Thanks again to those who advised me on my dance-leadership presentation!
I'm satisfied with the experience considering its weird cross-purpose (e.g.
I was hoping to intrigue a few of them for dancing, but really didn't have
time to provide them with more than a tiny peek into the whole concept
thereof, and what I was actually being evaluated on was "myself as a
leader").
Here's what I finally wound up teaching them--slightly revised again from
what I sent out the other day.
*****
"Bare to the Bone"
Lark-Aeryn Speyer, 2009
Circle MIXER
A (verse)
1-2 Circle L
3-4 Circle R, face partner
5-6 step R & honor pt, step L & honor pt
7-8 2-hand turn partner, face the center
B (chorus)
1-4 forward & back (into the center) *twice*, face partner
5-6 2 changes grand chain (4 counts each), beginning R to partner
7-8 meet NEW partner (the 3rd person) with a 2-hand turn, face center
*****
My musician (a fiddling classmate) and I did not have time to practice just
with the two of us--I didn't even actually get to hear her play the tune all
the way through until the "let's listen to the tune" moment, so that was
sub-optimal, because of course there were some parts of her interpretation
that I hadn't planned on! As you may have noticed if you checked the tune
to "Bare to the Bone," it's got a sort of syncopation that's difficult to
get a strong beat out of for walking, so my classmates had a little trouble
moving in time. That's of course my fault for never even pointing out the
beat and suggesting they place their feet to it.
We did the whole thing (verse + chorus) twice through.
I had planned out "teaching points" to try to make it smooth and with some
semblance of the beautiful, but I dispensed with everything except telling
and showing them the moves, basically, because I was supposed to wrap up the
whole thing in 5 minutes flat (yeep!). So it was a little bit wild, but
people smiled (even laughed!) and moved, so it can't possibly have been all
bad.
In sum: I realize I did nowhere near to justice to the folk dance
traditions. And if anyone thinks I did a disservice to folk dance, I hope
you'll just write me off no more than a tiny drop in the bucket of
misperceptions. But, although I doubt my classmates will act on any
interest I may (or may not) have awakened, it is my evaluation that I did
provide them with a memorable and positive experience regarding moving and
music and holding hands.
Which is kind of like dancing, I hope.
One of them even told me that she was initially apprehensive, but started
thinking, "Hey, I can do this!" as I was teaching. So that I liked.
Thanks again,
Lark
--
There is no conceivable beauty of blossom so beautiful as words,--none so
graceful, none so perfumed. It is possible to dream of combinations of
syllables so delicious that all the dawning and decay of summer cannot
rival their perfection, nor winter's stainless white and azure match their
purity and their charm.
--Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Hi group,
Weird situation: I am supposed to put together a five-minute presentation on
myself as a leader for a "Leadership & Organizational Behavior" graduate
class, and I just think that perhaps the way to go is to create a VERY
SIMPLE English Country dance set to my favorite song--and teach it to my
classmates.
Most of you don't know me, but I'll nonetheless spare you with explanations
as to exactly how weird this is. And, yes, I realize, too, that it may not
be an optimal ECD introduction for my classmates, but I hope it will be
beautiful in some degree, and moving, and indeed an expression of the kind
of leadership I am trying to develop (yes, I'm a budding caller).
In addition, the favorite song, Carrie Newcomer's "Bare to the Bone"
(see http://carrienewcomer.com/chords/age_of_possibility_chords.pdf
<http://carrienewcomer.com/sheet_music/Bare_to_the_Bone_sheet_music.pdf>
and
http://carrienewcomer.com/sheet_music/Bare_to_the_Bone_sheet_music.pdf)
expresses everything I want to be as a person.
So I'm writing for advice. Since I am supposed to take 5 minutes for the
whole dang kit & kaboodle, I will probably only run the dance three times
through--one verse, one bridge, and one more verse. I've written moves for
8 bars of 4/4, and I do not think I need any additional moves for a
rank-beginner group:
***
"Bare to the Bone"
Lark-Aeryn Speyer, 2009
DRAFT
2-couple sets, facing across the hall; or 3-couple circle sets
1 taking hands in a ring, balance in and out
2 cloverleaf turn single away from partner
3-4 clockwise, single file circle 1/2 (step-pause step)
(If you're in a 3-couple circle set, just circle as far as the
music suggests)
5 taking hands in a ring, balance in and out
6 taking 2 hands with your partner, balance in and out
7-8 2-hand turn partner once
(If in 2-couple sets, you are now on the other side of the set. This passes
for a progression.)
***
The music (in case you don't know it) is sweet, soft, simple, and healing.
The lyrics (I intend to sing one verse beforehand in lieu of "let's listen
to the music once through") and the general feel of the tune are a condition
of complete openness, an approach of utter goodwill. What I would hope my
classmates could take away is a feeling of lightness, ideally even of
spiritual availability. (Of course, this also depends on my fiddler
classmate who has offered to learn the tune.)
And I'll bring along a handful of flyers for local English dances, just in
case. :-)
Thoughts very much welcomed! I assure you that any other ideas I have for
this presentation are much scarier to me!
Thanks,
Lark Speyer
--
There is no conceivable beauty of blossom so beautiful as words,--none so
graceful, none so perfumed. It is possible to dream of combinations of
syllables so delicious that all the dawning and decay of summer cannot
rival their perfection, nor winter's stainless white and azure match their
purity and their charm.
--Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Here's another dance with lots of gypsies in it. I am using it tonight
at our Valentine's Day dance:
The Gypsy Dancer by Dave Colestock
Duple Improper
A1 Gypsy N once around
Left shoulder gypsy Old N once around (P at ends of line)
A2 Swing original N, Circle L 3/4
B1 Gypsy P and Swing
B2 Circle L 3/4, N Do Si Do 1 1/2 to new N
Thanks for other suggestions that have been made.
Andrea
Feb 13, 2009 03:05:21 PM, [1]callers(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
Hi Ricky,
My college-age son tells me that for college age kids there's
nothing
more fun than a gypsy. Under his tutelage I've done two dances for
college crowds lately using lots of gypsies to a very enthusiastic
response. My husband, who attended one of them, thought it was
tooooo many gypsies, but my son said it was perfect... different
strokes.
I used Gypsy Around Two, already mentioned. I also modified Broken
Sixpence, swapping out the ladies do-si-do for a ladies gypsy and
the
gents do-si-do for a gents gypsy. In addition, they had a lot of fun
playing with the ladies gypsies in Heartbeat Contra by Don Flaherty
and Casbah Queens by David McMullen. I assume you have those but
just in case:
Heartbeat Contra by Don Flaherty
A1 Balance circle, spin one place to the right (2x)
A2 Neighbors balance and swing
B1 Ladies gypsy once and a half, partners swing
B2 Circle left 3/4, Balance the ring, partners California twirl
Casbah Queens by David McMullen
A1 Neighbors do-si-do and swing
A2 Gents allemande left 1 1/2, partners allemande right 1 1/2
B1 Ladies left shoulder gypsy, partners swing
B2 Promenade across set, Circle left 3/4, Pass through up and down
Have fun!
Delia
On Feb 13, 2009, at 7:48 AM, Richard Green wrote:
> Ricky,
>
> Ted Crane's dance "All You Can Eat" is easy and has multiple
> gypsies. It is
> posted on his website, but I couldn't find the link, so here is
> what I have:
>
> All You Can Eat
> Ted Crane
> Duple Improper
> A1 Neighbor R sh Gypsy
> Ladies Allemande L 1.5
> A2 Partner Balance & Swing
>
> B1 Circle L ¾
> Neighbor Swing
> B2 LH Star
> (Same)Neighbor L sh Gypsy
>
> Richard
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [2]callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
> [mailto:[3]callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Rickey
> Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 10:22 PM
> To: [4]callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: [Callers] Gypsies for Beginners
>
> OK,
>
> I give up. I have been trying to find dances that feature gypsies
> and that
> beginners could enjoy. I am especially interested in dances with
> more than
> one gypsy, and would be even more excited if there was a gypsy
> right into a
> gypsy left (or the reverse), and/or if men gypsy men or women
gypsy
> women.
> I tried "American Country Dances on Line", but no multiple gypsy
> dances. I
> even tried writing one - but I do not think that it 'flies'. Any
> suggestions. It is for Valentine's Day.
>
> Rickey
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> [5]Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> [6]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
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> 11:34:00
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> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> [8]Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> [9]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
802-457-2075
[10]deliaclark8(a)gmail.com
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
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References
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OK,
I give up. I have been trying to find dances that feature gypsies and that
beginners could enjoy. I am especially interested in dances with more than
one gypsy, and would be even more excited if there was a gypsy right into a
gypsy left (or the reverse), and/or if men gypsy men or women gypsy women.
I tried "American Country Dances on Line", but no multiple gypsy dances. I
even tried writing one - but I do not think that it 'flies'. Any
suggestions. It is for Valentine's Day.
Rickey
Tom Hinds' "Gypsy Around Two" is surprisingly easy with a mixed crowd of beginners and moderately experienced dancers. And it has all the features you want. It was posted here Jan 27 with good instructions (I just checked the archives.) If you can't find it, let me know.
Bree Kalb
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:21:35 -0500
From: "Rickey" <holt.e(a)comcast.net>
Subject: [Callers] Gypsies for Beginners
To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Message-ID: <3C488C8D892E4A19B03BEE12013B803E@maxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
OK,
I give up. I have been trying to find dances that feature gypsies and that
beginners could enjoy. I am especially interested in dances with more than
one gypsy, and would be even more excited if there was a gypsy right into a
gypsy left (or the reverse), and/or if men gypsy men or women gypsy women.
I tried "American Country Dances on Line", but no multiple gypsy dances. I
even tried writing one - but I do not think that it 'flies'. Any
suggestions. It is for Valentine's Day.
Rickey
Hi, I have a dance with a stolen title. The title is "Another Midnight
Tango", stolen from Mike Richardson's title "Midnight Tango". Now what would
be really cool would be a tune that we could contra dance to that would be
as close to, or reminiscent of, a dark sultry tango as possible. Any
suggestions? It would be most helpful if we could find a source for that
tune (especially online) and if the tune was not overly hard to play - as
this would be for this Saturday's Valentine's Day Dance, if all of these
stars align.
Rickey Holt.
Fremont, NH
Hi Lark,
I concur with Lisa about teaching the blobs.
It would also be a good idea to really emphasize the progression.
>From circles of 4, just pass thru and make a new circle "this will be who you dance with the second time"
then just pass thru and make a new circle "this will be...third time" then back to place.
It will give an opportunity to point out the end effects, too.
I did a dance very similar to the one Lisa proposed (Jefferson's Reel)
at my son's school's Colonial Day, and it was ok. (except for the kids who wouldn't touch another gender:-)
Good Luck!
Bob
Message: 2
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:33:09 -0500
From: Lisa Sieverts <lisa(a)lisasieverts.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Utterly Introductory dance input sought
To: larkspur(a)umich.edu, Caller's discussion list
<callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Message-ID: <D5F3DA83-EEB4-49D1-B41A-1D8B809E5C40(a)lisasieverts.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
These people have never danced? And you have 5 minutes?
I'd recommend nothing harder than Blobs:
Blobs
longways sets, gender doesn't matter
1. F&B
2. F&B
BEGIN TEACHING HERE (Blobs begin at the top, make circles of 2, 4, or
6 people -- or more as long as they don't tell you about it!)
3. Blob Circle LEFT
4. Blob Circle RIGHT
5. Blob RIGHT hand STAR
6. Blob LEFT hand STAR
7&8. Blob sashay down, others move up
Note that it would take you 5 minutes to teach "cloverleaf turn
single away from partner" IMHO.
Good luck!
Lisa
On Feb 11, 2009, at 10:59 PM, Lark-Aeryn Speyer wrote:
> Hi group,
> Weird situation: I am supposed to put together a five-minute
> presentation on
> myself as a leader for a "Leadership & Organizational Behavior"
> graduate
> class, and I just think that perhaps the way to go is to create a VERY
> SIMPLE English Country dance set to my favorite song--and teach it
> to my
> classmates.
>
> Most of you don't know me, but I'll nonetheless spare you with
> explanations
> as to exactly how weird this is. And, yes, I realize, too, that it
> may not
> be an optimal ECD introduction for my classmates, but I hope it
> will be
> beautiful in some degree, and moving, and indeed an expression of
> the kind
> of leadership I am trying to develop (yes, I'm a budding caller).
>
> In addition, the favorite song, Carrie Newcomer's "Bare to the Bone"
> (see http://carrienewcomer.com/chords/age_of_possibility_chords.pdf
> <http://carrienewcomer.com/sheet_music/
> Bare_to_the_Bone_sheet_music.pdf>
> and
> http://carrienewcomer.com/sheet_music/
> Bare_to_the_Bone_sheet_music.pdf)
> expresses everything I want to be as
a person.
>
> So I'm writing for advice. Since I am supposed to take 5 minutes
> for the
> whole dang kit & kaboodle, I will probably only run the dance three
> times
> through--one verse, one bridge, and one more verse. I've written
> moves for
> 8 bars of 4/4, and I do not think I need any additional moves for a
> rank-beginner group:
>
> ***
>
> "Bare to the Bone"
> Lark-Aeryn Speyer, 2009
> DRAFT
>
> 2-couple sets, facing across the hall; or 3-couple circle sets
>
> 1 taking hands in a ring, balance in and out
> 2 cloverleaf turn single away from partner
> 3-4 clockwise, single file circle 1/2 (step-pause step)
> (If you're in a 3-couple circle set, just circle as far
> as the
> music suggests)
>
> 5 taking hands in a ring, balance in and out
> 6 taking 2 hands with your partner, balance in and out
> 7-8 2-hand turn partner once
>
> (If in 2-couple sets, you are now on the other side of the set.
> This passes
> for a progression.)
>
> ***
>
> The music (in case you don't know it) is sweet, soft, simple, and
> healing.
> The lyrics (I intend to sing one verse beforehand in lieu of
> "let's listen
> to the music once through") and the general feel of the tune are a
> condition
> of complete openness, an approach of utter goodwill. What I would
> hope my
> classmates could take away is a feeling of lightness, ideally even of
> spiritual availability. (Of course, this also depends on my fiddler
> classmate who has offered to learn the tune.)
>
> And I'll bring along a handful of flyers for local English dances,
> just in
> case. :-)
>
> Thoughts very much welcomed! I assure you that any other ideas I
> have for
> this presentation are much scarier to me!
>
> Thanks,
> Lark Speyer
>
>
> --
> There is no conceivable beauty of blossom so beautiful as words,--
> none so
> graceful, none so perfumed. It is possible to dream of combinations of
> syllables so delicious that all the dawning and decay of summer
> cannot
> rival their perfection, nor winter's s
tainless white and azure
> match their
> purity and their charm.
> --Thomas Wentworth Higginson
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
Rickey,
Are you familiar with Katushka?
http://www.dulcimers.com/tunes/katushka.html
The midi sample on that page is pretty slow, but you'll get the idea. I'm
sure there are better recordings.
The Monday Night Band in Louisville Ky uses this pretty often, and it's fun
for the crowd to sing the A part: "La la la la la..."
--Jerome
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 10:39:21 -0500
> From: "Rickey" <holt.e(a)comcast.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Tango-like Tune?
> To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <B7273155CF104246BDC5F9BD06D4F461@maxx>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Hi, I have a dance with a stolen title. The title is "Another Midnight
> Tango", stolen from Mike Richardson's title "Midnight Tango". Now what
> would
> be really cool would be a tune that we could contra dance to that would be
> as close to, or reminiscent of, a dark sultry tango as possible. Any
> suggestions? It would be most helpful if we could find a source for that
> tune (especially online) and if the tune was not overly hard to play - as
> this would be for this Saturday's Valentine's Day Dance, if all of these
> stars align.
>
> Rickey Holt.
>
> Fremont, NH
>
>
>
--
Jerome Grisanti
660-528-0858
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com
I think that using ECD to demonstrate leadership is a *wonderful* idea.
One suggestion-
Instead of a cloverleaf turn single, a turn single to the
right for all would flow more smoothly into a single file clockwise.
Good luck, Lark!
Lark-Aeryn Speyer <laspeyer(a)gmail.com> wrote:
(snip)
***
"Bare to the Bone"Lark-Aeryn Speyer, 2009DRAFT
2-couple sets, facing across the hall; or 3-couple circle sets
1 taking hands in a ring, balance in and out
2 cloverleaf turn single away from partner
3-4 clockwise, single file circle 1/2 (step-pause step)
(If you're in a 3-couple circle set, just circle as far as the music suggests)
5 taking hands in a ring, balance in and out
6 taking 2 hands with your partner, balance in and out
7-8 2-hand turn partner once
(If in 2-couple sets, you are now on the other side of the set. This passes for a progression.)
Thoughts very much welcomed! I assure you that any other ideas I have for this presentation are much scarier to me!
Thanks,Lark Speyer
(snip)
I have the opportunity to be interviewed about contra dance on a weekly radio program on a public radio station in our community. This program serves local country and western, salsa, swing, tango etc dancers as well as doing some promotion of folk, Scottish etc. The format is usually to play representative music by well known groups, have a few live local musicians play, interview someone knowledgeable, then announce where the dance events are happening that week around the state. I will have 15-20 minutes to talk, probably interspersed with tunes.
I see this challenge as somewhat different from our contra-community-wide problem of describing contra to the general public....the audience here is a group of folks who already do other sorts of dance. I would welcome sound bytes from anyone with this in mind. What points would you folks make?
