My favorite waltz contra (or is it contra waltz?) goes back to the 19th century (I believe). I first danced it as the Santa Fe Waltz at Clifftop a number of years ago. I've seen it since done in contra lines, though I prefer it in circles--if there are enough couples. I've also seen it listed as The Spanish Waltz and the St. Paul Waltz. I think I copied a version from the Lloyd Shaw Foundation, but was unable just now to locate the link. There is a wonderful youtube video of it here: http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-chestnuts/109 -- Pretty much the way I learned it. I like it done with a certain elegance, though others may like it a little faster. Different strokes, eh? I also learned it to go with a specific tune that I've usually heard named the St. Paul Waltz. The A (or B) part was adapted as the yodel part Tex Owens' Cattle Call (Eddy Arnold had a hit in the late 1940s), but the tune is older. I have a recording of a (I believe) Polish accordion player (Bruno Rudzinski as Pawel Walc) in Chicago playing in the late 1920s. The tune is also popular with polka bands throughout the midwest. A very good version of the tune (as the St. Paul Waltz) can be heard on Barbara Lamb & Vivian Williams' Twin Sisters CD (Voyager 316) which can be found here: http://www.voyagerrecords.com/catnw.htm. There are a number of variations online. The one in the attached video is my favorite. Thanks, George
On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 2:23 PM, Jerome Grisanti <[email protected]>wrote: > I've had some success with Mike Richardson's dance "Another Jig Will Do." > It's not a waltz, but dances as one. Musically, it fits a two-part slip-jig > such as "The Snowy Path" or two parts of the three-part "The Butterfly." > See http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/acdol/dance/acd_10.html for details > of > the figure > > I can generally find a waltz rhythm within the 9/8 signature, but I've seen > some dancers struggle with this, so check the tune with the band > beforehand. These same dancers were upset with me for asking them to use a > waltz step during a contra, so it might not have been the tune. > > --Jerome > > > > On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 11:00 AM, <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > Re: Waltz contras - does anyone have any in their box? > > > > > > -- > Jerome Grisanti > 660-528-0858 > http://www.jeromegrisanti.com > > For the good are always the merry, > Save by an evil chance, > And the merry love the fiddle > And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >
