Hi, Erik,
This is superb information! Thanks so much!
Perry
From: Erik Erhardt <[email protected]>
To: Perry Shafran <[email protected]>
Cc: Caller's Discussion List <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, May 8, 2017 9:57 AM
Subject: Re: [Callers] "Yankee" Dutch Crossing
Hi Perry,
I've included my notes below. Before I called a workshop at a camp I had a
practice party at my house, and it made a HUGE difference. I hope you'll find
it helpful. Consider a modification to the end of D2 that takes an appropriate
amount of time (I usually use Gaye's modifcation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_BZn92P11Q).
Have fun!
Erik Erhardt
https://statacumen.com/dance/
Yankee Dutch Crossing
Adapted by Joseph Pimentel (Cardinal Collection, 2004) for contra dancers from
the original English country dance, "Dutch Crossing," by Ernst van Brakel
(1990). Formation: For 8 couples, arranged as in two short improper contra
lines, side by side.Music: any lively reel; medleying two 32-bar tunes is once
through the dance. Description:That fiendishly challenging yet ultimately
satisfying dance "Yankee Dutch Crossing" is the contra-fied version by Joseph
Pimentel (2004) of the Ernst van Brakel "Dutch Crossing" (1990), a four-part
dance for sixteen dancers with the characteristic "Xs and Os" clockwork
right-and-left stars. Video of Yankee Dutch Crossing from Pinewoods:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL1ulnHEuNY
Gaye's modification: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_BZn92P11Q
Plan for 60 minute teach for new dancers, then 15 minutes to dance through
twice.
Sign-up Sheet
Sign up with a partner in a 16-person set, show up on time.
Dance
Part INote significant people:"Opposites/Buddies," standing across from each
other in original hands four"Hey friends," standing along line across hall
Note: Dancer orientation is tricky. During walkthrough, it is often helpful
to walk a move or two and say “freeze”, then explain where they are, how they
should be oriented, and what will happen next (with whom, ending where). Then
call the next move or two as they walk it. Repeat. Part I, Heys1st & 3rd time
through: Hey Across the hall2nd & 4th time through: Hey Up-and-down the hall
Dancers will hey with their hey friends along the line in front of where they
start. A1 ----------Bal & square-thru:(4) Opposite/Buddy, Right-hand balance(2)
Buddy pull-by R, turn to face P(2) P pull straight by L (8) 1/2 Hey with P and
hey buddiesthose facing in center pass R to startthose facing out turn over
L-sh to start end by passing your partner by Left and connecting hands,person
approaching from the end feels likethey roll to follow their partner in the
circle "Pass your partner, circle right""As pass partner by left, take both
hands with partner and Lady roll away from right to left to face Buddies up and
down (across). Circle right with the Gent in the lead of partner." A2
----------(4) Circle Right 1/2 way w/original Opps (Gent in lead, L on P's
left)(4) face Opp, with P fall back (moving away from Opp)Alt: Gaye Fifer: (4)
Balance -- I prefer original.(orientation: facing original direction with same
Opposites, but your original line has been inverted so that Gents are on the
right) (8) Opp DSD B12 ----------Repeat A1 & A2 to return to
placeDifference:B2 (4) Circle Right 1/2 way w/original Opps (Lady in lead, G on
P's left) Words to use:Same neighbor, balance right, hey up and down (across)
"As pass partner by left, take both hands with partner and Gent roll away from
right to left to face Buddies up and down (across). Circle right with the
Lady in the lead of partner." (orientation: Back to original position) Words to
use when calling (always clearly emphasize directional cues)A12Face up and down
(across)Buddy right-hand balance, pull by right, partner leftHey across (up and
down), right in center, left on outside, right in center, roll with
partnerCircle right with Gent in the lead half way, fall back (facing up and
down/across) in original linesBuddy do-si-do. B12Face up and down (across)Buddy
right-hand balance, pull by right, partner leftHey across (up and down), right
in center, left on outside, right in center, roll with partnerCircle right with
Lady in the lead half way, fall back (facing up and down/across) at homeBuddy
do-si-do. Part II, Dutch Crossingreminder: Xs and Os change each time
through"Am I an X or am I an O, right-hand star, here we go!""Am I an X or am I
an O, shake right hands, ready, go!" Note two different "teams""X team" on two
intersecting diagonals from opposite corners"O team" made up of the 2 middle
people on each side of whole setX team follows the path of a diagonal hey,
using handsO team does a R&L grand around their large circle A3 ----------(4)
with Opps: star R(4) X team star L 1/2 in center or balance on endsWHILE O-team
pull by L around circle (Os on the outside, nice and slow)(4) in 4-somes: star
R 1/2(4) X team star L 1/2 in center or balance on endsWHILE O-team pull by L
around circle (Os on the outside, nice and slow) A4 ----------repeat A3 to home
places B3 ----------(16) P B&S B4 ----------(10) with Opps, circle L 1-1/4 to
face a new wall"move that circle, you've got to face a new wall"(6) Opp
DSD(orientation: you're looking "up and down" or "at the side wall") Alt: B4
Gaye Fifer: (4) Bal ring, (4) Cir L 1/4, (8) Opp DSD Words to use when
callingA34Am I an X or am I an O? Right-hand star, here we go!(Diagonal buddy)
Right, 2, 3, and Left1, 2, 3, and Right1, 2, 3, and Leftbuddies in opposite
corner, Right1, 2, 3, and Left1, 2, 3, and Right1, 2, 3, and LeftFind your
partner, balance and swing B34Face your buddies , Balance the ring, circle left
1/4 to face across (up and down)Buddy do-si-doYou’ve changed orientations,
buddy right-hand balance… "And thank your square, right there." Repeat the
entire dance three times, facing a new wall each time. Each timethrough,
everyone will experience a different dance position. Teaching NotesPlan for
extra teaching time. With one or two sets, teaching and dancing can take 45-60
minutes. For more sets, plan on 60-75 minutes. A1/B1. The 1/2-hey includes a
total of 4 passes. The final pass is by the L-sh with partner. The transition
from that pass into the circle can cause confusion for a couple of reasons.
First, people feel like they are on the wrong side of their partner leading
into the circle; man on the right and woman on the left. Second, the person
moving toward the outside of the set in the last pass of the hey (the woman in
Al, the man in B1) has to change their direction to get into the circle.
Encourage people to keep their eye on their partner in that last pass to help
draw them into the circle. A3/B4. This figure has the exhilarating feel of a
carnival ride and people feel great satisfaction when it all comes together.
Notice that the positioning is different each time through the dance. In the
R&L grand, for example, one time through, you go clockwise around the "O" and
the other time you go counterclockwise. When people in the X-team reach the end
of their diagonal, they should make a point to do the balance, which helps them
keep the correct timing. They will resist this, because it feels awkward. Their
incentive to overcome the awkwardness is great, though, because if they stick
their hand into a "star" too early, the consequences are dire. Making such a
warning usually elicits laughter, which helps both to relax people and to
reinforce the point. Each time through the dance, Buddies remain the same. Hey
friends alternate depending on the orientation of the lines.
On Mon, May 8, 2017 at 6:56 AM, Perry Shafran via Callers
<[email protected]> wrote:
Hi, everyone,
Can someone point me to the best resource to get the figures for Dutch Crossing
(specifically the Yankee Dutch Crossing that is frequently called at dance
weekends). With less than 2 weeks to spare, I've been asked if I'd like to do a
Dutch Crossing workshop and I think I need the figures down pat if I'm going to
do that. Thanks in advance!
Perry
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