Hello all,
I called an *awesome* one-off gig on Friday night (honestly the most fun
ONS ever for me) and used a lot of the dances mentioned in this thread —
thanks everyone! I'll include my program below.
I also called a Circle Mixer that I've had in my box for a long time, but I
don't remember where I got it and don't know its name or author — maybe one
of y'all will recognize it? It goes:
A1: Ladies in 3 steps, clap on the fourth beat (4)
While Ladies back out, Gents in 3 steps, clap on the fourth beat (4)
Gents face out, return to place to form a wavy line (circle) (8)
A2: Balance wave R, L (4), Allemande R 1x (4)
Balance wave L, R (4), Allemande L 1x (4)
B1: New Partner (the person you turned by the Right) Balance & Swing
B2: All promenade CCW (Gents in the Center), face in as couples to reform
the circle
This dance was a little harder to teach than most of the other things I
called (it was also the only dance I called with two roles) but was easily
danced — the rhythm and timing makes sense, and if you emphasize who
promenades on the inside/outside in the B2, then everyone stays in the same
role regardless of the way the swing is done or where the dancers end it.
The timing overall has a lot of cushion, giving dancers plenty of time to
hit the beats in the A1 and (to a lesser extent) A2.
Here's the rest of my program:
1. Lucky Number Seven
2. Galopede
3. Do Si Three
4. Accretion Reel
5. Waves of the Sea
6. The Loon Dance
7. [Circle Mixer above]
This got us through about 2 hours of dancing with some beefier-than-usual
breaks in between each set. I walked through all the dances twice.
Best,
Angela
On Thu, Oct 12, 2023 at 7:25 AM Mo via Contra Callers <
[email protected]> wrote:
> I have noticed that this part of Shared Weight work differently from e.g.
> ECD
>
> I see some messages twice, others not at all except as a reply.
>
> I deduce that you need to use Reply to all, or it just goes to whoever
> posted last
>
>
>
> *From: *Mo via Contra Callers <[email protected]>
> *Sent: *12 October 2023 12:12
> *Cc: *Shared Weight Contra Callers <[email protected]>
> *Subject: *[Callers] Re: Favorite One Night Stand Dances
>
>
>
> Some good ideas in this thread
>
> I like the drawbridge.
>
>
>
> I use Galopde as a first dance and ask for well phrased music (with a
> 2bar,2bar,4bar feel to the A e.g. Winster Gallop) to get people dancing to
> the music. Though other dances particularly those with a Dip and Dive or
> Strip the Willow I’ll ask for a tune that can go out of time with the dance
> (some of the Irish tunes don’t seem to have a definite A or B, wouldn’t
> want a song tune).
>
>
>
> Differing energy levels and balance can be a problem. It certainly was for
> my u3a group, us 80 yr olds do try to keep up with the fit 60s
>
>
>
> *From: *Rich Sbardella via Contra Callers
> <[email protected]>
>
> Thanks Erik,
>
> I offer a lead down the center in lieu of a sashay, and I ask the people
> at the end to accommodate those of us who are slow.
>
> In Rural Felicity I teach: in the A1, if you don’t make it down to the
> bottom, just merge into the line to do the A2 F&B, since you then gig to
> sashay back to the top.
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
> ~Erik
>
>
>
> *From:* Rich Sbardella via Contra Callers <
> [email protected]>
>
> One of my favorites does have arches but I let the dancers know the arches
> can be drawbridges to accommodate different heights.
>
>
>
> Rural Felicity
>
> B2 Top pair goes through the tunnel and remains at bottom. Others move up.
>
>
>
> When I call this at a wedding, I rename it to "The Tunnel of Love", and I
> ask the Bride and Groom to be the first top pair.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 7:50 AM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
> To add a bit more interest to these simple repetitive ONS dances, I do a
> Gallopede very similar to Mo's, but with a mixer element.
> When it's time for the sashaying/galloping down the middle, I say "make
> way for the top Reindeer and the bottom Beluga!"
>
> The top reindeer walks, skips, or does a silly dance down to the bottom of
> *their* line, while the bottom beluga comes up from the bottom of their
> line doing the same - sometimes they high five when they pass in the
> middle.
>
> Once they reach the ends (of their own respective lines - no switching
> lines!), everyone adjusts the line till everyone is facing a new partner.
>
> If you have a long line you can send the two tops and bottoms (walking in
> single file) together.
>
> This is not to say I think arching dances are bad/shouldn't be used - but
> I am always trying in my ONS dances to produce the same joyous,
> amusement-ride feel of a true contra dance, so I personally like to favour
> figures that keep people flowing always. My personal preference :)
>
> KK
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected]
> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
>
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected]
To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected]
