system is NSF/ approved for potable water). There will be new dancers drawn in by a non-traditional approach who are then hooked and learn to love and support the long term survival of old time/traditional contradancing.

14 years, 1 month

Etymology of "Sicilian Circle"

by John Sweeney

Thanks to all those who responded. I now have enough information to give the Sicilian lady a different answer every week and thoroughly confuse her :-) I sent the request to four discussion groups - I have listed them at the bottom of the note in case anyone wants to join the other groups. Here are the replies to the question: Why is the formation known as a "Sicilian Circle"? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Tim Brooks: Cos' it's a dansa you canta refusa? = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Hanny Budnick: I have no idea where I read it, but apparently the "Sicilian" circle started out as "Caecilian" circle, named in honor of St. Caecilia, the muse of music. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Ramsay John Martin: I don't KNOW the answer, but I do have an hypothesis. English dances had men on the left and ladies on the right. I was told in Sweden that this is a custom which came from the practice of the men taking the warm south side of cathedrals during gatherings with the women relegated to the cold north. Thus, after marriage, and the newlyweds turned to face the congregation, the man was on the left and the lady on the right. Regardless of the reality of this reasoning, the English dances did have the sexes divided. The Spanish waltz instead had the alternate pattern-what many of us call a Sicilian Circle formation. Several dance manuals in the last half of the 19th century referred to that formation "as in the Spanish dance" in contrast to the English pattern. I hypothesize that Spain and Sicily may have seemed similar to some English dancing masters. Today we call the "Sicilian" formation or as it had been earlier dubbed the "Spanish" formation by the modern designation of "improper." = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Alan Winston: I looked into this a while back; the stuff from the 1820s is my possibly messed up version of stuff Susan de Guardiola told me about. Executive summary: - There's nothing Sicilian about it. - There's nothing Circassian about it. The "Spanish Dance" formation (duple improper) seems to indeed have come from Spain but been adopted by English-speaking dancing masters. Dancing master G.M.S. Chivers turned that longways into a circle of couples-facing-couples in the 1820s and called it a "Chiversian" circle. [Much detail omitted here about weird variations.] That name wasn't particularly popular. I honestly don't know whether "Sicilian" and "Circassian" are misprisions of "Chiversian", but I haven't seen anything from, eg, 1840 using any of those words. So things go along from the 1820s to the 1870s and dances in that formation (including a specific dance sequence called the Spanish Waltz, rather than the genre of English dances of that name, which may have been longways dances anyway). The English dancing masters of this period liked to assign an exotic foreign origin to the stuff they were teaching, when they weren't proudly proclaiming themselves the inventors of it. In the 1860s, a specific dance in that formation called "Sicilienne Circle" was published, with the dancing master claiming that it was formerly popular but had fallen out of favor because of bad behavior from dancers. (That was in Hillgrove, 1865; he was an Englishman but published in the USA, so I don't know whether he's saying it was popular in England or in the USA.) I can't draw a clear line from that to the formation being called "Sicilian Circle", and I have no evidence about how popular "Le Sicilienne" was, but at some point after that - and it might be some time in the mid-20th century, for all I know - that was the established name for the formation. Hope that helps! Full Posting at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers/message/3039 What Elias Howe has to say in 1859: SICILIAN CIRCLE (form as for Spanish dance) 100 steps All balance, swing four hands-ladies chain-balance to partners and turn-right and left-all forward and back, forward and cross to face the next couple. So note that this is Howe calling a specific dance "Sicilian Circle" and identifying it as "form as for Spanish dance"; to Howe, "Sicilian Circle" isn't a genre. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = English Ceilidh Discussion Group: http://www.cix.co.uk/~net-services/ec/#bp Callers' Discussion List http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers Traditional Dance Callers List http://groups.yahoo.com/group/trad-dance-callers ECD mailing list http://www.bacds.org/mailman/listinfo/ecd = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk <http://www.contrafusion.co.uk/> for Dancing in Kent

14 years, 1 month

Etymology of "Sicilian Circle"

by John Sweeney

I have a Sicilian lady at our dances who is demanding to know why the formation is known as a "Sicilian Circle". Can anyone help? Thanks, 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

unwelcome behavior

by JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

In regards to unwelcome behavior at a dance, our community has a middle-aged man who zeros in on the (very thin) young women (we're a college town), and lifts them off the floor, swings them around, drops their heads towards the floor, etc. I watched him drop a first-time dancer, TWICE in one night. I saw her go to the restroom and followed her. She was unhurt but badly shaken and in tears. As a member of the organizing committee, I had a talk with him and he denied vehemently everything I saw, saying that she "fell." I told him someone cannot "fall" if their feet are in the air to start with. As lead, his job is to take care of his partner. On his behalf, let me say that many of the young women enjoy his moves, but many do not. Because of this dancer, another local community passed a policy that requires dancers to keep one foot on the floor at all times. I felt that policy was a message to young people that they didn't want young people coming to their dances as dips and aerials (done carefully and well) are how they like to dance. After much discussion our Board passed a policy that clearly outlines our requirements regarding moves which lift someone off the floor, but the thing I like best is that it outlines behavior for ALL dancers to follow. It is a personal peeve of mine when women (and sometimes men) complain about a dancer behind his back but will not tell the dancer what he is doing inappropriate. That sometimes makes it hard to confront the person because he will say, "I've never had any complaints." Our rambunctious dancer has been following these guidelines very well for several months now. Here is a link to the full policy: http://godsdance.org/GODS/New_to_Contra_files/safe%20dancing%20policy.pdf JoLaine

14 years, 1 month

11th hour appeal for substitute caller at Burning Man

by Mark Stowe

Hi, As many of you know, we are contradancing at the Burning Man festival in NV at the end of the month for the second year with a great 3 band lineup - Lift Ticket, Noreaster and Double Apex http://burningmancontradance.com. Our main caller is Dave Eisenstadter with Doug McLean, Jeff Spero (who is also one of the musicians) and Tracy Feldman (who is a beginning caller but has the advantage that she can firedance while she calls). Our last caller was going to be Tara Bolker but she has had to reluctantly drop out for family reasons. Which leads me to ask - do any of you know of anyone with calling talent who is going, has gone in the past or could perhaps be persuaded to go to Burning Man this year (I have some extra tickets, but no more money to subsidize). Finally if you go to our web page, follow the 'if you want to camp with us..." link and skim through to the end you will find my discussion about how I hope to keep the camp going in the future without my heavy subsidies. Starting next year we will have a Kickstarter campaign (check wikipedia page if unfamiliar) and have ~$300 camp dues to cover food water and bringing in the talent (separate from the Burning Man gate fee). There are no guarantees we will get enough response to cover the costs but I am hopeful. But you could say that a selling point for anyone considering coming is that this is the last year that it is guaranteed to happen. Finally I would humbly suggest looking at my somewhat unusual take on an intro- to- contra page linked from the main page. Thanks and best wishes, Mark 352 373 3202

14 years, 1 month

Payment to performers

by Jim Phillips

Sue Robishaw Can't get through to you using Sue(a)manytracks.com as I found it on the list. Can you send a working email address? Thanks Much, Jim Austin, TX "It's OK, I'm a Contra Dancer"

