Rich wrote: > I attended a well established open contra dance recently with at least 50% > newbies. The caller did an excellent job teaching and calling contras, but > his method was more like a square dance caller. He seldom stopped calling > and had lots of descriptive words for the dancers. Several dancers > throughout the night told me how easy it was to dance to this caller, and > how good his calls were. I did not hear one complaint from the dancers, or > musicians, that he never stopped calling.
There is definitely a difference in style and preference here. I really respect a caller who can entertain in this way. But it does not "work" for me like most of the dances I attend. I come for the music and the people and I love a caller who facilitates a connection between the music and the dancers. That is plenty "entertaining" for me. Connecting with the caller is not so much of a draw for me. If the caller "fills the room" with his personality and voice...well, I generally start looking for another room. But, that's just how I roll on this. I like to be an integral part of the event and feel I have a role in making the connections happen. I don't go to be entertained by the caller. Oh...and I don't get any complaints when I call either. Dancers are a very kind and generous bunch, I think. (And I make it my business to seek out complaints.) To each his own. - Greg Mckenzie West Coast, USA ********* > Additionally, the caller went out of his way several times to bring the > attention to the excellent musicians playing beside him. The dance was > very successful, and the caller (calls) very entertaining. > > There are few callers capable of delivering that kind of program, and even > fewer who do. It was a welcomed change for me, and for many of the dancers > at the event. > > Rich Sbardella > Stafford, CT > > > ________________________________ > From: Harold E. Watson <[email protected]> > To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2014 5:16 PM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Planned vs. "on-the-fly" call wording (was Re: > Circle & pass through as the last move of a dance) > > > I know most our dancers are still listening because if I ever lose my > place and miss-call the next figure, half will try to do what I said > (usually the beginners) and the other half will loudly pronounce the > correct move. When I do booboo, after the dance I always compliment the > dancers on their masterful recovery, even if they didn't have one. > > I also try to drop out as early as practical. It's usually as switch from > full calling to single words, and finally to maybe a word once every 32 > bars at a place that may have tricky timing or to get everyone back in sync > with each other. > > ........Circle left > .......Neighbor swing > ...Long lines forward and back > ...Ladies allemande right 1-1/2 > > To > > ........Circle > ........Neighbor > ......Forward and back > ........Ladies > > Harold > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] On Behalf Of Aahz Maruch > Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2014 3:35 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Callers] Planned vs. "on-the-fly" call wording (was Re: > Circle & pass through as the last move of a dance) > > On Thu, Feb 13, 2014, Jonathan Sivier wrote: > > > > I like to change around the exact words I use during a dance. In > > part to keep myself and the dancers alert. Also if a given phrase > > doesn't work for someone then the next time through if I say something > > slightly different it may make more sense for them. Also if some part > > of the dance seems to be causing problems for some of the dancers I > > may change the words I'm using in order to, hopefully, help them out. > > Does anyone have evidence that dancers pay attention to the caller after > the first few iterations? I certainly don't, and my limited experience as > a caller indicates that few do (if any). > -- > Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 > http://rule6.info/ > <*> <*> <*> > Help a hearing-impaired person: > http://rule6.info/hearing.html_______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >
