Chris wrote:

> I have the opposite problem from Richard at the Down East Festival in
> March. My session, titled "Unbalanced Contras", was intended to feature
> smooth, flowing dances. The session has been scheduled opposite the
> dance medley. I'm concerned about the mix of the crowd that I will get
> in my session. Will I only get beginner dancers? Or are there
> experienced dancers that will come? I know that there are several
> veterans of the Down East Festival on this list, so maybe they can share
> their experiences if they called during this slot. I'd also like to hear
> from anyone who has ideas about dances that I could call. What are your
> favorite flowing dances? Maybe you think that I should only call wild,
> wacky and crazy dances to use another meaning of "unbalanced". 8^)


I'm completely unfamiliar with the Down East Festival, but I gotta say,
"Unbalanced Contras" doesn't in the least suggest "smooth and flowing" to me.
(I'm guessing you wanted to suggest "dances with no balances" and thus smooth
and flowing.)

What "Unbalanced" immediately suggested to me - other than crazy - was
"unequal"; dances where the 1s and 2s have distinctly different roles.
Why not go with that?  It'll really be the opposite of what's going on in 
medley session, allow you to use an array of chestnut and modern dances, give
you some variety - and if you have short sets because people are drawn to the
medley, you're better off.

For this idea, a smooth-and-flowing-and-unequal dance is Lynn Ackerson's
"Indigo Silk" (a modern proper contra).  I love it, but it'll explode the heads
of people who can only do equal improper contra.

If your dancers can actually phrase, you might check out Adrienne Moser's
"Three Ceremonies" (Becket, ladies chain to Mad Robin to hey for four ...) -
that's equal but smooth.  I got it out of 

"Hey, Gorgeous" (Luis Gamez - I got it from Karen Fontana on this list) is
another balance-free dance with enough punctuation to be interesting.

I can share notation off-list if you want it; I don't think I should be
publishing people's dance sequences without their permission.

-- Alan





> Thanks for you help,

> Chris Weiler
> Goffstown, NH


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