Contra Callers

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4388 discussions

Re: [Callers] [trad-dance-callers] Re: Tempo for Levi Jackson Rag

by Michael Barraclough

Sylvia suggests that "We should follow the tempo in the Assembly Players CD Levi Jackson. Nic Broadbridge is the leader of that group and worked closely with Pat Shaw who wrote the dance." I am not sure that I agree. This might be the preferred speed in Scotland, or the UK, or now. It says nothing, however, about the speed that Pat wanted or expected it to be played back in 1974. My first experience of dancing Levi Jackson Rag was to the calling of Pat Shaw, in London, and although this was over 30 years ago, I am certain that it was slower than generally done today. As well as working with the Assembly Players, Pat also worked closely and regularly with the Kenton Ramblers, a London-based 3 piece band led by the late Sheila Mason. As well as being the mother of one of the dancers in our university dance group, Sheila lived just around the corner from me and was a regular baby sitter. We had many musical and dance-based conversations, including about Levi Jackson Rag. If I recollect correctly, Sheila was the 1st person to play the tune for Pat, if not in the world, at least in the UK. She always complained that people played it much too fast and that it should be slower and 'swing'. That is certainly how the Kenton Ramblers played it for me. Of course, when you play it more slowly it becomes more obvious whether the musician has actually hit all the notes correctly! I am thinking about 112-114bpm. Michael Barraclough http://www.michaelbarraclough.com From: sentto-10754689-14055-1236621858-michael=michaelbarraclough.com(a)returns.grou ps.yahoo.com [mailto:sentto-10754689-14055-1236621858-michael=michaelbarraclough.com@retu rns.groups.yahoo.com] On Behalf Of smiskoe(a)aol.com Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 2:04 PM To: trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [trad-dance-callers] Re: Tempo for Levi Jackson Rag We should follow the tempo in the Assembly Players CD "Levi Jackson". Nic Broadbridge is the leader of that group and worked closely with Pat Shaw who wrote the dance. Pat has passed away but what better reference could we get than by listening to Nic's recording. It is faster than the you tube selection first cited, 29 seconds for one rendition. Sylvia Miskoe, Concord, NH [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] . <http://geo.yahoo.com/serv?s=97359714/grpId=10754689/grpspId=1705123886/msgI d=14055/stime=1236621874/nc1=5170419/nc2=5191954/nc3=5349276> __,_._,___

16 years, 5 months

Money Musk Rights & Lefts

by Jerome Grisanti

I've heard fiddler/caller Steve Hickman describe the pivot at the end of the pass through as "turning as a yoke of oxen." That is, use your nearest shoulders as the pivot point and make a 180-degree left turn. I've never taught using that phrase, so I can't offer first-person feedback, but dancers might not take kindly to bovine comparisons. -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com

16 years, 5 months

Re: [Callers] Carmen's Garments

by Paul

I believe I can shed a bit more light on Carmen's Garments. There are 3 versions: 1. Original "Carmen's Hat" by Kathy Anderson composed sometime prior to June 1992. I do not think this dance was published. 2. Variation by Paul Balliet "Carmen's Scarf" composed Nov. 1993 and published 1997. See below. 3. Variation by Lisa Greenleaf "Carmen's Dance." In June of 1992, I danced "Carmen's Hat" in Columbus Ohio. Kathy Anderson, who composed it, also called it. I enjoyed the "bumpsy daisy" swing, but wanted a dance with the swings on the side of the set. I composed "Carmen's Scarf," which was published in Twirling Dervish Returns (1997) with acknowledgment to Kathy Anderson's dance. I call it ocassionally. It works well to loosen up a hall, and generally would not run as long as other dances. Carmen's Scarf A1 Neighbor bumpsy daisy swing A2 Half promenade, ladies chain across set B1 Pass through across the set, and swing partner B2 Circle left three quarters, balance the circle, pass through up or down the set to progress. I do not have Kathy's original dance recorded, but I suspect that the below is correct. Regards, Paul Balliet Lisa Greenleaf [1]laleaf at verizon.net Wed Nov 19 23:48:00 EST 2008 (portion omitted)... The original idea was Kathy Anderson's Carmen's Hat, and then I wrote Carmen's Contra. Lisa From: circleleft at uninets.net (John C. McIntire) Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:01:26 -0400 Hi Folks, A dance titled Carmen's Hat, by Kathy Anderson, appeared in my dance collection as early as April 1997. I don't know where I collected it but I use it vary sparingly as the action is oriented up & down the line more than across. The figures go as follows: duple improper contra formation A1 Star Left 1X Circle Right 3/4 (end facing Partner on Gent's home side) A2 Clap own hands 2x and with Neighbor bump 2x / Neighbor Swing (in center of set) End facing Partner up or down hall B1 Ladies Chain Along the line to Partner Promenade along the line ( Gents pass left) to original place B2 Pass thru same Neighbors (up or down) to progressed places and Partner Swing in center of set. End Facing New Neighbors. The Lisa Greenleaf version which I have noted as "Carmen's Hat" {correctly identified as "Carmen's Contra" } showed up in my cards sometime by July, 2003. Again, I don't have a source noted. It is pretty much what has been discussed. duple improper contra formation A1 Lines F & B Ladies Allmd Left 1 1/2 A2 Partner B & S B1 Circle Left 3/4 Neighbor D.S.D. 1 1/4 B2 Clap 2x Bump 2x with Neighbor & Swing Neighbor. Of course the whole thing could be turned into a Becket dance by starting at B1. Perhaps Lisa G. will pitch in her 2 cents worth. Thanks to Lisa for making the dance more accessible. It is a fun change of pace. Cheers, John References 1. mailto:callers%40sharedweight.net?Subject=Re%3A%20%5BCallers%5D%20Carmen%27s%20Garments&In-Reply-To=%3C02F7F33D-45D9-406E-B8CA-2EEC212C0F93%40verizon.net%3E

16 years, 5 months

Yankee Doodle

by Chrissy Fowler

Heavens! Beth Parkes, thank you! That is the clearest, simplest, and yet most complete illustration of crooked tunes I have ever come across. And the explainee don't need to know a thing about beats, bars, phrases or time signatures or any other music background. Wow! -Chrissy Fowler _________________________________________________________________ Access your email online and on the go with Windows Live Hotmail. http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_AE_Access_022009

16 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Calling to Quebecois Tunes

by Dan Pearl

Best get some recordings of Quebecois to see what's up. Any tune that departs from the usual 4x32 form can be called "crooked". One of the ways that I have Quebecois musicians usually make a tune crooked is by playing the introductory notes of a tune in its own measure instead of grouping them in the last measure of the tune. Think of the Star Spangled Banner. If you were to sing the first stanza over and over again, you'd sing it like: LAN-AND OF the | FRE-EE AND the | HOME OF THE | BRAVE ___ OH-oh | SAY CAN YOU A Quebecois musician would do this: LAN-AND OF the | FRE-EE AND the | HOME OF THE | BRAVE ___ ___ | ___ ___ OH-oh } SAY CAN YOU but they'd do it with jigs and reels. I have worked with musicians that swear up and down they are playing straight tunes when they actually are not. If you are unsure, it would be best if you can do a dry run with the musicians before the dance to alert them of your needs. If the musician is flexible, they can do what you need. Good luck!

16 years, 6 months

Calling to Quebecois Tunes

by Nancy Turner

Hi all, I am super excited about calling the Montreal dance in March; the band is an amazing Quebecois trio. I have heard of crooked tunes, but don't understand the concept fully. Can someone explain? How does it impact calling? How likely am I to encounter it? Anything else you can think of that I might appreciate knowing about this genre of music? Thanks! Nancy Turner Waitsfield Vermont

16 years, 6 months

Utterly Introductory dance - qualified success!

by Lark-Aeryn Speyer

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

16 years, 6 months

Utterly Introductory dance input sought

by Lark-Aeryn Speyer

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

16 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Gypsies for Beginners

by aawoodall＠verizon.net

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 > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - [7]www.avg.com > Version: 8.0.234 / Virus Database: 270.10.23/1949 - Release Date: > 02/12/09 > 11:34:00 > > _______________________________________________ > 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 [11]Callers(a)sharedweight.net [12]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers References 1. mailto:callers@sharedweight.net 2. mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net 3. mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net 4. mailto:callers@sharedweight.net 5. mailto:Callers@sharedweight.net 6. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers 7. http://www.avg.com/ 8. mailto:Callers@sharedweight.net 9. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers 10. mailto:deliaclark8@gmail.com 11. mailto:Callers@sharedweight.net 12. http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

16 years, 6 months

Gypsies for Beginners

by Rickey

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

16 years, 6 months

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