Well, just like athletes jump further and run and swim faster today than they did thirty years ago, today contra dancers can circle once around in 8 beats Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844
________________________________ From: Greg McKenzie <[email protected]> To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 6, 2013 11:37 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Circle left 3/4 I remember once being in a caller's workshop with Ted Sannella and he asked us how many beats a circle took. We answered "eight," and he said "No. A circle really takes 10 beats." - Greg McKenzie West Coast, USA ****************** On Thu, Jun 6, 2013 at 4:08 PM, James Saxe <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Jun 6, 2013, at 12:19 PM, Chris Lahey wrote, on the subject > of getting dancers to complete the sequence "circle left 3/4, > pass through" in 8 beats: > > > Could you prompt the pass through with more emphasis? Maybe >> >> 5 - 6 - circle - left - 1 - 2 - three - quarters - pass - through - 7 - 8? >> >> Or perhaps even "pass through now" with the now being on the 6 beat? >> Or emphasize the balance beat so people realize they're late. >> > > I think that this sequence is one for whihc it can be useful to > prompt a figure--namely "pass through"--with the last beat of the > call falling earlier than the beat just before the first beat of > the action. Specifically, I often time the words "pass through" > so the word "through" falls on beat 4 of the circle, not beat 6. > You can hear some examples of other callers doing the same in > these videos: > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?**v=s_-uD_-nV6g<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_-uD_-nV6g> > (Steve Zakon-Anderson calls a contra medley at the Concord > Scout House. Notice his timing on the third sequence in > the medley, Lisa Greenlef's "After the Solstice", wich > starts around 5:40.) > > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?**v=MMInHQo4mJY<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMInHQo4mJY> > (Maggie Cowan calls "Black Bird in the Night" by Don > Flaherty.) > > The idea is that if you say the word "through" by beat 4, it will > implicitly encourage slow circlers to pick up the pace. If you > say "pass through" on beats 5 and 6, it's already too late to help > any dancers who haven't already gotten their circles turned 3/4 of > the way around by the time you say "through". > > You could also try to explain the timing during the walk-through, > either by using numbers of beats (six to circle left 3/4; two to > pass through), or just by remarking that the time dancers have to > circle left 3/4 and pass through is the same time that some dances > allow for the circle 3/4 alone, so they (dancers) had better > make the circle a little brisker than they might expect. Beware > that when you speak in declarative sentences or ask dancers to > picture a move that they're not doing right now (e.g., talking > about the timing of the circle while dancers are lined up after > the walk-through and waiting for the music to start), there are > likely to be some who won't be paying attention or who won't be > able to visualize whatever part of the dance you're blabbing > about. On the other hand, a few dancers who already the basics of > timing might pick up on your words and be a little more attentive > about politely (I hope) helping their less experienced neighbors > to be on time. > > It can also be helpful to have music that clearly telegraphs > when it's coming around to the first beat of the figure after > 'Pass Through". > > --Jim > > > ______________________________**_________________ > 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
