Contra Callers

contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net

14 participants
4360 discussions

by Mortland, Jo

Hi, Peter, I'm a caller from Chicago, looking for a good 3-part contra dance. Did anyone answer you when you put out that request? Did you get anything you liked? If so, would you be willing to share it with me? I'm going to take a look at my favorite dances, too, and see if I can "create" a 3-part contra by adding a couple of 16 count moves to an existing dance. Thanks. Jo Mortland

18 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Question about the Squeaking Wheel

by Jerome Grisanti

Walter, I would add just a bit to Cynthia's description, which is that the middle two turn back to back (or butt to butt) on their way to facing back up. I've heard this called "come back cozy." Positionally, it's the same as turning alone (i.e. nobody trades places with anyone else). As a practical matter, people may have to adjust for (a) pronounced height differences and (b) folks with limited arm mobility. --Jerome p.s. Walter I believe we met at Dance Callers Week 2005 in Brasstown. I hope you're doing well. > Rather than a picture, I think you will get a better feeling for it if > you simply get three willing friends to stand with you in a line of > four, then ask the two people in the middle to turn around WITHOUT > letting go of the hands they are holding. It's hard to imagine, but easy > to do, and then you will understand it. Once they are turned around, the > next part is easy - the outside people join hands with each other behind > the backs of the two who already turned. It's lots of fun to do in a > dance. > > -cynthia > > -----Original Message----- > From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net > [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Walter Daves > Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 9:33 AM > To: Callers(a)sharedweight.net > Subject: [Callers] Question about the Squeaking Wheel > > Can someone draw a word picture of A2 in the Squeaking Wheel? I've > never danced or even seen the dance, but it looks like fun. > Walter Daves > > The Squeaking Wheel Cary Ravitz 4-02 > > Improper contra > > A1 - Neighbors balance and swing (16). > > A2 - Go down the hall (6). > - Keeping hands, twos turn back to back to face up while ones > take hands behind the twos (2). > - Go up the hall (6). > - Twos duck and ones bring joined hands over the twos to form > a four leaf clover (2). > > B1 - Turn the clover left 3/4 (8). > - Partners swing (8). > > B2 - Right and left through across (8). > - Ladies chain across (8). > _______________________________________________ -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 660-528-0714 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com

18 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Compilation of 'Hey' dances, and further requests (Jillian Hovey)

by Jerome Grisanti

> The other request is for suggestions on how to teach a hey. (I am a little bit terrified.) > I suggest teaching via analogy or via demonstration rather than via description. Experienced dancers are your greatest ally in the demonstration. The essential teaching piece is: everyone will end up where they started (presuming a full hey). Demonstration: Pick a set of experienced dancers in the middle (not the top) of the hall and have everyone else hunker down. Ask folks to watch the person in their position and ask them to walk the hey. Thank them and have everybody try it. Analogy: Picture yourself on a slolom ski run. Each other person in the hey is a gate. Pass each in turn, left-right-left or right-left-right. Experienced dancers can point to the shoulder you should be passing by. Mention that when you cross, you have plenty of time to make a loop before reentering the hey. (Note to you for picking a dance: Heys that end with a partner balance & swing have a definite "goal" and are easier for many than heys ending with another move, particularly a progression to the next set.) TRUST: If the crowd has more than 70% experienced dancers, the danger is in overteaching. Shoot for one demo, one practice hey. If you walk through dance twice, on second time just let them walk it without additional teaching unless there's a set that's "completely" broken. A "little" confusion is OK. Remind beginner dancers that they are in good hands, they'll have fun as they learn, and if they don't get it perfect the first time that's fine because the goal is fun. Good luck! And once the music starts, don't forget to breath. And have fun. -- Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 660-528-0714 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com

18 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Compilation of 'Hey' dances, and further requests

by page＠physics.upenn.edu

I'm coming in a little late to this, but: Another vote in favor of Delphiniums and Daisies -- along with Butter (a becket dance by Gene Hubert) it's my favorite basic hey dance. I've also found The Carousel to be nice for those purposes. Two that I haven't yet seen mentioned are: Flirtation Reel Improper Tony Parkes A1 Down the hall in a line of four, turn alone, return, face your neighbor A2 Hey B1 Balance and swing your neighbor B2 Long lines forward and back Ones swing Centrifugal Hey Improper Gene Hubert A1 Neighbor allemande right 1 & 1/2 Men allemande left 1 & 1/2 A2 Hey B1 (Balance) and swing partner B2 Right and left through Circle left 3/4 Pass through (The timing on Centrifugal Hey is a bit tighter than the others, the timing on Flirtation Reel is a bit kinder.) A question I'd like to explore is what are the ideal characteristics of a dance to teach a hey. My early working guesses are: -Exactly one full hey, as opposed to half a hey, or a hey and a quarter. -Ending with a full sixteen count something and swing, giving people eight seconds of slack to find your partner/neigbhor. -Having the previous figures walk the path of the hey, like the allemandes in The Carousel or Centrifugal Hey; or the ladies chain beforehand. -Recovery time somewhere else, and having the rest of the dance be simple and have a strong story-line, so newcomers need only panic over the hey. Thoughts? -Chris Page page(a)mail.sas.upenn.edu San Diego

18 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] "Hey" there! (Needs to be an Improper Dance)

by David.Millstone＠VALLEY.NET

Here's one I've used a lot over the years, wonderful flow. I usually call this one to jigs. Enjoy! David Millstone ------- Delphiniums and Daisies by Tanya Rotenberg (Philadelphia) duple improper contra A1 Allemande left neighbor 1-1/2 Ladies chain over A2 Hey for 4 (women start passing R shoulders) B1 All swing partner B2 Circle L 3/4 Allemande R same neighbor 1-1/2

18 years, 6 months

"Hey" there!

by Jillian Hovey

Hi folks! I am just getting signed up to the list, after a busy couple of months since the Caller's course at the American Music and Dance Week at Pinewoods. I know some of you out there in list-serve-land, and look forward to getting to know others. One of our local callers, Bev Bernbaum, has graciously offered to let me call a dance at the Saturday, November 11th dance of our Toronto Country Dancer's series. I will call dance #4 of the night, and Bev has requested that I call something with a Hey for 4. In the interests of building community, as well as my dance repertoire, I was wondering if some of you have some suggestions. You can reply to me here on the list, or to me directly at jillian(a)permaculture.net . Thank you very much! Jillian Hovey Facilitator of Sustainable Community Planning and Design The Sustainable Living Network & Sustainable Living Books Toronto, Ontario, Canada 416-410-7581; fax 416-654-8917 Draft Web Sites: www.sustainablelivingnetwork.org www.sustainablelivingbooks.com www.jillianhovey.com email: jillian(a)permaculture.net

18 years, 6 months

Dudley Laufman scrapbook

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

Dear fellow callers, I recently posted a notice here about the upcoming Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, scheduled for Durham, NH, on January 12-14, 2007. At that weekend, Dudley will be honored for his more than 50 years of involvement in the world of traditional country dancing. We'd love to see all of you at the weekend, but some of you may not be able to attend, and in any event, it would be nice to have some written greetings. So... We're making arrangements for people who would like to send a card, an appreciation, a few lines of doggerel, a note of thanks, an anecdote, an old photo or souvenir, or anything else that will help commemorate the occasion. This needn't be a polished essay-- it's the thought that counts. We'll compile any and all such contributions into a scrapbook that can be presented to Dudley-- we might even be able to incorporate some of your tales into the Retrospective session. Please send your contributions to: Patrick Stevens 21 Prospect Street Portsmouth, NH 03021 It'll take Patrick time to compile your submissions, so sooner is better. Let's aim to have things to him by the end of November, just a month away. If you have questions, you can reach Patrick here: pstevens21(a)comcast.net Do tell others about this as well. Dudley's influence truly is nationwide, and it would be great to hear from dancers, callers, musicians, and organizers from around the country. Many thanks, David Millstone millstone(a)valley.net

18 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend

by Chrissy Fowler

I will third (or fourth?) the Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend endorsement. As a former committee member, I know the work and thoughtfulness that goes into producing this weekend. I've heard top class performers say that it's the only dance weekend that they would actually pay to attend even if they weren't performing (and I guess the percentage of callers and musicians among the regular attendees speaks to that.) If you are the sort of dancer (or caller) who doesn't particularly enjoy participating in well-connected dancing, visiting with community spirited attendees, basking in the style and grace of lifelong dancers, laughing as Bob McQuillen shamelessly interrupts a walkthrough to shout out some humorous yet relevant anecdote, and celebrating the roots and branches of our collective dance family tree, well... it may not be for you. But, wow, if any of those things seem appealing, it's really really really fun. And, about lunch. NOTE: You don't have to be on the meal plan to join the lunch gatherings. (The Saturday banquet is a different matter, as it's in a different dining hall) But I never buy the meal plan (too choosy about what good foods I eat!), and happily enjoy bringing my feast to the table of lunch chatters. Will look forward to seeing many of you there! Chrissy Fowler _________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch with old friends and meet new ones with Windows Live Spaces http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://sp…

