--- Greg McKenzie wrote:
Thank you Bob for reminding me that it is not necessary to tell the
dancers that a particular dance is traditional. That could entirely
change the way some perceive it.
--- end of quote ---
Several years ago at a dance camp on the west coast, I included several triple
minor dances in my program over the course of the three days. A camper
approached one of camp organizers and asked, quite happily, "What's the story
with these 'Hands Six' dances? Is this a new thing that's been invented back
East?"
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
Bob Wrote:
>And if you perceive that your group is receptive, and not wedded to
>hard-and-fast expectations, and you have a band that can play the
>tune for "Money Musk" or play marches for "British Sorrow," you'll
>be surprised to find that a) half the dancers will thank you for
>calling an old traditional triple minor contra dance, b) the other
>half will thank you for inventing a new, unique, and ultra-modern
>style of contra dance, and c) these dances are so much fun that some
>dancers may not even notice that there is no swing in either dance.
Thank you Bob for reminding me that it is not necessary to tell the
dancers that a particular dance is traditional. That could entirely
change the way some perceive it.
Greg
> Have I opened a huge can of worms here?
> ~Barbara
Yes indeed! :-)
I love chocolate ice cream. I can eat chocolate ice cream over and over again. But dessert would be dull if there was no other dessert in the world except chocolate ice cream. Sometimes I want mango coconut ice cream, or baklava, or...
I love duple minor contra dances with a neighbor swing and a partner swing. But life would be dull, etc., and you get the idea, that when there is too much of a good thing then sometimes it no longer is a good thing.
Why should dancing always be the same? Don't we have TV for that?
The smart caller keeps an eye open for opportunities to increase dancers' enjoyment of the evening. On a hot summer night, that means alternating neighbor/partner swing dances with partner-only-swing, actives-only-swing, and similar dances to beat the heat. And if you perceive that your group is receptive, and not wedded to hard-and-fast expectations, and you have a band that can play the tune for "Money Musk" or play marches for "British Sorrow," you'll be surprised to find that a) half the dancers will thank you for calling an old traditional triple minor contra dance, b) the other half will thank you for inventing a new, unique, and ultra-modern style of contra dance, and c) these dances are so much fun that some dancers may not even notice that there is no swing in either dance.
PS: Sometimes a shadow swing is good too. ... Bob
--
Robert Jon Golder
164 Maxfield St
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 999-2486
Barbara,
Yes, the worms are crawling about.....
Here are some of my thoughts on neighbor swings and equal and unequal
dances. True confessions: when I was a new dancer, many years ago, I
would sometimes get asked to dance by guys that I wasn't that eager
to dance with - some pulled too hard, or yanked my arm around, or
were horribly sweaty, etc., and being polite I said yes, but I can't
tell you how relieved I was to do a dance with no partner swing! I
sometimes will call a first dance with only a neighbor swing if there
are lots of new people and they are dancing with each other, for some
reason or other. The swing is much easier to learn if you aren't both
new at it, and people learn to open up on the correct side and get
proper training before they have to go it on their own together. I
sometimes call Erik Hoffman's dance "The Last Swing of Summer"
because even though it only has a neighbor swing, you spend 16 counts
do-si-doing as a couple with your partner, which experienced dancers
can turn into all sorts of flirtatious fun and twirlings and mini-
swings as they go around. I've danced it myself, and I really enjoy
it, sans swing.
As for unequal dances, I like to call unequal double progression
dances where only 1 couple swings because they move quick enough
through the line so that everyone gets their chance. I also like to
call dances where 1s swing and later on 2s swing, so no one feels
left out. There are lots of interesting choreographic possibilities
that get missed if one relies too heavily on a dance program with
all equal dances, frankly, and it can be tiring to boot. As a dancer
I actually enjoy watching the other couple swing and admiring their
style, grace, and interaction, as long as I know that I will get my
chance. On really hot summer nights with no air conditioning here in
San Diego, unequal dances give a welcome respite. I also dislike the
trend I've seen some places to have every dance have two swings in
it. This leads to a lot of dances in the same program with circle
left and swing somebody, and that gets old real fast, people! Besides
being really hard for some reason on my left hip.
Well, 'nuff said, but I'm going to keep calling fun unequal dances,
and I won't ban the very occasional neighbor swing, though they do
have to be used with discretion.
Martha
On Jan 28, 2008, at 12:07 PM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
> Send Callers mailing list submissions to
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> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Labor of love (gtwood(a)worldpath.net)
> 2. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Barbara Groh)
> 3. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Koren A. Wake)
> 4. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Charles M. Hannum)
> 5. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Jack Mitchell)
> 6. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Bob Isaacs)
> 7. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Charles M. Hannum)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:54:29 -0500
> From: "gtwood(a)worldpath.net" <gtwood(a)worldpath.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Labor of love
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <380-220081128175429945(a)M2W012.mail2web.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Hi Delia
> I talked to Gail at the Ralph Page weekend. She mentioned that the
> Woodstock
> dance is looking for callers. (esp. the Feb. 15th dance)
> I gave her my Phone# and e-mail. I have not heard from her as of
> Jan. 28
> after reading your post I have some Qs
> before I agree to do the dance,
> mainly because I will be coming quite a distance.
> It sounds like your the person to communicate with
> my e-mail is gtwood(a)worldpath.net
>
> Thanks
> Gale Wood
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> mail2web.com - Microsoft? Exchange solutions from a leading provider -
> http://link.mail2web.com/Business/Exchange
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:14:16 -0500
> From: "Barbara Groh" <barbaragroh(a)bellsouth.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <006f01c861d9$98469860$6400a8c0@Babs>
> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
> reply-type=original
>
> I occasionally call dances with a shadow swing, but I would NEVER
> call a
> dance with no partner swing. Many times in my 35 years of dancing,
> I have
> had an evening where I FINALLY got to dance with some special
> partner, only
> to have the disappointment of doing a dance with no partner swing.
> What a
> letdown!
