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

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

This reminds me that one way to address this (minor) issue is to enlist the band in certain situations. In a week I'm planning to call Groundhog Daze, a Becket contra that has Gypsy Shadow, Swing Partner as its A1. I'm planning to ask the band to play an extra B2 or A1 of their final tune, to

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

A data point, or something. Last Monday I attended a dance with Elixir, Nils Fredland calling and playing. This was a special dance in Palo Alto, California, where we don't get them very often. Hall full of happy people; still four lines all the way to 10:30 pm on a Monday night. I noticed

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

> > From: Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing > Subject: [Callers] Changing on the last round for a partner swing > > Callers -- > > > > So what do y'all think? What do you do? How you do think people like it? There are some dances where you are placed far from your partner at the end

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

I sometimes change it. If there's already a partner swing close to the end, then changing the end may just end up giving a partner swing that's too long. On Wed, Jan 4, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Bob Isaacs wrote: > > Come to think of it, there's one very good time a night to

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

Come to think of it, there's one very good time a night to change the ending (a tip learned long ago from David Kirchner); the first dance of the evening. This acts like an auxiliary sound check - if many dancers don't swing or look confused, especially in the far corners of the hall, you're

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

As a dancer, I always enjoy it when the caller modifies to make a dance end with a partner swing, but as a caller I think it might get boring if I did that every time. It's the surprise element that appeals to the dancers. When I'm choosing dances for the evening I usually try to make the last

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

Hi All: I'm one of those callers who often changes a contra to finish with a partner swing, although for really good bands who know to finish with a flourish I'll avoid that. But I never call the whole last time through and it bothers me when others do it; that's just a bad case of caller

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

I also speak from limited calling experience (4 years, in Maine and more recently Boston). I do give more programmatic weight to becket dances towards the end of the halves, and occasionally i'll modify a B part that already circles left to end with a partner swing. (I take a fairly conservative

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

I'm assuming this discussion is about contra dances? If there are folks who are "bored" with the "utter predictability" of a partner swing at the end of a dance then I am perplexed as to what the heck they are doing at a contra dance in the first place. Why not swing, squares, or just about any

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

On 04/01/2012 04:23, Richard Mckeever wrote: Many callers like to start calling again the last time - I don't see the reason for that so I don't do it. I think it's to remind the dancers that the caller (who dropped out the calling many turns back) is still in charge and is the one who

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

As a dancer, I'm always a little disappointed when the dance doesn't end with a swing, but especially when it ends with new neighbors. Ladies chain to left hand star is quite disappointing. I'll even go so far as to notice the caller isn't doing it and when I see her signal for the last time

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

I've had dancers express to me their disinterest in hearing the caller's voice at the end of the dance, regardless of how mellifluous that voice is - their point was that the music told them the dance was ending. They didn't need a caller to do that. So (in my very limited experience) I choose to

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

Hi, Alan. Thanks for the interesting question. I also get bored with utter predictability, both as a dancer and a caller. When I'm calling, I'll try to remember to modify a dance to have a partner swing at the end, but it's not something I consciously try to do on a regular basis. Also, being a

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

Callers -- Looking for opinions. As a caller, I will usually alter (if necessary), the last dance of a medley, the last dance of the first half, or the last dance of evening to end with a partner swing if it doesn't work that way in the choreography. (You know, that "This time, circle half and