I’m no expert, but I was dancing back in the era when clapping was frowned upon, and still often refrain from clapping. I can think of 2 reasons.
First, this was simply a case of the dancers doing a move differently than the caller had taught it - and not just a few dancers occasionally, but a lot of dancers every time. It must have been a bit of a shock. Second, percussion from the hall is generally frowned upon, because it covers, and could confuse the band. This may have been a problem back in the day, although bands expect it and have no problem these days. Russell, Monterey, CA > On May 22, 2024, at 9:45 AM, Julian Blechner via Contra Callers > <[email protected]> wrote: > > John Sweeney hit on a big reason I'm baffled, in pointing out that the > balances in Petronella (the dance) are in the second half of a phrase. So > what's funny is that in the originally Petronella, it's > Spin spin spin pause > Stomp Stomp Stomp Stomp (or steps, but, still) > > And in the modern move it's > Stomp Stomp Stomp stomp > Spin spin spin pause > > So the originally Petronella had everyone making percussive noise on that > last measure. And the modern move has people filling in that pause with > percussive sounds. > > I've heard from people say "you need the beat or two to take hands" but like, > somehow that's not true with every other move where a move ends and you need > to join hands in a ring immediately - after a swing, bending a line of four, > turning to a new neighbor on a progression and readying for a balance, etc. > > My summation is it's just a preference. > And I notice when bands play chiller tunes for Petronella spins, fewer people > clap, so... > > ... > > Anyway, I also very much would love to hear any other explanations of > "clapping in Petronellas is wrong". > > > In dance, > Julian Blechner. > > > > On Wed, May 22, 2024, 12:16 PM Richard Fischer via Contra Callers > <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> Hi Maia, >> >> I have no claim to expertise, but I'm with you. In dances where the >> Petronella claps don't interfere with anything, why not? Dancers enjoy it, >> and it can often be one of the first things new dancers notice about unified >> timing. I'm not sure how it originated, but since the move previously was >> often spin first then a satisfying balance, maybe the claps were a way to >> still have that nice rhythmic end to the phrase. In any event, why should a >> caller tell a hall full of dancers they're wrong? >> >> With best wishes, >> >> Richard Fischer >> Arlington, MA >> >>> On May 22, 2024, at 11:49 AM, Maia McCormick via Contra Callers >>> <[email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>> >>> tldr: those of you who are anti-Petronella claps (in general, not just in >>> specific cases where they interrupt flow from the spin into the next move), >>> I want to understand why! >>> >>> Clapping on Petronella turns has been the overwhelming norm ever since I >>> started dancing, but I know that it wasn't always this way, and that some >>> folks vehemently dislike it. Well recently I've noted the (baffling?? >>> inexplicable??) rise of clapping after the spin on Rory O'Moore's, which >>> makes my blood boil (it's so satisfying to catch hands in the new wave out >>> of the spin, why would you ever NOT do that??), and it's making me think >>> more about Petronella claps. >>> >>> Clapping on a Rory bugs me so much because it interrupts the momentum of >>> spin-and-catch-hands. I'll admit that I don't understand the objection to >>> Petronella claps, at least through that lens. Like certainly, in a >>> specifically Cure for the Claps-type* dance (with e.g. Petronella spin into >>> allemande left, Petronella spin into swing, etc.), clapping interrupts the >>> momentum, and it's way more satisfying to spin directly into the next move. >>> But given a bog standard "Petronella, Petronella, balance and swing" or >>> similar, I don't feel like the claps interrupt the momentum or disrupt >>> transitions, and in fact are a nice fun way to fill space. >>> >>> To be clear, the above isn't an argument in favor of Petronella claps, just >>> me explaining where I'm coming from. So now we come to my question: >>> >>> 1. those of you who are anti-Petronella claps, can you explain why? I want >>> to understand! Is it a satisfying momentum thing that I've just never >>> experienced because I'm so used to clapping? Dedication to historical >>> accuracy? Something else entirely? >>> >>> 2. what dance(s) would you use to make your case to a contemporary contra >>> hall, that aren't explicitly written as Cure for the Claps dances? >>> Petronella spin to a swing feels great, and of course you shouldn't clap >>> there (although some folks inexplicably do, sigh)—but if you'd prefer that >>> we didn't clap even in a dance like Tica Tica Timing, then a CftC dance >>> isn't the whole story. If you had the infinite good will of a contemporary >>> contra hall, and were able to say to the dancers "don't clap on the >>> Petronellas in this one and just pay attention to how nice it feels to X >>> and how satisfying it is to Y", what dance would you use, what things would >>> you tell the dancers to clue into, etc. to make your case? (And what would >>> you ask the band for?) >>> >>> Thanks as always for your expertise! >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Maia >>> >>> * Cure for the Claps contra: a dance that discourages clapping during the >>> Petronella turn, often by putting moves directly after the Petronella that >>> flow nicely from a spin. May be intentional or incidental. See e.g.: The >>> Cure for the Claps >>> <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=10364> (Bob >>> Isaacs), Becket in the Kitchen >>> <https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/dance.php?id=17> (Becky >>> Hill) >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Maia McCormick (she/her) >>> 917.279.8194 >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]> >>> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >>> <mailto:[email protected]> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> <mailto:[email protected]> > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
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