I wrote more about my experience with dropping out: https://www.jefftk.com/p/lessons-from-dropping-out
On Tue, Mar 3, 2020 at 9:13 AM Jeff Kaufman via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > "We do do a lot of talking at our dances, with so many beginners each time > we basically never stop calling (or maybe we let people muddle through > without calls for the very last time through some dances - but I assure > you, many people falter without the instruction!)" > > I suspect that the reason things fall apart without calling is that people > are used to always having calling. Removing calling for one time through > the dance doesn't work well because it's abrupt and all-or-nothing. > > Learning how to drop out gradually can get you and your dancers to a place > where you don't need to call the whole dance and where the dancers don't > feel like that calling is needed. This goes something like: > > * Start with your standard full calls > > * After a time or so through the dance, use shorter versions of the calls > ("long lines" and not "long lines forwards and back"). Still have the calls > end right before the next figure. This means they have less time from the > call until the figure, and so practice anticipating the next figure. > > * Continue using shorter and shorter calls ("lines") > > * Leave out calls when it's pretty obvious and/or there's lots of catch-up > time. If the dance has a pass through, balance, and swing then you can > start leaving out the "swing" call because most people will learn quickly > that it follows the balance, and anyone who forgets has plenty of time to > look around them and figure it out. Then you can start leaving out the > "balance" because that will seem natural to the dancers after the pass > through. > > * Pay attention to where the dancers are getting confused, and support the > tricky parts of the dance. If it's sometimes circle and swing, and other > times circle and pass through, call the swing/pass longer because it's hard > to remember. > > If the dancers always have everything prompted for them, they don't learn > the choreography. > > Jeff > > On Tue, Mar 3, 2020, 8:13 AM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >> >> -------- Forwarded Message -------- >> Subject: Re: [Callers] Re: actual timing of calls for hey for four >> Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2020 14:23:10 -0400 >> From: Katherine Kitching <[email protected]> <[email protected]> >> To: [email protected] >> >> Hi all, wanted to thank everyone for all the super varied/interesting and >> helpful feedback and suggestions! >> >> I also wanted to report that my first Hey went very well on Saturday >> night. >> >> What I ended up doing was creating 2 "practice lines" in the centre of >> our big teaching circle (I always teach new figures in a big circle) - >> which each had 3 people set up in a line with generous space between, and >> first I walked through one of those lines myself starting first from the >> middle, to demo how the Raven would proceed, and then from one end to show >> how the Lark would proceed -- both to 16 counts -- showing how I passed the >> person in the middle by the right shoulder and the people on the ends by >> the left shoulder, and explaining how in reality everyone is moving so >> there won't actually be a person to walk around at the ends, but looping >> around that stationary person in the practice line gives you a feel for how >> to do the figure. >> >> Then I brought in a fourth person into the practice line and actually got >> everyone to move at once, to demo how the Hey works (which blew the new >> people's minds, they were laughing at how complicated it looked compared to >> when 3 of the four people had been standing still) >> >> Then I offered those who had never done a hey before the chance to try it >> with the other 3 ppl being stationary, encouraging Ravens to try from the >> middle and Larks to try from an end, to simulate what they'd be >> experiencing in the dance... >> >> So that was neat, cause those who wanted to try got to try, and those who >> are visual learners and felt that they got the concept just from my demo, >> along with those who have already done a hey before, didn't have to do >> it.... - and having two practice lines sped things up and took attention >> off everyone just watching one person (I may actually do 3 practice lines >> in the future!) >> >> Then when everyone got into their contra lines and we got to the Hey part >> in the walk through (after a Raven's chain) I used the patter that you all >> gave feedback on for a couple of walkthroughs... (but also emphasized that >> you could mess up the weaving all you wanted to, and it didn't matter as >> long as you got back to your partner for a bal and swing at the end of the >> 16 counts - that was probably the most helpful thing for people to grasp). >> >> It looked a bit rough during the walkthroughs but everyone indeed made it >> back "home" on time for the swing, and then as the dance progressed >> everyone nailed it eventually. >> >> During the dance I used parts of the patter sometimes, but by the end >> just said "into the Hey!" and it was all good. >> >> I enjoy that patter though - like I said our previous caller did it and >> it has a nice feel to it. I got confirmation from our old caller that he >> did the patter concurrently with each sub-figure of they hey, rather >> than preceding them. >> We do do a lot of talking at our dances, with so many beginners each time >> we basically never