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4362 discussions

Re: [Callers] need (more) help with Rory O'More

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

At the risk of overstating the case-- and thank you, Jack, wherever you are, for chiming in- I'll quote from another of David Smukler's essays. In this case, he's discussing Chorus Jig but his comments about the role of the twos are relevant in the Rory O'More context: ----- Valuing the role of the "supporting cast" As in many other chestnuts, the twos have an important and perhaps underappreciated role... Just think of your slow progress toward the top of the hall as paying your dues in the contra world. Keep dancing. Sooner or later, whether this time or another, you will reach the head of the set. Your turn will come to be a number one couple for time after time, supported by all those other dancers whom you helped out on other occasions. But, aside from the importance of being there for the ones, could it be that there are other hidden opportunities in the number two role? Absolutely! First of all, you have the gift of time. You can watch other dancers, and learn from observing them, an increasingly rare opportunity in our contemporary everyone-moving-all-the-time contra choreography. Some of this observation is social (Who's dancing with whom tonight? Look at the amazing matching smiles on those two!), and some is dance-related (Oh, that's how Mary and Tom do that really neat balance!) (Aha! They only go six steps down the center and then they take two full beats to turn alone). Another benefit can be found in the reduced physical demand placed on you as a dancer. After being active for a while, enjoy this time to relax as an "inactive," required only to ensure that turning contra corners goes well. A program that varies the activity level from dance to dance will allow more people, young and old, to participate in dancing, and to feel energized and not exhausted by their participation. However, if you are not ready for a rest, you have an invaluable opportunity as a number two dancer to improvise some clogging steps during the first half of Chorus Jig. This sort of "jigging"--a free-form way to play along with the band--has become rare in the contemporary dance scene. Freestyle clogging while standing out as a number two dancer is only possible if the inactives are, well, inactive. If everyone is moving, there simply is no opportunity for the solo foot percussion that resonated on dance floors in years past. Speaking of the band, the number two role also offers you the chance to devote more of your conscious attention to the music. ------ As Jack says, some of these older dances really validate the notion of this being a community-centered dance form, rather than the couple-centered activity that many seem to think it is. David P.S. Shameless plug: CDSS is publishing Cracking Chestnuts, the collection of essays by David S. and myself on some twenty classic dances. Music, detailed commentary, an appendix with more suggested dances... We're told that it should be available by this fall.

17 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Two Requests

by gtwood＠worldpath.net

Hay Rickey, I have collected a 'book' of begginer contra material that I will be glad to share with you. The next time we cross trails will probably be in Kingston. I'll bring it with me. Gale Original Message: ----------------- From: Rickey holt.e(a)comcast.net Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2008 09:43:32 -0400 To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] Two Requests Hi Callers, I call a regular contra dance, once a month that is attended by many beginners. Yes they really are beginning something as we encourage them to come back. Often I do a lot of dances that are not contras as this is appropriate. Recently I decided to do an evening mostly of easy contras. I had problems I have had before, so, I have two requests today: (1) Many of the dances I do would now be called unequal dances as the actives do a lot more than the inactives. We often do Actives down the center, turn alone, back and cast off, figures that used to be among the most basic, but are not often done at todays dances. Are any of you still doing dances that use these calls? Are any of you who do use these figures calling to a room made up mostly of beginners? Here is what I have been saying (roughly), or at least trying to say: * Actives identify who you are and notice who your neighbors are. * You are going to end up changing places with your neighbor, so that you are one place down from where you are now, and you will again be facing your partner as you are now. * Here is how you get there * Actives only, go down the center with your partner 5 or 6 steps (the meaning of actives, down, center, and Partner have all been previously established) * Turn alone in place. * Come back up the hall until you are standing between your neighbors. * Inactives put your arm around your active neighbors waists. * Actives you are going to separate from your partner * Inactives pivot your neighbor around, actives continuing forward, inactives backing up about ¾ of the way around until * The actives are one place down, below their neighbors, and all are facing their partners across the set as I showed you earlier. OK, I probably do not say all of this, all of the time, but I come close (I have recorded myself so I can check). There cannot be anything left to say can there? Do you think that there is something else to say or something to say differently? A demonstration preceded this. What do you do to teach these figures? (2) I also need more equal beginner and very beginner contras. My favorite is Family Contra. Do you have other equal contras for beginners and very beginners. I have several set dances and a few Sicilian circles for such folks, and I normally do them first so that dancers can get the idea of progressing to new neighbors, before we try contras. What I seem to need more of are equal contras for beginners and very beginners. What do you have that you can send me? Thanks, Rickey Holt Fremont, NH _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers -------------------------------------------------------------------- myhosting.com - Premium Microsoft® Windows® and Linux web and application hosting - http://link.myhosting.com/myhosting

