Hello everyone!!
Today is the 4th anniversary of the first post to SharedWeight. Seth
Seeger and I continue to be thrilled about how SharedWeight has grown
and evolved. And it's all due to your thoughtfulness, willingness to
help and energy. We now have around 200 members across 3 lists.
Thank you for your participation!! It's people like you that help keep
American traditional dance going and will carry it into the future.
Happy Dancing!!
Chris Weiler
Goffstown, NH
tony(a)hands4.com wrote:
> Hello, calling friends...
>
> This is an invitation to meet the legendary square dance
> caller Rickey Holden, who is making one of his rare trips
> to the States.
>
> Rickey started square and contra dancing in Vermont in the
> 1930s. He attended Ralph Page's Boston dances while
> studying (along with Ted Sannella) at Tufts University. He
> became one of the first full-time callers in the nationwide
> square dance boom, acting as a consultant for the San
> Antonio, TX Recreation Department and eventually traveling
> around the world teaching squares, contras, and
> international folk dances.
>
> Some of you may recognize Rickey's name from his books _The
> Square Dance Caller_ and _The Contra Dance Book_. In the
> 1950s he edited _American Squares_, a national magazine; in
> my opinion Rickey's tenure was the high point of _AS_'s
> long history.
>
> In 1967 Rickey moved to Brussels, Belgium and founded
> Folkraft-Europe, which produces recordings and organizes
> seminars on folk dancing. However, he still claims square
> and contra dance as his first love, and this visit provides
> a rare opportunity to meet and learn from him.
>
> On Friday, September 26, Rickey will be my guest - and do
> some calling - at the first of my Fourth Friday square
> dances in Belmont, Mass. The dance runs from 8 to 11 p.m.
> at Payson Park Church, 365 Belmont Street. Admission is $8
> ($5 for students under 21).
>
> On Saturday morning, September 27, Rickey has agreed to
> meet with local callers and "talk shop." The format is yet
> to be determined. It could be (1) a potluck brunch, with
> Rickey sharing his story followed by Q&A / bull session, or
> (2) a workshop, with actual music and dancing, or (3) both.
>
> Please let me know ASAP if you'd like to attend such a
> gathering, as the number of "yes" replies will affect the
> type of space I need to reserve. In addition to a
> contribution of food (if we go through with the potluck
> idea), I suggest $10 toward Rickey's travel expenses ($20
> if we end up hiring a hall). Your comments and suggestions
> are welcome and valued.
>
> Feel free to pass this invitation along; I'm sure I've
> missed a few people.
>
> Tony Parkes
>
>
Cure for the Claps - Bob Isaacs
-------------- Original message --------------
From: Walter <walterdaves(a)alltel.net>
> So, what's the name of this one? I saw it on YouTube, from All Soles
> Dance, with the Great Bear Trio playing**
>
> * *
>
> *A1: Balance the ring; Petronella twirl, Swing partner
> A2: Balance the ring, Petronella twirl, Swing neighbor
> B1: Down the hall, turn single, return
> B2: Circle left 3 places, balance the ring, California twirl
> *
>
> Thanks,
>
> Walter Daves
> **
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
Fellow musicians,
Could someone please tell me how many beats per section are in a normal singing call? Are they normally all the same ( intro, heads heads, sides sides, end)? In patter calling, what do callers expect for length of song? Either time wise or total beats?
Thanks for your help,
George
Oooh I got one of these requests, yeah. The B2 was incorrect it is cirlce left all the way around.
The dance is Cure for the Claps, by Bob Isaacs. This if fun.
----- Original Message ----
From: Walter <walterdaves(a)alltel.net>
To: Callers(a)sharedweight.net
Sent: Thursday, September 11, 2008 7:13:24 PM
Subject: [Callers] Another Name That Dance
So, what's the name of this one? I saw it on YouTube, from All Soles
Dance, with the Great Bear Trio playing**
* *
*A1: Balance the ring; Petronella twirl, Swing partner
A2: Balance the ring, Petronella twirl, Swing neighbor
B1: Down the hall, turn single, return
B2: Circle left 3 places, balance the ring, California twirl
*
Thanks,
Walter Daves
**
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
So, what's the name of this one? I saw it on YouTube, from All Soles
Dance, with the Great Bear Trio playing**
* *
*A1: Balance the ring; Petronella twirl, Swing partner
A2: Balance the ring, Petronella twirl, Swing neighbor
B1: Down the hall, turn single, return
B2: Circle left 3 places, balance the ring, California twirl
*
Thanks,
Walter Daves
**
> Could someone please tell me how many beats per section are in a normal
singing call? Are they normally all the same ( intro, heads heads, sides sides,
end)?
They're normally the same.
Just Because:
You ALL do-si-DO with your CORner [PAUSE]
[This is 4 accented beats or 8 steps for the dancers]
with a RIGHT hand, go TWICE around your OWN [PAUSE]
ALLemande LEFT with the CORner [PAUSE]
and DO-si-DO round your OWN [PAUSE]
etc.
and for the verse:
HEAD two ladies CHAIN right on Over [PAUSE]
You TURN around and CHAIN them home aGAIN [PAUSE]
etc.
David Millstone
Greetings
This weekend past, I made my annual pilgramage to Gorham NH
to call the dance at Chapel Arts Center...
We had a great time for the first hr. We actually danced some easier
contras! As the evening progressed we lost some dancers, who had other
plans and still others who wanted to sit in with the band...
LSS by 9:30 there were 3-4 people dancing (myself included)
I made up some dances "on the fly" but soon the dances seemed to
resemble the previous "dance" We did some couple dances but the band
wanted to play Jigs and Reels. We danced LaBastrange with 6 people (wich
was interesting!and fast!)
My Q is: are there dances, created for just such situations (3-4 dancers)?
Once again, Gorham was a learning experiance!
Thanks
See ya Dancing
Gale
Thank you, folks, from the bottom of my heart. Your
responses made me realize how my current situation as a
caller is a shared one - indeed, a common one; and how it's
therefore something we all need to figure a way through
together so that all constituencies get served and the
dance continues to be a living, growing tradition that
invites and nurtures the new while also fostering and
enjoying excellence.
I have indeed been trying some of the strategies you
suggested (many before writing, actually) such as asking
for half-dances again, and of course continually working on
becoming the best caller I can be. Our local dancers have
been asking for me to call for months actually, as have a
few bands. It seems to be doing little good locally - but
since posting, band/dancer/fellow-caller intervention has
led to numerous far-flung programmers asking me to call
this fall. So it's on the road in my olde iron mule
(200,100 miles and counting).
Nancy, your offer in particular made me laugh out loud for
joy. I would love to call your dance. Vermont is a bit of a
walk from northern California, but I tell you, if I ever
get near there you will be the first to hear about it! Or
if you get some weird grant to further your dance
community's exposure to intermediate-level callers, I'm
willing to be brought. <g> Thank you for your chutzpah.
It's quite sobering to realize how strong the calling jones
can be when you haven't done it for a few weeks! That, plus
the support from you (both kind and pointed), makes me
realize I'm in this for the long haul. Thank you again. i'm
very grateful for this cybercommunity. (Thanks for forming
it, Chris & company!)
Tina
Tina R. Fields, Ph.D.
(707) 824-9318
"Hindsight Now!"
