Just this past Saturday I started off my program with a neighbors-only-swing
dance:
The Belles of Auburn
by Roger Knox
duple improper
published in Balance and Swing by Ted Sannella
Ted suggests Washington Quickstep, and I almost always use jigs for the dance.
Starting the evening with jigs is a way for the band to warm up, and the sashay
figure is lively without being difficult.
A1 Sashay down with the next below (with ones in the center, back to back with
partner)
Sashay back to place
A2 Balance and swing neighbor
B1 Down the center four in line, turn as a couple
Four in line, come back to place
B2 The same two ladies chain, over and back
Ted adds that the dance was written in 1958, when Roger Knox was calling and was
trying to remember Beaux of Oak Hill, an older and similar dance.
I applaud Chris's rationale for wanting to have more of these dances in his
repertoire: "I keep running into situations where I have a high percentage of
beginners who want to dance with each other and it would help to have them
practice the swing with experienced people early in the evening instead of
trying to do it with their partner."
Be aware, though, that not everyone will understand your reasons or, upon
hearing them, agree with them. Two regular dancers at my event came up after I
called Belles of Auburn to complain: "I thought there was something in the
caller's handbook that specified that all dances have a partner swing in them."
I explained that with the large number of beginners present etc. etc., but they
weren't buying it. (Sidelight: I noted that this couple danced exclusively with
each other all night, didn't ask the newcomers to dance, and generally lined up
at the head of the center set as often as possible.)
As a caller, you're going to hear more from the regular dancers than from the
first timers, and it's really important to stick to your guns. (Hmm... is there
a less belligerent way to say that?) Don't ignore what they have to tell you,
but don't be fooled into thinking that their perspective is the only one. Yes,
they will be the most vocal but if you cater just to their wishes, sooner or
later you're going to run into trouble. Someone has to be looking out for those
first time dancers and the perennial beginners, and that someone is the caller.
(Plus, of course, the most advanced dancers in the hall, who will be your allies
out there on the dance floor, quietly making a point of dancing with the
newcomers and offering them smiles and reassurance plus gentle instruction.)
David Millstone
Essex Reel by Tony Parkes (1985)
Duple Improper Contra
A1) Neighbor Do-Si-Do; Neighbor Swing
A2) Down the Hall 4 in Line; Turn as Couples; Come Back to Place and Ends Close In
B1) Circle Left; Circle Right
B2) Right-Hand Star; Left-Hand Star
Newbury Reel by Tony Parkes (1980)
Duple Improper Contra
A1) Long Lines Forward & Back; Ones Partner Do-Si-Do
A2) All Neighbor Do-Si-Do; Neighbor Swing
B1) Down the Hall 4 in Line; Turn as Couples; Come Back to Place, Break in the Middle and Bend the Line
B2) Ladies Chain Over; Ladies Chain Back
--
Robert Jon Golder
164 Maxfield St
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 999-2486
I'd like to congratulate Chris on an excellent first evening of his new
series Mill City Contra Dances! As usual, many of the experienced dancers
didn't arrive on time. Chris handled the beginners well and ended up with
a good mix of dancers by the end of the first half. In the second half,
many of the beginners had gone home, and Chris was able to do a
no-walk-through Chorus Jig. Fantastic music was provided by Apple Crisp.
It looks like a promising series.
It was a very fun evening. Nice job, Chris!
-Seth
So, I'm just wading through my email and see from various postings that
there are three, count em, 3 !!! versions of this dance that all seem to be
labeled now as Dale Rempert's Feet in Flight. This folk process stuff is
positively dizzying.
Hope all are happily calling and dancing and even doing other good spring
stuff like gardening, hiking, boating, picnicking, etc.
Cheers, Chrissy
** IMPORTANT FYI **
My email use is sporadic.
If time-sensitive, please call:
home 207-338-0979
cell 603-498-3506
thanks!! :-) chf
>From: Peter Amidon <peter(a)amidonmusic.com>
>To: "Chrissy Fowler" <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com>
>CC: chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org, jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com,
>David.Millstone(a)VALLEY.NET
>Subject: Re: dance title & author mystery
>Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 00:45:36 -0400
>
>Hi Chrissy,
>
>I learned that dance in Austin TX and I originally thought it was
>a Gene Hubert composition but did not have the name. I always
>announced this when I called the dance. Someone finally recognized
>it and let me know that it is a Dale Rempert dance called
>'Feet in Flight'.
>
>The instructions are just as I transcribed it and taught it
>EXCEPT for B1. Here is the way I transcribed and the way I
>call B1:
>
> B1: Pass R & L through
> Circle L X1
>
>Obviously both ways work.
>
>How busy is the Callers discussion list?
>
>Best,
>
>Peter
>
>Peter Amidon
>peter(a)amidonmusic.com
>20 Willow Street
>Brattleboro, VT 05301
>802-257-1006
>cell: 917-922-5462
>http://www.amidonmusic.com
>http://www.dancingmasters.com
>
>>Hi Peter and Mary Alice,
>>
>>I'm writing to see if I can get the title of a dance which I *may* have
>>collected from Peter at the Flurry some years ago (or maybe at a
>>Greenfield dance more recently?)
>>
>>Here it is, below. Look familiar? Any idea if it's one in your box? If
>>so, can you help with title and author? My scribbles indicated that I
>>thought it was a Gene Hubert dance, but no one I know has been able to
>>find it in his books or on the internet.