14 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 83, Issue 21

by Martha Wild

Greg, Really, Greg, you are assuming way too much. I didn't say I had trouble keeping a crowd in order. I was talking about our beginner session. If I have a very small group of beginners, I sometimes don't use the mike - but if the diameter of the initial circle I use to teach some figures in is beyond a certain size, I have to. Not everyone participates in the beginner session, many people come in and are socializing while the newcomers are being taught. That means there is some volume in a rather vibrant hall. I'm not about to prevent people from greeting their friends while I teach. In addition, we have an older crowd here, some of whom are hard of hearing and they certainly can't here me without the mike. I do not crank the volume on the headset mike, and since the hall is long, and people enter at the back and I teach near the front, I don't need to overwhelm anyone with the volume. But I do need the mike to teach. Just because you are a guy with a big voice and you don't like headset mikes doesn't mean everyone can do it your way, or that it is the only way. Good for you, use whatever you like. I will use the headset mike. Oh, and once the real dance starts, I don't seem to have trouble with people ignoring the caller because I had the mike on during the beginner session. Martha Wild On Jul 23, 2011, at 9:00 AM, 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. looking for "Mad Robin in Love" (Deborah Comly) > 2. Re: Callers Digest, Vol 83, Issue 7 (Dennis Merritt) > 3. Head Mikes and Mike Heads (Greg McKenzie) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:15:12 -0700 > From: Deborah Comly <debcomly(a)gmail.com> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <Callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Callers] looking for "Mad Robin in Love" > Message-ID: > <CAC1TBK2Tziyxh=kpGFRL1PFUgekZD=xETteQnDZcO15LJ7F=Pg(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Hi I am looking for a dance, "Mad Robin in Love," by Greg Frock. > > Thanks! Deb > > -- > Deb Comly > Flagstaff, AZ > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 00:48:32 -0400 > From: Dennis Merritt <dennismerritt1(a)gmail.com> > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Subject: Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 83, Issue 7 > Message-ID: > <CAAn1myVRDUeh9ZS_YRXFHcF_7W7k+k=WEVSoe-ifC93OUZdbJA(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > I've taught many beginning ladies how to keep a strong dance frame, > how to > use it to regulate the degree of closeness with whoever is swinging > them. > It seemed to me simple for women to learn how to deal with men > that try to > hold them too close. > > And then I started dancing the woman's role from time to time, and > in one > dance in particular, there was a shadow swing, and my shadow was a > larger > man, probably with issues, uncomfortable with a man dancing the > woman's > role, and he grabbed me tight and got all romantic, as a joke?, but > it was > very uncomfortable to me, and he was larger than me, and I couldn't > get > extracted, and didn't say anything, and felt I understood... > > Dennis > > On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 6:47 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: mental health and dance calling (Amy Cann) >> 2. Re: mental health and dance calling (Bree Kalb) >> 3. Re: mental health and dance calling (Amy Cann) >> 4. Re: mental health and dance calling (Martha Edwards) >> 5. Re: unwelcome behavior (Martha Edwards) >> 6. alternate formations (Richard Mckeever) >> 7. Re: alternate formations (Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing) >> >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> - >> >> Message: 1 >> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 12:03:17 -0400 >> From: Amy Cann <acann(a)putneyschool.org> >> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: Re: [Callers] mental health and dance calling >> Message-ID: >> <CALZWU+t7PGH_zRxzfR >> +tUy2=DJHrFtrpxkm=w4CC9Hvk0Focsg(a)mail.gmail.com >>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> >> It's funny, I'm listening to all of these stories and thinking >> about the >> creepers I've run into over the years, and I'm thinking to myself: >> >> "Well, it's really quite simple, isn't it? Ladies, if a gent is being >> inappropriate, walk away! >> >> Just wait until you're out at the top or bottom, turn to him and >> say 'I am >> uncomfortable with what you are doing and am not going to finish >> this dance >> with you' -- and then do it. Walk off. And if he's really >> offensive, don't >> wait until the end, bail out right then and there. The world won't >> end if a >> line of dancers has to cope with a hole. What's more important, >> ten more >> minutes of perfect dancing for that line, at that dance, or a >> really good >> behavior-modification moment that will actually improve the dance >> community >> more in the long run?" >> >> And yet it isn't that simple, is it? We don't do it. We have these >> halls >> just filled with women who are about as uniformly >> modern/educated/self-actuated/socially conscious/feminist as it >> gets, who >> spend our days running