Hmmm.... One of my little snippets of design understanding is that highly distinctive elements should not be used in a repeating design. So I would not program an evening with 5 dances with Petronellas, or large ovals, or contra corners. But why wouldn't it be okay to have lots of dances with swings, circles, long lines and allemandes if they help set up or unwind a distinctive move? They're so bland and common they almost shouldn't count...
M E On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 5:21 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > For me, it's from my dancing and also from a comment I heard from a > dancer. I've been to dances where men AL 1 1/2 was used 5 or more times. > The comment was from a lady who thought waiting for the men so much was > boring. I think it's a nice move for 1 or 2 dances in an evening, 3 at the > most if the rest of the choreography makes it worthwhile. Guess > I've enjoyed circles as a dancer, maybe because they weren't used that much > in one program. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Greg McKenzie" <[email protected]> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, February 27, 2012 5:37:39 PM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Overused figures > > What is so great about the "ProgramPlanning Matrix" is that it seems to be > based upon input from a number of experienced, key people. Nevertheless, > the matrix does place a significant burden on programmers. If you add in > local preferences and personal preferences the task of programming becomes > much more of a challenge. In general this is probably a good thing. > > I agree that it is the variation in the transitions, the music, the > dancers, and the calling styles that adds excitement to contras. I'm not > too concerned, personally, with "overused" figures. For me it is the > non-basic figures that seem to be "overused." Keeping it simple and > accessible allows greater participation which is what insures lots of > variation in the people you interact with at each dance, and this--in my > opinion--is the real draw of contras. > > If you think a figure is "overused," what is the basis of your opinion? is > it: > > - comments from dancers > - comments from programmers > - personal preference > - or something else? > > Just wondering. > > - Greg McKenzie > > ***************** > > On Mon, Feb 27, 2012 at 10:53 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I agree. > > Does anyone else think that Men allemande Left 1 1/2 is overused? > > How about Circle Left 3/4? Lately, I've been programming specifically > to > > avoid having a circle in each dance. It's surprisingly difficult to > find > > dances that don't have circles. > > > > Donna Hunt > > "Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should > > dance." -unknown > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > -- As you set out for Ithaka, pray that your journey be long, full of adventure, full of discovery... May there be many summer mornings when, with what pleasure, with what joy, you enter harbors you're seeing for the first time. ~Constantine Cavafy, "Ithaka" 1911