stop calling (or maybe we let people muddle through >> without calls for the very last time through some dances - but I assure >> you, many people falter without the instruction!) -- anyhow I think our >> group is pretty used to dancing with lots of verbiage accompanying the >> music, for better or for worse :) >> >> - thanks again!! >> Learned a lot from all you wrote, and I may try Diane's approach below in >> the future!! >> Also loved the idea that just came in this morning to say "pass right >> with nobody" at the ends, to give an idea of how to walk that final loop... >> Kat in Halifax >> >> >> >> >> >> Diane Silver via Contra Callers wrote on 2/28/2020 3:15 PM: >> >> Like Erik, I emphasize the loop-around as a critical part of the move. >> Presuming the preceding move is an 8-count move and there's no short >> 4-count move that needs to be called, I use the entire preceding 8 beats to >> prompt the start of the hey before it needs to happen. I call the general >> move "Hey for four" and also pre-call the descriptive details for how it >> starts. (I teach the hey emphasizing that as the Robins start passing >> right, the Larks' first move is to slide over into the right-hand position, >> and then they'll follow the Robin through the weaving (and of course, >> vice-versa if it's a left-shoulder hey)). Then I continue to pre-call each >> piece of the hey while the preceding piece is taking place, in 4-count >> chunks. Feels like patter calling because there's no stopping: >> >> *CAPital letters indicate calling on the downbeat, with emphasis. >> lower-case calls are like pick-up notes for the following downbeat:* >> >> >> >> Starting the call way back on beat 9 of the preceding part does not seem >> to be a problem for the dancers. They finish the move they're doing (often >> swinging) and the extra thinking time helps them end that move and face >> across to start the hey on time. I've never had anyone start the hey early >> because the beginning of the call came so early. >> >> -- Diane >> >> On 2/28/2020 1:30 PM, Erik Hoffman via Contra Callers wrote: >> >> One of the problems with calling heys and this type of timing is the * >> *WHILE** problem: >> >> While a pair is passing in the middle, someone is looping at the end—a >> sort of “ghost” pass. New dancers often abruptly about-face actually >> cutting off the path of the next person they’re supposed to pass, and often >> try to pass with the “other” shoulder. >> >> Here’s the Robins (we’ve switched) as the Larks: >> >> Robins WHILE Larks >> >> Robins pass Right Larks Loop Left (often >> replaced by a “pause”) >> >> Robins pass Larks by Left Larks pass Robins by Left >> >> Robins Loop Left Larks pass Right >> >> Robins pass Larks by Left Larks pass Robins by left >> >> Robins pass Right Larks Loop Left >> >> Robins pass Larks by Left Larks pass Robins by left >> >> Robins Loop Left Larks pass by Right >> >> >> >> Again, it’s that X Passes while Y Loops that often leads to problems. >> Thus, if the teaching didn’t click, when I notice this problem as I watch >> the problems dancers have I might start calling to those dancers who are >> doing the “about-face” and call “Loop to the Left (or right) to pass Left >> (right) Again.” >> >> >> >> Erik Hoffman >> >> >> >> *From:* Jeff Kaufman via Contra Callers >> <[email protected]> >> <[email protected]> >> *Sent:* Friday, February 28, 2020 6:50 AM >> *To:* Katherine Kitching <[email protected]> >> <[email protected]> >> *Cc:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* [Callers] Re: actual timing of calls for hey for four >> >> >> >> I don't think there's anything special about they hey: always cue things >> so that they start on the beat after you finish speaking. >> >> >> >> You might find "ravens left" etc works better than "ravens pass left", >> being shorter. Otherwise it's hard to get all the words out. >> >> >> >> Jeff >> >> >> >> On Fri, Feb 28, 2020 at 6:06 AM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> hello - first time posting to this list so i'm sorry if I do it wrong >> (looked in archives and couldn't see obvious answer) >> >> >> >> I am going to teach and call my first dance with a hey this Saturday.. >> (ie tomorrow) >> >> >> >> our group takes things slow so i'd like to cue every interaction for the >> first few times, as our previous caller did.... I don't know how common >> this is but our previous caller would actually say-- >> >> >> >> ravens pass right >> >> neighbours pass left >> >> larks pass right >> >> partners left >> >> ravens pass right >> >> neighbours pass left >> >> larks pass right >> >> partner balance and swing >> >> >> >> I'm wondering if someone can clarify for me about delivering the calls >> for this hey....normally of course I deliver instructions so the last bit >> of instruction ends on the beat prior to the figure starting. >> >> >> >> But in the case of the Hey, if I remember correctly the caller actually >> called out the actions *as* they were happening.... >> >> >> >> Am I remembering correctly and if so is this the best approach? >> >> >> >> In essence-- do I start by calling "ravens pass right" *just before* >> they do it, or *while* they are doing it? >> >> >> >> thanks muchly :) >> >> >> >> Katherine Kitching in Hfx NS Canada >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> [email protected] >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> [email protected] >> > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
_______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
