Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas

[Karin Neils via Callers]

this is 'Englishy' so if you have a "contras only" crowd, teach 
carefully and use contra terms for calling


Anderson Ferry ReelBy Eric Conrad
Proper
Longways Mixer - 5 to 7 couples (6 is ideal)
Beginner

A1(8) Up a double and back [an English dance move a bit like 
fwd and back]
(8) Repeat  

A2(8) Dosido partner slightly more than once to face a new 
partner (leaving two loners at the ends) 
(8) Swing this new 
partner   

B1(16) Two loners ``ride the ferry''.   The lone man weaves 
down the women's line to the bottom of the man's line while the lone 
woman weaves up the man's line to the top of the women's 
line.

B2 (8) Forward and back (adjusting the two lines)(8) Swing 
another new partner (person directly across) and end face up.


see notes at 




We just rode a ferry to cross the upper Ohio River - it is easy to 'feel 
the ride' in this dance

Re: [Callers] cueing the band

[Claire Takemori via Callers]

Thanks Alan!   Sounds like a lot to learn.  I'm really grateful that there are 
so many callers willing to mentor new callers and help with these things. 
When I called at camp last week, I was listening for the 3rd song and even my 
experienced caller helper was not sure on the transition... but knew when 
to ask. 

Must be an amazing thing when really good callers like George Marshall can get 
out on the floor and dance for a bit, or Nils Fredland can join the band.. 

Thanks for all the help! 
claire 


Message: 3
List-Post: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2015 00:31:54 -0700
From: Alan Winston via Callers 
To: 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Thanks
Message-ID: <559f74ea.4010...@slac.stanford.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"; format=flowed



On 7/9/15 11:58 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers wrote:
> 
> I'm still looking for good instructions on when to cue the band for the 
> ending?   Is it simply when a couple is out at the top that you signal during 
> B1 that there are 3 more times left?
Basically, mostly.

And you have to stay with them because sometimes they'll catch the 3, 
know it's happening, and then look to you for confirmation of the last 
one and if you're thinking about the next dance or glazing over and 
can't confirm it, confusion may ensue.  So it doesn't hurt to be ready 
to show them 1 finger (not that one) before the last time. Usually a 
full 3-2-1 is more than they need and actually unhelpful because your 
coming over with the "2" makes them think this is new information and 
they need to process it.


Complications:  Some dances have a couple out at the top in B1 who are 
going to be brought back in B2, so you have to know the end effects of 
the dance.

Talk to the band.

Rarely (in the Bay Area, anyway) you get an old-timey band that's just 
going to pound one tune all the way through, and they just want to know 
when to go out.

I've mostly been used to bands that are playing three-tune medleys. 
They're going to play like 6-6-7 or 6-6-5.  The last tune is probably 
climactic so you don't want to cut it short.  You ideally will keep 
track of which tune they're on (which can be surprisingly hard to do 
from the stage with your attention on the floor and no monitors pointing 
at you and the tune sounding different every time they play it because 
of variations and dynamics - you might not realize they've changed)  and 
know when they're in the third tune and give them the 3-more at B1 of 
tune 2 or 4.If you give 'em 3 when they're about to change tunes 
they might wave you off and play 5.

But the band might want to play a two-tune medley, and then they want to 
know when you're (about) halfway through the dance so they know when to 
switch, and for that you have to decide how many times you want to run 
the dance, keep count of how many times it's been run by the time you 
said it was halfway, and count down to your "3", remembering to do it 
when there's a couple out at the top, if that's possible.

"If that's possible" because sometimes you're trying to manage all this 
and some couple drops out of one set or tries and fails to trade or some 
other damn thing and the sets get out of synch.  (For some reason that's 
happened to me most often calling Lake City.) Then it's not possible to 
finish after a couple has come in at the top in all sets.

People who care about that care about that,  most won't notice, and a 
lot of dancers will just say "huh" and move on if they do notice it.

> 
> 
> What I was mostly curious is if someone had written out ways to teach the 
> various steps.  I guess this is one of those things that is still passed down 
> the old-fashioned way.  I have to find a great caller, listen to them call 
> and write down what they say.  I was hoping I would not have to miss out 
> on dancing to learn this.

You can set up a voice recorder and transcribe later.  (Polite to ask if 
it's okay first.)  If you're friends with the sound man you might the 
caller mic feed ...