17 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Two Requests

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

At our dance on Saturday night, I had half a dozen people there at the start of the evening who'd never done this kind of dancing before. As part of a very short beginners' session, I had people lined up across from a partner, and improvised this sequence: Circle left; Circle right Right-hand star; LH star Long lines forward and back; all do-si-do partner Down the center four in line (ones in the middle), back up still holding hands in line, ones arch, pull twos through In essence, it's Jefferson's Reel without that dance's B1 (actives only down the outside and back), and it worked fine. One nice thing about the dance-- a feature it shares with Family Contra-- is that dancers are connected with others for virtually all of the dance so there's less opportunity to go astray. > I have several set dances and a few Sicilian circles for such folks, and I normally do them first so that dancers can get the idea of progressing to new neighbors, before we try contras. Alternately, you could do one of those set dances, one of these simple contras, go back to another longways or Sicilian circle, then to a simple scatter mixer for variety (Ted's Solo Mixer or Set a Crochet come to mind), and then another simple contra. David Millstone

17 years, 2 months

Two Requests

by Rickey

Hi Callers, I call a regular contra dance, once a month that is attended by many beginners. Yes they really are beginning something as we encourage them to come back. Often I do a lot of dances that are not contras as this is appropriate. Recently I decided to do an evening mostly of easy contras. I had problems I have had before, so, I have two requests today: (1) Many of the dances I do would now be called unequal dances as the actives do a lot more than the inactives. We often do Actives down the center, turn alone, back and cast off, figures that used to be among the most basic, but are not often done at todays dances. Are any of you still doing dances that use these calls? Are any of you who do use these figures calling to a room made up mostly of beginners? Here is what I have been saying (roughly), or at least trying to say: * Actives identify who you are and notice who your neighbors are. * You are going to end up changing places with your neighbor, so that you are one place down from where you are now, and you will again be facing your partner as you are now. * Here is how you get there * Actives only, go down the center with your partner 5 or 6 steps (the meaning of actives, down, center, and Partner have all been previously established) * Turn alone in place. * Come back up the hall until you are standing between your neighbors. * Inactives put your arm around your active neighbors waists. * Actives you are going to separate from your partner * Inactives pivot your neighbor around, actives continuing forward, inactives backing up about ¾ of the way around until * The actives are one place down, below their neighbors, and all are facing their partners across the set as I showed you earlier. OK, I probably do not say all of this, all of the time, but I come close (I have recorded myself so I can check). There cannot be anything left to say can there? Do you think that there is something else to say or something to say differently? A demonstration preceded this. What do you do to teach these figures? (2) I also need more equal beginner and very beginner contras. My favorite is Family Contra. Do you have other equal contras for beginners and very beginners. I have several set dances and a few Sicilian circles for such folks, and I normally do them first so that dancers can get the idea of progressing to new neighbors, before we try contras. What I seem to need more of are equal contras for beginners and very beginners. What do you have that you can send me? Thanks, Rickey Holt Fremont, NH

17 years, 2 months

Japan dance and self intro/update

by Liz and Bill

Hi David, I ran across your post searching for contra dance Japan. Do you have anything going? I am a caller in New Zealand. Our son lives in Osaka and we come to Japan often. Cheers, Bill Baritompa

17 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Organizing Dance Cards

by Dan Black

Chris, Thanks for the fix and I hope all is well. ----- Original Message ---- From: Chris Weiler <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Sunday, March 9, 2008 1:36:45 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Organizing Dance Cards Dan, You're right, the move is awkward for the men. If I were going to re-write the dance it might look something like this: A1 Circle left 3/4, gents roll neighbor right 1/2 hey (gents pass left) A2 Neighbor bal. & swing B1 Long lines Gents Al. Right 3/4, new gents Al. Left 3/4 (ladies take a step to the left) B2 Partner Bal. & swing I have danced other dances with the gent's using this progression, but can't think of them right now. Maybe someone else on this list has them in their collection and would like to share? Chris Weiler Goffstown, NH Dan Black wrote: > Gang, > > By the way, Mary Kays Reel is a favorite and I enjoy changing roles in this dance ( the lady role rocks). There seems to be an awkward sequence in the B1 in the below referenced dance: > B1 Promenade (the dance originally called for a right and left through > here) > Gents allemande Right 3/4 to a fleeting long lineThe gents right hand may be behind the lady for the promenade then the gent has to reach out with his right hand for an allemande right without bopping his neighbor in the head or worse. > > Do I have this right? While walking this in my living room it seems uncomfortable, has anyone dance this sequence to confirm this? > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com> > To: callers(a)sharedweight.net > Sent: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 5:16:05 PM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Organizing Dance Cards > > Susan Kevra's "The Country of Marriage" has that "Mary Cay's" move as well, > done by the men. > > http://www.io.com/~entropy/contradance/sequences/the-country-of-marriage.ht… > > Jerome > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Be a better friend, newshound, and > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > > _______________________________________________ > 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 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search. http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping

17 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] Organizing Dance Cards

by Dan Black

Gang, By the way, Mary Kays Reel is a favorite and I enjoy changing roles in this dance ( the lady role rocks). There seems to be an awkward sequence in the B1 in the below referenced dance: B1 Promenade (the dance originally called for a right and left through here) Gents allemande Right 3/4 to a fleeting long lineThe gents right hand may be behind the lady for the promenade then the gent has to reach out with his right hand for an allemande right without bopping his neighbor in the head or worse. Do I have this right? While walking this in my living room it seems uncomfortable, has anyone dance this sequence to confirm this? ----- Original Message ---- From: Jerome Grisanti <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Sent: Wednesday, February 6, 2008 5:16:05 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Organizing Dance Cards Susan Kevra's "The Country of Marriage" has that "Mary Cay's" move as well, done by the men. http://www.io.com/~entropy/contradance/sequences/the-country-of-marriage.ht… Jerome ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ

17 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] thanks again for all the help with Rory O'More

by crunchymama＠juno.com

David, It helps VERY MUCH thank you! I think I was looking alphabetically under "O" for Olson instead of "J" for Jennings. DUH! Google was pulling up the right page, but I kept scrolling down too far. And thank you for the Roger Diggle version! Alison Murphy -- David.Millstone(a)valley.net (David Millstone) wrote: Dear Alison, <snip> Zesty Contras does, indeed, appear to be available from CDSS: http://www.cdss.org/sales/american_dance.html#books and scroll down to Jennings. Along with 500 dances in his unique transcription style, Larry includees many provocative essays that are in many ways even more valuable than the dances. Same thing goes for Give-and-Take, the more recent sequel which was written in part because Larry's sense of what constituted a "zesty" contra had changed over time. "Zesty Contras" actually includes dances without a partner swing-- gasp! I was on autopilot when I suggested this and credited it to Roger Diggle. It's because the version I usually call is Roger's variation of Al's dance, which Al liked even better than his original composition. MORE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR Roger Diggle variation of dance by Al Olson Becket formation A1 Circle left 3/4, allemande right with your neighbor 1-1/2 into long waves (men facing in, women out) A2 Rory O'More balances B1 Allemande right once around, men start hey for four across the set B2 Continue the hey (until you meet partner), swing partner, slide left along the set to the next couple <snip> Hope this helps... David Millstone Lebanon, NH _____________________________________________________________ Surf a world without wires. Click now for great wireless Internet solutions! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2111/fc/Ioyw6iiefNeO1nUJZ8L0Req7qSygZzt…

