Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances

[Robert Green via Callers]

Here is a photo of The Wheel from the original Dizzy Dances

Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 1, 2018, at 9:27 AM, Bill Olson via Callers 
>  wrote:
> 
> Rick and Mac and all, I also tried various "fixes" like promenading clockwise 
> but like a lot of  times I have tried to "fix" a dance, it gets clunky and I 
> end up going back to the original. Since the "Wheel" is the most fun with a 
> hall packed with dancers, I have settled on calling it only for large crowds 
> when the original "circle up" has the dancers pretty much pushed up against 
> the walls. Then when they get in promenade position, that all loosens up but 
> during the circle lefts the women's arms are saved.
> 
> bill
> 
> 
> From: Callers  on behalf of Rick Mohr 
> via Callers 
> Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2018 1:11 PM
> To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances
>  
> "The Wheel" has been a favorite of mine since 1994. Around here some call it 
> "Wheel of Misfortune" -- hilarious! (i.e. who will the fates deliver unto you 
> for a swing?)
> 
> I could never find it in my Gene Hubert books -- apparently because it was 
> published in his first collection "Dizzy Dances" 
> (https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/index/DD1.txt) which I don't have. I 
> never thought that was a problem, since "Dizzy Dances II" is subtitled 
> "Featuring the best of Volume 1 plus...". But now I wonder how many other 
> great dances that Gene didn't consider "the best" are hiding in that book!
> 
> I've also long struggled with the "women's arms pulled out of their sockets" 
> problem, and tried a couple fixes that failed spectacularly. Mac, your 
> solution looks brilliant and I'm excited to try it!
> 
> Rick
> 
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Re: [Callers] Good dances with challenging timing

[Bob Green via Callers]

Great timing , Rick.

I was just working on polishing the teach of Dale Wilson's *Gold Star
Wednesday (http://www.childgrove.org/mo-dances/dale-wilson
). *When the timing is
right this is  a spectacular dance. It has three little challenges: turning
a star exactly the right amount, executing a swat-the-flee smoothly to
invert the star, and the gets looping back and the ladies following with
just the right amount so that the timing is just right for the partner
swing.

Love your workshops , Rick.

Bob Green

On Thu, Feb 1, 2018 at 9:26 AM, Rick Mohr via Callers <
callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Some dances require skill to make the timing work — like starting a figure
> with dispatch so a later balance will be on time, or doing a figure
> leisurely to avoid being early for the next one. But while many dancers
> have the awareness to make things like that work, many dancers don’t. Since
> there are plenty of fantastic dances without such challenges I tend not to
> call dances which have them.
>
> But I’ve also found that such dances are great when I’m asked to lead a
> workshop helping dancers improve their skills. Longtime dancers aren't
> eager to change their habits, and having something concrete like making a
> balance on time adds motivation, ideally opening a window where learning is
> possible.
>
> Unfortunately though I've discarded or passed on collecting most such
> dances!
>
> Have any suggestions of good/great dances where the timing is tight or
> loose in spots?
>
> One of mine in that category is Crow Flight (http://rickmohr.net/Contra/Da
> nces.asp#CrowFlight). Learning opportunities include gents flowing from
> swing to circle (common with aware dancers but a revelation to some),
> ladies moving efficiently from circle to hey, and doing a hey with two
> steps per pass (possibly realizing the difference between a 3-change and
> 4-change half hey).
>
> Thanks for any ideas!
>
> Rick
>
>
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>
>
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Re: [Callers] Good dances with challenging timing

[Bill Olson via Callers]

believe it or not, I like to use Lady of the Lake (or Haymakers Jig) to point 
out the tight timing thing.


A1 B Neighbor

A2 actives B


trying to get the 1's to hit that balance on time in A2 takes a little talking 
ahead of time.. and I often say "this dance isn't as easy as it looks"..


That said, Rick, you probably don't need to "recollect" this one. hee hee..


bill



From: Callers  on behalf of Rick Mohr 
via Callers 
Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2018 3:26 PM
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Good dances with challenging timing

Some dances require skill to make the timing work — like starting a figure with 
dispatch so a later balance will be on time, or doing a figure leisurely to 
avoid being early for the next one. But while many dancers have the awareness 
to make things like that work, many dancers don’t. Since there are plenty of 
fantastic dances without such challenges I tend not to call dances which have 
them.

But I’ve also found that such dances are great when I’m asked to lead a 
workshop helping dancers improve their skills. Longtime dancers aren't eager to 
change their habits, and having something concrete like making a balance on 
time adds motivation, ideally opening a window where learning is possible.

Unfortunately though I've discarded or passed on collecting most such dances!

Have any suggestions of good/great dances where the timing is tight or loose in 
spots?

One of mine in that category is Crow Flight 
(http://rickmohr.net/Contra/Dances.asp#CrowFlight).
 Learning opportunities include gents flowing from swing to circle (common with 
aware dancers but a revelation to some), ladies moving efficiently from circle 
to hey, and doing a hey with two steps per pass (possibly realizing the 
difference between a 3-change and 4-change half hey).

Thanks for any ideas!

Rick

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[Callers] Good dances with challenging timing

[Rick Mohr via Callers]

Some dances require skill to make the timing work — like starting a figure
with dispatch so a later balance will be on time, or doing a figure
leisurely to avoid being early for the next one. But while many dancers
have the awareness to make things like that work, many dancers don’t. Since
there are plenty of fantastic dances without such challenges I tend not to
call dances which have them.

But I’ve also found that such dances are great when I’m asked to lead a
workshop helping dancers improve their skills. Longtime dancers aren't
eager to change their habits, and having something concrete like making a
balance on time adds motivation, ideally opening a window where learning is
possible.

Unfortunately though I've discarded or passed on collecting most such
dances!

Have any suggestions of good/great dances where the timing is tight or
loose in spots?

One of mine in that category is Crow Flight (http://rickmohr.net/Contra/
Dances.asp#CrowFlight). Learning opportunities include gents flowing from
swing to circle (common with aware dancers but a revelation to some),
ladies moving efficiently from circle to hey, and doing a hey with two
steps per pass (possibly realizing the difference between a 3-change and
4-change half hey).

Thanks for any ideas!

Rick
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Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances

[Rick Mohr via Callers]

"The Wheel" has been a favorite of mine since 1994. Around here some call
it "Wheel of Misfortune" -- hilarious! (i.e. who will the fates deliver
unto you for a swing?)

I could never find it in my Gene Hubert books -- apparently because it was
published in his first collection "Dizzy Dances" (
https://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/index/DD1.txt) which I don't have. I
never thought that was a problem, since "Dizzy Dances II" is subtitled
"Featuring the best of Volume 1 plus...". But now I wonder how many other
great dances that Gene didn't consider "the best" are hiding in that book!

I've also long struggled with the "women's arms pulled out of their
sockets" problem, and tried a couple fixes that failed spectacularly. Mac,
your solution looks brilliant and I'm excited to try it!

Rick
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