-- Alan

Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas

[Bill Olson via Callers]

Hi all, FWIW I always like to credit both Ed Shaw and Al Olson for "Dancing 
Sailors". In "Dance a While" it's written that Al was "a consultant" on the 
dance, but I'm pretty sure Ted (Sannella), who actually named the dance and was 
first to call it, told me the following story. Ed and Al, both dance callers, 
were  members of the same yacht club in the Boston area (this is around 
1980/81) and challenged each to write a "hot new dance". They went away and 
some time later came back with pretty much the EXACT SAME dance, both had the 
same contra corners, hey on the diagonal and actives swing. I seem to remember 
the dance that ended up on the cutting room floor had down in fours, return and 
cast off for the A1. That was probably Al's version and why the dance is 
credited to Ed..
 
This is a very nice dance, I wouldn't say it was an "easy dance to call" 
though...
 
bill
 
List-Post: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2015 23:48:42 -0700
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas
From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net

Lindsey, I was looking for a fun but easy to call contra and found this one for 
your nautical theme.  From Rich Goss' collection of dance cards. 
http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/ 
claire takemori 














Dancing Sailors - Ed Shaw   
 
ProperReels A1: Actives
down the outside below two couples Return up the
center, cast off A2: Actives
turn contra corners B1: Actives
with their second corners Hey-for-4 on the
diag (actives start pass right sh) B2: Actives
swing in the middle (end facing up)


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Re: [Callers] Thanks

[Alan Winston via Callers]

On 7/9/15 11:58 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers wrote:


I'm still looking for good instructions on when to cue the band for the ending? 
  Is it simply when a couple is out at the top that you signal during B1 that 
there are 3 more times left?

Basically, mostly.

And you have to stay with them because sometimes they'll catch the 3, 
know it's happening, and then look to you for confirmation of the last 
one and if you're thinking about the next dance or glazing over and 
can't confirm it, confusion may ensue.  So it doesn't hurt to be ready 
to show them 1 finger (not that one) before the last time. Usually a 
full 3-2-1 is more than they need and actually unhelpful because your 
coming over with the "2" makes them think this is new information and 
they need to process it.



Complications:  Some dances have a couple out at the top in B1 who are 
going to be brought back in B2, so you have to know the end effects of 
the dance.


Talk to the band.

Rarely (in the Bay Area, anyway) you get an old-timey band that's just 
going to pound one tune all the way through, and they just want to know 
when to go out.


I've mostly been used to bands that are playing three-tune medleys. 
They're going to play like 6-6-7 or 6-6-5.  The last tune is probably 
climactic so you don't want to cut it short.  You ideally will keep 
track of which tune they're on (which can be surprisingly hard to do 
from the stage with your attention on the floor and no monitors pointing 
at you and the tune sounding different every time they play it because 
of variations and dynamics - you might not realize they've changed)  and 
know when they're in the third tune and give them the 3-more at B1 of 
tune 2 or 4.If you give 'em 3 when they're about to change tunes 
they might wave you off and play 5.


But the band might want to play a two-tune medley, and then they want to 
know when you're (about) halfway through the dance so they know when to 
switch, and for that you have to decide how many times you want to run 
the dance, keep count of how many times it's been run by the time you 
said it was halfway, and count down to your "3", remembering to do it 
when there's a couple out at the top, if that's possible.


"If that's possible" because sometimes you're trying to manage all this 
and some couple drops out of one set or tries and fails to trade or some 
other damn thing and the sets get out of synch.  (For some reason that's 
happened to me most often calling Lake City.) Then it's not possible to 
finish after a couple has come in at the top in all sets.


People who care about that care about that,  most won't notice, and a 
lot of dancers will just say "huh" and move on if they do notice it.


  
  
What I was mostly curious is if someone had written out ways to teach the various steps.  I guess this is one of those things that is still passed down the old-fashioned way.  I have to find a great caller, listen to them call and write down what they say.  I was hoping I would not have to miss out on dancing to learn this.


You can set up a voice recorder and transcribe later.  (Polite to ask if 
it's okay first.)  If you're friends with the sound man you might the 
caller mic feed ...


-- Alan

Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas

[Claire Takemori via Callers]

Lindsey, 
I was looking for a fun but easy to call contra and found this one for your 
nautical theme.  From Rich Goss' collection of dance cards. 
http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/ 

claire takemori 

Dancing Sailors - Ed Shaw   
  Proper

Reels

 

A1: Actives down the outside below two couples

 Return up the center, cast off

 

A2: Actives turn contra corners

 

B1: Actives with their second corners

 Hey-for-4 on the diag (actives start pass right sh)

 

B2: Actives swing in the middle (end facing up)