13 Oct
2025
13 Oct
'25
3:12 p.m.
Wow, thank you so much Mac, Michael and Greg, already this is just what I had hoped for!!
I wouldn't mind some help ensuring I understand "slice left" --
does it just mean slide left and also move forwards to the next couple at the same time,
or is it more involved than that?
Kat
Oct 13, 2025 4:50:41 PM Mac Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>om>:
One of my favorites (Du Quion Races - attached). The
B parts move fast - probably more of a challenge for the caller than the dancers. Only
unusual part is the partner swing ends in the middle of a phrase.
hope it works for you - lots of fun and the dancers don't seem to have any problems
with it
Mac McKeever
On Monday, October 13, 2025 at 02:39:56 PM CDT, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
The Balter Dance
Mr Johnson's JIg
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 1:33 PM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Yay, glad the list is up and running again, I sent this last week and was sad when it
didn't go through!
Hi caller friends---
Would you be willing to share one or two of your favourite dances that meet my criteria
as outlined below, for my Halifax group?
This would be a great help to this volunteer caller who often struggles at the last
minute to find what she needs!
I'm striving to be better prepared, and I'm hoping this could help me build a
rich and lovely collection of suitable dances :)
If you have a dance for me, I would *super* appreciate it if you'd write the dance
out in the body of the email, (Failing that, a direct link to the dance online would be
ok..)--
Realistically because of how busy I am, if it is something I have to take multiple steps
to find (e.g. click a link which sends me to an online reference to a PDF which I then
need to download and scroll through), then I am not going to do it :D....
And if you are wondering why I don't use Contra DB - I do!! But it doesn't serve
me perfectly - if you are curious why, I have included my full explanation below.
thanking you in advance-
Kat K in Halifax
Pre-amble:
My dance group consists of a strong newcomer presence each month - to bring those folks
up to speed while keeping my regulars engaged, I generally write custom dances for the
first part of the evening.
However as both my dancers' skills and my calling skills have increased, I've
started calling pre-written dances to cap off the evening - generally we manage 2-3
"advanced" dances, with little instruction, and people are loving it.
My challenge is, what we consider "advanced" is pretty basic for you folks
--and I often struggle to find dances online that hit just the right note with my
"advanced but not THAT advanced" crowd.
So here are the criteria I am looking for:
1. Only Beckets.
I know this is booooring but for now, this is working well for us and I don't want to
jinx it :).
(that said, if you have a dance you think is perfect in every other way, feel free to
share and I will see if I can modify it, or tuck it away for the future!)
1a - Ideally only Beckets with a CW progression, but we could try out CCW, that would be
manageable :)
1b - only Beckets that progress in a becketlike fashion (i.e. some variation on slide to
the left) - not a dance that has the dancers progress in Improper then go back to Becket.
(FTR I *did* try a Becket that progressed in Duple Improper last year, and it took soooo
long to get people tuned up to do it, it was not worth the effort!!).
2. No shadows, 2nd neighbours, double progressions...
Too difficult for me and the dancers, based on our collective level of experience and
confidence at the moment :)
3. Only figures that I am already familiar with, or that would be easy for you to explain
to me and for me to explain to my dancers, haha :)
Here is what I am familiar with (beyond the basic allemandes, do-si-dos, swings, stars,
balances etc):
- Balance short wavy lines
- Rory O'Moore
- Robins Chains
- Larks Chains
- Right and Left throughs
- Heys (straightforward ones)
- Petronellas
- Mad robin sortof (we did it once and it wasn't great, but I could try again!)
3a. One additional difficult figure (if you are willing to explain it) could be
interesting, but definitely not two difficult figures not listed above in the same
dance!!
4. Prefer crowd-pleasers/greatest hits.
Because we dance less than once a month and are relatively isolated, my dancers do not
know *any* of the contra classics!!
I would love tried-and-true crowd pleasers--- and I'm sure that nobody is going to
groan and say, "awww, not that one again!" :D
Off the top of my head, some classics we have danced already include Butter and
Butterfly, and also Petronella Morning, and people love those.