businesses or doing high end IT/research >> -- or >> teaching children or counseling teens or lobbying to pass laws on >> issues >> just like this -- and not once in my experience have I ever known >> a woman >> to >> say "Nope, enough, not going to let you do this." >> >> Heck, I've marched eighth grade boys (and girls) off the >> playground for >> inappropriate behavior without a flinch, but at a dance, when it's >> *me? >> *I've >> been groped and dipped and clenched a few times over the years and >> the most >> overt thing I've ever done is reached back, grabbed his hand, >> moved it up >> about six inches to the small of my back, and said "works much >> better for >> me >> if you keep your hand *there". *The other times, I've simply >> become ice >> cold/distant and stopped making eye contact - which can be quite the >> putdown >> if you really work it, smile and nod at all of your neighbors but >> shut down >> completely every time you return to your partner. But have I truly >> called >> them out on it? No. And neither have any of my peers. >> >> Food for thought. >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 2 >> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 13:15:09 -0400 >> From: "Bree Kalb" <bree(a)mindspring.com> >> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: Re: [Callers] mental health and dance calling >> Message-ID: <36DF3156E5FA448B88FBF5C1106D581C@BreeHomeLaptop> >> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; >> reply-type=original >> >> Amy wrote: But have I truly called >> them out on it? No. And neither have any of my peers. >> >> I have. >> Now that I'm older, it doesn't happen as often, but still does >> occasionally. >> I've put my left palm against a man's shoulder and pushed him >> back, saying: >> "I don't want to dance that close.' Or: "I don't sleaze dance." >> The next >> time they've asked me to dance, I've said "I'll only dance with >> you again >> if you don't (do that particular thing again.)" They've always >> agreed and >> behaved themselves, for that dance. When I come to them in the >> line, I >> automatically push them back a little. But I know I'm an >> exception; the >> younger, shyer women don't feel comfortable setting limits. Even >> someone >> like Amy (who I surmise is not particularly shy) is uneasy being >> so bold. >> So it's important that the organizers pay attention and act. Our >> board >> actually banned a guy from dancing because he was preying on >> teenage girls; >> other dance organizers in the area followed suit. >> >> Bree Kalb >> Carrboro >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 3 >> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 13:27:09 -0400 >> From: Amy Cann <acann(a)putneyschool.org> >> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: Re: [Callers] mental health and dance calling >> Message-ID: >> <CALZWU+s=JBRxuF8ZvN6_vwBDE >> +iQ6D6q_8727TRiseZ8CvNS9Q(a)mail.gmail.com >>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> >> I'll bet this discussion is going to continue for a bit, so let's >> clarify: >> >> I've ALWAYS made people stop what they are doing -- made them >> leave more >> room, move a hand -- I've just always done it non-verbally. If I >> don't want >> to be dipped, I don't get dipped -- I can shift my weight or go >> inert in >> ways that make it impossible. I'm not shy about taking care of >> myself, and >> that cold/silent treatment is pretty darn harsh/unmistakable (just >> ask my >> husband :) >> >> But on reflection, it's always been a private interchange. By >> "calling >> out", >> I mean it in the most specific way: calling them out from the >> crowd, into >> the spotlight, to be addressed in front of an audience. I've very >> rarely >> seen this happen, and have never heard of a woman walking off the >> floor >> mid-dance. >> >> >> >> >> >> On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 1:15 PM, Bree Kalb <bree(a)mindspring.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Amy wrote: But have I truly called >>> >>> them out on it? No. And neither have any of my peers. >>> >>> I have. >>> Now that I'm older, it doesn't happen as often, but still does >>> occasionally. >>> I've put my left palm against a man's shoulder and pushed him back, >> saying: >>> "I don't want to dance that close.' Or: "I don't sleaze dance." >>> The next >>> time they've asked me to dance, I've said "I'll only dance with you >> again >>> if you don't (do that particular thing again.)" They've always >>> agreed and >>> behaved themselves, for that dance. When I come to them in the >>> line, I >>> automatically push them back a little. But I know I'm an >>> exception; the >>> younger, shyer women don't feel comfortable setting limits. Even >>> someone >>> like Amy (who I surmise is not particularly shy) is uneasy being >>> so bold. >> So >>> it's important that the organizers pay attention and act. Our board >> actually >>> banned a guy from dancing because he was preying on teenage >>> girls; other >>> dance organizers in the area followed suit. >>> >>> Bree Kalb >>> Carrboro >>> ______________________________**_________________ >>> Callers mailing list >>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers< >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 4 >> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 14:32:07 -0500 >> From: Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com> >> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: Re: [Callers] mental health and dance calling >> Message-ID: >> <CAJjmMcPtmmmmaO5KSLND- >> SEw3Bop2YQADhO2w7xSqtCsQNG=yA(a)mail.gmail.com >>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >> >> Good points, all, as usual. >> >> The more difficult problem is how to keep the creeps from behaving >> that way >> with younger, or newer, dancers, who don't know yet what sort of >> atmosphere >> we generally maintain, and are reluctant to "cause a scene". >> Mostly, I >> think, if it's too bad, they just go away, never to return and >> find out >> that >> 99% of dancers would never think of acting that way. >> >> So, when we tell these folks a direct "NO" (and we should, oh yes, we >> should!) we can do those dancers a favor and tell the creeps >> exactly what >> they did that was offensive. Tell them what they did and how you >> feel about >> it. And tell a trustworthy board member. >> >> I admit I haven't always been direct with people on my own behalf >> - I just >> get away and move on. Oddly, I'm much more comfortable speaking to >> these >> folks on behalf of others. No fear. Wonder what that's about. >> >> M >> E >> >> On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 12:27 PM, Amy Cann <acann(a)putneyschool.org> >> wrote: >> >>> I'll bet this discussion is going to continue for a bit, so let's >> clarify: >>> >>> I've ALWAYS made people stop what they are doing -- made them >>> leave more >>> room, move a hand -- I've just always done it non-verbally. If I >>> don't >> want >>> to be dipped, I don't get dipped -- I can shift my weight or go >>> inert in >>> ways that make it impossible. I'm not shy about taking care of >>> myself, >> and >>> that cold/silent treatment is pretty darn harsh/unmistakable >>> (just ask my >>> husband :) >>> >>> But on reflection, it's always been a private interchange. By >>> "calling >>> out", >>> I mean it in the most specific way: calling them out from the >>> crowd, into >>> the spotlight, to be addressed in front of an audience. I've very >>> rarely >>> seen this happen, and have never heard of a woman walking off the >>> floor >>> mid-dance. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 1:15 PM, Bree Kalb <bree(a)mindspring.com> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> Amy wrote: But have I truly called >>>> >>>> them out on it? No. And neither have any of my peers. >>>> >>>> I have. >>>> Now that I'm older, it doesn't happen as often, but still does >>>> occasionally. >>>> I've put my left palm against a man's shoulder and pushed him back, >>> saying: >>>> "I don't want to dance that close.' Or: "I don't sleaze dance." The >> next >>>> time they've asked me to dance, I've said "I'll only dance with >>>> you >>> again >>>> if you don't (do that particular thing again.)" They've always >>>> agreed >> and >>>> behaved themselves, for that dance. When I come to them in the >>>> line, I >>>> automatically push them back a little. But I know I'm an >>>> exception; the >>>> younger, shyer women don't feel comfortable setting limits. Even >> someone >>>> like Amy (who I surmise is not particularly shy) is uneasy being so >> bold. >>> So >>>> it's important that the organizers pay attention and act. Our board >>> actually >>>> banned a guy from dancing because he was preying on teenage girls; >> other >>>> dance organizers in the area followed suit. >>>> >>>> Bree Kalb >>>> Carrboro >>>> ______________________________**_________________ >>>> Callers mailing list >>>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers< >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Callers mailing list >>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> As you set out for Ithaka, pray that your journey be long, full of >> adventure, full of discovery... >> May there be many summer mornings when, with what pleasure, with >> what joy, >> you enter harbors you're seeing for the first time. >> ~Constantine Cavafy, "Ithaka" 1911 >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 5 >> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 15:09:25 -0500 >> From: Martha Edwards <meedwards(a)westendweb.com> >> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: Re: [Callers] unwelcome behavior >> Message-ID: >> >> <CAJjmMcPMteUijM5uawWOCauvUZvwJGJVL05Dkkca=Bb6j9pssg(a)mail.gmail.com >>> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 >> >> Here, it's easy. We don't allow lifting people off the floor. >> >> We have one person with a very mild mental illness who wasn't >> judging very >> well when to do it and when not, and wasn't always doing it >> safely, so we >> just made it a rule, not to be broken, that no one does it, to >> make it >> easier for him to remember. >> >> We also have a board member who loves doing aerials, does them >> with safety >> and with permission and all other good stuff, but he can't do it >> at our >> dances either, just because the hard-and-fast rule is the only way >> we can >> keep the rest of us from being cut off at the knees when the other >> guy was >> swinging new dancers off their feet and their legs cut a six-foot >> circle >> sweep. >> >> I also saw a caller in Kansas City stop a dance once and tell a >> particularly >> aggressive dancer to stop lifting people off the ground. "I have >> liability >> here, and I'm not going to continue calling if you keep doing >> that." I >> think the dancers applauded. >> >> I had the pleasure of meeting Frankie Manning, who invented the >> aerial in >> swing dancing in 1935, and was particularly impressed with the >> amount of >> practice he and his partner did before they ever tried it on a >> dance floor >> - >> with mattresses covering the floor of his living room while they >> learned >> how. >> >> M >> E >> >> On Sat, Jul 9, 2011 at 10:22 AM, Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> I would love to hear how other dance communities have dealt with >>> this >>> issue. >>> >>> - Greg McKenzie >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Callers mailing list >>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >>> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 6 >> Date: Sat, 9 Jul 2011 14:12:41 -0700 (PDT) >> From: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com> >> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: [Callers] alternate formations >> Message-ID: >> <1310245961.53389.YahooMailNeo(a)web120406.mail.ne1.yahoo.com> >> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii >> >> Here is a new topic... >> >> Recently I have noticed that many of the programs presented have >> consisted >> solely of duple improper contras with a couple Becket dances >> thrown in for >> variety. >> >> I would be interesting to hear how other callers incorporate other >> formations in their programs and how they and the dancer feel >> about it >> >> This would include - but not be limited to: >> >> circles dances >> Sicilian circles >> Squares >> 4 facing 4 >> triple minors >> scatter mixers >> other?? >> >> Comments by formation would be interesting as would regional >> variations in >> programming >> >> Mac McKeever >> St Louis >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Message: 7 >> Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2011 15:22:23 -0700 (PDT) >> From: Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing >> <winston(a)slac.stanford.edu> >> To: Richard Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com> >> Cc: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> >> Subject: Re: [Callers] alternate formations >> Message-ID: <01O3G5YHDG8WBPO4IB(a)SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU> >> Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=us-ascii >> >> Mac asked about how other callerrs incorporate other formations >> into their >> programs. >> >> >> I call English (for 25+ years), barn dances, historical-themed >> (Regency/Early >> American, Civil War, Dickens) and contra (for the last five or so >> years, >> but >> only a few times a year). >> >> My answers are different for each kind of thing. >> >> For English, I typically call more duple minor (usually proper) than >> anything >> else, but try to mix it up with small-set dances (two-couple set, >> three-couple >> set, squares) and a triple minor or two in an evening. Since >> tunes go with >> particular dances, I also consider variety in mood, key, meter, >> and tempo >> when >> I'm making up the program. (I'll also use what I know about the >> musicians >> I >> have that night and try to keep away from notey reels for a >> fiddler with >> tendinitis, bias toward Bb tunes if I have a cello player, etc.) >> >> For barn dances, anything goes. Sicilians, threesome Sicilians, big >> circles, >> grand march, circle mixer, whatever. >> >> For historically-themed, it depends somewhat on what I can justify >> historically, so Regency has lots of longways duples and some >> triples, >> mixed >> with an occasional three-couple set (adapted from a triple minor, >> like >> Fandango, Prince William, etc), interspersed with waltzes. >> >> For Civil War / Victorian, Sicilians, threesome Sicilians, whole >> sets in >> longways formation (Gothic Dance, Virginia Reel/Roger de >> Coverley), mixed >> up >> with waltzes, polkas, schottisches and galops. >> >> Around here (SF Bay Area) if you do a whole evening of duple-minor >> improper >> contras at a contra dance, nobody complains about it. Some >> callers like to >> include a square or two in an evening. A noticeable number of >> people will >> sit >> down if they realize it's a square. (As a dancer, I've had a >> partner bail >> on >> me when she realized it was a square.) That doesn't happen as >> much at >> local >> weekend or week-long camps, but at regular dances with local >> callers, 10% >> or >> more of the people who'd be up for a contra sit down for a >> square. I'm not >> the >> miracle square dance caller who's going to change their minds >> about it, >> either, >> so I don't program squares. >> >> When I first started calling contras here, my ten-dance program >> might have >> a >> circle mixer in slot three and a triplet sometime after the >> break. I've >> had >> complaints relayed to me about calling 'gimmicky' dances, and I >> wasn't >> getting >> great response from the triplets, so I've dropped those. I want >> to get >> invited >> back to call again, and I don't need to change everybody's mind >> about what >> a >> good time is. >> >> My most recent program (a very successful outing in Monterey last >> month) >> had a >> circle mixer in slot three (setting the ground for the poussette >> figure I >> used >> in "Joyride" later) and a four-face-four right after the break, >> and I got >> positive response to both of those. (The music was great; if it >> weren't I >> could have had the best program in the world and it wouldn't have >> been a >> wonderful evening.) >> >> -- 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 >> >> ===================================================================== >> ========== >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >> >> >> End of Callers Digest, Vol 83, Issue 7 >> ************************************** >> > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 07:36:32 -0700 > From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Callers] Head Mikes and Mike Heads > Message-ID: > <CAFqkWLuYAUE5e1qyv7f5ae9z1dWa2GCf1Q5ZLR3FfWG1Kssp8Q(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote: > >> Well, I love a headset mike. I don't have a loud voice, and no >> amount of >> voice training is going to give me one. If there are more than a few >> newcomers, and a small number of people in the hall talking, I >> will be >> hoarse by the time I finish the beginners workshop without a >> headset mike. >> > > I don't know what kind of voice training you have had. It > certainly is > possible to learn how increase your volume without causing > additional stress > on your voice. That, however, misses the whole point. Volume is > just one > tool we can use as masters-of-ceremony, but it is a poor substitute > for > learning how to earn and hold the attention of a crowd. > > Learning how to earn and hold attention is a core calling skill. > Cranking > up the volume and bludgeoning the crowd into submission with higher > decibels > is all too common at all kinds of events using a PA system. On its > own this > tactic naturally results in a much higher noise level in the room and > increased stress for everyone. This kind of thing can make you > tired just > by being in the room. Fortunately, most good callers have learned > that this > tactic has major pitfalls. Those with naturally loud voices are > usually the > worst offenders because they have learned to shout down competition > and > dominate the sound space. This is a poor communication strategy. > It can be > effective in the moment but over the course of the evening the > caller loses > the respect of the dancers. > > Excellent callers know how to manage the communication process. > Who are you > competing with for attention and why? Is there some way to > accommodate the > other communication processes going on? How do you pace the > evening to give > everyone a chance to communicate easily? A large part of the > reason people > attend social events is to talk, and isn't it the caller's job to > accommodate that? Do you provide cues and time to allow dancers to > transition gracefully from social talking to a walk-through? Do > you work > with the band to provide clear transitions to gather folks into the > hall or > to switch from socializing to listening? Does the band understand > when to > remain quiet themselves? Do you start with instructions that require > physical movement of the dancers? Is it clear to the dancers that > listening > to the caller is the quickest and most effective way that they can > achieve > their own personal goals? Is the information you're giving out > essential? > Do you choose your words carefully, articulate well, and speak > slowly and > clearly? > > A first-timers orientation session is problematic for numerous > reasons. If > the session is held in the main hall, using the PA system violates > the first > rule of microphone etiquette because you are speaking to a smaller > group > over the mike. (Always speak to the entire hall when when using a > microphone!) Consequently you are training everyone else in the > room to > ignore your voice--a questionable strategy for a caller on its > face. If you > attempt to teach any dance figures in your session you will face the > additional problem created by spreading the listeners into a line, > which > makes it more difficult to speak without a mike. (This is one of many > reasons I recommend *not *teaching any figures during the optional > first-timer's orientation.) It is much more effective to teach the > basics > of walking and giving weight in a small circle where you can > communicate > without a mike and keep the session under 10-15 minutes. > > We spend a lot of time here talking about sound engineering issues, > microphones, and monitor speakers. It might be more productive to > discuss > how the caller can manage their own communication as well as the > entire > hall. When used appropriately an unamplified whisper can be much more > effective than shouting through an expensive PA system. It's not the > volume. > > -Greg McKenzie (who has a degree in Speech Communication and sometimes > obsesses about these things) > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 83, Issue 21 > ***************************************

