Laurie,
I checked out the video you mentioned
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13PQT9ubOdc
and the music seemed quite quite danceable, as I would expect from the duo in
the video, Patt and Possum (Patt Plunkett and Charlie "Possum" Walden), and
suitable for the general run of contra dances. If it's not working for your
local dancers, I'm inclined to wonder whether your local band's arrangement is
different in a way that impairs danceability. Could they be playing too fast or
too slow? Could they be using an odd arrangement of parts so that a distinctive
bit of the music keeps coming at different points in the figure? Could the
rhythm player(s) and melody player(s) sometimes both be playing creative
variations at the same time, so the dancers have no anchor to keep then on
phrase?
Alan Winston mentioned finding notes on "two dances that call out Beaumont Rag
as a suitable tune," namely "Balance the Star" and "Colin's Carnival Ride".
I'll note that the parts of those dances that I think fit the tune "Beaumont
Rag" particularly well are the double balances in the A parts of "Balance the
Star" and the wave-of-4 balance at the and of B1 in "Colin's Carnival Ride."
However, I'll repeat that the tune, suitably played, should be perfectly fine
for a generic contra dance.
Unfortunately, the video with Patt and Possum doesn't show the dancers, but
here's a video of Gene Hubert's dance "Butter" with The McKenzies playing a
medley of rags. "Beaumont Rag" is the last tune in the medley, and they switch
into it at about 5:28.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOOYAMcYVBg
--Jim
> On Apr 14, 2023, at 4:05 PM, Winston, Alan P. via Contra Callers
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Just searched my on-disk notes, and discovered two dances that call out
> Beaumont Rag as a suitable tune.
>
> Balance the Star by the McLain family. A Sicilian Circle,. suitable for
> beginners
> Notes here:
> https://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2013.pdf#page=17
>
>
> "Colin's Carnival Ride" by Rick Mohr, a more intermediate-level dance.
>
> Notes here: https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=144
>
> Hope this helps!
>
> -- Alan
>
> ________________________________________
> From: Laur via Contra Callers <[email protected]>
> Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 2:19 PM
> To: Jeff Kaufman
> Cc: [email protected]
> Subject: [Callers] Re: Dances that go to swing dance tunes
>
> its a RAG, Sorry. I finally remembered - ... Beaumont Rag. they play it a
> little less bluegrassy than I can find on YouTube. This is close - Here's the
> tune (not the players) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13PQT9ubOdc
>
>
> Are there any other dances you could think that would fit?
>
>
> I think this dance by Ridge Kennedy can fit it. tempo will be key. And thanks
> to the list from a few years back for sharing it-
>
> Ragtime Sammy - Ridge Kennedy
>
> A1 Star Right hands across
> Star Left hands across
> A2 Gents turn back over Rt. Shoulder (peel off)
> Walk around Ngh
> Ngh Swing
> B1 Circle Left 3/4
> Partner Swing
> B2 Ladies Almd Right 1-1/2
> Ngh Almd Left 1-1/2
>
>
> laurie P
>
>
> ~ When I dance, I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from
> life. I can only be joyful and whole, that is why I dance. ~Hans Bos~ ~
>
>
> On Friday, April 14, 2023 at 04:16:31 PM EDT, Laur via Contra Callers
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
> I’ve been trying to find the video someone shared with them playing the tune.
> I’ll share when I find.
>
> L
>
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone<https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS>
>
>
> On Friday, April 14, 2023, 3:56 PM, Jeff Kaufman <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> Hi Laurie,
>
> Any chance you could share the tune or a recording? "Jazz" is a very wide
> genre, and giving advice for matching dances to jazz is sort of like giving
> advice to matching dances to "fiddle music".
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 14, 2023 at 1:58 PM Charles Abell via Contra Callers
> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
> wrote:
> As a caller and a dance musician who sometimes plays jazz standards for
> contra dances, I have found that dances that are a bit marchy
> (down-the-halls, single promenades, etc) and bouncier dances (lots of
> balances) seem to work best with swing tunes. And of course, some square
> dances are written to go with swing tunes ("Just Because", etc) Conversely,
> very flowing, smooth dances often don't work quite as well.
>
> That said, the nature of the swing tune is also important. Clear phrasing,
> singable melodies are helpful, and of course you need the 32-bar structure.
> Many swing tunes - like, say, "Bye Bye Blackbird", will have more of a
> double-time feel - that swinging, boom-chuck rhythm. But we have also used
> tunes like "Autumn Leaves" which are more of a straight swing feel, more
> relaxed and flowing. Either, though, seems to work with bouncy and marchy
> dances; it's just a different vibe.
>
> Listening to some Elixir recordings might provide some fodder for your
> planning.
>
> Hope that helps, Chuck
> ________________________________
> From: Laur via Contra Callers
> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
> Sent: Friday, April 14, 2023 5:46 PM
> To:
> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>
>
> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>>
> Subject: [Callers] Dances that go to swing dance tunes
>
> We have a band in the area that like to play kind of a jazzy swing tune
> number - and as far as I can ever remember callers are more than a little
> surprised by the tune when it comes out because the dances don’t work with it.
>
> I want to do is find a dance that goes with a swinging jazzy tune, and then
> ask them to play it when I choose that dance
>
> I do have one dance I think might’ve been recommended here Ragtime Sammy that
> goes well with a rag. However I’m a little concerned it may be too dizzying.
>
> Thought?
>
> Any others??
>
> Laurie Pietravalle
> West Michigan
>
> Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone<https://overview.mail.yahoo.com/?.src=iOS>
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