More in that vein would be great!!
thanking you once again,
Kat K
Halifax, NS, Canada
halifaxcontra.ca
Notes on Contra DB
I *do* use Contra DB to find dances that have certain criteria, and it is a fabulous
resource- but
a) It still takes me time to sift through dances that way, to find exactly what I need
b) I have no idea if the dance is a "crowd-pleaser" or not, and I am looking
for dances that will be a nice "reward" for my dancers at the end of the night
c) I assume it only has a fraction of all the dances that you folks use, within it.
(Though I am curious to hear-- about what percentage of all contra dances that are called
in the world each year, do you figure are archived in Contra DB?? :) )
Cheers everyone!
Kat
_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
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13 Oct
13 Oct
8:02 p.m.
New subject: Caller's Box & ContraDB
The maintainers of the Callers' Box accept submissions and also seek
dances, and format all dances using their own notation.
Contradb only has dances posted by callers, dance composers and others.
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 7:31 PM Michael Dyck via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
On 2025-10-13 5:08 p.m., Katherine Kitching via Contra
Callers wrote:
(Curious- are the Callers Box and ContraDB somewhat duplicative? They
both
seem to have a wonderful library and the ability
to search by certain
terms
- would love to hear when you use one vs the
other... or if you only use
one
or the other and why...)
The Caller's Box records most of the dances that are publicly visible at
ContraDB, but has many times that from other sources.
-Michael
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To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
7:31 p.m.
New subject: Caller's Box & ContraDB
On 2025-10-13 5:08 p.m., Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers wrote:
(Curious- are the Callers Box and ContraDB somewhat duplicative? They both
seem to have a wonderful library and the ability to search by certain terms
- would love to hear when you use one vs the other... or if you only use one
or the other and why...)
The Caller's Box records most of the dances that are publicly visible at
ContraDB, but has many times that from other sources.
-Michael
4:08 p.m.
New subject: Request for your fave dances that meet my criteria :D
hahaha this is a great discussion!!
thank you to everyone -
indeed I *was* looking for clarification on *Slice* Left, and a few people have shared
some very helpful notes.
Also thank you John for highlighting that glossary page on the Callers Box!
I have followed links sometimes from this chat group to this website that I see in my
browser as "ibiblio.org" and I was never really sure what it was called or what
to enter into Google to locate it when I wanted it.
Now I will remember forever it is the "Callers Box"!
(Curious- are the Callers Box and ContraDB somewhat duplicative? They both seem to have a
wonderful library and the ability to search by certain terms - would love to hear when you
use one vs the other... or if you only use one or the other and why...)
Here's a question for you:
As I was mentioning in an email just to JJ, I have actually often used a variation on
slice left that happens at the end of the dances that I write (last 8 beats of B2) rather
than at the start of A1 as the slice often seems to be placed.
In "my" version, everyone walks forward in long lines to their current
neighbours, gives a nod and smile to say goodbye, then slides left on the way back, to the
new group.
Is this a distinct figure, with its own name, I'm wondering?
Cheers!
KK
From JJ:
Slice Left is usually done similar to Long Lines Forward and Back, however you would
usually hold hands only with your partner, look to the couple on your left diagonal and
walk four steps toward that couple, then four steps straight back so that you're now
neighbors with that could you walked toward.
If you don't have a couple on your left-diagonal, simply stay put; you're out and
a new couple will be slicing toward you shortly.
From Callers Box
*Slice*
*Description*
A forward and
back[https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/Glossary.htm#forward… variant.
Starting on the side of the set, as couples face the next couple on the named diagonal.
Take four steps forward to them, then pivot a little so you're facing straight across
the set, and either fall
back[https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/Glossary.htm#fall-ba… or push
back four steps.
*Notation*
This is sometimes called "Yearn", from George Walker's independent creation
of what is a double slice.
Oct 13, 2025 5:50:34 PM Mac Mckeever via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>et>:
The question was about slide not slice.
This is a simple move to the left to a new set of neighbors.
