I'm fairly new to the list and I too, have trouble locating what I'm looking
for in these emails. Not only are the subject lines misleading, but we see
all the headers and footers and other such clutter. Has anyone considered
something like a facebook or google group? It is a much more elegant
approach and will allow sharing of documents, photos, etc.
JoLaine Jones-Pokorney
I get the digest. I have two choices.
1. Reply to the digest mailing. This allows me to clip and reference the
pertinent comments. Doesn't allow me to change the title.
2. Reply to sharedweight.net. I can title, but no letter text goes with me.
I can cut and paste, taking a little extra time.
Moderators, is there a rule I missed? Let me know your preferences. Thanks.
Keith Tuxhorn
Austin
On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 11:00 AM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote:
> Send Callers mailing list submissions to
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>
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> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
> than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Please use appropriate subject heading (Liz and Bill)
> 2. Re: Please use appropriate subject heading (Greg McKenzie)
> 3. Re: Compact dances (Lisa Greenleaf)
> 4. Re: Please use appropriate subject heading (Martha Edwards)
> 5. Re: ONS Dance - Accretion Reel (Laur)
> 6. Re: ONS Dance - Accretion Reel (Jack Mitchell)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:06:46 +1300
> From: Liz and Bill <staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Please use appropriate subject heading
> Message-ID: <4D8FA6E6.50400(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Hi Folks,
>
> This is a great forum, and I often search over the past posts. We have
> a
> few threads
> going which have subjects unrelated to their content. "Quadrille Formation
> and ONS"
> is about dance space. "Callers Digest ... " is uninformative. Please take
> care
> to change subject when appropriate. Thanks.
>
> Cheers, Bill
>
>
>
>
Thanks Bill for bringing up this reminder of listserv courtesy!
I am a "digest" receiver, and it took me less than 8 seconds to cut and paste the subject line to which I was responding and to delete the content of irrelevant posts from my reply. Small price to pay for an act of consideration to the rest of the list participants (especially given that I'd like to benefit from that same consideration myself - namely irrelevant info deleted (aaah! not again!! not more scrolling down thru all the posts in the entire digest!!!) and a relevant subject line inserted.)
Thanks!
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast ME
> From: Liz and Bill <staf186(a)ext.canterbury.ac.nz>
> Hi Folks,
>
> This is a great forum, and I often search over the past posts. We have a
> few threads
> going which have subjects unrelated to their content. "Quadrille Formation and ONS"
> is about dance space. "Callers Digest ... " is uninformative. Please take care
> to change subject when appropriate. Thanks.
>
> Cheers, Bill
>
Lisa Greenleaf has been a key organizer for the dances at NEFFA, known
for (giant) packed halls. I believe she told me once she has a list of
moves that she recommends callers avoid -- but I don't remember what
they are. Anyone got NEFFA experience?
~ Becky Nankivell
Tucson, AZ and Long Beach, CA
On Sat, Mar 26, 2011 at 12:06 AM, Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> What I would like is for people to make suggestions of fun, flowing
> dances that are compact, especially in their width. I think having a "list"
> or some other organizing format, of these "compact dances" would greatly
> enhance our toolboxes. What do you think?
>
> Paul
Hi,
I call some ONS dances now and then and like The Carding (from Dudley Laufman's "Sweets of May" book), a quadrille that can accommodate varying numbers of couples which is something I love in any ONS dance. The dancers enjoy it and it's fun to call. But I'm challenged in the beginning to get the dancers in formation (if I or someone isn't on the floor to help). Squares aren't intuitive for many folks. And once in a square they really balk at adding extra couples to the sides, in spite of assurances that it really is OK. Once we're on our way all is fine and everyone is happy. But I'd like to be better at getting the dancers comfortably in a quadrille/square formation when it is new for many. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Sue Robishaw
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
PS - I'll add my vote for Snowball. The AABB version works for 3, 4 or 5 couples, though I often do top couple to the bottom at the end. I didn't know it had a CC part.
>
>
> Alan said that the 'chase' figure was originally found in Playford?
