Interesting...
I try to avoid balances on one night stands - the dancers just don't seem to
make the firm connections they need to make them feel good
Your program looks like fun - but does not contain any dances that I use for
those events - so much good stuff available and variety is wonderful
Mac McKeeverSTLouis
On Sunday, November 19, 2023 at 01:36:11 PM CST, Angela DeCarlis via Contra
Callers <[email protected]> wrote:
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 & SwingB2: 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:
- Lucky Number Seven
- Galopede
- Do Si Three
- Accretion Reel
- Waves of the Sea
- The Loon Dance
- [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
Sent: 12 October 2023 12:12
Cc: Shared Weight Contra Callers
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
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
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