I think Neal makes very good points about the wisdom of transferring square-dance moves to contras. I think such transfers can be fun if done well, but the teach must be very efficient or else will be likely to frustrate dancers. The challenge grows steeper for a newish caller. Consider whether such a transfer is justified.
--Jerome Jerome Grisanti 660-528-0858 http://www.jeromegrisanti.com “Dance like no one is watching... Because they are not... They are checking their phone. On Mon, May 4, 2015 at 11:46 AM, Neal Schlein via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hi Claire, > > I can help, but am not certain you asked for what you truly want. Are you > really looking for a set of calls for the square, or do you need directions > for the floor pattern, teaching instructions, a working timing for the > square-style calls, or the timing of the figure for a contra setting? > > I'm asking because I suspect your friend doesn't actually need the calls. > This is going to open a can of worms on the list, but contras and > mescalonzas (aka 4x4 dances) are prompted, not called. Although most > dancers and many callers don't make a distinction, the mechanics and timing > of the two techniques are different. If you move Chinese Fan into a > contra-type setting, the calls (as a square dance caller would see them) > are technically irrelevant because you wouldn't want to use them. (And, > with many figures, you can't use them without either changing the wording, > changing the timing, or stepping outside of the contra-prompting > technique.) What I am betting he actually needs to know is the full floor > pattern and the timing of that sequence. > > *The Call* > For someone who knows the Chinese Fan figure is coming and how to do it, > the only necessary words for prompting are some variation on: > *Head (side) ladies turn back (lead, roll back, open out...) for a Chinese > fan.* (After completion, repeat for either same ladies or other pair of > ladies) > > That would suffice for a New England style square or a quadrille, as > everything else in the call is just filler. A longer call with patter > would be personalized to the caller and the region; in my calling > tradition, there would be near-constant running patter throughout. Both > the phrasing and the timing of the above would port over to contras and > your 4x4, although you wouldn't need to identify the leading parties > because their identity would be pre-defined. > > *Floor pattern/teaching* > Start in a Star Promenade; men keep the star and continue turning it > moving throughout. Identified ladies will turn out and away from their > partner to face the other direction, and then hook free elbows with the > lady behind them. Ladies turn 1/2 while men turn the star 1/4; lead lady > rejoins the star promenade with next man to arrive (original opposite). > Star turns another 1/4 and the following ladies rejoin star promenade with > the next man behind (original opposite). Repeat with either lady to return > to partner. > > *Timing* > If done precisely, each piece can be accomplished in 2 counts and it takes > 6 counts to complete the figure: > 1-2 Lead lady turns away from partner to face reverse direction; star > moves forward 1/4. (ending position: Ladies have met to hook elbows in the > position the lead ladies were in.) > 3-4 Men rotate star one position while ladies turn 1/2. (Ending position: > Lead lady has rejoined star with opposite man and released following lady.) > 5-6 Star rotates 1/4; following ladies ladies loop toward center and > rejoin star. (Ending formation: Star Promenade. Ending location: All with > opposite person from start. Men have moved forward 3/4 around circle, and > ladies have moved forward 1/4 from beginning position.) > > That is a tight, performance-style timing. In reality, it takes between 2 > and 4 beats per part and a total of 8 to 12 counts to complete; also, if > called square to the walls the action will actually happen on the corner > diagonals and the set will have turned somewhat less than the full men 3/4 > ladies 1/4. > > > Also...and this is an entirely personal opinion and something of a > soapbox... I would caution against moving this figure out of its > traditional environment, especially if you really love it. I know lots of > people on here will disagree with me, but figures that are lively, > expansive, and joyously free in their original square-dance context (such > as basket swings, the docey-do, Harlem Rosettes, or Texas Stars and the > related figures) tend to be greatly diminished when shoehorned into the > rigid 8 count phrase and linear, mechanical, progressive format of contra > dancing. Sometimes it is done successfully, but not very often. (End of > soap box.) > > > Good luck; if your friend does want a set of calls for the square dance > version, I can write something up. > Neal Schlein > > Neal Schlein > Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library > > > Currently reading: *The Different Girl* by Gordon Dahlquist > Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system. > > On Sat, May 2, 2015 at 3:58 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> Hi. >> I'm new to the list, not a caller yet, but wanting to learn more about >> Contra dance and maybe calling. >> >> I've got a friend who is writing a 4x4 contra for me with a Chinese Fan >> in it. He needs to know how to call the Fan as he can't figure it out from >> the one video I've found on youtube that has it in it (Three Arches) >> www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8c6Xzn3AyE >> >> Can you tell me how to call a Chinese Fan? >> >> Thanks! >> claire >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers@lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >