[Callers] Fuel-efficient dancing

I've been wrestling with this concept myself, since over the last few years I've been flying a LOT for calling, and even my local gigs require a fair bit of driving. Where I live in Sonoma County, CA, the public transit options for getting to gigs in the greater Bay Area are very poor.

Re: [Callers] Feeling Superstitious 

On 9/10/2019 6:24 AM, Angela DeCarlis via Callers wrote: Hello all! I'm calling a delightful small-town dance here in Melrose, Florida this Friday...which is Friday the 13th, and also a full moon. I love using theme opportunities to collect new dances! Anyone have any ideas? Off the top

Re: [Callers] Brain Dead - Need Suggestions

On 8/16/2019 9:40 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers wrote: Although I've been calling forever and I know things, I'm not currently inspired to do this and am asking for help. Been hired to lead a dance for a music school -- ages 5 and up to teens and their parents and my contact asked if I

Re: [Callers] New Dance- St George's Day Contra

Since it was written on St. George's Day, how about "A Dance With Dragons"? Kalia On 4/21/2019 4:53 AM, Liam Binley via Callers wrote: Hi All, Whilst on a walk with my dogs recently enjoying the remarkably good weather we have in the UK at the moment, I ended up writing a dance in my head

Re: [Callers] Eastbourne International Folk Festival

On 9/30/2018 2:08 AM, Colin Hume via Callers wrote: It's on! Same venues as last time; same prices as advertised on the flyer. Book your Early Bird tickets at http://eiff.org.uk/tickets.html Such a great event! The California contingent had a super time there this year. Kalia from

Re: [Callers] New contra dance database

On 8/21/2018 8:37 PM, Chris Page via Callers wrote: Michael Dyck and I have done a thing: http://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/ I've just started seriously poking around in this site today and it's fabulous. I can't thank the two of you enough for making this available to all

Re: [Callers] New contra dance database

On 8/21/2018 8:37 PM, Chris Page via Callers wrote: Michael Dyck and I have done a thing: http://www.ibiblio.org/contradance/thecallersbox/ This (mostly) contra dance database 12,000 dances: 5,000 dances with viewable instructions 4,000 more dances with links to instructions Current search

Re: [Callers] Fwd: Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

On 8/13/2018 8:53 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote: Old Time Elixir #2 by Linda Leslie and Wrinkled Riccon by Melanie Axel Lute are two great dances. Rich In Wrinkled Ribbon, have you found it awkward to switch from promenade hold to the handhold for the circles? Kalia in Sebastopol

Re: [Callers] Glossary dances with promenade, no chain/RL through?

On 8/13/2018 8:48 AM, Richard Fischer via Callers wrote: Here's one of mine: Power Promenade   Becket     Richard Allen Fischer A1  "Power Promenade:" Promenade across with your partner and make a big loop left so you face your next neighbors; ladies chain. A2  Petronella x2 B1  Balance &

Re: [Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

On 7/24/2018 7:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers wrote: Hello All, I am calling a 2 hour Intro to Contra dance at an Ontario Canada Festival. ( more a music focus than a dance focus, at this festival) I would appreciate hearing from you as to contra dances ( lws proper & Improper) that

Re: [Callers] New dance

On 7/18/2018 6:54 AM, Charles via Callers wrote: I'm posting a new dance of mine - the hook is a half hey into a long wavy line of gents in the center. Haven't seen it before, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of other dances with this figure. Also, I looked for other dances called the

Re: [Callers] Circles, Crazy Circles

John's comment reminds me that a while back, somebody posted (a link to?) a list of equivalent moves, things you could substitute for each other. I've hunted for it recently but apparently haven't come up with the right combination of search terms, and haven't been able to find it in the Shared

Re: [Callers] What is a contra?

On 6/27/2018 3:43 PM, Tom Hinds via Callers wrote: Since you need an answer quickly i’d say it’s a term in the folk dance world and it’s possible that different folks will define it differently. Personally I can see how a 4 X 4 could be a contra since it progresses in the same way but not

Re: [Callers] Need help teleporting to other side of set - new dance

Thanks for posting this link, Dave! I was just trying to remember where I'd seen that, and rummaging through my assorted contra links hadn't turned it up. Somehow you read my mind :>) Kalia in Sebastopol On 4/8/2018 9:31 PM, David Harding via Callers wrote: If you haven't done so, take a

Re: [Callers] Baridhara

On 4/1/2018 10:32 AM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers wrote: Does anyone call Chris Weiler’s baridhara? What kind of music do you ask for? And tempo? Here’s the dance. Thanks! Baridhara Improper Chris Weiler A1 Star Right; Neighbor Gypsy A2 Circle Single File Left Half (still looking at

[Callers] More substitute terms for the g-word

I appreciate the point that several have made that a term that sounds just like gypsy isn't a reasonable substitute. Fair enough. The search continues... Kalia in Sebastopol ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address:

Re: [Callers] More substitute terms for the g-word

On 3/13/2018 11:02 AM, Martha Wild via Callers wrote: Interesting discussion on the Portland Country Dance Community Facebook page. Lots of great suggestions. A lot of people really don’t like “right shoulder round” (I’m one of them). I tried one of their suggestions last night - Kipsey - and

Re: [Callers] Dance logs and record-keeping

On 3/6/2018 7:28 PM, Mac Mckeever via Callers wrote: This seems to me to be a lot of effort with very little benefit.  There are thousands of dances and each caller has their own approach to programming.  It is rare for a dance to be called two nights in a row. When I do see that happening I

[Callers] Dance logs and record-keeping

Dance logs, a cumulative record for a series of which dances have been called on any given evening, are very common in the English dance community but vanishingly rare in the contra community. Why is that? They're really helpful for incoming callers, and it's probably nice for the dancers not

[Callers] Mystery dance

Hi all, Just found a dance card with no name, and I'm sure somebody out there can plug it into the dance-o-matic* and tell me what it is. A1 N b A2 M alle L 1-1/2; P sw B1 Lines of 4 down the hall, turn as cpls, return and bend. B2 Balance ring, circle L 1/2; Ladies chain Kalia Kliban *and

Re: [Callers] ONS contract

On 2/23/2018 3:10 PM, Mary Collins via Callers wrote: Anyone have a general contract for one night stands that they would care to share? Thanks! Mary Collins In Erik Hoffman's book "Old-time Dance Calling for Weddings, Parties and One-Night Stands" he shows a good sample contract. It's an

Re: [Callers] The loss of one of our own

On 2/13/2018 10:50 AM, Seth Seeger via Callers wrote: Dear callers, It is with great sadness that I pass on the message below.  Her support of this community and to many of us as individuals cannot be overstated.  She will be missed. Seth It seems characteristic that she was calling

[Callers] The Wheel

I can no longer find the original post about The Wheel circle mixer, but I'd like to thank the person who recommended it. I used it, with Mac MacKeever's modification of rolling the women to the inside before going into the middle, at a contra last night with a large percentage of energetic

Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances

On 1/30/2018 10:23 AM, Sue via Callers wrote: Sure they're all fun (we hope). I'm looking for a few dances that are particularly playful, quirky, sillysomething that typically gets the dancers laughing. Some examples would be "Over the Hill and Still Chased" with the lady round two/gent

[Callers] Beneficial Tradition

Hi all, I recently called Beneficial Tradition for the first time and noticed a consistent hitch in the dance at the top of the set. It was probably happening at the bottom too. I was doing the variant with no wave balance in the A1, just Women allemande L 1x and P swing. Though the

Re: [Callers] Etiquette of refusing an offer to dance

On 12/17/2017 10:55 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers wrote: Kalia, At South Bay Contra ( SF Bay Area) we have a sign posted around the hall (edited from a sign that I got from Pasadena Contra that edited the sign from Lake City Contra).  It says: When looking for your next dance partner,

Re: [Callers] Etiquette of refusing an offer to dance

> Although I have occasionally heard of the "rule" that started this thread, I don't feel that people should ever be penalized for declining an offer to dance. Dale Unfortunately, although the rule in question was well-intended, it did lead to folks sometimes getting cornered by those they

Re: [Callers] Etiquette of refusing an offer to dance

On 12/16/2017 2:10 PM, Alan Winston via Callers wrote: BACDS Code of Conduct says: http://bacds.org/conduct/CodeOfConduct.pdf "Ask a partner kindly.  Accept their answer cheerfully.  If you are repeatedly declined by a prospective partner, it is best to give them space. Feel free to decline

Re: [Callers] Etiquette of refusing an offer to dance

On 12/16/2017 12:01 PM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby wrote: This is Cdny’s etiquette page. It addresses saying no but not in great detail in terms of historical practice. http://cdny.org/what-is-contra/contra-etiquette/ And I hadn't realized until this conversation with my dance friend just how

[Callers] Etiquette of refusing an offer to dance

Hi all, Those of us who started dancing 2 or 3 decades back probably remember the rule about sitting out the dance if you turn down a partner offer. A very competent male dancer I know who started around the same time I did (late 80s) recently confessed to me that he never asks anyone to

Re: [Callers] Looking for a particular sort of becket dance

On 6/29/2017 4:54 PM, Linda Leslie wrote: I guess I misunderstood your rules! I thought you wished to avoid circle left 3/4, N swing, not all circles in the A1. Hope you find enough! Linda You had a couple of really good ones in the list that did fit my criteria, and the ones that weren't

Re: [Callers] Looking for a particular sort of becket dance

On 6/29/2017 3:33 PM, Linda Leslie wrote: Here are few for you to consider, Kalia. Hope you and the new callers have a lot of fun! warmly, Linda *A1 Reel* by Chris Weiler Contra/Becket-CCW/Easy This is my go-to ending dance, and I love it. It does, however, start with the dread circle left

[Callers] Looking for a particular sort of becket dance

Hi all, I'm re-vamping my list of simple contra dances for new callers, and am in search of a very particular sort of becket dance. The list is one of my hand-outs for callers' classes at camps, so the folks who'll be using it are likely to be nervous, brand-new callers. To that end, I'm

Re: [Callers] New Dance to Share

On 6/8/2017 6:35 PM, Mac Mckeever via Callers wrote: I have a dance called The Weevil by Richard Mason It is a 7 person set (3 face 4) It looks like it would be fun - but I have never had the opportunity to try it out. Anyone had any experience with this one? The Weevil

Re: [Callers] What to do?

On 5/30/2017 2:16 PM, Martha Wild via Callers wrote: So, a while back I was working with a band and they played a tune that was sort of new for them, and the A part was fine, but the B part was unusual anyway, and hard to know where the count was, in particular because they were unfamiliar

Re: [Callers] How do you organize your Dance Card Boxes ? Categories or Other Suggestions ?

Those of you who organize your cards by categories, what do you do when a dance falls across 2 or more categories? Do you have multiple cards? Seems like that would get bulky in a hurry (I'm remembering Becky Hill's suitcase full of cards). Kalia On 4/8/2017 8:36 AM, Joy Greenwolfe via

Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller

On 3/7/2017 1:51 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers wrote: Mac, suggestions on how? (Guessing this is more of an organizer, not caller, thing to do.) Ron Blechner On Mar 7, 2017 9:51 AM, "Mac Mckeever via Callers" > wrote:

Re: [Callers] Increased number of community dance requests?

On 2/22/2017 6:25 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers wrote: Hi all, Just wondering if anyone else is experiencing a bump in requests for community/family dances? I feel like the last month or so, there's been an uptick in schools and community centers requesting them. Could be a local fluctuation,

Re: [Callers] Contras which feature a "Dublin Bay" figure

I can't figure out the transition from the Dublin Bay figure to the P bal/sw. Can you elaborate? K On 1/19/2017 11:49 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: I find, when dancing the one or two dances I’ve danced that try to steal the Dublin Bay figure, they have a line backing up bending into a

[Callers] Favorite NWT dances

Hi all There's often a long announcement segment toward the end of the first half at many of our local dances, and I've been figuring that after all that talk, folks just want to dance. The first time I tried doing a NWT in that slot, it got a great response. So for those of you who call

Re: [Callers] Circle Shuffle- author?

Luke, I picked this one up from you, probably here, and have used it with great success with kids, mixed groups of kids and adults, and also with happily drunk adults. I usually call it "Middle Muddle." Kalia On 1/3/2017 9:03 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers wrote: I have to apologize Claire;

Re: [Callers] Catapult 2017 looking for callers

On 12/14/2016 7:44 AM, Rob Harper via Callers wrote: Following up on original post in case anyone is applying or knows of others who are. The caller (and band) applications deadline has been extended to December 29, 2016. Please spread the word to your caller, musician, dancer and organizer

Re: [Callers] Favorite relatively Modern ECD

On 12/9/2016 10:49 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: Hi All, I’m going to lead an English dance in early February. I’ve led English once or twice, and mostly stuck with The Playford Collection, and some Pat Shaw dances. I wouldn’t mind collecting a few more modern dances. Please feel free to

Re: [Callers] A Lot of "Don't Know" dances--Most Now Have Names

On 11/12/2016 11:31 AM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: Hi All, Thanks to all who’ve supplied names! Below are the names of most of my “Don’t Know” dances. A few, reposted at the bottom of this email, are still mysteries. ~Erik Hoffman *Greenfield Petronella* Improper Chris Ricciotti A1

Re: [Callers] Post election day dances?

On 11/7/2016 1:47 PM, April Blum via Callers wrote: I calling the Baltimore contra on Wednesday. Vote With Your Feet of course. Others I am considering are: Take All of the Credit and None of the Blame The Eyes Have It Illegal in Most States Not a Figment of Your Imagination Rocks and Dirt In

Re: [Callers] Dance Title

On 10/30/2016 1:55 PM, Tom Hinds via Callers wrote: On Oct 27, 2016, at 3:25 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote: I am looking for the title and author of the following dance. I wrote a dance similar to this. Perhaps it's been collected and a variation has been called in other places.

[Callers] Beneficial Tradition end effects

Hi all I haven't yet called Beneficial Tradition, but think it might be a good fit for an upcoming dance. Does it get weird at the ends or does it flow reasonably well? I danced it years ago and don't remember. If you pull by RH to go out on the right diagonal, do you cross solo to the

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Style

On 10/13/2016 11:48 AM, Neal Schlein via Callers wrote: I think of traditional and traditional-feeling dances as "smooth" not because the choreography is technically more flowing but because they somehow feel more lived in, as if any rough spots came naturally. They don't feel carefully

Re: [Callers] Good dances for beginners to safely leave/return to minor set.

I've had issues with the combination of box the gnat and pull by. I'd be hesitant to use that combination for a group with a lot of beginners. Kalia Kliban (who also posted about Another Nice Combination but forgot to sign it) On 10/10/2016 10:30 AM, Meg Dedolph via Callers wrote: I like

Re: [Callers] Fewer than 6 dancers - Ideas?

On 10/4/2016 9:58 PM, Michael Barraclough via Callers wrote: I am sure that Kalia will kill me for this (as I know she knows) but the dance is really Pride of the Pingle by the late Ken Alexander (UK). Someone from the USA saw it in the UK, misheard the name, assumed it was Irish and called it

Re: [Callers] Fewer than 6 dancers - Ideas?

On 10/4/2016 2:37 PM, Winston, Alan P. via Callers wrote: Its really tempting to cancel a contra if you only have a few people, but you don't want to punish the people who showed up - they may have foregone other options for their evenings. And there's a sense of triumph if you can show them a

Re: [Callers] Fewer than 6 dancers - Ideas?

On 10/4/2016 12:09 PM, QuiAnn2 via Callers wrote: I recently called at a contra dance where we had exactly 6 dancers for almost the entire evening (one joined us later but only occasionally danced). This was unexpected as they usually have attendance in the 12-20 range. I was able to piece

[Callers] Headset mics, take two

I sent this last week but got a message from Dave Casserly telling me the message had been marked as spam, so I'm guessing it mostly disappeared into everyone's lint filter. I've read the previous threads on headsets going back to 2014 and there aren't a lot of specifics. JoLaine, if you're

[Callers] Headset mics

Hi all I was just working a wedding gig and my old Samson headset mic crapped out. If the piano player hadn't had hers along, I would have been in serious trouble. Time for a new and more reliable headset mic. I use my hands a LOT when I'm doing ONS gigs, so a handheld cordless isn't

[Callers] Looking for notes

Anybody have Marty Fager's "Balance and Bounce" handy? Many thanks, Kalia Kliban

[Callers] Musical advice

Hi all I just got home late last night from the event (the Greenwood Fest), and can now report back. I hugely appreciate all the tune suggestions. They were really helpful for both me and the band. I sent them a list of tune names, along with video links, and they settled on Turkey in the

[Callers] Music advice followup

The gig itself is not on Wednesday, thankfully. That's just when I fly, and thus my deadline for getting things sorted with the band. The gig is on Saturday night. The structure is that we're tacking a half hour of community dances onto the front of a full evening that this band was already

Re: [Callers] [trad-dance-callers] Need musical advice

On 6/6/2016 5:41 PM, Michael Barraclough via Callers wrote: Hokey Poky Chicken Dance Circassian Circle to anything 32 bars long I'm not actually looking for dances. I'm looking for tune suggestions that a musically literate band would find easy to learn quickly. 32-bar jigs and reels that

[Callers] Need musical advice

Hi all I'm posting this to several different callers' lists (ECD, trad-dance-callers and shared weight) in hopes of some speedy advice. I'm heading off shortly (Weds. evening, 6/8) for an event that is not a dance event, but at which I've been asked to lead a short community dance session on

Re: [Callers] Young Adult Rose

On 3/27/2016 6:15 PM, David A Kaynor via Callers wrote: Hi Everyone, The “Young Adult Rose” which I made up goes thus: Duple Improper A1: w/neighbor, balance and swing end progressed A2: Circle left 3/4 til gents are back home; w/partner, pass right shoulder; w/shadow, left hand turn B1:

Re: [Callers] Young Adult Rose

On 3/27/2016 5:09 PM, JD Erskine via Callers wrote: On 2016-03-27 1324, Kalia Kliban via Callers wrote: I called Young Adult Rose last night and experienced a near-complete dancer revolt about the shadow allemande. The dance is written with a circle left 3/4, pass P by R along the line

[Callers] Young Adult Rose

I called Young Adult Rose last night and experienced a near-complete dancer revolt about the shadow allemande. The dance is written with a circle left 3/4, pass P by R along the line then allemande shadow R 1x, before coming back to P for a balance and swing. The dancers all _really_ wanted

Re: [Callers] Dances with multiple swings- Trinity?

3-2-1 Dance by Devin Nordberg (double progression) Catch 'Em on the Fly by Al Olson (4 swings, 2 pairs of swing-to-swing transitions, hence the name). Definitely not for a beginning group :>) Kalia On 3/11/2016 12:56 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers wrote: Hi all, I'm in the process of sorting

Re: [Callers] Contras for One Nighters

On 3/5/2016 1:27 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: In looking at Kalia's suggestions, I've put the Itchinton dance in what is more readable to me. Kalia, do I have it correct? As written, it's proper (or, for a non-dancer crowd, "it doesn't matter which side you're on as long as you're

Re: [Callers] Fw: Contras for One Nighters

On 3/5/2016 1:02 PM, Tepfer, Seth via Callers wrote: Hard to beat Sherry Nevin's fabulous Family Contra A1: Bal ring 2x (8); Circle Left (8) A2: Bal ring 2x (8); Circle Right (8) B1: Neighbor DSD (8); Partner DSD (8) B2: As couples, DSD 1.5 to progress (16) I enjoyed watching a group of

Re: [Callers] Contras for One Nighters

. R through is a tough move for a ONS situation. Anything you can do to simplify it is a good idea. Kalia On Sat, Mar 5, 2016 at 3:54 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: On 3/5/2016 10:44 AM, Rich S

Re: [Callers] Contras for One Nighters

On 3/5/2016 10:44 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote: I rarely call a contra at a One Night Party Dance, but occasionally I am asked to. I have a few in my cards, but can anyone make some sure fire recommendations. Assume 95%-100% non dancers. Just getting to the duple minor progression

Re: [Callers] Calling to a square dance crowd

On 2/21/2016 12:19 AM, Chris Page via Callers wrote: I'd really recommend talking to the organizers. And possibly watching one of their normal events. Here's some of my thoughts on potential biggies: -Many people will likely keep the same partner throughout the evening. -The expected flow of

Re: [Callers] Proactive Management of “Problem Dancers” — Creating a Dance Environment Safe for All

Thanks for sharing this, Will! Organizers out there, how many of you have a coherent contingency plan in place for dealing with issues that occur at your dances? How many of you have had to deal with issues on the fly, making it up as you go? Those of you that do have a plan, how did you

[Callers] Whoops (Re: Contras with a Hey)

Rich kindly pointed out that I was mistaken about Butter being the one with the hey leading into the progression. Note to self: never post to lists before having coffee... Kalia

Re: [Callers] Contras with a Hey

*From:* Rich Sbardella via Callers *To:* Caller's discussion list ; trad-dance-call...@yahoogroups.com *Sent:* Tuesday, December 8, 2015 12:48 PM *Subject:* [Callers] Contras with a Hey Hello Folks, I am relatively new at calling

[Callers] The ongoing gypsy discussion

Just out of curiosity, since I had a gig scheduled while this discussion was going on, I tried substituting the phrase "right/left shoulders around" for "gypsy." I had not taught the move in the beginners session. The first dance this came up in had a neighbors gypsy 1-1/2. I said "neighbors

Re: [Callers] dances in unusual formations

On 11/1/2015 5:12 AM, Donna Hunt via Callers wrote: Thanks everyone for great ideas. It was late when I posted my request and I should mention that this is an English/Contra crossover weekend (Princeton Country Dancers Head for the Hills). I'm definitely looking for dances that don't fit a

Re: [Callers] Gypsy Synopsis

On 10/31/2015 2:28 AM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: OK, Adding Gyre to the top of the list. Makes me wonder what the move "gimble" will look like... And a quick look at another minor fascination of mine: Gypsy Jazz. Don't know if they're looking for a replacement word... ~erik hoffman

Re: [Callers] Gypsies

On 10/25/2015 6:32 PM, Don Veino via Callers wrote: At the risk of offering one more straw dog, there's "loop". "End that star [left] facing your next neighbor, loop right [around] that neighbor and continue into a swing." "Two ladies loop left once and a half, _insert_call_here_ your

Re: [Callers] Rolling Starts?

Thanks Dave, Alan and Sue for catching me up! Kalia On 10/6/2015 10:27 AM, Dave Casserly wrote: Done. On Tue, Oct 6, 2015 at 1:15 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: If Woody sent a message

Re: [Callers] Rolling Starts?

On 10/6/2015 1:07 AM, JD Erskine iDance via Callers wrote: On 2015-10-02 0853, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: I think that rolling starts (seamless transition from walkthrough into the dance, as the band just starts playing music during the walkthrough) are super neat if done properly! It

Re: [Callers] Shadow Swing Disclaimers?

On 9/9/2015 2:13 PM, Michael Fuerst via Callers wrote: Richard: Your suggestion is subterfuge to rationalize the caller's doing something (calling a shadow swing dance) that should never be done. Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 5844 Never, Michael? That

Re: [Callers] few dancers dances

On 7/11/2015 8:53 PM, Keith Wood via Callers wrote: Hi Rickey I have a five person dance in a diamond: http://www.dancekaleidoscope.org.au/dance.html#Crossroads. Crossroads And a five couple dance in Levi Jackson formation: http://www.dancekaleidoscope.org.au/dance.html#Rubigold. Rubigold

Re: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?

On 7/8/2015 1:07 PM, Hulsether Sue via Callers wrote: All great suggestions. I would also like to add that when I first started calling, I did many of the things already listed, but I also practiced. I practiced with imaginary people in my living room: practicing (out loud!) the walk-through,

Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas

On 7/8/2015 1:00 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: If you can get the band on-board, any number of sea chanteys are contra-tune-able--for instance, Drunken Sailor and South Australia, in addition to the sea songs already in the repertoire like Sailor's Hornpipe (which turns up in the Popeye

Re: [Callers] Giving Weight

On 6/24/2015 11:29 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote: How do you descibe giving weight, and how do you teach it for circles, allemandes, and, swings? Rich Stafford, CT In my beginner sessions, I have them form a ring and then circle left and right a couple of times. Then I ask them to

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

On 6/19/2015 4:04 AM, Tom Hinds via Callers wrote: I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet? In my mind there are some advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing both with a wireless mic). My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have exceptional

