Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Michael Fuerst via Callers]

"Flirtation Reel" Michael Fuerst      802 N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801  
217 239 5844 


 On Thursday, April 30, 2015 12:01 AM, "Winston, Alan P. via Callers" 
 wrote:
   

  "Dancing Very Close to Amy".
 
 --Alan
 
 On 4/29/2015 9:53 PM, Winston, Alan P. via Callers wrote:
  
 
 "Dancing Near Amy".
 
 -- Alan
 
 
 On 4/29/2015 5:34 PM, Erik Erhardt via Callers wrote:
  
 Or "Dancing with Amy Olmos"
  Erik
 (505)480-4462  StatAcumen.com/dance
   
  
 On Wed, Apr 29, 2015 at 6:32 PM, Michael Fuerst via Callers 
 wrote:
 
   Then it should be named "Almost Dancing With Amy"   Michael Fuerst      802 
N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801  217 239 5844   
 
 
   On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:29 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers 
 wrote:
   
 
   Very close to Dancing with Amy, by Bill Olson. Linda 
   On Apr 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers 
 wrote: 
 
   Since folks generally check here to see whether dance  compositions have 
already been written, I thought I might as  well.  Tentatively calling this 
"Charm City Contra".   
  Becket dance 
  A1 Circle L 3/4 Pass thru, swing next N A2 L chn LH star B1 Al rt shadow #1 
to wavy line, gents facing in Bal wave, spin rt B2  Bal & Sw P 
  Perry 
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Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Winston, Alan P. via Callers]

"Dancing Very Close to Amy".

--Alan

On 4/29/2015 9:53 PM, Winston, Alan P. via Callers wrote:

"Dancing Near Amy".

-- Alan


On 4/29/2015 5:34 PM, Erik Erhardt via Callers wrote:

Or "Dancing with Amy Olmos"
Erik
(505)480-4462 StatAcumen.com/dance


On Wed, Apr 29, 2015 at 6:32 PM, Michael Fuerst via Callers 
> wrote:


Then it should be named "Almost Dancing With Amy"
Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801 217 239
5844 



On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:29 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers
> wrote:


Very close to Dancing with Amy, by Bill Olson.
Linda

On Apr 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers
> wrote:


Since folks generally check here to see whether dance
compositions have already been written, I thought I might as
well.  Tentatively calling this "Charm City Contra".

Becket dance

A1 Circle L 3/4
Pass thru, swing next N
A2 L chn
LH star
B1 Al rt shadow #1 to wavy line, gents facing in
Bal wave, spin rt
B2  Bal & Sw P

Perry

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Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Winston, Alan P. via Callers]

"Dancing Near Amy".

-- Alan


On 4/29/2015 5:34 PM, Erik Erhardt via Callers wrote:

Or "Dancing with Amy Olmos"
Erik
(505)480-4462 StatAcumen.com/dance


On Wed, Apr 29, 2015 at 6:32 PM, Michael Fuerst via Callers 
> wrote:


Then it should be named "Almost Dancing With Amy"
Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801 217 239
5844 



On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:29 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers
> wrote:


Very close to Dancing with Amy, by Bill Olson.
Linda

On Apr 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers
> wrote:


Since folks generally check here to see whether dance
compositions have already been written, I thought I might as
well. Tentatively calling this "Charm City Contra".

Becket dance

A1 Circle L 3/4
Pass thru, swing next N
A2 L chn
LH star
B1 Al rt shadow #1 to wavy line, gents facing in
Bal wave, spin rt
B2  Bal & Sw P

Perry

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Re: [Callers] Showing Appreciation

[Keith Tuxhorn via Callers]

Saying "thank you" sincerely and joyfully is a really good, important
thing. I'm glad you did it at a dance that obviously meant a lot to you!

Keith Tuxhorn
Austin, TX

On Sun, Apr 26, 2015 at 6:27 PM, Amy Larkin via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> This is great!  I believe people actually enjoy themselves more when they
> remember to show appreciation.
> Amy Larkin
> On Apr 26, 2015 4:12 PM, "Amy Wimmer via Callers" <
> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> I called a dance last night in the town where I grew up (Bellingham, WA).
>> It's always great to go back and see people with whom I learned to dance.
>> Calling there makes me a little nervous, though, because I didn't start
>> calling until I left there about 11 years ago.
>>
>> Anyway, keeping in mind the recent discussion about clapping for the
>> band, I did my utmost to make sure last night's band was well appreciated.
>> They are a really good home-town band, and very fun to work with, so I
>> didn't feel a need to fake it.
>>
>> After the first dance there was a smattering of applause, so I said, "It
>> is customary to applaud the band after each set." This sort of stopped them
>> in their tracks and they responded well. The band was grinning at me. I
>> then said, "I have also heard that bands perform better when they know they
>> are being appreciated." This brought even more applause. I said they were
>> dancing to the playing of "Northern Contraband" and I'd introduce the
>> individual members later.
>>
>> During the evening I smiled broadly at the band members, they responded
>> with the same; I applauded at the ends of each dance, while looking and
>> smiling at them; I whooped when it was appropriate (they threw in some
>> really cool stuff, off the cuff) and the dancers joined in. All-in-all the
>> band was very well-received and appreciated, they responded well to the
>> attention, and the dancers were consistently appreciative the rest of the
>> evening. I introduced the individual band members twice - once in the first
>> half and once in the second. It helps that I know them and didn't have to
>> read their names. I mentioned the sound person a few times, too. Everyone
>> was smiling and happy. It was good.
>>
>> I hope I can spread the joy at other gigs.
>>
>> -Amy
>>
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Re: [Callers] Dance length/dances per evening

[Keith Tuxhorn via Callers]

Many interesting comments, that caused many reactions when reading.

-Amy, are those musicians dancers as well? And do any of them also call?
Your discussion goal may be to discuss the synergy of the band, caller, and
dancers, and where trust is needed.

-I have no idea how long any of you have been calling, which can be a big
factor in how skilled you are in timing out an evening. I have been calling
10 years. For the first couple years, I watched the top couple go through
the line 1 1/2 times. As my cumulative skills as a caller improved, and I
moved up the learning spiral, I began asking the band how many tunes they
were playing, and learned to keep count of how many times through the band
had played. Those two factors are two main points i use in deciding dance
length.

-Hooray Ann Fallon! You are the only one here who appears to clearly
understand how the band is the caller's best friend, and needs to be
acknowledged early and often. Show them the dance card (if you haven't
already sent them the program), help them understand the mood of the dance
if there's something special, and ask them how many tunes they'll be
playing for the particular dance.

And before a dance evening, I greet the band, and tell them: I prefer the
tunes be played around 116-120 bpm; I'll ask how many tunes they usually
play for a dance; explain hand signals for speeding up and slowing down;
and tell them I'll signal them at halfway through, and then at 3, 2, and 1
time to go.

These are the guidelines I use to run a program.

-I estimate the crowd size, several times through the evening, especially
if there's a lot of coming and going... If there's around 40 dancers or
less, I'll run a dance 13 times through. 45-60 dancers, 15 times through.
More than 60, 17 or 19, depending on line length of the lines.

-When the band tells me how many tunes, I'll often verbally confirm how
many times each tune will run. I will also know at what point to give my
"halfway" signal.

-Exception: if a band gets in a really good groove, I'll let the dance run
two extra times through.

-Exception: If there's a large percentage of beginners at the start of a
dance, I'll run the first 1 or 2 (easy) dances 2 extra times through.

-Maximum 3 minutes break between dances. 2 minutes is the goal. Any longer
and you are giving control away to the crowd.

-Teach the dance 2 times through, 3 minutes or less is the goal.

Other notes:

-I understand the benefits of the stopwatch, but it takes the band
significantly, if not completely, out of the equation. With that method you
likely won't do much more than tell them "3 times to go". Again, let the
band know through lots of communication that you are partners in the
success of the dance.

-The number of tunes the band is playing should not affect the dance
length. The goal of both band and caller is to bring the dancers maximum
joy. You want to give them time to understand the dance, and then melt into
it, and the music. In my experience, 13 times through is about the minimum
that can do that.

-In a temperature-controlled room, let the dancers decide what their
stamina level is. Your job is to make a good dance presentation with your
musicians. Shortening dances, thus reducing the chance of a band, and the
dancers, getting into a groove, doesn't help. A better way to treat a
warmer hall is to give an extra minute between dances. This will, through
the night, cut out time for one dance.

Thanks, everyone!

Keith Tuxhorn
Austin, TX

On Mon, Apr 27, 2015 at 6:51 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> I usually warn bands that I tend to run dances just a little shorter than
> other callers.  My habit is about 5-and-a-bit dances an hour, 12 minutes
> (give or take) from the start of teaching one to the start of teaching the
> next, but that definitely varies.  Size, energy, chattiness and skill level
> of the crowd make a huge difference, symmetry (or not) of the dance, the
> music (does it fit the dance really well?  Is it just a smokin' tune that
> should run a little longer?  Is it really fast, so the dancers will poop
> out earlier?), even the floor condition can affect how long I'll run.  I
> have a really hard time estimating when I'm halfway through a dance, and
> much prefer to give bands 3-and-out, though I frequently flex on that if
> they've got another tune in the wings, as Ryan mentions below.
>
> Reading the responses from other callers tells me that my 12-minute timing
> sense isn't far off from other folks, but it may be that here in the Bay
> Area I run a little shorter than average.  Seems like the bands are always
> changing tunes right when my spidey-sense tells me it's time for "last 3".
>
> Kalia Kliban
> Sebastopol, CA
>
> On 4/27/2015 2:20 PM, Ryan Smith via Callers wrote:
>
>> There's a band I work with on a pretty regular basis that usually
>> follows my lead, but will occasionally ask "For this set, can we choose
>> when to go out?"  I trust them not to 

Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Erik Erhardt via Callers]

Or "Dancing with Amy Olmos"
Erik
(505)480-4462  StatAcumen.com/dance


On Wed, Apr 29, 2015 at 6:32 PM, Michael Fuerst via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Then it should be named "Almost Dancing With Amy"
>
> Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801  217 239 5844
>
>
>
>   On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:29 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers <
> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>
> Very close to Dancing with Amy, by Bill Olson.
> Linda
>
> On Apr 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers <
> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Since folks generally check here to see whether dance compositions have
> already been written, I thought I might as well.  Tentatively calling this
> "Charm City Contra".
>
> Becket dance
>
> A1 Circle L 3/4
> Pass thru, swing next N
> A2 L chn
> LH star
> B1 Al rt shadow #1 to wavy line, gents facing in
> Bal wave, spin rt
> B2  Bal & Sw P
>
> Perry
>
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Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Michael Fuerst via Callers]

Then it should be named "Almost Dancing With Amy" Michael Fuerst      802 N 
Broadway      Urbana IL 61801  217 239 5844 


 On Wednesday, April 29, 2015 7:29 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers 
 wrote:
   

 Very close to Dancing with Amy, by Bill Olson.Linda
On Apr 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers 
 wrote:

Since folks generally check here to see whether dance compositions have already 
been written, I thought I might as well.  Tentatively calling this "Charm City 
Contra".  
Becket dance
A1 Circle L 3/4Pass thru, swing next NA2 L chnLH starB1 Al rt shadow #1 to wavy 
line, gents facing inBal wave, spin rtB2  Bal & Sw P
Perry
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Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Linda Leslie via Callers]

Very close to Dancing with Amy, by Bill Olson.
Linda

On Apr 29, 2015, at 8:25 PM, Perry Shafran via Callers 
 wrote:

> Since folks generally check here to see whether dance compositions have 
> already been written, I thought I might as well.  Tentatively calling this 
> "Charm City Contra".  
> 
> Becket dance
> 
> A1 Circle L 3/4
> Pass thru, swing next N
> A2 L chn
> LH star
> B1 Al rt shadow #1 to wavy line, gents facing in
> Bal wave, spin rt
> B2  Bal & Sw P
> 
> Perry
> 
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[Callers] Anyone seen this dance?

[Perry Shafran via Callers]

Since folks generally check here to see whether dance compositions have already 
been written, I thought I might as well.  Tentatively calling this "Charm City 
Contra".  
Becket dance
A1 Circle L 3/4Pass thru, swing next NA2 L chnLH starB1 Al rt shadow #1 to wavy 
line, gents facing inBal wave, spin rtB2  Bal & Sw P
Perry