Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller

This is only marginally relevant, but when demonstrating a move I often will take the newest dancers I can and use them as my demonstrators -- walking them through the move while assuring them they can do it. I also throw in little hints like "You're not going to remember everything, so don't

Re: [Callers] Favorite dance to teach a ladies chain?

I don't call much anymore. I teach the courtesy turn all by itself from the side of the set. It is a "courtesy." One person assists the other to turn and arrive in the right position. Practice it from standing still -- at least twice so that the dancers are facing back into the set again. Then I

Re: [Callers] More on Programming

Not disagreeing with anything but explaining that when I tell dancers "squares are just like contras only you have to listen" I am not so much characterizing one or the other, but asking, even begging, the dancers to pay attention to what the caller is calling. Many contra dancers are notoriously

Re: [Callers] Social Dance Club intro program

Where are you located? On Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 11:50 AM, Ben Hornstein wrote: > Greetings fellow callers, > > My graduate school's social dance club is going to be having a Contra > night, which I will be calling. I was hoping to get some advice on how to > structure

Re: [Callers] Height diffferential

o dancing with women who were considerably taller than I am. > > > > Finally I just asked some of them, "Where should I put my hand to > > support you best during a swing." > > > > The answers varied from one woman to another, and they might well vary > > bas

Re: [Callers] Subject: Height diffferential

t;j...@gintell.org> wrote: > > > I've noticed some tall dancers bend their knees and stoop a bit to make > > them closer to the height of the person they are swinging with. A very > nice > > gesture. > > > > > Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2014 09:23:35

[Callers] Height diffferential

A number of years ago I danced a number of times with a woman who was much shorter than me. I am about 5'6" or so on a good day. She was probably 4'8" give or take an inch. When we'd go into a swing, as my arm went around her to her back, she'd lock her left arm down so that I could hardly get

Re: [Callers] Hand Manners (was: Dances with three or more allemandes)

I guess this is tangential to the hands/allemande discussion, but it has been a source of personal pain for me for some time. Over the past decade or so more and more people, many of them pretty good long-time dancers (both men and women), have approached me for an allemande with a percussive

Re: [Callers] What made you contra addicted?

I usually simply say "it's aerobic, it's social, and I usually love the music. Thanks, George Mercer On Tue, Sep 24, 2013 at 4:09 PM, Mary Collins <native...@gmail.com> wrote: > replying off list 'cause I can't get to there from here (work) sorry, > > addicted yes, I am.

Re: [Callers] crowd noise

I don't call that often, but I usually do more or less what Tom recommends. I often will just say in as deep a voice as I can (to make it sound different from the other noise), "Do we have hands four?" I rely on the dancers to help quiet the crowd (and when I'm not calling will often "sh-h-h-h"

Re: [Callers] 3,33-33

Could the popularity have something to do with dancing with multiple neighbors and coming back to your original neighbor? On Thu, Jun 20, 2013 at 10:19 PM, Mac Mckeever wrote: > My theory is that 3-33-33, much like Beneficial Tradition, besides being > wonderfully arranged,

Re: [Callers] Circle left 3/4

Perry: Thanks. In B1 should that be "neighbors swing?" Thanks, George On Wed, Jun 5, 2013 at 3:48 PM, Perry Shafran wrote: > Here's one I wrote without a circle: > > Dayton 1.5 Perry Shafran > > A1 Allem R N 1 1/2 > Men Al L 1 1/2 > A2 Bal & Sw P > B1 Ladies DSD 1 1/2 >

Re: [Callers] Arms Folded in Dosidos

I have nothing against spinning on dosidos. I used to do it regularly. As I aged I decided it was too much work. Why does anyone feel the need to teach spinning on a dosido? Those who want to will figure it out. I will tell dancers that the arm-crossing isn't really a part of the move, but

Re: [Callers] How do you balance? (Was High-energy dances)

I generally tell dancers (depending on the kind of balance itself and what comes before and after) to step-step forward (or right or left) and step-step backward (or left or right). I say nothing at all about stomping. As a dancer I do a variety of balances. After years of messing up the kick

Re: [Callers] Suggestions for particularly flirty contra dances?

I would like to second Dave's comment. I dance with and talk with a lot of newcomers and, especially, young people, I've been told that some of the flirting they've encountered is considered by some as down-right creepy. Many newcomers also feel overwhelmed by the excess twirling and hardcore

Re: [Callers] Booking Ahead - (was ideas for callers about sidelines)

I'm now 69. If I ever was in it, I passed the hot dancer phase long ago, At the most of dances I usually attend, I go out of my way to dance with newcomers, inexperienced dancers and those who always seem left out--at least part of the night. After a few go rounds though, I tend to avoid those

Re: [Callers] Sung fiddle tunes?

I have called to bands that sing occasionally. I've even thrown in a chorus or refrain once the dancers hit the groove. I'd be very careful. Singing tends to focus attention and energy to the song and away from being there for the dancers. There are any number of good waltzes with words, though

Re: [Callers] How to call a Petronella Turn?

I use the term "Petronella" while teaching. When calling during the dance I usually just say "twirl" On Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 3:10 PM, Maia McCormick wrote: > So I had my first introduction to contradance through my school, taught by > student callers who had been taught by

Re: [Callers] ideal contra tunes

My first real concentrated dance experiences were in the old time square dance community where tunes tend to be played much faster. As a result, I generally don't mind fast playing and tend to get annoyed with some of the more laid back contra tunes that are often well below 118...the 110 is not

Re: [Callers] Don't teach proper formation unless you need it

Good point. I agree. Thanks, George On Fri, May 4, 2012 at 2:32 PM, Jeff Kaufman wrote: > Contra dancing has almost entirely lost the 'proper' formation, with > gents in one line and ladies in another. For most of contra dancing's > history, however, that was the

Re: [Callers] Star Promenade - communicate the feeling of a good one?

dances in which lines. > > The challenge for organizers and callers is really to make the dance > welcoming to a variety of people, even though those people may want > somewhat different things from the dance. > > > On Tue, Feb 7, 2012 at 15:08, George Mercer <ge

Re: [Callers] Star Promenade - communicate the feeling of a good one?

I love a good star promenade and butterfly whirl, but there are inherent issues that crop up at almost every dance. First and foremost is the experienced dancers who are too busy doing their "flourishes" to actually do the appropriate move (and are thereby teaching inexperienced dancers that the

Re: [Callers] Changing on the last round for a partner swing

To be honest (and I do try to be), as a dancer I don't care all that much about getting that last swing. Indeed, too many times callers attempt to do it and botch it. Generally speaking, chaining across to a swing doesn't work very well. Crossing the set for a last ditch swing also takes time