18 years, 6 months

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page

by J L Korr

Lisa Sieverts wrote: > >I'll second David's endorsement. This will be my 4th year attending >the Ralph Page weekend -- I consider it a "can't miss" opportunity. >Nowhere else do I get so much fertilizer for the little plant that is >my love of calling. > And here's a third. On top of what David and Lisa wrote, and beyond the opportunity to connect with other callers, I find that Ralph Page consistently has the most supportive dance community of any dance series or weekend I attend. I'm amazed every year by how much care and courtesy the RP dancers have for each other and for the tradition itself. It's the epitome of unselfish dancing. Jeremy Korr _________________________________________________________________ All-in-one security and maintenance for your PC. Get a free 90-day trial! http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwlo0050000002msn/direct/01/?href=http://ww…

18 years, 6 months

Ralph Page weekend

by David.Millstone＠valley.net

Dear caller friends, Apologies if you've received this already. I'm trying to get the word out to many folks. I'm hoping that some members of this list might be enticed to join us in New Hampshire on January 12-14, 2007, for the 20th annual Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend. Here's the website with details: http://www.neffa.org/rplw.html The two callers most associated with traditional New England dancing are Dudley Laufman and Ralph Page, so it is particularly apt that Dudley's accomplishments are being celebrated this year at the Ralph Page weekend. Ralph preserved the traditional dances of the Monadnock region and shared them with a new audience especially in the post-WWII years, and Dudley extended that audience dramatically in the late 1960s and 1970s. Indeed, "Dudley dancers" from that era were responsible for spreading interest in traditional New England dancing to all parts of the United States, from San Diego to St. Louis to Seattle, from Knoxville and Bloomington to Houston and Lansing. The list goes on and on... >From his first calling experiences in the late 1940s, through the heyday of his years as leader of the Canterbury Country Dance Orchestra, from performances at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival and the National Folk Festival at Wolf Trap, from his rigorous schedule of dances throughout New England, from Boston area high society weddings to countless New Hampshire schoolrooms, from his influential recordings to his current busy schedule (250 gigs a year) with Two Fiddles-- for fifty years, Dudley Laufman has been an influential dancing master and musician. Given the number of dance communities that were inspired by Dudley dances, a case can be made that Dudley is the single individual most responsible for the fact that folks in America enjoy dancing contras today. He has been recognized for his contributions in many ways, including the 2001 New Hampshire Governor's Award in the Arts for Folk Heritage and a nomination for the 2006 National Heritage Fellowship. Folks on this trad-dance-callers list certainly have enjoyed his strong opinions, his perspectives, his stories, his dances, and his poems. Now it's time for the dance community to honor him. The Friday night dance at the Ralph Page weekend will feature music of Dudley's Canterbury Orchestra. Saturday's program includes the world premiere of a new documentary about Dudley by David Millstone, and a Retrospective dance session focused on Dudley's long career. Staff callers for the weekend include Tony Parkes and Carol Ormand, with stellar music being provided Friday by the Canterbury Orchestra and on Saturday and Sunday by two bands: The Old Grey Goose, a Maine band with long connections to Dudley, and a trio comprising Bob McQuillen on piano, Laurie Andres on accordion, and Vince O'Donnell on fiddle. The weekend includes opportunities for musical jams, there are calling and music workshops, there's an open mic for callers, and there's plenty of good dancing to be had. Of all the dance weekends I know, this one does more than any other to pay tribute to our rich dancing heritage while also celebrating the lively contemporary dance scene. It's also the only dance event I know of where dancers expect a generous number of duple proper and triple minor dances in the program, and where you can count on dancing Money Musk at least once, as well as numerous other chestnts. Over the years, this dance weekend has attracted a particularly large number of callers, both old hands and relative beginners, who come to share in the dancing and to talk shop. It's a great time, and I hope you can join us. Please spread the word! David Millstone

18 years, 6 months

Jump to page:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

Contra Callers