[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

On Mon, 20 Mar 2023 13:39:16 -0700, Suzanne Giradot via Contra Callers wrote: > However, she has a well-earned reputation for reviving these types of square > dances all over the country And not just your country! I danced to her at Cecil Sharp House in London and thought she was amazing. I'm

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Olson Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 8:15 AM To: 'Maia McCormick' ; suzanne.girar...@gmail.com Cc: 'Shared Weight Contra Callers' Subject: Re: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances Oooh, Sandy Bradley! The whole "Potluck and Dance Tonite" album is right here: Potluck

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

r her "day job", what a loss.. bill From: Suzanne Giradot via Contra Callers Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 1:46 AM To: 'Tony Parkes' ; 'Ridge Kennedy' ; 'Maia McCormick' Cc: 'Shared Weight Contra Callers' Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares a

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Contra Callers Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2023 12:51 PM To: Maia McCormick Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances Maia McCormick said: On Sat, Mar 18, 2023 at 12:21 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers mailto:contracallers@lists.sharedweig

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

I’m also planning to resume calling squares and am enjoying this useful thread. Have any of you called this dance recently posted on Sam Bartlett’s Facebook page? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVwhobTwRuo On Sat, Mar 18, 2023 at 12:21 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers <

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

es via Contra Callers < > contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> > *Sent:* Saturday, March 18, 2023 5:48 PM > *To:* Maia McCormick ; Shared Weight Contra Callers < > contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> > *Subject:* [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dan

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Maia McCormick said: On Sat, Mar 18, 2023 at 12:21 PM Maia McCormick via Contra Callers < contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > After dancing to some of Lisa's Greenleaf's  squares at Beantown Stomp > last weekend, I'm feeling inspired to add some to my repertoire. (To be > clear, I'm

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

l (Oh yeah,.. Tony's book, Ralph's book, Ted's book, David's project... YES!) From: Tony Parkes via Contra Callers Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2023 5:48 PM To: Maia McCormick ; Shared Weight Contra Callers Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at co

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

A minor point, but one which seems to noticeably improve how contra dancers react to a square: After the room has achieved hands-four for the contra dance immediately before the square, but before the walk through for that dance I announce "The dance after this one will be a square." This does a

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

CDSS's On The Beat with Ralph Sweet, written by Ralph and edited by Nils Fredland, is a great source of both non-singing and singing squares.  I'll bring my copy with me to SFQCDC for you to look

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

A lot of good descriptions and suggestions already, but I’d like to add a couple. Calling squares can require a different mindset than calling contras. This is especially true for western-style or southern-style squares. New England-style squares with their 32-bar structure and generally

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

> On Mar 18, 2023, at 3:57 PM, John Sweeney via Contra Callers > wrote: > > “hold a square dance practice party in your living room”! > > Oh! I would love to have that much space in any room in my house! You > Americans are so lucky to have so much space: > USA: Population density:

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

“hold a square dance practice party in your living room”! Oh! I would love to have that much space in any room in my house! You Americans are so lucky to have so much space: USA: Population density: 87/square mile England: Population density: 1124/square mile :-) Happy

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2023 10:49 AM > To: Maia McCormick ; Shared Weight Contra Callers > > Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances > > A resource definitely worth exploring is David Millstone’s Square Dance > History Project. I didn’t mention it

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Parkes' ; 'Maia McCormick' ; 'Shared Weight Contra Callers' Subject: [Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances This thread is making my heart sing! I have called squares for years, but was actually booed at a contra dance once when I set up a square dance. Dancers have become

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

I also love calling and dancing squares - even though I'm English. You may find my page useful: https://colinhume.com/session8.htm It's aimed at callers with little or no experience of calling squares, and includes a lot of information about breaks, with plenty of examples. On Sat, 18 Mar 2023

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Another “must have” for callers interested in contra-style squares is Calling Traditional New England Squares by Ted Sannella (CDSS, 2005). Ted was a triple threat: caller, choreographer, and mentor to many budding callers from the 1950s until his passing in 1995. The booklet comes with a CD of

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

In addition to the great resources mentioned already, I really got a lot of useful tips from Tom Hinds' Calling New England Squares. I also enjoyed Bill Litchman's Western Squares book, which I believe is available from the Lloyd Shaw Foundation if not the CDSS. Jerome Grisanti On Sat, Mar 18,

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

A resource definitely worth exploring is David Millstone’s Square Dance History Project. I didn’t mention it in my first response because it may not be the easiest place to find specific types of dance video quickly, but it’s a must for anyone who loves squares and has a bit of free time to

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

Hi, Maia… First, welcome to the family-of-intention of traditional callers who love squares. As you’ve seen, when chosen and presented well, they can appeal to a wide cross-section of today’s dancers. Normally I’m averse to tooting my own horn, but in this case I think I have something that

[Callers] Re: Starting to call squares at contra dances

A brief starter: Resources: Probably can’t go wrong with Tony Parkes text Square Dance Calling: An Old Art for a New Century from the author here or at the CDSS Store here