Re: [Callers] Box - Swat - CA - Jersey/Nevada

On 6/14/2015 9:48 AM, Richard Hart via Callers wrote: I've considered writing an entirely hands free dance, as an example, along with a very similar dance that used hands for the corresponding moves. The hands free dance would certainly need to used only at an expert-only dance. I'm a caller

Re: [Callers] Another approach to Gender Free calling

On 6/1/2015 10:23 AM, Dave Casserly via Callers wrote: Also with regard to Ron's questions, numbers 2 and 3 (who-leads-whom and who-walks-forward) can be handled by using the terms "clockwise" and "counterclockwise." As to 4 (who passes whom for a hey), I agree with Bob that if the dance is

Re: [Callers] Itty-bitty dances, triplets, odd numbers

This is a wonderful addition to the files. Thanks, Jill, for pointing it out! Kalia On 5/8/2015 11:41 AM, jill allen wrote: Chris, Thank you so much for the correct author and title. Jill On May 8, 2015, at 12:23 PM, Chris Page wrote: Beneficial Triplet by Al Olson. A very nice one.

Re: [Callers] Itty-bitty dances, triplets, odd numbers

On 5/4/2015 7:14 AM, Bill Olson via Callers wrote: Kalia, You said you already had a triplet with contra corners in it, BUT I figured I'd offer this anyway. I often call Chorus Jig as a triplet, (B2 being 1's (bal and) swing to bottom of set and others move up). I found that in a triplet dancers

Re: [Callers] Itty-bitty dances, triplets, odd numbers

On 5/4/2015 6:57 AM, Martha Wild via Callers wrote: Though it may seem like heresy to do it without the associated tune, Levi Jackson Rag can be done to other thirty-two bar tunes if the band doesn't know the required tune, and is good for 5 couples. That was at the top of my mind for this

Re: [Callers] Itty-bitty dances, triplets, odd numbers

On 5/3/2015 9:02 PM, Paul Wilde wrote: Kalia, I love David's Triplet # 5 (David Smuckler). It has a lovely hey for 6 w/ a P Gypsy Meltdown to finish. I just revisited David's site yesterday and looked through his set of triplets and that one looked really nice so I added it to my

[Callers] Itty-bitty dances, triplets, odd numbers

I just called a tiny dance last night, and went through several of my triplets along with a big pile of English 3-couple dances that we did to old-time tunes (that was a little weird for me but the dancers enjoyed them, so what the heck). I was grateful to have the few triplets I had, and I'd

Re: [Callers] Dance length/dances per evening

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

Re: [Callers] Dance length/dances per evening

Yeesh. This sounds like a recipe for a difficult evening, unless it's one of those very rare bands where the musicians are really watching what's happening on the floor. Do you have the option of not working with this band in the future? Kalia On 4/27/2015 1:58 PM, Donald Perley via Callers

[Callers] Applause or Not...

On 4/22/2015 7:08 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: Hi All, There are several places where almost no applause occurs after a dance. In some communities, when I've been subjected to that experience, I've asked, "were we off tonight?" The reply usually is something like, "no, the dance was

Re: [Callers] Anyone seen this sequence?

I'm not entirely clear on what's happening in B2 1-4. One possible stumbling point, though, is that pass-throughs are almost always by the right shoulder, so you'll need to come up with a really strong way to teach that it's left (LEFT, no, the _other_ left). Kalia On 4/16/2015 3:32 PM, Ric

[Callers] Promo video (was Solo fiddler or recorded music)

On 3/27/2015 12:34 PM, Brooks Hart via Callers wrote: Thanks, Ben! I will hang in there. Someone posted this video in our facebook group. It's cute and well done. It has inspired me to see this other small dance, and the statement, "Making mistakes is part of the fun," has really stuck with

Re: [Callers] Name this Robert Cromertie dance!

So while the rest of the line is turning itself inside out, W1 is not involved at all? I thought W1 was part of the inversion, thus ending up on the R end of the line once it was facing up. I was having the same confusion Keith was. So to clarify, lines of 4 down the hall after the N swing.

[Callers] Good ender

If Chris Weiler, who wrote A1 Reel, is reading this, I'd like to thank you for a really good ender dance. It's a simple, low-piece count Becket that ends with a partner balance and swing. It gets the caller out of the way in a hurry and lets the dancers and the band have a great time at the