>
> Any caller in my area who calls dances without partner swings is
> either
> going to hear about it from one or more dancers, or at least be
> grumbled
> about behind their backs. It's probably not a big deal in a
> roomful of
> beginners, but I think that most experienced dancers feel cheated
> if they
> don't get to swing their partner.
>
> In fact, there has been much discussion in our dance community
> (really, all
> over the Southeast) as to whether "unequal" dances (where only the 1's
> swing) are "acceptable," given that there are so many great "equal"
> dances
> available. Of course, this would knock out a whole bunch of the old,
> traditional contras...
>
> Have I opened a huge can of worms here?
> ~Barbara
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Greg McKenzie" <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 2:09 AM
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
>
>
>>
>> Friends,
>>
>> It seems that having folks who really dislike swinging together at a
>> community dance is bad news...with, or without shadow swings. I know
>> it happens, but callers can work to create a more gracious and
>> generous atmosphere. It would feel odd to plan an evening program
>> while considering the needs of people who wish to avoid contact at a
>> social dance.
>>
>> Chris, I wonder; how would you feel about a dance with a shadow
>> swing, and a neighbor swing, but with NO partner swing? I suspect
>> that many of us call a dance or two each night with no partner
>> swing. Would you protest more if there were one partner-swing-free
>> dance with a shadow swing? (And would that be "rational hypocrisy?)
>>
>> Also, how many dances a night do you call that have no partner swing?
>>
>> Just wondering,
>>
>> Greg
>>
>> *********
>>
>> At 02:35 PM 1/24/2008, Chris wrote:
>>> I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my
>>> repertoire, by choice.
>>>
>>> Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two
>>> people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing
>>> Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a
>>> breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to
>>> dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was
>>> one person like this. It would drive which lines people went
>>> into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing
>>> with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner-
>>> asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.)
>>>
>>> There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as
>>> it's the same person over and over and over. And you've
>>> already got your partner over and over and over, with the
>>> partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more
>>> neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand
>>> right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance.
>>>
>>> A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect
>>> of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their
>>> uses.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night
>>> of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing
>>> your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy.
>>>
>>> -Chris Page
>>> San Diego
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:29:24 -0500
> From: "Koren A. Wake" <koren.a.wake(a)gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID:
> <99d834190801281029i12191266w3520d16301e4628a(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I've got to say that while I respect the traditional dances and
> don't mind
> the occasional actives-preferential dance (as long as the contra lines
> aren't too long to begin with!), I really like the newer dances
> that I've
> seen recently where ones and twos alternate being active. I don't
> know the
> names of these dances (maybe someone can help me out?), but I know
> there's
> at least one where the ones and twos trade off being the couple who
> does
> contra corners and then swings in the middle, and I'm a big fan of
> that.
> Contra corners into a swing in the middle is one of my favorite
> moves if the
> set is working together well.
>
> I definitely agree with Barbara, though, that it's really
> disappointing to
> not have a partner swing at all. And I think there's a
> responsibility as a
> caller to make sure that if you do call a dance where only the ones
> swing,
> the lines are short enough and the dance runs long enough that
> everyone gets
> to be a one for a decent amount of time!
>
> - Koren
>
> On 1/28/08, Barbara Groh <barbaragroh(a)bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>
>> I occasionally call dances with a shadow swing, but I would NEVER
>> call a
>> dance with no partner swing. Many times in my 35 years of
>> dancing, I have
>> had an evening where I FINALLY got to dance with some special
>> partner,
>> only
>> to have the disappointment of doing a dance with no partner
>> swing. What a
>> letdown!
>>
>> Any caller in my area who calls dances without partner swings is
>> either
>> going to hear about it from one or more dancers, or at least be
>> grumbled
>> about behind their backs. It's probably not a big deal in a
>> roomful of
>> beginners, but I think that most experienced dancers feel cheated
>> if they
>> don't get to swing their partner.
>>
>> In fact, there has been much discussion in our dance community
>> (really,
>> all
>> over the Southeast) as to whether "unequal" dances (where only the
>> 1's
>> swing) are "acceptable," given that there are so many great
>> "equal" dances
>> available. Of course, this would knock out a whole bunch of the old,
>> traditional contras...
>>
>> Have I opened a huge can of worms here?
>> ~Barbara
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Greg McKenzie" <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
>> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 2:09 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
>>
>>
>>>
>>> Friends,
>>>
>>> It seems that having folks who really dislike swinging together at a
>>> community dance is bad news...with, or without shadow swings. I
>>> know
>>> it happens, but callers can work to create a more gracious and
>>> generous atmosphere. It would feel odd to plan an evening program
>>> while considering the needs of people who wish to avoid contact at a
>>> social dance.
>>>
>>> Chris, I wonder; how would you feel about a dance with a shadow
>>> swing, and a neighbor swing, but with NO partner swing? I suspect
>>> that many of us call a dance or two each night with no partner
>>> swing. Would you protest more if there were one partner-swing-free
>>> dance with a shadow swing? (And would that be "rational hypocrisy?)
>>>
>>> Also, how many dances a night do you call that have no partner
>>> swing?
>>>
>>> Just wondering,
>>>
>>> Greg
>>>
>>> *********
>>>
>>> At 02:35 PM 1/24/2008, Chris wrote:
>>>> I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my
>>>> repertoire, by choice.
>>>>
>>>> Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two
>>>> people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing
>>>> Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a
>>>> breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to
>>>> dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was
>>>> one person like this. It would drive which lines people went
>>>> into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing
>>>> with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner-
>>>> asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.)
>>>>
>>>> There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as
>>>> it's the same person over and over and over. And you've
>>>> already got your partner over and over and over, with the
>>>> partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more
>>>> neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand
>>>> right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance.
>>>>
>>>> A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect
>>>> of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their
>>>> uses.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night
>>>> of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing
>>>> your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy.
>>>>
>>>> -Chris Page
>>>> San Diego
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:32:56 -0500
> From: "Charles M. Hannum" <root(a)ihack.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID:
> <9d49f6db0801281032l1f9911b5g600c18c9bcce0b61(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I am really not a fan of what you call "unequal" dances. I always
> feel like
> I should have brought a pillow. This is why I dislike one of the
> Great
> Classics -- Chorus Jig.
>
> That said, in many cases it's possible to simply alternative the
> active role
> between the 1s and 2s, and balance the dance better. Some callers
> do this.
> (I don't think there's a good way to do it with Chorus Jig, though.)
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:53:18 -0500
> From: Jack Mitchell <jamitch3(a)mindspring.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <E1JJZ6Y-0007mE-FC(a)elasmtp-spurfowl.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
> Well, since one of the other threads on here recently has been "Labor
> of Love", I'll share one of my favorite alternating contra corners
> dances:
>
> Labor of Love
> Kathy Anderson
> Improper
>
> A1 N B&S
> A2 LL F&B
> 1's (2's) RH Bal & Box the Gnat
> B1 1's (2's) turn Contra Corners
> B2 1's (2's) B&S
>
> This is a great dance to teach contra corners because the only thing
> at all hard about it is the contra corners itself. Better still, it
> doesn't have a half figure 8, which folks frequently have more
> trouble with than the contra corners itself. In any event, it's a
> fun dance!
>
> Jack
>
>
>
>
> At 01:29 PM 1/28/2008, you wrote:
>> I've got to say that while I respect the traditional dances and
>> don't mind
>> the occasional actives-preferential dance (as long as the contra
>> lines
>> aren't too long to begin with!), I really like the newer dances
>> that I've
>> seen recently where ones and twos alternate being active. I don't
>> know the
>> names of these dances (maybe someone can help me out?), but I know
>> there's
>> at least one where the ones and twos trade off being the couple
>> who does
>> contra corners and then swings in the middle, and I'm a big fan of
>> that.
>> Contra corners into a swing in the middle is one of my favorite
>> moves if the
>> set is working together well.
>>
>> I definitely agree with Barbara, though, that it's really
>> disappointing to
>> not have a partner swing at all. And I think there's a
>> responsibility as a
>> caller to make sure that if you do call a dance where only the
>> ones swing,
>> the lines are short enough and the dance runs long enough that
>> everyone gets
>> to be a one for a decent amount of time!
>>
>> - Koren
>>
>> On 1/28/08, Barbara Groh <barbaragroh(a)bellsouth.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> I occasionally call dances with a shadow swing, but I would NEVER
>>> call a
>>> dance with no partner swing. Many times in my 35 years of
>>> dancing, I have
>>> had an evening where I FINALLY got to dance with some special
>>> partner,
>>> only
>>> to have the disappointment of doing a dance with no partner
>>> swing. What a
>>> letdown!
>>>
>>> Any caller in my area who calls dances without partner swings is
>>> either
>>> going to hear about it from one or more dancers, or at least be
>>> grumbled
>>> about behind their backs. It's probably not a big deal in a
>>> roomful of
>>> beginners, but I think that most experienced dancers feel cheated
>>> if they
>>> don't get to swing their partner.
>>>
>>> In fact, there has been much discussion in our dance community
>>> (really,
>>> all
>>> over the Southeast) as to whether "unequal" dances (where only
>>> the 1's
>>> swing) are "acceptable," given that there are so many great
>>> "equal" dances
>>> available. Of course, this would knock out a whole bunch of the
>>> old,
>>> traditional contras...
>>>
>>> Have I opened a huge can of worms here?
>>> ~Barbara
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Greg McKenzie" <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
>>> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>>> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 2:09 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> Friends,
>>>>
>>>> It seems that having folks who really dislike swinging together
>>>> at a
>>>> community dance is bad news...with, or without shadow swings. I
>>>> know
>>>> it happens, but callers can work to create a more gracious and
>>>> generous atmosphere. It would feel odd to plan an evening program
>>>> while considering the needs of people who wish to avoid contact
>>>> at a
>>>> social dance.
>>>>
>>>> Chris, I wonder; how would you feel about a dance with a shadow
>>>> swing, and a neighbor swing, but with NO partner swing? I suspect
>>>> that many of us call a dance or two each night with no partner
>>>> swing. Would you protest more if there were one partner-swing-free
>>>> dance with a shadow swing? (And would that be "rational
>>>> hypocrisy?)
>>>>
>>>> Also, how many dances a night do you call that have no partner
>>>> swing?
>>>>
>>>> Just wondering,
>>>>
>>>> Greg
>>>>
>>>> *********
>>>>
>>>> At 02:35 PM 1/24/2008, Chris wrote:
>>>>> I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my
>>>>> repertoire, by choice.
>>>>>
>>>>> Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two
>>>>> people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing
>>>>> Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a
>>>>> breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to
>>>>> dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was
>>>>> one person like this. It would drive which lines people went
>>>>> into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing
>>>>> with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner-
>>>>> asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.)
>>>>>
>>>>> There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as
>>>>> it's the same person over and over and over. And you've
>>>>> already got your partner over and over and over, with the
>>>>> partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more
>>>>> neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand
>>>>> right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance.
>>>>>
>>>>> A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect
>>>>> of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their
>>>>> uses.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night
>>>>> of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing
>>>>> your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy.
>>>>>
>>>>> -Chris Page
>>>>> San Diego
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> 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
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 6
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:01:43 -0500
> From: Bob Isaacs <isaacsbob(a)hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <BAY129-W3995BC023A6971C2EF8693AA340(a)phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
>> That said, in many cases it's possible to simply alternative the
>> active role> between the 1s and 2s, and balance the dance better.
>> Some callers do this.> (I don't think there's a good way to do it
>> with Chorus Jig, though.)