>>
>>If you have the data, great. If not, I'd also love to know that you
>>*don't* know. :-) And happy late spring to you both!
>>
>>Cheers,
>>Chrissy Fowler
>>
>>> >[Insert name here]
>>>>duple improper
>>>>
>>>>A1: Ring balance; women roll neigbor gent away with a half sashay
>>>>Ladies chain
>>>>
>>>>A2: Women gypsy
>>>>Swing P
>>>>
>>>>B1: Circle L x3/4
>>>>Ring balance, Petronella twirl
>>>>
>>>>B2: Ring balance, Petronella twirl
>>> >Ring balance, California twirl
>>
Luckily her at our local dances, (NH), dancers are encouraged to seek
out newer dancers and folks that appear new to the dance, this fosters a
real community feel.
More to the subject; I was at a dance to the south of here and if I
wasn't asked to dance ahead, or booked ahead myself, I would have
watched from the sidelines.
I think this is ingrained, and accepted practice at certain dances. I
don't think there is much a caller can do to dissuade it. Dancers are
going to do what they are going to do. The best a caller can do is try
to set a good example, toss out the style points and, and try to present
the best dance experience possible. (also push those smaller dances
where booking ahead isn't so prevalent).
Thanks
Gale
Seth and All,
That's some interesting question Seth posed and some equally
interesting responses. I believe that Mark's coments on community customs
went to the heart of the matter. We, as callers, have shaped the customs
by the choice of dances we present. Much of that effort on our part has
been, I suspect, to please the dancers. But, as Chris wrote, a steady diet
of ice cream is not good for the body and we have helped create this
somewhat unhealthy state. I say unhealthy beacuse I don't believe that
dancing only with our established friends encourages new folks to become
regular dancers.
What to do? As callers our options are limited since leaders are only
leaders so long as someone follows and folk dancing is a voluntary
activity. I make a concerted effort to vary the dance forms used, circles
(mixer & non-mixer), squares, couples and contras (with & without partner
swings) in an evening. A circle mixer may or may not appear but several
contras may not have partner swings. Not all contras need be duple
improper. I think that keeping the dancers slightly "off-balance" in this
way has kept the booking ahead to a minimum. It is not always the popular
thing to do and I have been told as much but I'm looking for the long term
health of my community and it seems to be working.
Booking ahead is not a phenomenom that developed recently. Most of
you should already know about dances, call them what you will, held as late
as the 1940's (perhaps later) where participants had dance cards and all
dances were booked ahead. These things come and go but I'd hate to see
us let the community become as fragile as it was when Ralph Page came
along and began to revitalize things. Thinking about the issue and
participating in this discussion is a good move to healithier communities.
Cheers, John McIntire, Unity Maine
ps: perhaps I'll see some of you at NW Folklife this weekend!
What a cool dance. Thanks for sharing that one Bob.
Rich
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Bob Isaacs" <isaacsbob(a)hotmail.com>
>
> To all;
>
> Just to clear this up, there are actually two dances that go
> together. The first one was;
>
> Kitch as Kitch Can Improper/Bob Isaacs
>
> A1. 4,4 Neighbor balance, box the gnat - face partner
>
> 8 Mad Robin
>
> A2. 8 Gents allemande L 1 1/2
>
> 8 1/2 hey (PR, LL, NR, GL)
>
> B1. 16 Partner gypsy and swing
>
> B2. 8 Ladies chain to neighbor
>
> 8 Star L
>
> After writing this I realized it was very much in Jim's style. A few
> weeks after I called it for him, he came up with Mirror, Mirror, which
> is similar except it has a neighbor swing. We both like the box the
> gnat/Mad Robin transition - it is easier to look at your partner
> knowing where your neighbor is.
>
> Bob
Hi Lisa
I was at Medford Thursday night and you called a dance featuring a Mad
Robin Shuttle
I very much enjoyed it!( as well as all the dances you call!)
Would you be so kind as to give me the details of that dance? I would
like to add it to
my calling repertoire.
Thanks
Gale Wood
>From: <jerome23(a)bellsouth.net>
>How about this: Before a mixer, tell dancers that if they've booked ahead
>you will give them special dispensation to put off that partner for this
>one dance, since it will be a mixer. So go find someone you've never danced
>with (or not danced with tonight, or some schtick) because this is, after
>all, a MIXER dance.
It was dealing with this issue that got me married. The first time Christine
and I were partners for a dance slot, at the Glen Echo Friday Night Dance,
it turned out to be a mixer (with no prior announcement). So we booked the
next slot to do a contra together, even though I didn't regularly book
ahead. All of that gave us enough time to start talking . . . and now here
comes our 4th wedding anniversary.
Jeremy
Seth Tepfer wrote:
> So my original post asked for ... pointers about how to encourage
> dancing on the fly (or not booking ahead).
How about this: Before a mixer, tell dancers that if they've booked ahead you will give them special dispensation to put off that partner for this one dance, since it will be a mixer. So go find someone you've never danced with (or not danced with tonight, or some schtick) because this is, after all, a MIXER dance.
And if you choose to stay with a booked-ahead someone, well, it's your choice.
That might even work for a square, saying contra prebooks are suspended for this one dance. (But give them some warning, like during the previous dance's walk-thru).
I've never tried this, but the logic makes sense in this moment. (Ah, but what will next morning's logic bring? This may work only in areas with relatively high concentrations of Catholics, since I don't know if the term "special dispensation" is widely understood outside that religion.)
--Jerome Grisanti