Mac
On Monday, October 13, 2025 at 03:48:30 PM CDT, JJ via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Slice Left is usually done similar to Long Lines Forward and Back, however you would
usually hold hands only with your partner, look to the couple on your left diagonal and
walk four steps toward that couple, then four steps straight back so that you're now
neighbors with that could you walked toward.
If you don't have a couple on your left-diagonal, simply stay put; you're out and
a new couple will be slicing toward you shortly.
It's simpler to do than it is to describe. Basically just long lines and sliding left
at the same time.
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 16:12 Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Wow, thank you so much Mac, Michael and Greg, already this is just what I had hoped
for!!
I wouldn't mind some help ensuring I understand "slice left" --
does it just mean slide left and also move forwards to the next couple at the same time,
or is it more involved than that?
Kat
Oct 13, 2025 4:50:41 PM Mac Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>om>:
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_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
One of my favorites (Du Quion Races - attached). The B parts move fast - probably more
of a challenge for the caller than the dancers. Only unusual part is the partner swing
ends in the middle of a phrase.
hope it works for you - lots of fun and the dancers don't seem to have any problems
with it
Mac McKeever
On Monday, October 13, 2025 at 02:39:56 PM CDT, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
The Balter Dance
Mr Johnson's JIg
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 1:33 PM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Yay, glad the list is up and running again, I sent this last week and was sad when it
didn't go through!
Hi caller friends---
Would you be willing to share one or two of your favourite dances that meet my criteria
as outlined below, for my Halifax group?
This would be a great help to this volunteer caller who often struggles at the last
minute to find what she needs!
I'm striving to be better prepared, and I'm hoping this could help me build a
rich and lovely collection of suitable dances :)
If you have a dance for me, I would *super* appreciate it if you'd write the dance
out in the body of the email, (Failing that, a direct link to the dance online would be
ok..)--
Realistically because of how busy I am, if it is something I have to take multiple steps
to find (e.g. click a link which sends me to an online reference to a PDF which I then
need to download and scroll through), then I am not going to do it :D....
And if you are wondering why I don't use Contra DB - I do!! But it doesn't serve
me perfectly - if you are curious why, I have included my full explanation below.
thanking you in advance-
Kat K in Halifax
Pre-amble:
My dance group consists of a strong newcomer presence each month - to bring those folks
up to speed while keeping my regulars engaged, I generally write custom dances for the
first part of the evening.
However as both my dancers' skills and my calling skills have increased, I've
started calling pre-written dances to cap off the evening - generally we manage 2-3
"advanced" dances, with little instruction, and people are loving it.
My challenge is, what we consider "advanced" is pretty basic for you folks
--and I often struggle to find dances online that hit just the right note with my
"advanced but not THAT advanced" crowd.
So here are the criteria I am looking for:
1. Only Beckets.
I know this is booooring but for now, this is working well for us and I don't want to
jinx it :).
(that said, if you have a dance you think is perfect in every other way, feel free to
share and I will see if I can modify it, or tuck it away for the future!)
1a - Ideally only Beckets with a CW progression, but we could try out CCW, that would be
manageable :)
1b - only Beckets that progress in a becketlike fashion (i.e. some variation on slide to
the left) - not a dance that has the dancers progress in Improper then go back to Becket.
(FTR I *did* try a Becket that progressed in Duple Improper last year, and it took soooo
long to get people tuned up to do it, it was not worth the effort!!).
2. No shadows, 2nd neighbours, double progressions...
Too difficult for me and the dancers, based on our collective level of experience and
confidence at the moment :)
3. Only figures that I am already familiar with, or that would be easy for you to explain
to me and for me to explain to my dancers, haha :)
Here is what I am familiar with (beyond the basic allemandes, do-si-dos, swings, stars,
balances etc):
- Balance short wavy lines
- Rory O'Moore
- Robins Chains
- Larks Chains
- Right and Left throughs
- Heys (straightforward ones)
- Petronellas
- Mad robin sortof (we did it once and it wasn't great, but I could try again!)
3a. One additional difficult figure (if you are willing to explain it) could be
interesting, but definitely not two difficult figures not listed above in the same
dance!!
4. Prefer crowd-pleasers/greatest hits.
Because we dance less than once a month and are relatively isolated, my dancers do not
know *any* of the contra classics!!
