Wow, thank you! All these responses are interesting, putting my questions into a broader context. Let me list the technical solutions suggested so far to see which ones I want to try:
- Colin Hume's dance organizer - USB stick - Evernote w/ tags - Dropbox - Filemaker - Photos - screen shots - word files - PDFs on Kindle - Google Drive - Google slides - Notion (?) - Victor's Gascon's Contra DB My story FYI: Since my start in 1990 (with Ted Sannella), I have carried my trusty 4x6 cards in little 2-ring notebooks labelled Contras, Squares, Novelty, and Community, plus separate full-sized notebooks, including sheet music, for ECD and Civil War Balls. I plan a program by putting the name of each dance on a sticky note on a single sheet of cardstock. This way I can change the order, remove, and add dances as the evening progresses. The next day I mark the date, location, and comments on the back of each card (some cards are full!) Several years ago I purchased (at some expense) Caller's Companion, but today I can't get the software to open. During the lockdown I used Chris Page's Caller's Box for finding (and submitting) virtual dances. Thank you, Chris. That's it. I look forward to trying some of the methods you all have suggested, plus others to come! Susan☺🎶 On Thu, Jul 29, 2021 at 1:29 PM Emily Rush <em.r...@gmail.com> wrote: > > Do you have a way that you can tag your dances in Evernote or easily > search looking for a particular combination of figures or that type of > thing? > > I do indeed! So I can search on or click on various terms (e.g. mad robin, > full hey, half hey, bouncy A1) and bring up all relevant dances. > > On Wed, Jul 28, 2021 at 3:55 PM Jack Mitchell <jmitchell...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >> Emily -- >> >> Do you have a way that you can tag your dances in Evernote or easily >> search looking for a particular combination of figures or that type of >> thing? >> >> On Wed, Jul 28, 2021 at 3:23 PM Emily Rush via Contra Callers < >> contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >>> I use Evernote (https://evernote.com/), which isn't perfect but can be >>> wrangled to work well enough. All the cards are on my computer AND in the >>> cloud AND I pay a little extra to have them on my phone without internet. >>> So if my computer breaks/is lost/is stolen I have my phone, and if the >>> computer *and *phone are gone* I could use someone else's computer or >>> phone. I can add tags to the cards, so I have a tag for each move, its >>> ~flow~, and any quirks (e.g. no partner swing), which makes it easy to >>> search. I don't rely on my memory at ALL. >>> >>> And I believe I have a bunch of word documents in google drive, too. >>> >>> >>> *I will be in a weeping puddle on the floor >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Jul 28, 2021 at 2:13 PM Lissa Bengtson via Contra Callers < >>> contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >>> >>>> I enjoy teaching dances I have memorized, certainly! However all the >>>> ones I have memorized are folk dances where the tune is always the same, >>>> such as Levi Jackson Rag, several Scottish Country Dances and ECD and >>>> dozens of international folk dances. Modern Contras elude me because of >>>> the lack of a name tune. >>>> One of the most discouraging comments I ever received during a >>>> contra callers workshop was “if you can’t memorize 12 dances for an >>>> evening, you have no business calling contras.” (Robert Cromartie). But >>>> I’ve had lots of fun since then, ignoring that advice. >>>> My cards were stolen in 2006, but I reconstructed them with the >>>> help of Chuck Roth and Rich Goss and many other callers. So now I scan my >>>> favorite dances so I never lose them, but I still prefer cards when calling >>>> dances. I get enough computer time! Makes it easier for someone to copy >>>> (or photo) a dance they like, also. >>>> >>>> Lissa Bengtson >>>> San Antonio >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Jul 28, 2021 at 12:46 PM Bill Olson via Contra Callers < >>>> contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Susan, This addresses #2, a potential BACKUP PLAN..... and also >>>>> "paperless calling" in general, though not in the way you were thinking... >>>>> >>>>> Maybe 25-30 (sheesh maybe more!) years ago I had been calling for >>>>> several years and also played in a couple dance bands and also did sound >>>>> at >>>>> the North Whitefield, Maine 4th Friday dance (this was Ted Sannella's >>>>> dance >>>>> for many years). One time the caller didn't show up and I was asked if I >>>>> could call the dance. I had no cards with me but said OK and had to do it >>>>> from memory. I got through the dance (barely) without having to repeat any >>>>> dances (hah hah) but found the experience very "freeing" not having to >>>>> look down at a card. (yeah there were a few tense moments there).. Anyway >>>>> since that time I resolved never to be tied down to paper (or recently to >>>>> a >>>>> computer or the internet) and have always called from memory. This makes >>>>> it >>>>> easier to interact with the band and more importantly to be aware of what >>>>> is happening with the dancers out on the floor. Before each dance I make a >>>>> plan (which is rarely fully adhered to) with dances and "spares".. I go >>>>> through them in my head on the way to the dance.. There have been several >>>>> times, though not that many, when I had a brain fart and couldn't remember >>>>> the dance and had to bail but quickly called a no-brainer one walk-thru >>>>> dance.. . Before the pandemic (i.e. not calling for a year and a >>>>> half) I had about 100 dances in the memory bank. Of course to keep >>>>> things fresh, I would call new ones which I would study for a while before >>>>> the dance. Some times they got added to the 100 some times not.. >>>>> >>>>> OK I understand not everyone trusts their memory like this.. BUT it's >>>>> not a bad idea to have an evening's program worth of dances that you can >>>>> recall from memory (or even two or three) just in case you forget your >>>>> cards at a dance where there is no internet access!!.. Rick Mohr used to >>>>> have (maybe still does) a business card sized card in his wallet. He >>>>> developed a shorthand for annotating a dance and claimed he had 100 dances >>>>> on that card (the printing was very small!).. !! Larry Unger used to carry >>>>> a set of dance cards in his guitar case.. He wasn't a caller but would >>>>> give >>>>> them to the caller in case "something happened", so the show would go on. >>>>> I.e. it's probably good to have a set of "emergency" dance cards in your >>>>> wallet or car glove compartment or heck on your smart phone. But I still >>>>> like being to call from memory.. Good exercise for my brain I guess.. >>>>> >>>>> my $.02 worth.. >>>>> >>>>> bill olson in Maine >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>> *From:* Susan English via Contra Callers < >>>>> contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> >>>>> *Sent:* Wednesday, July 28, 2021 4:45 PM >>>>> *To:* contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net < >>>>> contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> >>>>> *Subject:* [Callers] Paperless Calling >>>>> >>>>> As I begin to travel again, I want to leave my dance cards home and >>>>> access all my material virtually. I have 2 questions: >>>>> >>>>> 1. Which virtual method (or app) do you prefer for accessing your >>>>> dance instructions and notes? >>>>> 2. What is your back-up plan at a dance if you can't get on the >>>>> internet? >>>>> >>>>> Susan [image: 🎶] [image: ☺] >>>>> 330-347-8155 >>>>> woosterdance.com >>>>> <https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwoosterdance.com%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Cafddc1f019eb48b082f808d951e72047%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637630875430358334%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=%2B4sdnIaWMAt35OU9coLXXG5Ezc8SZFZBU1wGVwJ8Fjw%3D&reserved=0> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net >>>>> To unsubscribe send an email to >>>>> contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net >>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to >>>> contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net >>> To unsubscribe send an email to >>> contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net >>> >> -- Susan [image: 🎶] [image: ☺] 330-347-8155 woosterdance.com
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