> Yes there is - when sets are long enough, I've been using this
> version for a few years;
>
> 1A1. 1's down the outside, turn alone and return
> 1A2. 1's down the center, turn alone, return and cast off
> 1B1. 1's turn contra corners
> 1B2. 1's balance, swing
> 2A1. 2's up the outside, turn alone and return
> 2A2. 2's up the center, turn alone, return and cast off
> 2B1. 2's turn contra corners
> 2B2. 2's balance, swing
>
> As we all know, it has been customary for the inactives to cheat
> and swing during the A1. When the actives are done with B2 in this
> version, they can start cheating by simply keep on swinging -
> they're already there. Then after about a 28 beat swing they'll
> appreciate being inactive for a while.
>
> On the subject of shadow swings, the best dance I know of with one is;
>
> Ten Strings Attached Improper, Jim Saxe/Charlie Fenton
>
> A1. Neighbor balance, swing
> A2. Gents allemande L 1 1/2 - give R to partner to form wave/4
> Balance, walk forward
> B1. Shadow swing, partner swing
> B2. Partner promenade across, ladies chain
>
> Unlike swing-swing with different neighbors, the roll from shadow
> to partner can get better with repetition as all know who they are
> going to. Another B2 here that gives some needed partner
> interaction is circle L 3/4, balance, California twirl.
>
> I call shadow swing once in a while, and agree that they are best
> reserved for experienced audiences and dance camps. I have yet to
> write a dance with one in it, partly due to their limited use and
> partly because it isn't easy to find sequences like Ten Strings
> Attached that have a shadow swing and enough neighbor and partner
> action.
>
> Bob
> _________________________________________________________________
> Shed those extra pounds with MSN and The Biggest Loser!
> http://biggestloser.msn.com/
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 7
> Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:06:54 -0500
> From: "Charles M. Hannum" <root(a)ihack.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID:
> <9d49f6db0801281206w3d238dc0g6f17ecfc434cc0e1(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> That's the obvious way to alternate Chorus Jig. It exacerbates a
> problem
> that already exists in the dance -- if the set gets too close to
> the bottom
> of the hall, then the 1s get bunched up near the bottom. Since
> most sets
> align at the top of the hall, you now have that problem all the
> time in the
> opposite direction.
>
>
> On 1/28/08, Bob Isaacs <isaacsbob(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> That said, in many cases it's possible to simply alternative the
>>> active
>> role> between the 1s and 2s, and balance the dance better. Some
>> callers do
>> this.> (I don't think there's a good way to do it with Chorus Jig,
>> though.)
>> Yes there is - when sets are long enough, I've been using this
>> version for
>> a few years;
>>
>> 1A1. 1's down the outside, turn alone and return
>> 1A2. 1's down the center, turn alone, return and cast off
>> 1B1. 1's turn contra corners
>> 1B2. 1's balance, swing
>> 2A1. 2's up the outside, turn alone and return
>> 2A2. 2's up the center, turn alone, return and cast off
>> 2B1. 2's turn contra corners
>> 2B2. 2's balance, swing
>>
>> As we all know, it has been customary for the inactives to cheat
>> and swing
>> during the A1. When the actives are done with B2 in this version,
>> they can
>> start cheating by simply keep on swinging - they're already
>> there. Then
>> after about a 28 beat swing they'll appreciate being inactive for
>> a while.
>>
>> On the subject of shadow swings, the best dance I know of with one
>> is;
>>
>> Ten Strings Attached Improper, Jim Saxe/Charlie Fenton
>>
>> A1. Neighbor balance, swing
>> A2. Gents allemande L 1 1/2 - give R to partner to form wave/4
>> Balance, walk forward
>> B1. Shadow swing, partner swing
>> B2. Partner promenade across, ladies chain
>>
>> Unlike swing-swing with different neighbors, the roll from shadow to
>> partner can get better with repetition as all know who they are going
>> to. Another B2 here that gives some needed partner interaction is
>> circle L
>> 3/4, balance, California twirl.
>>
>> I call shadow swing once in a while, and agree that they are best
>> reserved
>> for experienced audiences and dance camps. I have yet to write a
>> dance with
>> one in it, partly due to their limited use and partly because it
>> isn't easy
>> to find sequences like Ten Strings Attached that have a shadow
>> swing and
>> enough neighbor and partner action.
>>
>> Bob
>> _________________________________________________________________
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>> http://biggestloser.msn.com/
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> _______________________________________________
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>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 41, Issue 18
> ***************************************
Well, since one of the other threads on here recently has been "Labor
of Love", I'll share one of my favorite alternating contra corners dances:
Labor of Love
Kathy Anderson
Improper
A1 N B&S
A2 LL F&B
1's (2's) RH Bal & Box the Gnat
B1 1's (2's) turn Contra Corners
B2 1's (2's) B&S
This is a great dance to teach contra corners because the only thing
at all hard about it is the contra corners itself. Better still, it
doesn't have a half figure 8, which folks frequently have more
trouble with than the contra corners itself. In any event, it's a fun dance!
Jack
At 01:29 PM 1/28/2008, you wrote:
>I've got to say that while I respect the traditional dances and don't mind
>the occasional actives-preferential dance (as long as the contra lines
>aren't too long to begin with!), I really like the newer dances that I've
>seen recently where ones and twos alternate being active. I don't know the
>names of these dances (maybe someone can help me out?), but I know there's
>at least one where the ones and twos trade off being the couple who does
>contra corners and then swings in the middle, and I'm a big fan of that.
>Contra corners into a swing in the middle is one of my favorite moves if the
>set is working together well.
>
>I definitely agree with Barbara, though, that it's really disappointing to
>not have a partner swing at all. And I think there's a responsibility as a
>caller to make sure that if you do call a dance where only the ones swing,
>the lines are short enough and the dance runs long enough that everyone gets
>to be a one for a decent amount of time!
>
>- Koren
>
>On 1/28/08, Barbara Groh <barbaragroh(a)bellsouth.net> wrote:
> >
> > I occasionally call dances with a shadow swing, but I would NEVER call a
> > dance with no partner swing. Many times in my 35 years of dancing, I have
> > had an evening where I FINALLY got to dance with some special partner,
> > only
> > to have the disappointment of doing a dance with no partner swing. What a
> > letdown!
> >
> > Any caller in my area who calls dances without partner swings is either
> > going to hear about it from one or more dancers, or at least be grumbled
> > about behind their backs. It's probably not a big deal in a roomful of
> > beginners, but I think that most experienced dancers feel cheated if they
> > don't get to swing their partner.
> >
> > In fact, there has been much discussion in our dance community (really,
> > all
> > over the Southeast) as to whether "unequal" dances (where only the 1's
> > swing) are "acceptable," given that there are so many great "equal" dances
> > available. Of course, this would knock out a whole bunch of the old,
> > traditional contras...
> >
> > Have I opened a huge can of worms here?
> > ~Barbara
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Greg McKenzie" <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> > Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 2:09 AM
> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Friends,
> > >
> > > It seems that having folks who really dislike swinging together at a
> > > community dance is bad news...with, or without shadow swings. I know
> > > it happens, but callers can work to create a more gracious and
> > > generous atmosphere. It would feel odd to plan an evening program
> > > while considering the needs of people who wish to avoid contact at a
> > > social dance.
> > >
> > > Chris, I wonder; how would you feel about a dance with a shadow
> > > swing, and a neighbor swing, but with NO partner swing? I suspect
> > > that many of us call a dance or two each night with no partner
> > > swing. Would you protest more if there were one partner-swing-free
> > > dance with a shadow swing? (And would that be "rational hypocrisy?)
> > >
> > > Also, how many dances a night do you call that have no partner swing?
> > >
> > > Just wondering,
> > >
> > > Greg
> > >
> > > *********
> > >
> > > At 02:35 PM 1/24/2008, Chris wrote:
> > >>I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my
> > >>repertoire, by choice.
> > >>
> > >>Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two
> > >>people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing
> > >>Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a
> > >>breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to
> > >>dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was
> > >>one person like this. It would drive which lines people went
> > >>into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing
> > >>with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner-
> > >>asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.)
> > >>
> > >>There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as
> > >>it's the same person over and over and over. And you've
> > >>already got your partner over and over and over, with the
> > >>partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more
> > >>neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand
> > >>right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance.
> > >>
> > >>A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect
> > >>of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their
> > >>uses.
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night
> > >>of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing
> > >>your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy.
> > >>
> > >>-Chris Page
> > >>San Diego
> > >>_______________________________________________
> > >>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
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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
Hi Delia
I talked to Gail at the Ralph Page weekend. She mentioned that the Woodstock
dance is looking for callers. (esp. the Feb. 15th dance)
I gave her my Phone# and e-mail. I have not heard from her as of Jan. 28
after reading your post I have some Qs
before I agree to do the dance,
mainly because I will be coming quite a distance.
It sounds like your the person to communicate with
my e-mail is gtwood(a)worldpath.net
Thanks
Gale Wood
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Good thought!
----- Original Message -----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net <callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sat Jan 26 20:05:35 2008
Subject: Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 41, Issue 16
Hello there,
Some of these latest threads (several on coping with unpopular or unskilled dancers and Delia's piece on the new VT series, in particular) seem like they'd be good fodder for the organizers list as well. I know of at least one person on that list who's not on this one, and wondered what you thought of having our SharedWeight managers (Chris, Seth) do some judicious cross-posting, or better yet, perhaps the sources of those posts could send them over to the SharedWeight organizer list directly. Would anyone mind?
I've really been enjoying reading about the different ways that folks are all contributing to the greater good by supporting our dance communities.
~ Chrissy Fowler
http://www.belfastflyingshoes.org
***************************************
_________________________________________________________________
Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star power.
http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
Hello there,
Some of these latest threads (several on coping with unpopular or unskilled dancers and Delia's piece on the new VT series, in particular) seem like they'd be good fodder for the organizers list as well. I know of at least one person on that list who's not on this one, and wondered what you thought of having our SharedWeight managers (Chris, Seth) do some judicious cross-posting, or better yet, perhaps the sources of those posts could send them over to the SharedWeight organizer list directly. Would anyone mind?
I've really been enjoying reading about the different ways that folks are all contributing to the greater good by supporting our dance communities.
~ Chrissy Fowler
http://www.belfastflyingshoes.org
***************************************
_________________________________________________________________
Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star power.
http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan
Linda,
I enjoyed your post. Years ago we had two dancers at our dance who
were terrible dancers, though they had danced for a long time and
thought of themselves as experienced dancers, and the combination of
that and being avoided by the women who knew them meant they would
ask beginners to dance, totally confusing them and causing whole sets
to fall apart. Similar to your story, a group of us women got
together and decided we would be the "sacrificial squad" and take
turns "neutralizing" them when they showed up by asking them to
dance before they could ask a beginner. It certainly made the dances
go a lot more smoothly and beginners came back more frequently when
they felt competent and not confused, so it was worth the sacrifice.
I wonder if they ever marveled at why suddenly they were so popular.
I wish I could say they became better dancers, but they eventually
moved so the squad happily disbanded.
Regarding shadow swings - at a dance out of town I ended up with a
shadow and we suddenly recognized each other as having been in school
together years ago, so that was fun. Part of the mystery of life -
sometimes you get a prize, sometimes you don't.
Martha
On Jan 25, 2008, at 9:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
> Send Callers mailing list submissions to
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>
> Today's Topics:
>
> 1. Re: Shadow swings (Jerome Grisanti)
> 2. A Shadow Swing and New moves for contras... (Linda Leslie)
> 3. Re: Shadow swings (Chris Page)
> 4. Re: Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy (Greg McKenzie)
> 5. Re: Shadow swings (gtwood(a)worldpath.net)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:56:58 -0600
> From: "Jerome Grisanti" <jerome.grisanti(a)gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID:
> <78dbc7c60801240956j297e9456n18bab2ed5ff49d45(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I believe shadow swings should be limited to dance weekends or
> workshops,
> and even then only rarely. While keeping in mind Cary Ravitz's
> rationale
> that you don't choose your shadow, your chances of having a very
> pleasant
> interaction with a shadow are very much higher at a dance weekend. Of
> course, not all weekends are made the same.
