Traffic Jam
>From David Millstone:
> We usually do it to a tune played AB:
>
> Traffic Jam
> from John Krumm
> no partner needed at start
>
> 1) Elementary Traffic Jam
>
> A part:
> Clap-clap-clap, stamp-stamp-stamp, walk-2-3-4 (whichever way you're
facing)
> Repeat all that
>
> B part
> Sashay sideways 8 steps
> Pick another direction and sashay back
>
> Do that for 5-7 times, then move to
>
> 2) Intermediate Traffic Jam
>
> Turn around and find a buddy standing near you. Do the dance again.
Instead of
> clapping your own hands in A1, you clap both hands with your buddy,
then stand
> side by side facing the same direction, hook elbows and walk for the 4
steps. In
> the B part, you take both hands with your buddy and sashay-- it helps
if you
> both go in the same direction!
>
> Do that for another 5-7 times, then, if the crowd seems ready for it,
do
>
> 3) Advanced Traffic Jam
>
> Same as above, only after the first sashay, callers says "Switch!"
whereupon
> dancers drop hands with current partner, turn around and find someone
new with
> whom to sashay back again.
>
> It's a dance I often use early in the program for family groups. No
partner
> needed at start, so everyone can participate. Then you dance with a
partner, and
> then change partners.
>
> David Millstone
Hi all,
My group and I have been asked to do a "Mother/Son" dance for boys in grades
K-5. The first dance we plan to do is a scatter mixer, and I am considering
telling the mother's of the younger boys not to change partner's during the
dance. I wanted to start with a dance that took as little instruction as
possible, and that allowed those present to "meet" each other during the
dance. Do you have any suggestions? The list of dances we are considering
is: The Exchange (the scatter mixer), Flying Scotsman, Brandy Poussette
(also called Le Brandy), Cat and Mouse, Alabama Gal, and if they seem up for
it Haste to the Wedding as a Sicilian circle. We will have an hour for
dancing, and I am shooting for perhaps five dances. Any suggestions?
Rickey Holt
Hi Ricky, Traffic Jam, is a good one. Expect lots of hooting and hollering!
Gale
Original Message:
-----------------
From: Walter Daves walterdaves(a)alltel.net
Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:21:33 -0400
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Mother-Son dance
Sasha works very well.
Walter Daves
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So I'm a newbie on this mailing list -- I think it's great there are so
many good resources on the web for callers, including sharedweight.net. By
way of introduction, I've been calling what might roughly be identified as
New England-style dances, from the late 1980s onward, mostly in the
Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, but occasionally in other parts of the state
or over in New Hampshire. I don't really work with a legitimate band, but
there is a social/music group called the NIPS who sometimes get organized
enough to show up for an actual event, in which case they're technically
the Parsnips.
I get more requests to call than I can usually meet; the rest of my life
only gives me a certain amount of room to indulge this pleasure. But for
the last few years I've been the monthly caller for a small family Dance
in Danville, VT organized by fiddler David Carpenter. The two regular
venues I enjoy most are short series: for four consecutive Sunday nights
in July/August, the Parsnips do a great little community dance at the
Caspian Lake Grange in Greensboro, VT; and every winter we join George
Wilson and David Kaynor for three Wednesday nights when they're doing
workshops with the always-delightful Elderhostel groups at the Craftsbury
(VT) Outdoor Center.
It's been very edifying to browse the archives of sharedweight.net. I
think I've come across more interesting odds and ends about dances in the
few weeks since I joined than I have in the last few years. Thanks to all
the thoughtful contributors and especially to the site's creators!
Chip Hedler
Save the date: 5th Hot Squares weekend!
When: July 6-8, 2007
Where: Private home; Atlanta, GA
Who: Dan Sahlstrom, calller
Cost: TBD
Limited to 20 people
What:
This weekend is devoted to exploring Modern Western (Club) squares in an
intensive but fun environment. Unlike previous years we will not focus
on completing Plus or Mainstream levels (though we will probably do most
of Mainstream). Instead, Dan will pick fun and interesting calls from
all lists (Basic - Challenge). Also unlike previous years, we will have
more than the exact number of people, so not all will be required to
dance every tip.
