Tavi, contradanceable EDM (electronic dance music): I've now been doing this for years. Here's my early notes on it to help get others started, including some technical musical editing considerations with examples. Each year I make one to three 45-90 minute continuous techno medleys which I call at camps. http://statacumen.com/pub/fun/ErikBErhardt_CrossoverContras_MusicAndDanceMedleys.pdf
Erik -- Prof. Erik B. Erhardt, UNM Statistics, (505)750-4424 stat.unm.edu/~erike On Sun, Mar 27, 2016 at 6:38 PM, tavi merrill via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hola all, > > So Amy's followup to her "Is this a new dance" query brought up something > i've been thinking about for a while. (Amy & Tom - i'm collecting it with > Tom's B2 modification and attributing it as Wimmer, variation Hinds.) > > A 16-count swing does go on forever. But it is also awesome - and i mean > truly awesome - to have a full 12-count swing plus 4 counts to pull off one > of the more time consuming flourishes (like the ripcord twirl, seen in the > wild here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVpR6SxWsM4&list=RDIVquC0jqCXs&t=2m2s and > taught here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbyoOPc0rHQ, one of my > favorite swing ending flourishes but one that takes too much time to be > executed in an 8-count swing window). > > I know attitudes on twirls vary, so i should state clearly my opinion: i > think flourishes, while neither traditional nor intrinsic to our dance > form, add a lot to contra when they are executed safely, consensually, and > in a manner mindful of the foursome and set as a whole. That to me implies > that when and how to use twirls well - and how to time them - can be a > potential style point when dances allow for them, particularly where a > 16-count swing may bore or tire dancers, yet allows plenty of time to > flourish and arrive on time for the next move. We could, as > choreographers, maybe even write more 16-count swings for use with the > crowds that love to flourish. Less subtle: If you're calling a 16-count > swing, why not point out to the dancers there's no excuse for arriving late > after a flourish? > > The A1 placement of the partner swing in Amy's dance "Feelin' the Bern" > also appeals to me for a quite specific reason. Some callers are of a mind > that every dance should end with a swing, while others (this camp including > myself) feel that getting back on the microphone to change the final B to > accomplish that is bad form, but do appreciate the elegance of being with > or at least aimed toward your partner at the end of a dance and try to > facilitate that effect when possible, and others don't give a crap about > where dancers are facing when the music stops. (NOTE: This is to > acknowledge the various camps, not to launch a thread on which approach is > better!!!) Flowing from this, i fully support A1 partner swings, because > it's another way to accomplish the aimed-toward-partner-when-dance-ends > thing that doesn't involve an A1 circle L or slide. ;-) > > On a slightly different but related note: As i work to assemble a DJ > repertoire of contradanceable EDM, i've noticed that many remixes are > perfectly contra-ready save for a "build to drop" element that occurs in > the music where the B2 ends, in effect adding from 4 to 8 counts to the B2 > but usually only once through. Rather than re-working the track to > eliminate the build/drop element, which would create the feeling something > substantial is missing, I'm toying with the notion of pairing such material > with B2 swings so dancers get a slightly longer swing during that iteration > of the dance. Thinking getting back on microphone to say "keep swinging" > and then prompt the A1 with recorded music isn't such bad form. Open to > feedback on that. > > I'd appreciate if folks keep responses to this message > positive/constructive in tone (vis-a-vis argumentative or dismissive) as > i've been super depressed lately and positivity helps. Hope you all are > having a good holiday weekend whether you're celebrating Easter or > recovering from a raucous Purim or burning off all those Newroz treats or > still doing laundry after Holi (did i get them all?!) > > Tavi > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >