I have been asked to call for a new dance group forming in a small town
near our regular dance. Experienced dancers were asked to come help
these absolute newbies, and some local musicians have volunteered their
services. It became obvious that about half the dancers were lesbians
who asked me to use non gender specific terms when calling. I tried
'lead' and 'follow' because the syllable numbers worked, but I'm not
happy with that. I also had some regular dancers comment on not wanting
to deal with 'some' peoples' political agendas as related to contra
calling. I have never dealt with gender free calling and would
appreciate ANY help from those of you who may have been doing it for
years. What terms seem to work best? Any other hints to make things go
more smoothly? These people are very enthusiastic and I want to see
the dance succeed.
On Fri, 3 Dec 2010 23:13:55 -0500,
Amy Cann <acann(a)putneyschool.org> wrote:
> Here's a thought I've been toying with for a while:
>
> A term we use in knitting to identify which way yarn twists is "N-wise
> or Z-wise"
>
> (think of a piece of yarn, look at the slanty lines the plies make, look
> at the center slashes of an N, then a Z. See it?)
>
> How many moves could be identified this way?
>
> "Facing up and down, the first corners on the N diagonal, allemande
> once and a half."
> "Facing across, Z diagonals start a hey by the left"
> "Facing across, N's diagonal chain"
You could do that, but it may be less confusing to just identify whether it's the person on the right or left in the couple:
"Facing up and down, people on the RIGHT allemande once and a half"
"Facing across, people on the LEFT start a hey, passing left shoulders"
"Facing across, person on the RIGHT chain across"
That being said, the one time I called a gender-free dance I just used "bares" and "bands", since that what the dance organizers directed me to do -- I just followed what was their custom, and it worked out fine
Mark Widmer / central NJ
Hooting out a cheer for Amy Cann's entire post re music for dancing. Hallelujah sister. So glad you are out there to offer your 20cents and more. Am sending all of it on to our All-Comers Band leaders as food for thought.
> Newer bands often do things that are "cool" but deadly. One is to pick
> inscrutable tunes -- so inscrutable that noone is quite sure where the A
> part is.
>
> I would probably encourage them to listen to some of the seminal Canterbury
> orchestra/Yankee Ingenuity type albums and start with the chestnuts --
> there's a reason those tunes became "canon." Listen to how the tunes are
> matched -- what are the keys, the personalities? Why do those medleys work?
> There are newer dance-length CD's by longtime bands that are also excellent.
>
> If they already have their own favorite repertoire, have them at least
> screen out the old time tunes where the A and B parts are different by only
> one note -- and the Celtic tunes where they're different by all 64. A good
> dance tune should have a recognizable shape, be kindof singable -- have a
> good mix of note values, neither all sparse quarters or relentless machine
> gun sixteenths.
>
Another cheer for Alan Winston's closing commentary:
> I also think people who insist on
> doing that when it freaks out their neighbors are valuing their own fun more
> highly than the comfort of other people there and are behaving in an
> anti-communitarian way - which is their perfect right, but it's not an
> unalloyed good.
>
> And some of the people who are freaked out are freaked out because if somebody
> they're not expecting comes at them they think somebody (maybe them) are in the
> wrong place and their anxiety level goes up. Not homophobia - just hanging
> onto the dance by their fingernails. That's a good thing to be aware of when
> you're swapping sides in gendered contra land.
>
And a final cheer for Seth and Chris whose great idea of this list has netted so many valuable exchanges since inception.
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
A Rainbow contra dance was recently started here in Seattle. After much
research and discussion, the organizer decided she wanted callers to use
"lead" and "follow." The callers are emphasizing personal choice in
whichever role the dancer wants to play and that they're allowed to switch
throughout the evening and negotiate with each partner who's going to play
each role.
I have a personal dislike for ties, bands, bandannas, etc., because it
hampers movement on the dance floor and doesn't allow for changing roles
easily as you dance. If a person is coming toward you with an outstretched
hand for an allemande, why not assume they know what they're doing instead
of trying to figure out whether they're dancing the "right" role?
I've heard the argument that contra leading/following isn't the same as in
ballroom, but "lead" and "follow" seem less offensive to me than using
gender-specific terms in a gender-free dance. Yes, it's more of a
negotiation than leading in ballroom or swing or blues, but if you can get
past the idea that the lead is actually dictating every move for the follow,
then I think these terms are about as good as any.
Someone suggested using "ones" and "twos," but I'm not seeing how you would
then distinguish between active and inactive couples.
The bathrooms at the Saturn Cafe in Santa Cruz are gender-neutral and use
the terms "robots" and "aliens." How about it? :)
-Marianne
Hi,
We have a group of musicians getting together a band for a new
contra series (hurray!). They are mostly experienced musicians (old
time, celtic) but not for dancing, and most (unfortunately) aren't
dancers. Does anyone have any tune sets of common tunes that they
particularly like? Having had the experience of calling to a rather
amorphous (phrase wise) tune set put together by wonderful musicians
but non dancers, I'd like to recommend for our group some good, solid
core tune sets for a starting repertoire.
Thanks!
Sue Robishaw, Upper Peninsula of Michigan
PS - Anyone know of a set dance musician's list similar to this one?
On hands four and crossing over:
Ron,
I've had the same experience - I'm not sure if I forgot to tell
people in the beginner session (when I usually do it, like Chris)
that when they became ones or twos at the top or bottom, that they
should wait out and cross over, or whether I had some newcomers that
missed the instruction, but I remember a couple popping out at the
top and then racing to the bottom of the set to start over. Quite fun
to watch. So I definitely try to make sure if I can that newcomers
aren't clueless.
And Richard, I'm certainly not going to stop saying "Hands four from
the top", especially since in a lot of places I've called, even if
the dancers start to line up crossed over, it just doesn't seem to
propagate all the way down the line, and the people at the bottom
have no idea what group they are in. The fact that some partners are
running around getting a drink or whatever and leaving gaps in the
line makes it particularly difficult for people to figure out what
group they're in if hands four (or three (or two!) plus ghost(s))
isn't done. Sometimes if people are being particularly slow I just
say "do-si-do your neighbor (whatever the dance) and everyone
suddenly rushes about trying to figure out who their neighbor should
be - then I say - OK, that was just to identify your neighbor, now
this is the dance.
Oh, and Chris, I suspect that the dancers line up proper here in San
Diego because over the years the callers here have called proper
dances frequently enough that our dancers wait to find out what we
are up to. I do try to make sure mine are fun ones with double
progressions or both ones and twos swinging their partners, for
example. Hey, and you've called a number of 2's crossed over recently
- which is easier to instruct if they haven't crossed over yet.
Martha
On Dec 1, 2010, at 5:51 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
> Send Callers mailing list submissions to
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> than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..."
>
>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Telling couples to switch at the end of a contra set (Mark
> Widmer)
> 2. Re: Telling couples to switch at the end of a contra set
> (Ron Nelson)
> 3. Re: Telling couples to switch at the end of a contra set
(Richard Fischer)
>
> 7. Re: Telling couples to switch at the end of a contra set
> (Chris Page)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 16:37:08 -0800 (PST)
> From: Mark Widmer <widmermt(a)yahoo.com>
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: [Callers] Telling couples to switch at the end of a contra
> set
> Message-ID: <677169.39393.qm(a)web62103.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> Hey, I was wondering what other callers thought about the
> following: often, during the walkthrough of the 1st contra dance of
> the evening, the caller explains that dancers should trade places
> with their partner whenever they reach the end of the set
>
> However, I never do this, and have never had a problem as a result
> -- the experienced dancers in the set, apparently, are able to get
> the new dancers to do this, and nobody has ever complained to me
> that I didn't instruct dancers to switch
>
> I have wondered what others thought about this -- my own thinking
> is why take time to explain something when it isn't necessary?
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark Widmer / central NJ
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2010 00:43:18 +0000
> From: Ron Nelson <callerman(a)hotmail.com>
> To: <widmermt(a)yahoo.com>, <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Telling couples to switch at the end of a
> contra set
> Message-ID: <BAY158-w2261ACA1E925FA2F591D62B8270(a)phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
> Hi Mark,
>
> One unintended consequence of not covering the end effect on the
> walk through that happened when I was calling was to have the top
> couple dash to the bottom of the set to get back into the action.
>
> Ron Nelson
> Chula Vista, CA
>
>>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 01 Dec 2010 19:55:32 -0500
> From: Richard Fischer <richardallenfischer(a)verizon.net>
> To: widmermt(a)yahoo.com, Caller's discussion list
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Telling couples to switch at the end of a
> contra set
> Message-ID: <E60F6985-7603-4072-B807-E01E498E5055(a)verizon.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
> And a related question: when will callers stop saying "Hands four
> from the top, number ones cross over"--in acknowledgement that
> improper formation is the default for modern contras? I'm curious
> how many callers have already stopped saying that. Or to put the
> question another way, in how many dance communities do dancers line
> up inproper and not expect a reminder to "cross over" and be in
> improper formation?
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 20:41:04 -0500
> From: Donald Primrose <limerickfarm(a)gmail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Telling couples to switch at the end of a
> contra set
> Message-ID:
> <AANLkTin7x_1-bKjjSMMH8X+2yezV3iXFgsx9eXKpoEeC(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> The prompt "hands four from the top" should always be said, I would
> never assume, nor do the dances I call on a regular basis make that
> assumption. The instruction.. Cross over when at the foot of the set..
> I leave out of my walkthroughs.. and they have always figured it out.
>
> On occasion when calling in a new venue and I see dancers
> automatically lining up improper.. I call hand six, it keeps them
> focused. I call many proper dances (chestnuts) in any given night
> keeping the dancers connected to the music the dance and our shared
> history.
>
> Don Primrose / Nelson NH
>
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Wed, 1 Dec 2010 17:51:28 -0800
> From: Chris Page <chriscpage(a)gmail.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Telling couples to switch at the end of a
> contra set
> Message-ID:
> <AANLkTi=ovxezNWSiOoF1tsCqkkPxVxwjninX5ziDWrTz(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
>
>
> I dunno. I'm happy to encourage them to automatically take
> hands four -- it saves me the hardest part of my job if they
> can organize without my prompting. When I do call triple
> minors I just remember to start announcing hands six
> early in the line-up phase.
>
> Interestingly enough in San Diego, the dancer default
> is to line up proper, even though it's unusual for a
> proper dance to be called.
>
> As for the original question, adding "ones cross over"
> while they take hands four isn't time you could be saying
> anything else, as people are still getting organized and
> aren't in place for the first move of the dance.
>
> I tend to talk about crossing over at the ends during the
> beginner's session, rather than the first dance. Though if
> they've heard it, they have some context as experienced
> dancers are waving to them to trade sides.
>
> -Chris Page
> San Diego
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 76, Issue 1
> **************************************
Hey, I was wondering what other callers thought about the following: often, during the walkthrough of the 1st contra dance of the evening, the caller explains that dancers should trade places with their partner whenever they reach the end of the set
However, I never do this, and have never had a problem as a result -- the experienced dancers in the set, apparently, are able to get the new dancers to do this, and nobody has ever complained to me that I didn't instruct dancers to switch
I have wondered what others thought about this -- my own thinking is why take time to explain something when it isn't necessary?
Regards,
Mark Widmer / central NJ
I've used it at to teach Mary Cay's Reel at a dance which had quite a few
beginners -- it was particularly useful in that context because in MC's R,
after the circle left, you pass your current N by the right, Allem. L the
NEXT, and come back and swing your original N. I found that having the
dancers line up in regular duple improper formation permitted me to introduce
them to that "next Neighbor" before they needed to find him/her, which I
think made the teaching more effective and made the "go out of your set and
come back" aspect less difficult.
April Blum
In a message dated 11/8/2010 12:00:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
callers-request(a)sharedweight.net writes:
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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. Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text (Chrissy Fowler)
2. clever Becket walk-through technique... (Andy Shore)
3. Re: clever Becket walk-through technique... (Mortland, Jo)
4. Re: clever Becket walk-through technique... (Jack Mitchell)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 07:14:57 -0500
From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com>
To: shared weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text
Message-ID: <col113-w22415767818307FE3356918D4F0(a)phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Advertisement?!? Hardly! More like a public service announcement, if
you ask me.
I recently was given a dear friend's copy (Patrick Stevens, for those who
knew him) and it's been such a boon. Excellent writing; thoughtful and
on-target explanations of contra dance calling mechanics and philosophy both;
inspirational, entertaining, provocative, etc. etc. etc.
This past month's "Tip of the Month" at our local dance series consisted
of several excerpts from the book which illuminated our tip "Move with
Poise." This very morning I planned to write to Tony to thank him again for
writing the book.
I'm utterly delighted that it's now out in a second printing. I encourage
all callers to check it out, from curmudgeonly old hands to shiny brand
newbies. There's something there for us all.
Cheers,
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Sun, 7 Nov 2010 08:07:01 -0700
> From: "beth(a)hands4.com" <beth(a)hands4.com>
> To: "Caller's discussion list (callers(a)sharedweight.net)"
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Contra Dance Calling: A Basic Text
> Please forgive the blatant advertisement, but I feel that members of
this list would like to know that Tony's book, Contra Dance Calling: A Basic
Text has just been released in its second printing. Most of the content has
not changed, but the reference section has been updated with internet
addresses (hard to believe we didn't have them in 1992 when the first edition
was published) and several other sections (such as sound) have been updated
to reflect changes in technology.
>
> Available directly from the author at http://www.hands4.com
>
> Beth Parkes
>
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 11:35:39 -0500
From: Andy Shore <square.a.shore(a)gmail.com>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] clever Becket walk-through technique...
Message-ID: <C734DC91-E8B7-4238-A690-5C292C940B6A(a)gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire Ant Frolic in Austin
with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances, great music,
nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd ever
noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective. I asked him
during a break if he had thought it up or where he had learned it and he kind
of avoided answering the question directly... but I thought I'd share it
here and see what people think.
On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have the
sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say "hands 4,
ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left All
the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by circling left 1/4 and then
beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them to
"becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial confusion down the
line, so Nils' solution avoids that common problem. It was obvious (at least
to me) that the dances were, in fact, Becket dances based on how they
ended and his description of the progression, and he'd actually have us begin
to the music from the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for those
Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it won't be correct
to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
What do you think of it?
I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it worked
very well.
/Andy Shore
http://andyshore.com
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 10:44:33 -0600
From: "Mortland, Jo" <j-mortland(a)neiu.edu>
To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] clever Becket walk-through technique...
Message-ID:
<9B0B0B8FF2328E48930D4B6273C1B2611A357505(a)EXNODE2.univ.neiu.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Beth Molaro did this in Chicago last April, and it was novel. A very
neat trick, IMHO.
Jo Mortland
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:48:19 -0500
From: Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] clever Becket walk-through technique...
Message-ID: <4CD829D3.6080405(a)mindspring.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
With a becket that begins circle left 3/4 and swing your current/next
neighbor, I will frequently walk it through just starting from the
neighbor swing. If it's a pass through and swing a new neighbor, I'll
walk it through the second time with the pass thru, and then dance from
there so that the folks who just got sent out of the set will come in at
the beginning of the dance. Generally I do point out to dancers after
the walk thru that the dance is becket and that it will start from here
with you on the side of the set with your partner. This doesn't work
(or just isn't effective) for dances that do something other than just
take you back to improper at the beginning of the dance. If the dance
starts with long lines or with other stuff with your partner, then you
do still have to get becket first (or walk the dance through starting
somewhere in the middle, which, while it can work, can be chancy if you
have any newer dancers.
Jack
On 11/8/2010 11:35 AM, Andy Shore wrote:
> Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire Ant Frolic in
Austin with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances, great
music, nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
>
> Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd ever
noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective. I asked him
during a break if he had thought it up or where he had learned it and he
kind of avoided answering the question directly... but I thought I'd share it
here and see what people think.
>
> On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have the
sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say "hands 4,
ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left
All the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by circling left 1/4 and then
beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
>
> I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them to
"becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial confusion down the
line, so Nils' solution avoids that common problem. It was obvious (at
least to me) that the dances were, in fact, Becket dances based on how they
ended and his description of the progression, and he'd actually have us begin
to the music from the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
>
> I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for those
Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it won't be
correct to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
>
> Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
> What do you think of it?
>
> I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it
worked very well.
>
> /Andy Shore
> http://andyshore.com
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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 75, Issue 2
**************************************
Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire Ant Frolic in Austin with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances, great music, nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd ever noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective. I asked him during a break if he had thought it up or where he had learned it and he kind of avoided answering the question directly... but I thought I'd share it here and see what people think.
On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have the sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say "hands 4, ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join Hands Circle Left All the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by circling left 1/4 and then beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them to "becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial confusion down the line, so Nils' solution avoids that common problem. It was obvious (at least to me) that the dances were, in fact, Becket dances based on how they ended and his description of the progression, and he'd actually have us begin to the music from the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for those Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it won't be correct to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
What do you think of it?
I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it worked very well.
/Andy Shore
http://andyshore.com