14 years, 1 month

Head Mikes and Mike Heads

by Greg McKenzie

Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote: > Well, I love a headset mike. I don't have a loud voice, and no amount of > voice training is going to give me one. If there are more than a few > newcomers, and a small number of people in the hall talking, I will be > hoarse by the time I finish the beginners workshop without a headset mike. > I don't know what kind of voice training you have had. It certainly is possible to learn how increase your volume without causing additional stress on your voice. That, however, misses the whole point. Volume is just one tool we can use as masters-of-ceremony, but it is a poor substitute for learning how to earn and hold the attention of a crowd. Learning how to earn and hold attention is a core calling skill. Cranking up the volume and bludgeoning the crowd into submission with higher decibels is all too common at all kinds of events using a PA system. On its own this tactic naturally results in a much higher noise level in the room and increased stress for everyone. This kind of thing can make you tired just by being in the room. Fortunately, most good callers have learned that this tactic has major pitfalls. Those with naturally loud voices are usually the worst offenders because they have learned to shout down competition and dominate the sound space. This is a poor communication strategy. It can be effective in the moment but over the course of the evening the caller loses the respect of the dancers. Excellent callers know how to manage the communication process. Who are you competing with for attention and why? Is there some way to accommodate the other communication processes going on? How do you pace the evening to give everyone a chance to communicate easily? A large part of the reason people attend social events is to talk, and isn't it the caller's job to accommodate that? Do you provide cues and time to allow dancers to transition gracefully from social talking to a walk-through? Do you work with the band to provide clear transitions to gather folks into the hall or to switch from socializing to listening? Does the band understand when to remain quiet themselves? Do you start with instructions that require physical movement of the dancers? Is it clear to the dancers that listening to the caller is the quickest and most effective way that they can achieve their own personal goals? Is the information you're giving out essential? Do you choose your words carefully, articulate well, and speak slowly and clearly? A first-timers orientation session is problematic for numerous reasons. If the session is held in the main hall, using the PA system violates the first rule of microphone etiquette because you are speaking to a smaller group over the mike. (Always speak to the entire hall when when using a microphone!) Consequently you are training everyone else in the room to ignore your voice--a questionable strategy for a caller on its face. If you attempt to teach any dance figures in your session you will face the additional problem created by spreading the listeners into a line, which makes it more difficult to speak without a mike. (This is one of many reasons I recommend *not *teaching any figures during the optional first-timer's orientation.) It is much more effective to teach the basics of walking and giving weight in a small circle where you can communicate without a mike and keep the session under 10-15 minutes. We spend a lot of time here talking about sound engineering issues, microphones, and monitor speakers. It might be more productive to discuss how the caller can manage their own communication as well as the entire hall. When used appropriately an unamplified whisper can be much more effective than shouting through an expensive PA system. It's not the volume. -Greg McKenzie (who has a degree in Speech Communication and sometimes obsesses about these things)

14 years, 1 month

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