Ragtime tunes actually often go *slower* than flat-out reels. Their grove isn't a fast
deedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddledeedlediddle like note-y Irish, or diggachukkadiggachukkadiggachukkadiggachukka like hot southern. They go more like: DAda, da, d'da Da - UH! DAda, da, d'da Da - UH! DAda, DAAdada, DAda, DAAdada, dadada DA d'da DA - UH! SO -- do NOT do dances that are sinuous and connected and snake-y spaghetti-y. They will feel weird and pointless. Instead, try dances that have that 1 - 2 - 3 - UH! built right in. Long lines forward and back. Allemande 1/2 way to form a line and balance the line. Petronella type turns. Balance and box the gnat. That kind of stuff, where your body makes shapes on the floor that are sharp four-beat lines that reverse and turn around and stop/start on a dime. Steve Zakon's ZigZag has the right idea, but the zigzag thing happens in the B, I think, and Beaumont needs it in the A. The B is where the more connected-y stuff is, where you want the swings. On 4/27/22, Laur via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > A local band here plays Beaumont Rag As a part of their routine dance set. > It’s a popular band. > I’ve never experienced a contra dance The band has chosen to play for a > dance work. It doesn’t work for the dancers and it’s agonizing for the > caller. > Can anyone suggest a dance that could fit? At this point I’m planning to > request they don’t include the tune. > I know there’s an English dance written to match but not interested in that > for this set. > Laurie > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