>
> As a dancer I sometimes replace certain interactions (such as shadow
> allemande right once and a half) with a shadow swing when it's
> someone I
> enjoy swinging with. If my shadow is a beginner or a so-so swinger,
> I dance
> the figure as called.
>
> And I like Mark Galipeau's suggestion that the caller can change
> shadow
> interaction to a swing on the last iteration of the dance, but only
> if that
> would not confuse the dancers.
>
> --Jerome
>
>
> On Jan 24, 2008 11:00 AM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:25:25 -0500
>> From: J L Korr <jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com>
>> Subject: [Callers] Shadow swings
>>
>> During the same open mike session, I enjoyed dancing Nils
>> Fredland's "Head
>> of the Bed" to Dave Eisenstatter's calling, and it got me
>> thinking. I've
>> called dances with shadow swings infrequently, because in the back
>> of my
>> head I think about the following excerpt from Cary Ravitz's notes
>> on contra
>> choreography: "Watch out for excessive trail buddy interaction.
>> People don't
>> choose their trail buddy and they are stuck with them for the
>> entire dance.
>> . . . Trail buddy swings are not allowed."
>>
>> However, Cary also emphasizes that those are his personal
>> preferences, and
>> others' preferences may vary. So I'd appreciate others' thoughts
>> on this --
>> are shadow swings as strongly negative an issue for you as they
>> are for
>> Cary? Clearly they were not an issue for Nils when writing "Head
>> of the Bed"
>> or Seth T. when writing "Meg's a Dancing Fool," for instance.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Jeremy
>>
>>
>
> --
> Jerome Grisanti
> 660-528-0858
> 660-528-0714
> http://www.jeromegrisanti.com
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:52:55 -0500
> From: Linda Leslie <laleslierjg(a)comcast.net>
> Subject: [Callers] A Shadow Swing and New moves for contras...
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <3086A7F3-AA3C-447E-8947-3359C7426309(a)comcast.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
>
> Greetings!
> I very much agree with Greg's list of "thoughts about contra dance
> moves". This is an area that begs for lots of wonderful
> conversations among callers...we have a responsibility to keep a
> healthy balance between the traditions, and the evolution of dancing.
> I encourage one of you to apply for NEFFA 2009 (the schedule for 2008
> is all done!), with this as a topic for discussion!
>
> And as for shadow swings, three cheers to Chris Weiler for his
> thoughts! One of the most satisfying venues for me to call is the
> community dance, where dancers are happy to dance with each other,
> regardless of skill. There is a recognition of the need to "take
> care" of one another in order for the joy of the dance to be shared
> by all, and an understanding that the dancing will continue only if
> we make sure that new dancers feel welcome. The dance in Rehoboth,
> MA is probably one of the best community dances that demonstrates
> this commitment. I, like Chris, when dancing, tend to wait until the
> last minute, and ask someone I don't know, or who seems shy, to
> dance. If is works out to be fun, then it is great for both of us; if
> is was not so pleasurable, thus is life....and after all, a dance is
> *only* 12 minutes or so! The same can be said for having a shadow
> that you do not choose: there is the potential serendipity of making
> a new friend, or the possibility of a less than thrilling experience.
> I am willing to take the risk! Certainly only one dance in an evening
> with a shadow swing would be advisable, but not calling any at all
> also seems to me to be a mistake.
>
> I am also reminded of an experience at a very small dance on Cape
> Cod. A not so skilled dancer (gent) who had trouble hearing the
> calls, was a fervent attendee at the dance in Sandwich. Because the
> number of dancers is small (though high in energy!), it was obvious
> that this gent was left out until the end or entirely, and often
> would be paired with new dancers. The experienced women got together
> and decided that they would each take a turn asking him to dance one
> dance on any given evening. What a marvelous plan! He was as happy as
> could be, smiling the whole evening, and the dance in general was
> more enjoyable for all as a consequence. He may not have been on
> time, or skilled, but the joy from him made everybody feel great!
>
> So Jeremy, I would say don't be shy about calling a dance with a
> shadow swing!
> warmly, Linda Leslie
>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>> -
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 10:48:49 -0800 (GMT-08:00)
>> From: Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] What did he say !??? MWSD
>> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Message-ID:
>> <20647868.1201114129207.JavaMail.root@elwamui-
>> polski.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
>>
>> Jerome wrote:
>>> One other thing I might mention about bringing Modern Western
>>> Square moves
>>> into Contra crowds: ...
>>
>> Then there is also the other, more basic, discussion about both the
>> advisability of this course and the responsibilities it entails.
>>
>> The contra dance tradition, as it currently stands, is still one of
>> the most effective means of bringing a roomfull of people with
>> widely varying skill levels together in a joyful evening of social
>> dance to live music, without the requirement of separate lessons.
>>
>> For some of us this is the most attracive quality of contras. An
>> effort to increase the number of calls and the skills necessary to
>> participate at any evening of contra dance is a bold course that
>> could do violence to the traditional role of contras. An effort to
>> do so should be pursued with caution. Each step in this direction
>> should be precluded with a series of questions:
>>
>> - How will this addition affect the confidence level of first-time
>> dancers in the hall?
>>
>> - How will it affect their ability to participate and the
>> likelihood that they will return?
>>
>> - How should I characterize this addition to make it clear that it
>> varies from the basic tradition of contras?
>>
>> - What is the appropriate venue to introduce this kind of
>> variation? (Dance camps, special events, festivals, or regular
>> contra dance series?)
>>
>> - Are my variations significant enough over the course of the
>> evening that I have a responsibility to distinguish this event, in
>> the publicity, from a regular evening of contras?
>>
>> - Would I like to see this variation become a part of the contra
>> dance tradition?
>>
>> Just a thought,
>> Greg McKenzie
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> . . . and Chris did an excellent job calling a fun dance he co-
>> wrote. Will you consider posting it on SharedWeight, Chris?
>>
>> During the same open mike session, I enjoyed dancing Nils
>> Fredland's "Head of the Bed" to Dave Eisenstatter's calling, and it
>> got me thinking. I've called dances with shadow swings
>> infrequently, because in the back of my head I think about the
>> following excerpt from Cary Ravitz's notes on contra choreography:
>> "Watch out for excessive trail buddy interaction. People don't
>> choose their trail buddy and they are stuck with them for the
>> entire dance. . . . Trail buddy swings are not allowed."
>>
>> However, Cary also emphasizes that those are his personal
>> preferences, and others' preferences may vary. So I'd appreciate
>> others' thoughts on this -- are shadow swings as strongly negative
>> an issue for you as they are for Cary? Clearly they were not an
>> issue for Nils when writing "Head of the Bed" or Seth T. when
>> writing "Meg's a Dancing Fool," for instance.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Jeremy
>>
>> Jeremy Korr
>> East of Los Angeles
>>
>> _________________________________________________________________
>> Connect and share in new ways with Windows Live.
>> http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?
>> ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 3
>> Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:37:56 -0500
>> From: "Koren A. Wake" <koren.a.wake(a)gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
>> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Message-ID:
>> <99d834190801231337t76308643w47506638aed005a0(a)mail.gmail.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>>
>> This is my opinion mainly as a dancer, not so much as a caller, but
>> I'm
>> inclined to agree with Cary - especially when you consider that the
>> more
>> shadow interaction there is, the less partner interaction! A nice
>> shadow
>> move that bounces me back to my partner can be very cool, and when
>> my shadow
>> is a good dancer or good friend of mine, I'm happy to have more
>> shadow
>> interaction, but it's a gamble. I might be stuck with a shadow
>> who's a
>> terrible dancer, or smells bad, or is generally just not someone
>> I'd want to
>> dance with, and not only are you (the choreographer and caller)
>> forcing me
>> to swing him every time through the dance, you're also taking me
>> away from
>> the person who I *did* choose to dance with.
>>
>> On the other hand, there are really cool dances with lots of shadow
>> interaction, too. If the dance itself is cool enough, I'm willing
>> to let
>> myself get pulled away from my partner more.
>>
>> - Koren
>>
>> On 1/23/08, J L Korr <jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>> Message: 4
>> Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 17:35:16 -0500 (EST)
>> From: Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
>> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Message-ID:
>> <11856886.1201127716708.JavaMail.root@elwamui-
>> karabash.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
>>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>>
>>
>> Jeremy,
>>
>> I enjoy shadow swings.
>>
>> Greg
>>
>> ********
>>> Chris Weiler wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Message: 5
>> Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:47:16 -0800 (PST)
>> From: Mark Galipeau <red72impala(a)yahoo.com>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
>> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Message-ID: <897118.62150.qm(a)web83611.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>>
>> I love it when I have a shadow, without a swing, and
>> the caller throws in in the last iteration of the
>> dance, swing your shadow, just as a final good bye
>> gesture! Makes for a nice finish to a dance.
>>
>>
>>
>> Message: 7
>> Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:23:38 -0500
>> From: Chris Weiler <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org>
>> Subject: [Callers] Give the Scout a Hand
>> To: Shared Weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Message-ID: <4798915A.2030804(a)weirdtable.org>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>
>> Jeremy,
>>
>> Here is the dance that you asked for:
>>
>> Give the Scout a Hand Becket-L
>> Bob Isaacs and Chris Weiler
>>
>> A1. Circle L 3/4, neighbor swing
>> A2. Long lines, gents allemande L 1 1/2 - give R to partner
>> B1. Balance, box the gnat, 1/2 hey with hands (partner pull by R,
>> gents
>> pull by L, neighbor pull by R, ladies pull by L)
>> B2. Partner balance, swing, then slide L, etc.
>>
>> Written for a fundraiser auction for the Concord Scout House in
>> Concord,
>> MA. Written 6/17/07. I prefer the 1/2 hey with hands to a standard
>> hey
>> since it gives the whole dance a connected feeling. I have used it
>> with
>> mixed crowds before with success.
>>
>> Best,
>> Chris
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Message: 8
>> Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:35:52 -0500
>> From: Chris Weiler <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org>
>> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
>> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
>> Message-ID: <47989438.5050705(a)weirdtable.org>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>>
>> Jeremy,
>>
>> I agree with Koren that it's a crap shoot when you call a shadow
>> swing.
>> I definitely would never call one with a crowd that has more than a
>> minimal number of beginners. I also would never call more than one
>> in an
>> evening.
>>
>> That said, I like the gamble. I think that I'm a little unusual in
>> that
>> I very often in the evening wait until the last minute to find a
>> partner
>> and take whoever is available. I've met some wonderful dancers and
>> friends that way. Sometimes I get to dance with someone I haven't
>> danced
>> with in a long time. I think it's fun. The shadow swing can be the
>> same
>> way. Quite often when I have shadow interaction in a dance, I'll
>> ask my
>> shadow to be my next partner when the dance is done.
>>
>> Head of the Bed is unusual with it's 3 swings (Neighbor, Partner and
>> Shadow). When I first danced it at the Flurry, I knew I had to
>> collect
>> it. But I haven't had more than one opportunity to call it. 8^)
>> It's a
>> fun dance!
>>
>> Happy Dancing!
>> Chris
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:35:38 -0800
> From: "Chris Page" <chriscpage(a)gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
> To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID:
> <9469896c0801241435i424b5073w64fcba5b0d1815de(a)mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my
> repertoire, by choice.
>
> Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two
> people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing
> Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a
> breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to
> dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was
> one person like this. It would drive which lines people went
> into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing
> with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner-
> asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.)
>
> There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as
> it's the same person over and over and over. And you've
> already got your partner over and over and over, with the
> partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more
> neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand
> right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance.