I would love tried-and-true crowd pleasers--- and I'm sure that nobody is going to
groan and say, "awww, not that one again!" :D
Off the top of my head, some classics we have danced already include Butter and
Butterfly, and also Petronella Morning, and people love those.
More in that vein would be great!!
thanking you once again,
Kat K
Halifax, NS, Canada
halifaxcontra.ca
Notes on Contra DB
I *do* use Contra DB to find dances that have certain criteria, and it is a fabulous
resource- but
a) It still takes me time to sift through dances that way, to find exactly what I need
b) I have no idea if the dance is a "crowd-pleaser" or not, and I am looking
for dances that will be a nice "reward" for my dancers at the end of the night
c) I assume it only has a fraction of all the dances that you folks use, within it.
(Though I am curious to hear-- about what percentage of all contra dances that are called
in the world each year, do you figure are archived in Contra DB?? :) )
Cheers everyone!
Kat
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
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To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
3:54 p.m.
New subject: Request for your fave dances that meet my criteria :D
Hi Katherine,
Slice?
This is where the Caller’s Box is really useful. All the figures are defined
in the Glossary: https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/Glossary.htm#slice
Here is Slice:
https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/Glossary.htm#slice
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England <mailto:john@modernjive.com> john(a)modernjive.com
01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574
<http://www.contrafusion.co.uk> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
3:50 p.m.
New subject: Request for your fave dances that meet my criteria :D
The question was about slide not slice.
This is a simple move to the left to a new set of neighbors.
Mac
On Monday, October 13, 2025 at 03:48:30 PM CDT, JJ via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Slice Left is usually done similar to Long Lines Forward and Back, however you would
usually hold hands only with your partner, look to the couple on your left diagonal and
walk four steps toward that couple, then four steps straight back so that you're now
neighbors with that could you walked toward.
If you don't have a couple on your left-diagonal, simply stay put; you're out and
a new couple will be slicing toward you shortly.
It's simpler to do than it is to describe. Basically just long lines and sliding left
at the same time.
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 16:12 Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Wow, thank you so much Mac, Michael and Greg, already this is just what I had hoped
for!!
I wouldn't mind some help ensuring I understand "slice left" --
does it just mean slide left and also move forwards to the next couple at the same time,
or is it more involved than that?
Kat
Oct 13, 2025 4:50:41 PM Mac Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>om>:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
One of my favorites (Du Quion Races - attached). The B parts move fast - probably more
of a challenge for the caller than the dancers. Only unusual part is the partner swing
ends in the middle of a phrase.
hope it works for you - lots of fun and the dancers don't seem to have any problems
with it
Mac McKeever
On Monday, October 13, 2025 at 02:39:56 PM CDT, Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
The Balter Dance
Mr Johnson's JIg
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 1:33 PM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers
<contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Yay, glad the list is up and running again, I sent this last week and was sad when it
didn't go through!
Hi caller friends---
Would you be willing to share one or two of your favourite dances that meet my criteria
as outlined below, for my Halifax group?
This would be a great help to this volunteer caller who often struggles at the last
minute to find what she needs!
I'm striving to be better prepared, and I'm hoping this could help me build a
rich and lovely collection of suitable dances :)
If you have a dance for me, I would *super* appreciate it if you'd write the dance
out in the body of the email, (Failing that, a direct link to the dance online would be
ok..)--
Realistically because of how busy I am, if it is something I have to take multiple steps
to find (e.g. click a link which sends me to an online reference to a PDF which I then
need to download and scroll through), then I am not going to do it :D....
And if you are wondering why I don't use Contra DB - I do!! But it doesn't serve
me perfectly - if you are curious why, I have included my full explanation below.
thanking you in advance-
Kat K in Halifax
Pre-amble:
My dance group consists of a strong newcomer presence each month - to bring those folks
up to speed while keeping my regulars engaged, I generally write custom dances for the
first part of the evening.
However as both my dancers' skills and my calling skills have increased, I've
started calling pre-written dances to cap off the evening - generally we manage 2-3
"advanced" dances, with little instruction, and people are loving it.
My challenge is, what we consider "advanced" is pretty basic for you folks
--and I often struggle to find dances online that hit just the right note with my
"advanced but not THAT advanced" crowd.
So here are the criteria I am looking for:
1. Only Beckets.
I know this is booooring but for now, this is working well for us and I don't want to
jinx it :).
(that said, if you have a dance you think is perfect in every other way, feel free to
share and I will see if I can modify it, or tuck it away for the future!)
1a - Ideally only Beckets with a CW progression, but we could try out CCW, that would be
manageable :)
1b - only Beckets that progress in a becketlike fashion (i.e. some variation on slide to
the left) - not a dance that has the dancers progress in Improper then go back to Becket.
(FTR I *did* try a Becket that progressed in Duple Improper last year, and it took soooo
long to get people tuned up to do it, it was not worth the effort!!).
2. No shadows, 2nd neighbours, double progressions...
Too difficult for me and the dancers, based on our collective level of experience and
confidence at the moment :)
3. Only figures that I am already familiar with, or that would be easy for you to explain
to me and for me to explain to my dancers, haha :)
Here is what I am familiar with (beyond the basic allemandes, do-si-dos, swings, stars,
balances etc):
- Balance short wavy lines
- Rory O'Moore
- Robins Chains
- Larks Chains
- Right and Left throughs
- Heys (straightforward ones)
- Petronellas
- Mad robin sortof (we did it once and it wasn't great, but I could try again!)
3a. One additional difficult figure (if you are willing to explain it) could be
interesting, but definitely not two difficult figures not listed above in the same dance!!
4. Prefer crowd-pleasers/greatest hits.
Because we dance less than once a month and are relatively isolated, my dancers do not
know *any* of the contra classics!!
I would love tried-and-true crowd pleasers--- and I'm sure that nobody is going to
groan and say, "awww, not that one again!" :D
Off the top of my head, some classics we have danced already include Butter and
Butterfly, and also Petronella Morning, and people love those.
More in that vein would be great!!
thanking you once again,
Kat K
Halifax, NS, Canada
halifaxcontra.ca
Notes on Contra DB
I *do* use Contra DB to find dances that have certain criteria, and it is a fabulous
resource- but
a) It still takes me time to sift through dances that way, to find exactly what I need
b) I have no idea if the dance is a "crowd-pleaser" or not, and I am looking
for dances that will be a nice "reward" for my dancers at the end of the night
c) I assume it only has a fraction of all the dances that you folks use, within it.
(Though I am curious to hear-- about what percentage of all contra dances that are called
in the world each year, do you figure are archived in Contra DB?? :) )
Cheers everyone!
Kat
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net
3:48 p.m.
New subject: Request for your fave dances that meet my criteria :D
Slice Left is usually done similar to Long Lines Forward and Back, however
you would usually hold hands only with your partner, look to the couple on
your left diagonal and walk four steps toward that couple, then four steps
straight back so that you're now neighbors with that could you walked
toward.
If you don't have a couple on your left-diagonal, simply stay put; you're
out and a new couple will be slicing toward you shortly.
It's simpler to do than it is to describe. Basically just long lines and
sliding left at the same time.
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025, 16:12 Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Wow, thank you so much Mac, Michael and Greg, already
this is just what I
had hoped for!!
I wouldn't mind some help ensuring I understand "slice left" --
does it just mean slide left and also move forwards to the next couple at
the same time, or is it more involved than that?
Kat
Oct 13, 2025 4:50:41 PM Mac Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com>om>:
One of my favorites (Du Quion Races - attached). The B parts move fast -
probably more of a challenge for the caller than the dancers. Only unusual
part is the partner swing ends in the middle of a phrase.
hope it works for you - lots of fun and the dancers don't seem to have any
problems with it
Mac McKeever
On Monday, October 13, 2025 at 02:39:56 PM CDT, Michael Fuerst via Contra
Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
The Balter Dance
Mr Johnson's JIg
On Mon, Oct 13, 2025 at 1:33 PM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Yay, glad the list is up and running again, I sent this last week and was
sad when it didn't go through!
Hi caller friends---
Would you be willing to share one or two of your favourite dances that
meet my criteria as outlined below, for my Halifax group?
This would be a great help to this volunteer caller who often struggles at
the last minute to find what she needs!
I'm striving to be better prepared, and I'm hoping this could help me
build a rich and lovely collection of suitable dances :)
If you have a dance for me, I would *super* appreciate it if you'd write
the dance out in the body of the email, (Failing that, a direct link to the
dance online would be ok..)--
Realistically because of how busy I am, if it is something I have to take
multiple steps to find (e.g. click a link which sends me to an online
reference to a PDF which I then need to download and scroll through), then
I am not going to do it :D....
And if you are wondering why I don't use Contra DB - I do!! But it doesn't
serve me perfectly - if you are curious why, I have included my full
explanation below.
thanking you in advance-
Kat K in Halifax
Pre-amble:
My dance group consists of a strong newcomer presence each month - to
bring those folks up to speed while keeping my regulars engaged, I
generally write custom dances for the first part of the evening.
However as both my dancers' skills and my calling skills have increased,
I've started calling pre-written dances to cap off the evening - generally
we manage 2-3 "advanced" dances, with little instruction, and people are
loving it.
My challenge is, what we consider "advanced" is pretty basic for you folks
--and I often struggle to find dances online that hit just the right note
with my "advanced but not THAT advanced" crowd.
So here are the criteria I am looking for:
1. Only Beckets.
I know this is booooring but for now, this is working well for us and I
don't want to jinx it :).
(that said, if you have a dance you think is perfect in every other way,
feel free to share and I will see if I can modify it, or tuck it away for
the future!)
1a - Ideally only Beckets with a CW progression, but we could try out CCW,
that would be manageable :)
1b - only Beckets that progress in a becketlike fashion (i.e. some
variation on slide to the left) - not a dance that has the dancers progress
in Improper then go back to Becket.
(FTR I *did* try a Becket that progressed in Duple Improper last year, and
it took soooo long to get people tuned up to do it, it was not worth the
effort!!).
2. No shadows, 2nd neighbours, double progressions...
Too difficult for me and the dancers, based on our collective level of
experience and confidence at the moment :)
3. Only figures that I am already familiar with, or that would be easy for
you to explain to me and for me to explain to my dancers, haha :)
Here is what I am familiar with (beyond the basic allemandes, do-si-dos,
swings, stars, balances etc):
- Balance short wavy lines
- Rory O'Moore
- Robins Chains
- Larks Chains
- Right and Left throughs
- Heys (straightforward ones)
- Petronellas
- Mad robin sortof (we did it once and it wasn't great, but I could try
again!)
3a. One additional difficult figure (if you are willing to explain it)
could be interesting, but definitely not two difficult figures not listed
above in the same dance!!
4. Prefer crowd-pleasers/greatest hits.
Because we dance less than once a month and are relatively isolated, my
dancers do not know *any* of the contra classics!!
I would love tried-and-true crowd pleasers--- and I'm sure that nobody is
going to groan and say, "awww, not that one again!" :D
Off the top of my head, some classics we have danced already include
Butter and Butterfly, and also Petronella Morning, and people love those.
More in that vein would be great!!
thanking you once again,
Kat K
Halifax, NS, Canada
halifaxcontra.ca
Notes on Contra DB
I *do* use Contra DB to find dances that have certain criteria, and it is
a fabulous resource- but
a) It still takes me time to sift through dances that way, to find exactly
what I need
b) I have no idea if the dance is a "crowd-pleaser" or not, and I am
looking for dances that will be a nice "reward" for my dancers at the end
of the night
c) I assume it only has a fraction of all the dances that you folks use,
within it.
(Though I am curious to hear-- about what percentage of all contra dances
that are called in the world each year, do you figure are archived in
Contra DB?? :) )
Cheers everyone!
Kat
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6 comments
6 participants
participants (6)
-
JJ -
john＠modernjive.com -
Katherine Kitching -
Mac Mckeever -
Michael Dyck -
sjapartments＠gmail.com