I find dances where '1s swing, 2s admire' very helpful for summer dances in hot halls, too. Meg
On Tue, Jan 8, 2013 at 11:00 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Send Callers mailing list submissions to > [email protected] > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > [email protected] > > You can reach the person managing the list at > [email protected] > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Repertoire... (tavi merrill) > 2. Re: Repertoire... (Delia Clark) > 3. Re: Repertoire... (Kalia Kliban) > 4. Re: Repertoire... (Janet Bertog) > 5. Re: Inclusivemess & Older Dancers (Michael Fuerst) > 6. Re: Inclusivemess & Older Dancers (Paul Wilde) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 13:50:55 -0500 > From: tavi merrill <[email protected]> > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Callers] Repertoire... > Message-ID: > < > ca+hgdswh9-2eas9yh8c1veged16n2drz55m1shz0yjgyqb1...@mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Chris, indeed, panning for gold, trying not to get distracted by diamonds > in the rough... > > In response to Greg/Yoyo/Kalia/Aahz comments on my choreography question, > Yoyo is right on with the understanding that down the hall (i was thinking > 4-in-line) dances at a basic level are quite easy to find, and something > that i tend not to use more than twice in a night. Re: R&L through > transitions, i've tried substituting a California twirl, but find that in > crowds where heavy beginner numbers demand lower piece-count dances, > California twirls can be befuddling (particularly after the pass-through, > where experienced dancers may reflexively move to a CT or twirl, confusing > themselves and newbie partner/neighbors). A friend of mine said (i > paraphrase) "for a newbie, any kind of twirl early on can be like a > brain-wipe", and i tend to agree. > > In the search for accessible dances, going dancing probably IS the best way > of finding appropriate material... it requires a little mental > recalibration for me to go from "whoa, that was a COOL dance" to, "What a > nice thoroughly user-friendly dance!" > > I hope this thread has been useful to someone else out there... Thanks to > all for your repertoire suggestions! > > > Dance in good health, > tavi > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 14:06:15 -0500 > From: Delia Clark <[email protected]> > To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Repertoire... > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii > > Super helpful, tavi, thanks so much!! This is exactly the kind of thing > I'm always looking for for my regular dance, which is a community-based > dance and doesn't tend to draw experienced dancers from farther away. > > > On Jan 7, 2013, at 1:50 PM, tavi merrill wrote: > > > I hope this thread has been useful to someone else out there... Thanks to > > all for your repertoire suggestions! > > > > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > Delia Clark > PO Box 45 > Taftsville, VT 05073 > 802-457-2075 > [email protected] > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:10:19 -0800 > From: Kalia Kliban <[email protected]> > To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Repertoire... > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Helpful for me too. Lots of good suggestions here. > Kalia > > On 1/7/2013 11:06 AM, Delia Clark wrote: > > Super helpful, tavi, thanks so much!! This is exactly the kind of thing > I'm always looking for for my regular dance, which is a community-based > dance and doesn't tend to draw experienced dancers from farther away. > > > > > > On Jan 7, 2013, at 1:50 PM, tavi merrill wrote: > > > >> I hope this thread has been useful to someone else out there... Thanks > to > >> all for your repertoire suggestions! > >> > > > > > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > > Delia Clark > > PO Box 45 > > Taftsville, VT 05073 > > 802-457-2075 > > [email protected] > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 14:57:12 -0500 > From: "Janet Bertog" <[email protected]> > To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Repertoire... > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" > > Cary Ravitz has his dances indexed (which is fortunate since he has a lot > of > them) at http://www.ravitz.us/dance/#x. I would look at the dances he > lists > as easy, no walk through, and last dance of the evening as good starting > points. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of tavi merrill > Sent: Monday, January 07, 2013 1:51 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Callers] Repertoire... > > Chris, indeed, panning for gold, trying not to get distracted by diamonds > in > the rough... > > In response to Greg/Yoyo/Kalia/Aahz comments on my choreography question, > Yoyo is right on with the understanding that down the hall (i was thinking > 4-in-line) dances at a basic level are quite easy to find, and something > that i tend not to use more than twice in a night. Re: R&L through > transitions, i've tried substituting a California twirl, but find that in > crowds where heavy beginner numbers demand lower piece-count dances, > California twirls can be befuddling (particularly after the pass-through, > where experienced dancers may reflexively move to a CT or twirl, confusing > themselves and newbie partner/neighbors). A friend of mine said (i > paraphrase) "for a newbie, any kind of twirl early on can be like a > brain-wipe", and i tend to agree. > > In the search for accessible dances, going dancing probably IS the best way > of finding appropriate material... it requires a little mental > recalibration > for me to go from "whoa, that was a COOL dance" to, "What a nice thoroughly > user-friendly dance!" > > I hope this thread has been useful to someone else out there... Thanks to > all for your repertoire suggestions! > > > Dance in good health, > tavi > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 16:19:01 -0800 (PST) > From: Michael Fuerst <[email protected]> > To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Inclusivemess & Older Dancers > Message-ID: > <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > I recently attended a dance event which attracted participants from > multiple states and provinces and which lasted several days, attended by > 200+ ?almost exclusively experienced dancers. ?? > > Several dancers had challenges. > > One dancer ?was blind. However this?individual? had excellent mobility and > dance memory, and knew exactly where and how place her/his hands so other > dancers could take hold and orient her/him ?as needed. ?S/he?quickly?and > fluidly responded to any physical direction, whether by taking this > dancer's hand or by someone placing hands on this dancer's shoulders in > order to provide proper orientation. ? > > Another woman had much difficulty with any lateral movement. > ?Despite?knowing exactly when to face where and where one should be, > his/her getting there was almost always a challenge, and nearly all figures > had to be abbreviated ? > > Two other dancers, although physically mobile, had noticeable difficulty > in orientation. ? ?Seemed like they were having initial signs of mental > deterioration (more likely I think, especially for the one who usually > danced with the same person) and/or in need of a hearing aid. > > The callers did not make any adjustments for these four individuals, but > all the other dancers?diligently, graciously and?enthusiastically?ensured > the challenged dancers enjoyed the dances within their abilities. > ? > Michael Fuerst ? ? ?802 N Broadway ? ? ?Urbana IL 61801?????? 217-239-5844 > > ________________________________ > From: Jonathan Sivier <[email protected]> > To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, January 6, 2013 1:39 PM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Inclusivemess & Older Dancers > > On 1/5/2013 5:48 AM, Donald Perley wrote: > > Different dancers will have different issues.? One elderly dancer I > > encounter regularly seems to be able to handle all the normal > > maneuvers except she consistently takes 9 or 10 beats to get once > > around in a swing. > > > > Some adaptation can come from education (that all dancers should get). > >? Allemande 1 1/2 can turn in to 1/2. Petronella twirl can be just a > > shift. If you fall behind, you WON'T be able to catch up, so just get > > to where you need to be for the next thing. > > ? These are good ideas and I have used them in my dance class for > seniors.? Swings can be tricky since there is both the need for a certain > amount of speed to get around at least once in the allotted time and the > problem with dizziness that even a little turning can cause. Sometimes the > dancers may need to skip the swing, if they have trouble getting around > even once and just prepare for the next figure.? However, most of my > participants can get around at least once, so a slow walking swing works > OK.? Since many swings, especially with neighbors, end up with the dancers > trading places turning half-way and then opening up to face the appropriate > direction could work in some circumstances. > > ? One thing I have run into with a few dancers is problems with > orientation.? There was one dancer in one of my classes who always seemed > to end up facing the wrong direction, no matter what figure came before.? I > learned to say things like, "If your new neighbor (or whomever) isn't right > in front of you, they are probably right behind you."? This seemed to be > helpful at least some of the time.? Luckily this wasn't an issue with most > of the dancers and they were able to help the ones who had some troubles. > > Jonathan > ----- > Jonathan Sivier > Caller of Contra, English and Early American Dances > jsivier AT illinois DOT edu > Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html > ----- > Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? > A: It depends on what dance you call! > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2013 23:44:23 -0500 > From: Paul Wilde <[email protected]> > To: Michael Fuerst <[email protected]>, "Caller's discussion > list" <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Inclusivemess & Older Dancers > Message-ID: > <CACyeUsPETV-1EsKX= > [email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Michael, > > Hi and thanks for your wonderful post. I regularly call for a new dancer > (who started within the last yr. or two and who dances once a month or > less) who is 91 and very deaf. I have also danced at several wknd. & > festival settings where there were blind and otherwise physically > challenged dancers. In the first case, I try and call dances that are not > overly taxing on orientation and quick/complicated progressions across or > up or down the set. Yes, other dancers are wonderful at helping keep him > on track, but there is only so far I can take things when he's in line (if > I'm his partner, it's easier still, knowing exactly what he needs help w/ > at any one instant). In the second case, the blind or physically > challenged dancers at the festivals and dance weekends were nearly always > accomplished and were easily helped and oriented by all those he/she danced > with, much like you described. > > What I'm looking for is to build a group of dances that are more aimed at > older dancers (and perhaps a higher % than we see at most series) who don't > have the physical capabilities and stamina they once did, but still love > the dance. I want to provide them w/ enjoyable and not too simple dances > that will not leave them purple and on the verge of passing out (or worse). > > > I realize we often strive to plan and create the best programs possible for > the MUC setting. This is a wonderful thing that is happening around this > and other countries. What I would like to focus on in this particular > thread is to address the needs of, let's arbitrarily say, a large group of > 70 y.o. and up who have been dancing a long time and would like to continue > doing so both comfortably, confidently and, of course, joyfully. > > A quick example. 1s swing while 2s admire, etc. > > My deck's not at hand, but I'll offer one dance from memory. > > Jeff's Gypsy DI > > A-1 1s gypsy & swing (or whatever they want to do in the center) > A-2 Lines of 4 down the hall (1s in center) 2s half cast 1s to swap places > and come back up > B-1 Circle L 1X (to original DI) > Pass N-1 by R (1s D, 2s Up) and gypsy N-2 (by L in orig, but could > modify and make it a RSh gypsy to simplify) > B-2 (Back to) N-1 gypsy & swing > > This gives the dancers a lot of slack time and they have the freedom to do > pretty much as they please in either of the gypsy/swing sequences. It also > has a very pleasing flow. Tunes for this could be very relaxed. > > As it turns out, this is also a completely gender neutral dance. > > warmest regards, > Paul > Prov RI > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 101, Issue 27 > **************************************** >
