Re: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?
I'd also be careful about what you plan to call. It's very exciting to call complicated figures, but it may be worth considering doing relatively simpler dances as you develop your self confidence. Simple doesn't necessarily mean boring, and in fact can leave more time for dancers to enjoy the music and each other than complicated dances do, where you have to keep calling for a longer time to make sure that the dancers can manage without you. Susan ElbergerLowell, MA From: Claire Takemori via Callers To: call...@sharedweight.net Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2015 4:10 PM Subject: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners? Hi. I just called my first contra dance at camp last week. I didn't die, so I'm thinking of working with our son's nature class to do some family dances. In the meantime, I will try to call a contra when I can as a guest at our local dances. Do you know of a source/s (would you share yours) that has good clear wording for how to teach things like Hey, Pull-by, California Twirl, Petronella, Rory O'more, etc? I will ask good callers if I can record their teachings when I'm at dances with lots of beginners. Where else can I learn good, simple wording? I sure don't want to reinvent it myself.. Thanks! claire takemori ___ Callers mailing list Callers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
[Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas
Hi Callers, In a couple of weeks, I'll be calling the annual Ferry Boat Contra for the second time. Last year I put a good deal of effort into coming up with nautical themes/jokes, so this year I'll really need to go "overboard." I'd love to hear your ideas regarding entertaining (but not distracting) maritime moves/terminology/jokes/trivia to add into my program. The majority of folks in my area have at least been on a boat other than a ferry, and a number sail regularly, but I'd rather keep the references from becoming too obscure. Looking forward to your suggestions! Lindsey(Tacoma, WA)
Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas
If you can get the band on-board, any number of sea chanteys are contra-tune-able--for instance, Drunken Sailor and South Australia, in addition to the sea songs already in the repertoire like Sailor's Hornpipe (which turns up in the Popeye theme!). Also, He's a Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean is loads of fun to dance to (I've got a version that I engraved if you/the band wants). As far as dances in the theme, A Pirate's Life for Me by Nathaniel Jack, High Seas by Diane Silver, and Captain Shank's Revenge by Maggie Jo Saylor all come to mind, and I'm sure there are loads more! (Though my favorite part about Captain Shank can be applied to pretty much any dance: in a Petronella, instead of clapping, shout "yo ho!") If it's a gender-neutral dance, call with Ports and Starboards? And my current favorite joke: "What do octogenarian pirates say?" "Aye, matey!" Best of luck--sounds like fun! On Wed, Jul 8, 2015 at 3:35 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hi Callers, > > In a couple of weeks, I'll be calling the annual Ferry Boat Contra for the > second time. Last year I put a good deal of effort into coming up with > nautical themes/jokes, so this year I'll really need to go "overboard." > > I'd love to hear your ideas regarding entertaining (but not distracting) > maritime moves/terminology/jokes/trivia to add into my program. The > majority of folks in my area have at least been on a boat other than a > ferry, and a number sail regularly, but I'd rather keep the references from > becoming too obscure. > > Looking forward to your suggestions! > > Lindsey > (Tacoma, WA) > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas
At least 2 dances commemorate naval victories in the war of 1812: Hull's Victory and Sacketts Harbor. On Jul 8, 2015 3:36 PM, "Lindsey Dono via Callers" < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hi Callers, > > In a couple of weeks, I'll be calling the annual Ferry Boat Contra for the > second time. Last year I put a good deal of effort into coming up with > nautical themes/jokes, so this year I'll really need to go "overboard." > > I'd love to hear your ideas regarding entertaining (but not distracting) > maritime moves/terminology/jokes/trivia to add into my program. The > majority of folks in my area have at least been on a boat other than a > ferry, and a number sail regularly, but I'd rather keep the references from > becoming too obscure. > > Looking forward to your suggestions! > > Lindsey > (Tacoma, WA) > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
Re: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?
All great suggestions. I would also like to add that when I first started calling, I did many of the things already listed, but I also practiced. I practiced with imaginary people in my living room: practicing (out loud!) the walk-through, practicing the calling, dancing in each position while I practiced the calling I also taped a lot of callers and listened to them in the car, trying to call with them. I memorized dances and practiced calling them in the car as well. Good luck! sue Sue Hulsether shulset...@mac.com www.suehulsether.com 608-632-1267 Cell 608-629-6250 Home P.O. Box 363 Viroqua, WI 54665 On Jul 8, 2015, at 1:46 PM, susanelberger via Callers wrote: > I'd also be careful about what you plan to call. It's very exciting to call > complicated figures, but it may be worth considering doing relatively simpler > dances as you develop your self confidence. Simple doesn't necessarily mean > boring, and in fact can leave more time for dancers to enjoy the music and > each other than complicated dances do, where you have to keep calling for a > longer time to make sure that the dancers can manage without you. > > Susan Elberger > Lowell, MA > > From: Claire Takemori via Callers > To: call...@sharedweight.net > Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2015 4:10 PM > Subject: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners? > > Hi. I just called my first contra dance at camp last week. I didn't die, so > I'm thinking of working with our son's nature class to do some family dances. > > In the meantime, I will try to call a contra when I can as a guest at our > local dances. > > Do you know of a source/s (would you share yours) that has good clear > wording for how to teach things like Hey, Pull-by, California Twirl, > Petronella, Rory O'more, etc? > > I will ask good callers if I can record their teachings when I'm at dances > with lots of beginners. > > Where else can I learn good, simple wording? I sure don't want to reinvent > it myself.. > > Thanks! > claire takemori > > ___ > 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
Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas
On 7/8/2015 1:00 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: If you can get the band on-board, any number of sea chanteys are contra-tune-able--for instance, Drunken Sailor and South Australia, in addition to the sea songs already in the repertoire like Sailor's Hornpipe (which turns up in the Popeye theme!). Also, He's a Pirate from Pirates of the Caribbean is loads of fun to dance to (I've got a version that I engraved if you/the band wants). As far as dances in the theme, A Pirate's Life for Me by Nathaniel Jack, High Seas by Diane Silver, and Captain Shank's Revenge by Maggie Jo Saylor all come to mind, and I'm sure there are loads more! (Though my favorite part about Captain Shank can be applied to pretty much any dance: in a Petronella, instead of clapping, shout "yo ho!") Andrea Nettleton may have already responded offline, but she's written a really fun contra called Pirates Across The Atlantic, based on an English dance called Dancing Across The Atlantic (by Loretta Holz). The distinctive opening figure has a chase move that can get really silly. Did someone already mention Nathaniel Jack's "Walk the Plank"? Kalia
Re: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?
