Variety is the spice of life! ________________________________ From: Dave Casserly <[email protected]> To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, February 15, 2014 7:25 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Planned vs. "on-the-fly" call wording (was Re: Circle & pass through as the last move of a dance)
I also generally find the best dances are the ones where I barely noticed the caller all night. Particularly if it's a great band, I just prefer that the caller stay out of the way of the music. And musical calls often annoy me, again more often if I'm excited about the band. On Feb 15, 2014 12:24 AM, "Greg McKenzie" <[email protected]> wrote: > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list [email protected] http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
