Contra Callers

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8 participants
4417 discussions

by Dan Pearl

>I've most commonly heard four different calls for the four different >combinations of man's left/right and woman's left/right: >man woman figure >--- ----- ------ > R L California twirl > L R Star through > R R Box the gnat > L L Swat the flea This doesn't jibe with my understanding. California twirl is executed with the dancers facing in the same direction, and leaves them facing the opposite direction. The other three calls are executed with two facing dancers. Star thru also uses M's R and W's L and leaves the dancers facing in the same direction. Box.. and Swat.. leaves the dancers in each other's place, facing each other. Regarding the Admission issue... When NEFFA took over the Thursday dance from Tod Whittemore in 1990, we established the policy that non-dancers do not have to pay. In fact, our policy allows dancers to do up to two dances (about 30 minutes worth) and leave and they get their money back. These policies were from Larry Jennings, and I can envision some rationale for each. Certainly people who attend are getting something of value, even if they do not dance. I think it is OK to sometimes give something away; it tends to pay itself back in the long run what with increased goodwill. Very often, non-dancers will INSIST on paying a donation to "support the dance". The refund issue was to address situations where someone gives it a try and discovers pretty quickly that it is not "their thing".

17 years, 2 months

Dances for 3-6 couples - add'l note

by Will Loving

I neglected to mention that I'm looking for dances that might be suitable for more experienced dancers. I've found a fair number of dances that can work well with a small number of dancers, but nearly all are geared towards beginner dancers, with only the most basic figures. Finding interesting dances that can satisfy more experienced dancers - near the end of a smallish dance or at a party - seems to be the challenge. Thanks to Richard for your suggestions, I will be following up! Is Nine Pin anything like the John McIntire's "Prime Minister's Breakdown", which I've heard described but never seen or danced and which I believe has a similar three-by-three formation? Thanks, Will Loving

17 years, 2 months

Callers Wkshp Dec 13th

by gtwood＠worldpath.net

callers(a)sharedweight.net Hello Callers, Info about upcoming callers wkshp: When: Afternoon of Dec 13th Who: George Marshall (of Swallowtail) will be conducting a callers workshop geared toward: Novice/ Intermediate callers. Experienced Callers are most welcome to attend Where: Gilmanton NH town Office Building In conjunction with Swallowtail Dance on the same evening Cost; $20.00 (scholarships provided through CDSS ) Call: Lynn Durham for Details smile(a)lynndurham.com 603926-9700 More information: Our Web Site! www.worldpath.net/~gtwood Hope to see you there, Gale

17 years, 2 months

Quebecois dances

by Jeanette Mill

I took a brief trip to a dance in Montreal when visiting New England earlier this year, to indulge my passion for French Canadian music. A band called Revellions was playing - awesome music. The dancers were having a great time, and helped me through with the French calls - but it was fascinating to note that much of the terminology was identical (chain, dos-a-dos, swing, promenade all seem to have their roots in French). Does anybody have instructions for any simple Quebecois dances they would be happy to share with me? Cheers Jeanette The piano - 88 little mistakes waiting to happen; Peter Barnes Make the switch to the world's best email. Get Yahoo!7 Mail! http://au.yahoo.com/y7mail

17 years, 2 months

And while we're on the subject of great 4f4 dances ...

by Lark-Aeryn Speyer

Four facing four No More Worth-less Swings By Seth Tepfer A1: Lines of four forward and back (8) Ladies allemande opposite lady left 1 ½ (8) A2: Neighbor balance and swing (16) B1: Gents left hand star ½ (to 'partner') (4) Allemande right 'partner' ½ (4) Ladies left hand star 1x (8) B2: 'partner' balance and swing (16) "Partner" is in quotations because, in this dance, you will alternate between swinging the person whom you asked to dance and swinging the other opposite sex person in your line of four ("your other partner"). This dance was written in honor of the double wedding of Nancy and Sarah Worth to Drake Lombardini and Bill Price. (Drake and Nancy are now Drake and Nancy Meadow.) -- "In this case, we may waive formalities. We really haven't time. This is to-day, but it will soon be to-morrow, and then we may be very different people, and in some other country." -- Willa Cather, _The Song of the Lark_

