I'm a new caller but a long-time organizer and dancer. I do announce dance titles and authors, as I feel it's important to let dancers know about the creative work that goes in to making their fun evening happen. I don't dwell on it too long, just enough to feed a tidbit of info about how what they're about to dance fits in to the larger dance community. Imagine the new dancer who realizes "Harold and Barbara Sittin' in a Tree" was written by a Charlotte caller for that couple sitting right over there. And that "Petronella" was written much longer ago. It's part of my own mission for our community dance to let the dancers feel a part of a community, not just pay at the door for a good time. Helps them feel a bit more ownership in the fun of the evening. I think there's room for many styles, depending on the nature of the local dance community and the goals of the organizers. Gretchen Caldwell Charlotte, NC
----- Original Message ---- From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2008 12:00:02 PM Subject: Callers Digest, Vol 47, Issue 11 Send Callers mailing list submissions to [email protected] To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to [email protected] You can reach the person managing the list at [email protected] When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Re: tic tac shoes / Dansneakers (Susan Pleck) 2. Re: Announcing Dance Names (Dan Pearl) 3. Re: Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze") (Michael Barraclough) 4. Re: Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze") (Chris Weiler) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 List-Post: [email protected] Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:49:39 -0700 (PDT) From: Susan Pleck <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Callers] tic tac shoes / Dansneakers To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii (Hello folks - I'm a beginning caller, happily lurking here of late...) Though I haven't tried other styles, I'll second the recommendation for Capezio Dansneakers. I finally just bought my first pair of dance shoes right before going to a weeklong camp - brilliant plan for breaking them in, no? But they felt totally comfortable as soon as I tried them on (granted, my feet are probably pretty "normal"), and I came out of 8 nights in a row of exuberant dancing in them with no problem. Also, I found that they offered enough but not too much traction (I don't like or at least am not used to much slipperiness), and I could also put my weight back on the heel if I chose in order to spin fast. Plus, not that expensive! And while I'm certainly a comfort-over-fashion sort, I didn't think they were that ugly. ;) Besides, aren't we all gazing into each other's eyes anyway? Wishing joyful dancing and calling to all, Susan Pleck Oakland, CA ----- Original Message ---- From: Tina Fields <[email protected]> To: "callers@ sharedweight.net" <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 2:50:54 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] tic tac shoes Hi folks - Like a couple of you who've posted, I too have little "tortilla feet" - short and wide, women's 6-1/2 D. I do wear kids' shoes sometimes; that's excellent advice. But the best shoes I've found for contradancing are Capezio's Dansneakers. They are ugly to look at, but so comfortable that I can dance one of those 12-hour events and still go hiking the next day. I figure my late-night bounciness more than makes up for the lack of glamour in the shoe department. Tina Tina R. Fields, Ph.D. (707) 824-9318 "Hindsight Now!" _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list [email protected] http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers ------------------------------ Message: 2 List-Post: [email protected] Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:03:01 -0700 (PDT) From: Dan Pearl <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names To: [email protected] Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 I wholehearted agree with Susan Elberger, and with Greg a bit as well. In general, at regular open dances I announce dance names and authors just before I begin the walk-through. It is my acknowledgement, in lieu of a license fee, to the person whose creativity I am taking advantage of by calling their dance.? I tend not to announce my own name, as I feel uncomfortable even bragging a little bit. At one night stands, I?do not announce names or composers because in that setting I want to make every syllable count, and I want the music to start as soon as possible.?? So that's what I do.? Inconsistent? Yeah. Reasoned? Who knows... Dan ------------------------------ Message: 3 List-Post: [email protected] Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 00:49:43 -0400 From: "Michael Barraclough" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze") To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <[email protected]> Message-ID: <005a01c8e636$3301af30$99050d90$@com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I was about to respond to Greg (see below) when I saw that Cathy and Dan had said just what I would like to have said (but far more eloquently). Michael Barraclough http://www.michaelbarraclough.com -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Greg McKenzie Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 1:41 PM To: Caller's discussion list Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze") Michael Barraclough wrote: >There is nothing wrong with change - sometimes it improves what was >originally created. However I believe that it is good etiquette to announce >the name of the dance and its author to the dancers (before the walkthrough, >after the walkthrough, when the dance ends - take your pick, we could have >another discussion about which is best!) and to announce if you have changed >the dance or to say that this dance is based on .... I want to take this opportunity to present another view. I think there are some good reasons not to announce the name of a dance at all. This has become my own practice. One reason comes from the idea that the caller will earn the attention of the dancers by eliminating as much non-essential information as possible from their comments. This is not easy. It involves careful construction of the calls and precise walk-through instructions. It also involves recruiting others to make announcements and eliminating anciallary comments at the microphone. The effect is to train the dancers that your voice always carries essential information. (The most essential information is an instruction to physically move.) In contrast, any non-essential information offers the dancers an opportunity to "tune out" the caller's voice and engage in social interaction. I consider the name and author of the dance to be non-essential information. The caller has a limited amount of "currency" in holding the dancer's attention. All non-essential information draws down the caller's account. That does not mean one cannot tell anecdotes or tell the name of a dance. It just means that callers need to be careful how they use what currency they have. If you find that you have difficulty earning or holding the attention of the dancer's you might want to replay your tape of the evening and pay attention to how much non-essential information you are giving out. You might have over-drawn your account. A contra dance caller needs to intersperse an evening of social intercourse with times when the dancers need to pay careful attention to the caller's voice. Making a courteous and seamless transition between these two activities--without relying upon a loud PA system--is the mark of an excellent contra dance caller. Another reason not to tell the name of a dance is because it carries the implied message that the name is important. Most newcomers are likely to assume that this means that others in the hall already know the dance. Some dancers may feel that they are less prepared because they haven't learned this particular dance previously. This could create unnecessary anxiety among some of the dancers in the hall. Anxiety lowers self-confidence and will make the caller's job more difficult. Not announcing the name puts everyone on more of an equal status. Perhaps we should consider alternatives to announcing the name and author of every dance. One is to only announce the names of dances if the name is meaningful or entertaining. A caller could also make a list of the evening's program, with the names of the dance authors, available to interested participants and announce this early in the evening. I would be interested in what others think of this idea. Regards, Greg McKenzie _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list [email protected] http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers ------------------------------ Message: 4 List-Post: [email protected] Date: Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:06:57 -0400 From: Chris Weiler <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names (Was: "Lost in Interstellar Haze") To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed I must agree with Susan on announcing dance names. My own technique is to announce them after the walkthrough and before the music starts. "come back to place and we'll dance ____ by ____". The beginners won't think that they're being left out because they all have been taught the dance, and in fact may be distracted by everyone starting to back up. The ones who are interested and have attention to spare will hear. This also lets the band know that we're ready for some music. There are many ways for a caller to gain the attention of the dancers. Scarcity of speech is one of them, but tone of voice and force of personality do a lot more to making the evening fun. If just your tone and style of speech can convey "I'm having fun, please join me" and command attention and obedience as well, it really makes the evening fun for the dancers. It's not easy, especially for someone like me who tends to be shy, but it can be cultivated without sounding phony. Chris Weiler Goffstown, NH ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list [email protected] http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers End of Callers Digest, Vol 47, Issue 11 ***************************************