17 years, 2 months

Re: [Callers] thanks again for all the help with Rory O'More

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

Dear Alison, > Is the momentum from cast off proper really any different from a ladies chain into long lines forward and back? No. It's just that instead of starting across, as in a courtesty turn, with a 180 degree assisted turn, with a cast off the assisted turn starts with the actuve couple facing up and the turn is more like 270 degrees, three quarters of the way around, to end facing across. Zesty Contras does, indeed, appear to be available from CDSS: http://www.cdss.org/sales/american_dance.html#books and scroll down to Jennings. Along with 500 dances in his unique transcription style, Larry includees many provocative essays that are in many ways even more valuable than the dances. Same thing goes for Give-and-Take, the more recent sequel which was written in part because Larry's sense of what constituted a "zesty" contra had changed over time. "Zesty Contras" actually includes dances without a partner swing-- gasp! Rory O'More balances for all in contempory contras work because they're done in two lines, one on each side of the set, rather than one line down the center. There's simply not enough room to put all the dancers into one line. (Think of normal spacing along a contra line, and now put twice as many people into it.) MORE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR Al Olson duple improper contra A1 Circle left; allemande right neighbor 1-1/2 to a long wave A2 All balance right, then left, then slde right past your neighbor (the Rory O'More balances) For new wave, balance left, right, and slide left past that same neighbor B1 Allemande right neighbor once around (just 4 counts!), men start hey for four across the set, going 3/4 of the way B2 All swing partner; ladies chain I was on autopilot when I suggested this and credited it to Roger Diggle. It'sbecause the versin I usually call is Roger's variation of Al's dance, which Al liked even better than his original composition. MORE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR Roger Diggle variation of dance by Al Olson Becket formation A1 Circle left 3/4, allemande right with your neighbor 1-1/2 into long waves (men facing in, women out) A2 Rory O'More balances B1 Allemande right once around, men start hey for four across the set B2 Continue the hey (until you meet partner), swing partner, slide left along the set to the next couple And if that's not enough, Al Olson also came up with... MORE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR #2, which is published in Give-and-Take... Hope this helps... David Millstone Lebanon, NH

17 years, 2 months

thanks again for all the help with Rory O'More

by crunchymama＠juno.com

Thank you all, again, for all the help with Rory O'More. Apparently the decision on how or even whether to call it has been postponed for me by the weather- our dance for tonight was snowed out!! (My kids are thrilled, the jonquils maybe less so.) I'm not supposed to call again till April 18th, I will think on it till then, but I'm still not convinced that having all hands in for the Rory O'More line wouldn't work- can you tell stubborn runs in the family!? Is the momentum from cast off proper really any different from a ladies chain into long lines forward and back? If Rory O'More LWL work in modern dances, why wouldn't there be space for everyone? Is there just not enough time for the 2's to back out? The hand grips in the LWL seem perfect for a little push off momentum for the 2's walking back, and their presence does not interfere with the 1's being in the right place. You'd even get a little A2 preview of your corners in B1: 1's have P in R hand, 2nd corner in L, then after the first (8) P in L hand, 1st corner in R. Ah well, I will give y'all a report when I get a chance to try it. Hopefully a glowing one rather than crash and burn! If anyone would be willing to post "More For Your Neighbor" by Al Olson I'd appreciate it!! I already tried looking it up on the net, which insists it is by Al Olson rather than Roger Diggle. It was published in "Zesty Contras" which I unfortunately do not own. "Zesty Contras" is not currently available on Amazon, and while NEFFA publishes it and says it is available through CDSS, I couldn't find it there. Thank you again for all the encouragement, advice and insight. Alison Murphy "If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." ~ James Madison HTTP://WWW.RONPAUL2008.COM _____________________________________________________________ Click here to obtain free information on accredited degrees. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2111/fc/Ioyw6iieXwld1d5xUgbtxj8XnkpGxH1…

17 years, 2 months

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