17 years, 2 months

K&E - thanks, ? about substitution, still need help with B2/progressio n

by crunchymama＠juno.com

Thank you for all the responses! I'm excited to try the Rick Mohr 4f4. And I think I understand the Double Becket formation and the power turn well! I love the power turn; it's that butterfly whirl feeling I've been looking for, in a different format. So I'm looking at possibly calling K&E for a contra crowd- there are no EC dances in our area so there would be nowhere to carry over the knowledge. Would it be a crime against nature to teach N gypsy, N lt sh gypsy in place of the split and cast around to place? It seems like it would keep the dancers a bit more active and use their existing vocabulary- and I wouldn't spend time teaching a move we won't be using again any time soon. I'm sure there are a variety of opinions on this! And, I do still have questions about the way the progression works in B2. I can't seem to figure it out without adding some sliding, turning alone, twirling, or passing through. Here's the dance again and the progression Lark notated for me: K&E by Pat Shaw- formation Double Becket 1's are in the middle and progress down, 2's are on the ends and progress up A1: 1's split the 2's, cast back to place, end facing the other 1's(8) OR N gypsy (8) 1's only- Right hand star, back to your 2's (8) A2: 2's split the 1's and cast back to place (8) OR N l sh gypsy (8) Same four (1's w/ 2's): Left hand star (8) (L start the chain as they pass each other, 3/4 of the way through the star) B1: 1's only- Ladies chain with power turn - face out (8) Ones with the twos: Ladies chain (8) B2: Same four: Circle left 3/4 (8) 1's Circle left 3/4 and move down a little while 2's Swing and move up (8) Lark wrote: <snip> Okay, that's gotta have been even more confusing than you're used to. Try the "diagram" version of the Progression (Please look at this in Courier or another fixed-width font): Dance Turn 1: BAND 2M 1L 3M 4L 2L 1M 3L 4M 6M 5L 7M 8L 6L 5M 7L 8M Dance Turn 2: BAND 2L 2M 4L 4M (Out) 6M 1L 3M 8L 6L 1M 3L 8M 5M 5L 7M 7L (Out) Dance Turn 3: BAND 6M 2L 4M 8L 6L 2M 4L 8M 5M 1L 3M 7L 5L 1M 3L 7M <snip> Don't worry, the circles will get you back with your partner. The Circle Ls are both 3/4--i.e. until the "insides" are back on the inside of the set and can whirl around to take Circle L hands-4 with their partners. <end quote> At the end of B1, as a #1 lady, I've got a #1 gent in my right hand and a #2 on my left. If I circle 1/2 way, then let go of the #2 on my left hand and ooze to my left, I can get into a circle L with my partner on my left and the other 1's. After the second circle L 3/4, we're facing 1's still- so we could pass through (which would not be the progression shown in the diagram, since 1's are swapping sides, but would seem to work fine) OR we would california twirl to change direction and progress as shown. OR If we (1's and 2's) circle L a complete 3/4, I end up as a #1 back to back with my partner. If all then turn alone, my partner will be on the wrong side of me, so after the second circle L 3/4, we will need to twirl (would that be a star through or?) to swap places and directions. OR We circle a complete 3/4, 1's ending up back to back with P, and 1's twirl to swap (would that be a star through or?) which would put partners on the correct sides of each other- 1's circle left 3/4, we would need to pass through to follow the progression shown in the diagram, or california twirl to progress on the opposite side. I'm sure there may be another option on the progression that I'm missing, and maybe one that is CORRECT. I know there has to be something missing, since 1's need to end up facing 2's, not 1's. How have you danced it? And is the progression only within each line, or do the ones cross over each time through? Thanks again! -Alison Murphy ____________________________________________________________ Click for free info on discount teaching degrees programs. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/Ioyw6iif8jdcdiRVPrDmL3YgqN9bA4t…

17 years, 2 months

Questions for the callers

by Judith Simon Muse

Hi- My name is Judith Muse. I write a column for our local Contra Dance newsletter here in the Triangle area in North Carolina. My topic this time is callers - how they see their role, what they want dancers to know, what's the hardest/best part the about calling. You probably get the idea by now. Please share anything you would like dancers to hear. Also, if you want to be credited in the article, please let me know who you are. Thanks a lot, Judith

17 years, 2 months

? on 4 face 4 and double becket dances

by crunchymama＠juno.com

I've been calling a couple of 4 face 4 dances to good reviews- Mark Widmer's "This Dance Has No Title" - the variation by Bob Isaacs- and Seth Tepfer's "Color Outside the Lines" One of our regular dancers who is into the 4f4's suggested I look up Pat Shaw's K&E. Some searching revealed the steps, but I have no idea what it means. Anyone with experience calling this dance, or who could explain double becket formation, how the splitting and casting off works, or the power turn on the ladies chain? Also does anyone else have a favorite 4f4 formation dance to share? TIA! K&E by Pat Shaw- formation Double Becket 1's are in the middle and progress down, 2's are on the ends and progress up A1: 1's split the 2's, cast back to place, end facing the other 1's(8) 1's only- Right hand star, back to your 2's (8) A2: 2's split the ones and cast back to place (8) Same four (1's w/ 2's): Left hand star (8) B1: 1's only- Ladies chain with power turn - face out (8) Ones with the twos: Ladies chain (8) B2: Same four: Circle left ¾ (8) 1's Circle left ¾ and move down a little while 2's Swing and move up (8) -Alison Murphy Memphis TN "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds." ~Samuel Adams HTTP://CAMPAIGNFORLIBERTY.COM ____________________________________________________________ Click here for free information on nursing degrees, up to $150/hour http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2131/fc/Ioyw6iifeLf98nOEotpyRXnRMdo677d…

17 years, 2 months

K&E explanation

by Lark-Aeryn Speyer

I LOVE this dance! I've danced it several times and remember it well, though I have not personally called it. It's a favorite of the Ann Arbor (MI) English Country dance community. K&E by Pat Shaw- formation Double Becket 1's are in the middle and progress down, 2's are on the ends and progress up A1: 1's split the 2's, cast back to place, end facing the other 1's(8) 1's only- Right hand star, back to your 2's (8) A2: 2's split the ones and cast back to place (8) Same four (1's w/ 2's): Left hand star (8) B1: 1's only- Ladies chain with power turn - face out (8) Ones with the twos: Ladies chain (8) B2: Same four: Circle left ? (8) 1's Circle left ? and move down a little while 2's Swing and move up (8) I believe the formation is more often known as "Vermont Tempest" formation. You can also think of it (if you're a good New Englander ;-) as "Cribbage board" progression--"Up the outside, down the inside." "Double Becket" may be misleading, because the "half" of the set on the caller's right is progressing clockwise while the "half" of the set on the caller's left is progressing counter-clockwise. Okay, that's gotta have been even more confusing than you're used to. Try the "diagram" version of the Progression (Please look at this in Courier or another fixed-width font): Dance Turn 1: BAND 2M 1L 3M 4L 2L 1M 3L 4M 6M 5L 7M 8L 6L 5M 7L 8M Dance Turn 2: BAND 2L 2M 4L 4M (Out) 6M 1L 3M 8L 6L 1M 3L 8M 5M 5L 7M 7L (Out) Dance Turn 3: BAND 6M 2L 4M 8L 6L 2M 4L 8M 5M 1L 3M 7L 5L 1M 3L 7M ... Got it? Good. (Cue Danny Kaye ...) Next question: splitting & casting off. The dance starts with "insides" (your description's 1s) facing (as couples) their respective "outsides" (your description's 2s). You could say the "insides" are dancing the path of a mirror do-si-do--but the "outsides" just get out of the way instead of fully participating, and the "insides" are always moving forward. In other words, the "insides" dance forward shoulder-to-shoulder, the "ousides" move apart from each other, then (*behind* or outside the "outsides") the "insides" turn away from each other, around their respective "outsides" (gent 'round lady, lady 'round gent) and dance back into the middle to face the other "inside" couple. The A2 Left-hand Star is VERY IMPORTANT. The "inside" ladies must keep in mind that they are looking in the B1 to chain across with the other "inside" lady--this means they actually want to start chaining when they have only starred about 3/4. Power turn: another great invention. It's simply a courtesy turn+180degrees. Inside Gent takes the "inside neighbor" lady in courtesy turn position and they guide each other around as per usual to face the opposite couple--and PAST that position they keep turning until their backs are to the opposite couple (their partners), and, in this case, facing the "outsides". Note that the "inside" ladies are now with their "inside neighbor" gents and about to chain AWAY from them to an "outside neighbor" gent. Don't worry, the circles will get you back with your partner. The Circle Ls are both 3/4--i.e. until the "insides" are back on the inside of the set and can whirl around to take Circle L hands-4 with their partners. I'm happy to mail you (USPS) a full diagram of the dance if this isn't enough. Or if there's a place on the list where I could upload a scan, that's okay, too. It's an awesome dance! Have fun! Lark Speyer -- "In this case, we may waive formalities. We really haven't time. This is to-day, but it will soon be to-morrow, and then we may be very different people, and in some other country." -- Willa Cather, _The Song of the Lark_

17 years, 2 months

Fwd: Can you do a Tropical Contra dance in a month?

by Lark-Aeryn Speyer

Holy cow. I think this is real--a write-a-dance-expressing-science contest. And I think Contra would be an excellent dance medium ... Good luck, everyone! :-) Lark Speyer ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Jon Leonard <jbwl(a)hushmail.com> Date: Oct 9, 2008 8:39 PM Subject: Can you do a Tropical Contra dance in a month? To: Lark-Aeryn Speyer <laspeyer(a)gmail.com> http://gonzolabs.org/dance/ Love, Dad -- "In this case, we may waive formalities. We really haven't time. This is to-day, but it will soon be to-morrow, and then we may be very different people, and in some other country." -- Willa Cather, _The Song of the Lark_

17 years, 2 months

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Contra Callers