> s 1701 ed,
> Cheshire Rounds, a longways duple minor formation like contra. It
> then migrated
> across the sea to become incorporated into Appalachian dancing. Ted
> Sanella
> encountered the move in these old-time southern Appalachian square
> dances, and
Was that figure found in an Appalachian or western square? Or both?
I think the whole point of a North Country Ladies' Chain is that the man
DOESN'T turn around (them Northerners being a lazy bunch apparently!).
Yes, I was taught originally that the man just stands still. After the
lady has turned under his hand he lowers his left hand and changes the
lady's left hand from his left hand to his right hand behind his back,
drawing the lady across to his right.
However, with the flowing choreography of a modern contra dance I would
always be more sympathetic - I make it very clear that I am doing
something different by bringing my left hand down strongly as soon as
the lady has gone under it and I step forwards slightly, then as I
change hands behind my back I step to the left as I draw the lady to my
right. It should be a smooth and pleasing experience for both parties.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events, Instructional DVDs and
Interactive Maps
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Contra Dancing in Kent
On Sat, Mar 26, 2011 at 12:06 AM, Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> What I would like is for people to make suggestions of fun, flowing
> dances that are compact, especially in their width. I think having a "list"
> or some other organizing format, of these "compact dances" would greatly
> enhance our toolboxes. What do you think?
>
> Paul
> ______________________________
>
Hi Paul,
Good topic, thanks for starting it.
I remember being at a crowded dance in Montpelier with Nils Fredland
calling, and he did 4 face 4 dances. I was initially surprised, but it made
good use of the space. By merging two sets laterally it eliminated the space
that would normally be between those sets and made folks aware of 7 other
dancers instead of 3 other dancers.
I think it depends on the geometry of the hall, but 4 face 4 dances can be
good, non-obvious, efficient use of space. Just something to add to that
part of your tool-box.
--
Luke Donev
http://www.lukedonev.com
Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
-If I'm going to a new hall, I ask the dance organizer beforehand about the
hall. Is it longways? Square? Are there posts/pillars within the dance
floor?
-Next I ask how full the hall gets. When the lines only fill up to 3/4 of
the hall, you can still do pretty much any move.
-Dance organizers with experience will often know specifics to tell a
caller, and sometimes won't even wait for you to ask. It was a great help,
before calling the Seattle Phinney Ridge dance for the first time, for
organizer Tom Wimmer to tell me the hall is filled from end to end, so don't
call any down-the-hall dances. Maybe in the first dance, but forget it
afterwards... He was right!
-Paul, I don't think a hey is a problem. Look at the shape from a bird's-eye
view. It's a narrow line, and can be made narrower by dancers with
experience. That move isn't a "space hog".
-Luke, I think a 4-face-4 is a space hog in length, but can help in width.
Although if you've been dancing with two lines for the rest of the night,
I'm sure hoping hall width hasn't been a problem!
-Down the hall, and 4-face-4, are the first things to go for me in space
restricted halls. Most other moves can be made to fit, or fit better.
Keith Tuxhorn, Austin
My first suggestion would be to eliminate or highly restrict moves like a
> full hey in these situations. What I would like is for people to make
> suggestions of fun, flowing dances that are compact, especially in their
> width.
> I think having a "list" or some other organizing format, of these "compact
> dances" would greatly enhance our toolboxes. What do you think?
>
> This list is truly amazing. Thank you everyone.
>
> warmest regards,
> Paul
>
>
>
>
> Hi Paul,
>
> Good topic, thanks for starting it.
>
> I remember being at a crowded dance in Montpelier with Nils Fredland
> calling, and he did 4 face 4 dances. I was initially surprised, but it made
> good use of the space. By merging two sets laterally it eliminated the
> space
> that would normally be between those sets and made folks aware of 7 other
> dancers instead of 3 other dancers.
>
> I think it depends on the geometry of the hall, but 4 face 4 dances can be
> good, non-obvious, efficient use of space. Just something to add to that
> part of your tool-box.
>
> --
> Luke Donev
> http://www.lukedonev.com
> Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
>
>
> ----------
A good simple dance for a crowded hall is Joseph Taulane's "Steve's
Swing." I like to use it as the last dance of the evening. It is
available in "California Twirls," so perhaps I shouldn't write it out
here. It has a swing actives, but that can be easily switched back
and forth for the 1s and 2s to do.