On 7/8/2015 1:07 PM, Hulsether Sue via Callers wrote: All great suggestions. I would also like to add that when I first started calling, I did many of the things already listed, but I also practiced. I practiced with imaginary people in my living room: practicing (out loud!) the walk-through, practicing the calling, dancing in each position while I practiced the calling If you have any random, non-dancer friends who are willing to be your guinea pigs, try explaining some basic moves to them and see if they get it. It doesn't have to be a huge, full evening thing. If you've got 4 friends in a room, see if you can get them through a ladies chain and then go back to the Scrabble game... Kalia
Re: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?
On Jul 8, 2015, at 1:07 PM, Sue Hulsether wrote: > ... > I practiced with imaginary people in my living room: practicing (out loud!) > the walk-through, practicing the calling, Hey, kids! Modern technology is your friend! Just put on a Bluetooth and you can practice teaching and calling dances almost anywhere without getting funny looks. [Disclaimer: I haven't actually tried this myself. This is not official advice, legal or otherwise. I assume no liability, won't bail you out of the drunk tank, etc., etc., yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah.] Sue continued > dancing in each position while I practiced the calling That part might best be kept to places like your living room. --Jim
Re: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?
To expand on what Amy said, we have been doing house dances we call Calling Parties every Wednesday for the last 8 years. One of the most important parts of this is a inviting new dancers to attend. This has proven to be useful on two fronts: it gets new people to bond to the group; it gives you the chance to see if you can teach the dance successfully. Sent from my iPad > On Jul 7, 2015, at 4:43 PM, Amy Wimmer via Callers > wrote: > > Hi Claire, > > A list of what has helped me: > > I have learned lots just by closely listening to callers I like as they call. > Take notes. > Ask if you may record them. > A very valuable tool is house dances, where a small, supportive group > gathers for the purpose of learning together. (We're doing this > tonight in Seattle) > Get a small group of callers together to talk about the way they teach moves. > Look for calling workshops. > Try open mic dances. > Check out the books available through CDSS. > > -Amy Wimmer > Seattle > > >> On Jul 7, 2015, at 1:10 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers >> wrote: >> >> Hi. I just called my first contra dance at camp last week. I didn't die, >> so I'm thinking of working with our son's nature class to do some family >> dances. >> >> In the meantime, I will try to call a contra when I can as a guest at our >> local dances. >> >> Do you know of a source/s (would you share yours) that has good clear >> wording for how to teach things like Hey, Pull-by, California Twirl, >> Petronella, Rory O'more, etc? >> >> I will ask good callers if I can record their teachings when I'm at dances >> with lots of beginners. >> >> Where else can I learn good, simple wording? I sure don't want to reinvent >> it myself.. >> >> Thanks! >> claire takemori >> >> ___ >> 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
Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas
Margate Hoy is a simple English dance that can be done quite zestily. "Hoy" is some kind of ship. I heard somewhere that Margate Hoy was a ferry boat named for the town of Margate, but I have not found "hoy" defined as a ferry boat anywhere online (yet). I did find this definition of Hoy from Dictionary.com: noun, Nautical 1. a heavy barge used in harbors. 2. a vessel of the 17th and 18th centuries, usually slooprigged, used for fishing and coastal trading. You can find different takes on the dance on youtube; in particular, one from a Civil War Ball and another from a Jane Austen convention: www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPD2LYYc1bA www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRWwLX2qvGg (it doesn't start right away) Then we have eight children (it's usually a dance for three couples) in a video you can download (or perhaps just play) from the Constant Billy Trust schools resource pack: http://constantbilly.org.uk/Resources/2009%20Resource%20Pack.htm On Wed, Jul 8, 2015 at 12:35 PM, Lindsey Dono via Callers callers-at-lists.sharedweight.net |sharedweight-garyes| < lc5ghe4...@sneakemail.com> wrote: > Hi Callers, > > In a couple of weeks, I'll be calling the annual Ferry Boat Contra for the > second time. Last year I put a good deal of effort into coming up with > nautical themes/jokes, so this year I'll really need to go "overboard." > > I'd love to hear your ideas regarding entertaining (but not distracting) > maritime moves/terminology/jokes/trivia to add into my program. The > majority of folks in my area have at least been on a boat other than a > ferry, and a number sail regularly, but I'd rather keep the references from > becoming too obscure. > > Looking forward to your suggestions! > > Lindsey > (Tacoma, WA) > > ___ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