2007 will mark the 5th Hot Squares event. We are holding Hot Squares
2007 in a homey atmosphere with room for two squares. Genders will not
be balanced. Meals will be home cooked. Fellowship and Camaraderie will
be plentiful.
Official registration is not open, but email now to hold your space.
Hello everyone,
I have a session at the Down East Festival later this month. The name of
my session is "Neighborly Contras". I was wondering if anyone has mixers
that are in contra formation that they could share. I think that a mixer
would be a fun and unexpected.
I would also welcome any suggestions of dances that you think are
particularly Neighborly! 8^)
Thanks!
Chris Weiler
Chris,
The following suggestion is not a dance, but rather something that two
couples can do during many contra dances.
Two couples who know each other can line up near each other both heading the
same way (so both can be actives, for example, in an improper contra). Then,
in parts of the dance that allow it, the men or women from these couples can
trade places. For example, during a ladies allemande in the middle of the
set, the men could switch places and end with the "other" partner. The next
time through the sequence, they can shuffle again and end up with their
original partner again. Effects include running into the same neighbor twice
("hey, didn't we just swing?"), missing other neighbors, and irritating the
occasional neighbor or even the caller.
This shuffling is not appropriate for every dance, or with every crowd, but
done properly is does not interrupt the flow of the dance and offers lots of
fun and flirty opportunities for play within the larger play of the dance.
Jerome
P.S. Your query brought to mind the phrase sometimes used when dancers get
mixed up: "This dance wasn't written as a mixer, but if it becomes one just
go with it."
> Hello everyone,
>
> I have a session at the Down East Festival later this month. The name of
> my session is "Neighborly Contras". I was wondering if anyone has mixers
> that are in contra formation that they could share. I think that a mixer
> would be a fun and unexpected.
>
> I would also welcome any suggestions of dances that you think are
> particularly Neighborly! 8^)
>
> Thanks!
>
> Chris Weiler
>
> --
Jerome Grisanti
660-528-0858
660-528-0714
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com
Buffalo Reunion (David Millstone)
Becket formation, mixer
smooth jigs
A1. Women allemande right once around; swing partner
A2. Men pass left shoulders to start hey for four
B1. Men lead into circle left 3/4, pass through up and down
With next couple, circle right 3/4
B2. On left diagonal, ladies chain
Straight across, ladies chain to new partner
Notes: When a couple reaches the top, they swing for A1 then face the set in
duple improper formation, ready for the circle right in B1.
Background: The B figures come straight from "The Reunion." The dance was
written in response to a challenge (write a contra mixer) posed during Penn
Fix's dance composition class at Buffalo Gap camp, July, 1991.
I danced this at Ralph Page weekend this year and really enjoyed it.
Rickey, you have the choreography correct except for the hey, which is five
changes, rather than three:
A1- Gypsy with neighbor, then shift eyes to partner
"Mad Robin" chase
A2- Half poussette (women forward first)
Five changes of a hey-for-4 (start and end with men passing left shoulders)
B1- Swing partner
B2- Ladies chain across
Left-hand star
> DANCERS FINISHED EARLY. THEY THOUGHT THAT THEY DID
NOT HAVE ENOUGH TO DO
I'd say the fault here lies not in the dance itself but in the dancers. The
distinctive figure in the dance (the pousette into the left shoulder hey) was
lifted from an English country dance, Victor Skowronski's "Companions." And yes,
dancers accustomed to doing tight, contra-style gypsies could get through the A1
more quickly than is intended. Either with appropriate wording or with a quick
demonstration, the caller might encourage folks to make wider loops in this
part.
When I wrote Erik Weberg after the RPDLW to clarify my recollection about how
the dance works, he mentioned in his reply, "I initially intended the timing to
bring four changes of the hey to the end of the A2 and the B1 begins with the
men passing left and swing partners. But dancers seem more comfortable arriving
for the swing at the top of the B1. It's easy for dancers to rush through the
figures and I try to encourage folks to relax and enjoy the ride."
> SOME FELT THAT THE HEY STARTED AWKWARDLY, A LITTLE AT AN ANGLE
As Carol Ormand said on several occasions at the weekend, though not necessarily
in connection with this dance, "That's a feature, not a bug." Both in Companions
and in this dance, I find the transition to be very smooth. Others might not
agree. De gustibus non est disputandum.
Hope this helps.
David Millstone