>
> A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect
> of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their
> uses.
>
>
>
> Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night
> of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing
> your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy.
>
> -Chris Page
> San Diego
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 4
> Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 23:09:36 -0800
> From: Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy
> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Message-ID: <7.0.0.16.1.20080124225159.01ce0440(a)earthlink.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed
>
>
> Friends,
>
> It seems that having folks who really dislike swinging together at a
> community dance is bad news...with, or without shadow swings. I know
> it happens, but callers can work to create a more gracious and
> generous atmosphere. It would feel odd to plan an evening program
> while considering the needs of people who wish to avoid contact at a
> social dance.
>
> Chris, I wonder; how would you feel about a dance with a shadow
> swing, and a neighbor swing, but with NO partner swing? I suspect
> that many of us call a dance or two each night with no partner
> swing. Would you protest more if there were one partner-swing-free
> dance with a shadow swing? (And would that be "rational hypocrisy?)
>
> Also, how many dances a night do you call that have no partner swing?
>
> Just wondering,
>
> Greg
>
> *********
>
> At 02:35 PM 1/24/2008, Chris wrote:
>> I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my
>> repertoire, by choice.
>>
>> Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two
>> people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing
>> Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a
>> breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to
>> dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was
>> one person like this. It would drive which lines people went
>> into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing
>> with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner-
>> asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.)
>>
>> There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as
>> it's the same person over and over and over. And you've
>> already got your partner over and over and over, with the
>> partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more
>> neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand
>> right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance.
>>
>> A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect
>> of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their
>> uses.
>>
>>
>>
>> Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night
>> of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing
>> your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy.
>>
>> -Chris Page
>> San Diego
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 5
> Date: Fri, 25 Jan 2008 09:06:20 -0500
> From: "gtwood(a)worldpath.net" <gtwood(a)worldpath.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Message-ID: <380-22008152514620414(a)M2W041.mail2web.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
>
> Give the dancers credit. They will adjust to the
> dance as needed.
> I recall, years ago, there was a couple who really
> did not care for each other and they were caught
> in the dreaded shadow swing. Instead of making a fuss
> thay turned the swing into a 'Lady Walpole' and did
> a DSD in it's place. The dance goes on!
> Gale
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> mail2web LIVE ? Free email based on Microsoft? Exchange technology -
> http://link.mail2web.com/LIVE
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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>
> End of Callers Digest, Vol 41, Issue 15
> ***************************************
Way to go Delia!
----- Original Message ----
From: Delia Clark <delia_clark(a)comcast.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 8:41:19 AM
Subject: [Callers] labor of love
Hi,
When I mentioned my dream of starting a new dance series in my
community of Woodstock VT to Jeremiah McLane at Pinewoods a few
summers ago, the main thing that I remember him saying is "Good luck,
it's a labor of love." His comment has stuck with me as we've
muddled along up to this point but, hey...
Friday night we had OUR FIRST DANCE in the "Third Friday Woodstock
Dance Series" and it was an awesome success, far exceeding our
expectations!!! I thought I might share some of what went well and
ask for your thoughts on starting new series in case you can help us
to maintain momentum.
The committee that finally came together with enough energy to make
this happen included several parents of young children, Waldorf
School parents, parents of kids with developmental disabilities and
members of a newish contra band that has been performing irregularly
over the past couple of years plus me as caller (my husband and son
are in the band). Here's what we came up with
Gradual Build-Up
We held two private parties in this venue this fall and early winter
that included members of the same band and me calling. Both
attracted big crowds and we promoted our dance series at both, at
least in concept. One of the parties was to celebrate my high school
son's new film and a ton of local HS kids came, which helped build up
a base of interest there and they turned out in force on Friday.
Family Friendly
We decided to make this a very family-friendly dance. We came up
with a program that includes:
5:30 - dinner of vegetarian soup and bread.
6:30 - family dance
7:30 - break and pot luck desserts
8:00 - contra dance
Notes on dinner: the soup is made by committee members using veggies
bought from a local farmer and bread is donated by a local bakery.
We gathered up a bunch of mismatched cups, bowls and spoons and we'll
keep them together and use them each time.
Affordable
We are currently charging $5 per adult, with children and teens
free. The cost includes both parts of the dance and dinner. We made
enough on Friday to pay for the food ingredients plus enough for seed
money for food for next time, some money to pay the guy who helped
cook, plus a modest amount for each band member -- we were thrilled
at how the finances came out, because of the large turn-out. Still,
we think we might try putting out a donation bucket for extra
donations next time to pay band members better (it's a big band),
donate to local non-profits, and and maybe invest in better sound
equipment over time.
Local Business Sponsor
One of our committee members owns two local businesses that recycle
and make compost. He offered to sponsor the dances, covering the
cost of the hall for the first five dances, which is $100 per night,
which is a reduced rate from their usual $150. We promoted his
businesses on all the posters and announced it at each part of the
dance, encouraging folks to give his hand a squeeze as they passed
him in line.
We also plan to try choosing a local non-profit to co-host each
dance, promoting it with their constituency and receiving a share of
the proceeds.
Promotion
We advertised all five dances in the series on one poster, but I
think we will also announce each separately again. A lot of the
promotion happened through local organizations, churches, and schools.
Problems
- I can't make all the dances so I will need to find a substitute,
which feels sad for me, but maybe it's a more sustainable pattern,
given how much I travel for work.
- A lot of the families with younger kids stayed through the break
and were still there at 8:00 so it was a little challenging to meet
their needs and still make all the high school students and adults
who had come feel like this wasn't a little kid event. They mostly
danced one or two dances, which I made appropriate for their level,
though, so it worked out fine.
- We jury-rigged our sound system, which was imperfect. More money/
attention needed for that as we go.
Question
Do you have any suggestions for us about starting a new series?
We're all ears!!
Sorry to miss you at Ralph Page -- I'm sure it was wonderful.
Thanks!
Delia Clark
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
802-457-2075
delia_clark(a)comcast.net
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