Martha
On Mar 26, 2011, at 9:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 01:06:12 -0400
> From: Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Quadrille Formation and ONS
> Message-ID:
> <AANLkTi=W=i+zOZLMv+oMM89kRoxnats4cwT_bBFZCEu2(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Most esteemed colleagues,
>
> I danced at Rehoboth tonight and a most unusual and wonderful thing
> happened. Lisa Greenleaf walked us through a dance, saw that we
> were too
> crowded and that some of the moves were going to be especially
> uncomfortable, and told us to talk among ourselves while she picked
> out
> another dance. I might add that this is a very popular dance, and
> 3 full
> lines are comfortable in the hall and 4 lines are definitely
> pushing the
> limit, especially if there are some dancers being a little over
> zealous or
> not watching their set spacing. We've probably all been in this
> situation
> at least once as dancers.
>
> This is the first time I can ever remember someone changing a dance
> because
> it was too crowded for that particular set of moves. Occasionally
> we, as
> callers, switch dances after a walkthrough because what we first
> had in mind
> might be looking a bit too challenging for the particular mix
> before us.
> But never can I remember a caller changing dances after a walkthrough
> because of space. Thank you Lisa.
>
> I would love to start a thread on this mostly overlooked (unless I
> missed
> something earlier on), but very dear to my heart, topic. Far too
> often have
> I been in a hall that was too tight for certain sequences, but it
> seems that
> maybe the caller came with a set program and wasn't willing to
> modify dance
> selections based on this most important criteria. Most dances are
> made up
> of a wide range of ages, and crowded halls where people are getting
> knocked
> around and bumped is uncomfortable, not all that much fun, and
> especially
> unfair to older dancers.
>
> My first suggestion would be to eliminate or highly restrict moves
> like a
> full hey in these situations. What I would like is for people to make
> suggestions of fun, flowing dances that are compact, especially in
> their
> width.
> I think having a "list" or some other organizing format, of these
> "compact
> dances" would greatly enhance our toolboxes. What do you think?
>
> This list is truly amazing. Thank you everyone.
>
> warmest regards,
> Paul
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 09:49:04 -0500
> From: Luke Donev <luke.donev(a)gmail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Compact dances
> Message-ID:
> <AANLkTimCuraxuOrVwjmgWsYMtNqaqicrmXS-9osSvC+K(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> On Sat, Mar 26, 2011 at 12:06 AM, Paul Wilde <zenyente(a)gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> What I would like is for people to make suggestions of fun, flowing
>> dances that are compact, especially in their width. I think having
>> a "list"
>> or some other organizing format, of these "compact dances" would
>> greatly
>> enhance our toolboxes. What do you think?
>>
>> Paul
>> ______________________________
>>
>
>
> Hi Paul,
>
> Good topic, thanks for starting it.
>
> I remember being at a crowded dance in Montpelier with Nils Fredland
> calling, and he did 4 face 4 dances. I was initially surprised, but
> it made
> good use of the space. By merging two sets laterally it eliminated
> the space
> that would normally be between those sets and made folks aware of 7
> other
> dancers instead of 3 other dancers.
>
> I think it depends on the geometry of the hall, but 4 face 4 dances
> can be
> good, non-obvious, efficient use of space. Just something to add to
> that
> part of your tool-box.
>
> --
> Luke Donev
> http://www.lukedonev.com
> Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:20:01 -0400 (EDT)
> From: barbara153(a)aol.com
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Quadrille Formation and ONS
> Message-ID: <8CDB9E068D51A3E-D00-23033(a)Webmail-m115.sysops.aol.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
>
> Paul
>
> Barbara G. here. I would be very interested in this list you are
> suggesting about compact dances. I have had the occasion, as I'm
> sure many of us had, to change up my program once I was in the hall
> and saw how crowded it was getting. I have stopped in the middle
> of a walkthrough, to the surprise of several seasoned callers in
> the room, and changed the dance. I didn't know this was a "no no"
> but also I feel you are doing what is best for the dancers. I did
> it without a lot of fuss or explanation and it worked fine.
>
>
>
>
>
>
