This thread reminds me of a question posed years ago - probably because of the staying power of the chestnut dances like Chorus Jig, Rory O'More, Petronella, etc. - WHICH CONTRA DANCES DO YOU THINK FOLKS WILL STILL BE DANCING 100 YEARS FROM NOW?
On Sat, Dec 1, 2012 at 1:01 PM, Bree Kalb <[email protected]> wrote: > Alan, > > Your explanation is so reflective of my reasons and so vivid, I felt like > I was dancing with you. If we're ever in the same hall and that dance is on > the program..... > > Bree Kalb > > > ----- > > Why I like it: > > Whether I'm inactive or active, I like the music, I really like the way > the parts of the dance interlock, I like the many things that remind me > I'm dancing in a bigger set > than just my foursome - go down the outside and you have to see the > whole line, be in line, match their timing; go down the middle and it's > the same, but if I'm inactive > I have to see people outside of my foursome on the way through. I > really like how much it requires timing and rewards timing and > geographical sense. I rather like the feeling of being a good cog in > the big dance machine. I like supporting the actives and being > supported when it's my turn. > > - When I'm an active, the way the excitement of the tune builds up > during the contra corners to resolve at the balance with partner (and > the balance + swing is way > better than the balance without swing) is just unparalleled. Hitting > the balance on the dot is just a tremendous moment. The whole dance > (which is, incidentally, made of > standard early-nineteenth century figures which show up in other > dances but aren't as satisfying there) is an exercise in delayed > gratification; I leave my partner, we're apart > (but have a flirtatious peek, perhaps, in the middle of the > down-the-outside-and-back), we're closer together for the > down-the-middle-and-back; we connect with our > same-sex neighbors on the cast off, we interact with two opposite-sex > neighbors in the contra-corners, briefly seeing partner in between > others, and we finally connect. > It's awesome. > > - When I'm inactive - well, you can always swing your partner during the > down-the-outside, and I have no problem for that. During the > down-the-middle you can likely cheat-swing somebody from the next > line (although I won't generally do that and don't much like it when my > partner abandons me to cheat swing). But here's what I like there - I > enjoy being able to support the actives in the contra corners, I enjoy > getting a read on whether they want to push off and spin out of the > allemande and supporting that, I enjoy helping to get them to their > appointment with their partner on time. (I'll usually balance or stomp > at the end of the contra corners even if I'm an inactive.) I'll admit > that I'd be a bit frustrated if I were inactive all the way to to the > top and the dance ended without my ever getting to be active, but I'm > happy to have it run long enough for everybody to get to be both active > and inactive. > > Your mileage may well vary. People like different things. > > -- Alan > > ______________________________**_________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> > ______________________________**_________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/**mailman/listinfo/callers<http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers> > -- *Looking forward, Linda S. Mrosko 7302 CR 2829 Mabank, Texas 75156 (903) 451-5535 (H) (903) 288-4401 (cell) (903) 603-9033 (Skype) www.towerwebsites.com/dancinglinda *"We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once." -- Friedrich Nietzsche
