Re: [Callers] Feeling Superstitious 🌕

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Since Greg mentioned it:

Friday the Third Swing
Proper
Erik Hoffman

A1  Same-Sex (Bird) Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2  Ones Allemande Left 1½;  Opposite Sex (Bird) Swing
B1  Men (Larks) Right Shoulder Turn 1½;  Partner Swing
B2  Circle Left ¾;  Twos do a Half Figure Eight down through Ones

Written for the first night of Echo Summit, Friday the 13th, 1991.

And, incase you're looking for Halloween dances:


Ghost of a Chance
Becket
Erik Hoffman

A1  On Left Diagonal: Women (Robins) Chain;  Straight across: Half Hey, 
Women (Robins) start  Right shoulder
A2  Neighbor Balance & Swing
B1  Circle Left ¾;  Ring Balance, w/ Neighbor: CA Twirl to face Partner
B2  Walk past Pt, w/ Shadow Al Lft, ret to Pt & Sw

You get a "Ghost of a Chance" to dance with your partner...


Al Olson wrote a dance called Halloween:

Halloween
Al Olson

A1  Pass Thru across, Nbr Sw
A2  Circle Lft ¾;  Pt Sw
B1  Pt Half Prom; Wm Chain
B2  LLF&B x 2
 
I made a Variation:
Halloween 2
Improper

A1  Pass Thru Across; Nbr Sw
A2  Circle Lft ¾;  Pt Al Rt ½ Half Hey Mn st Lft sh
B1  Pt Gypsy, Sw
B2  LLF&B;  Wm Chain


~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA

-Original Message-
From: Callers  On Behalf Of Kalia 
Kliban via Callers
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 2:54 PM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Feeling Superstitious 🌕

On 9/10/2019 6:24 AM, Angela DeCarlis via Callers wrote:
> Hello all!
> 
> I'm calling a delightful small-town dance here in Melrose, Florida 
> this Friday...which is Friday the 13th, and also a full moon.
> 
> I love using theme opportunities to collect new dances! Anyone have 
> any ideas?
> 
> Off the top of my head, I'll probably need to look into Mirror Mirror 
> (Jim Kitch, I believe) and Cats and More Cats (Melanie Axel-Lute). I 
> wonder if I could convince the band to play Stevie Wonder? 😉

Dead Cat Bounce by Nathaniel Jack or Double Cat Bounce by Chris Page. 
Evil Duane by Erik Weberg.  Hocus Pocus by Lisa Greenleaf.  Snake Oil Reel by 
Roger Diggle.  Lucky 7 mixer.  Some of these are just generically spooky, but 
they might fill a useful niche.  Can't wait to hear what the eventual program 
is!

Kalia

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Re: [Callers] Using music in the pre-dance lesson

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I diddle a tune. Having witnessed many other callers lead workshops, I can 
attest that not all callers can do this. But I'll diddle a tune, and include 
rhythmic patter calling as I do. If you feel comfortable singing (lilting?) 
(mouth-music?) this can be a good way to introduce phrasing. If not, ask one of 
the musicians.

I can do this for the intro to the intro: circle left, right, into center, 
"that's all you need to know, there are calls to remind you of the figures, and 
the music tells you when the next move starts. As you get familiar with the 
figures it will be easier to hear the phrases of the music, and let them guide 
you." 

As I go through figures, I can patter/chant, to continue to give timing along 
with the idea of musical phrasing.

~Erik Hoffman


-Original Message-
From: Callers  On Behalf Of Rich Goss 
via Callers
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2019 3:14 PM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Using music in the pre-dance lesson

I will often ask the fiddle player to come out on the floor and play for a 
short circle dance.   This is an opportunity to get them dancing right away, 
teaches connection (giving weight), phrasing (counting to 8), and swing basics. 

Sometimes the whole band wants to play. 

Rich

> On Sep 10, 2019, at 12:41 PM, jim saxe via Callers 
>  wrote:
> 
> I'd like to hear from any of you who can share experience or advice about 
> making use of music during the introductory lesson (a/k/a "new dancers' 
> orientation", "beginners' workshop", etc.) that often precedes a regularly 
> scheduled contradance.
> 
> What source of music do you use? (Recorded music played on a device that you 
> control? Live music played by a musician assisting with the lesson? Music 
> that you yourself can play on some instrument while leading the session? Your 
> own singing of song lyrics, nonsense syllables like "la la la", or dance 
> calls? Music that may happen to be coming from the evening's band doing their 
> sound check at the other end of the hall?  ..)  How--in as much detail as you 
> care to supply--do you use that music in your teaching? What do you 
> think/hope your use of music contributes to the effectiveness or fun of the 
> lesson?
> 
> I tossed out a few ideas on this topic, with much uncertainty about which 
> ones were any good, in a message I sent on September 2 in the "Brain Dead - 
> Need Suggestions" thread.  I'm re-raising the topic here under a more 
> descriptive Subject line in hope of getting responses from people who can 
> offer comments based on actual experience.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> --Jim
> 
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Re: [Callers] Family Dances

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Sasha, Skip to my Lou, Silly Threesome, anything in the New England Dancing 
Masters books:
https://dancingmasters.com/

Video of The Silly Threesome:
https://squaredancehistory.net/items/show/730

or Marion Rose’s books:
https://www.marianrose.com/store/

~Erik Hoffman
From: Callers  On Behalf Of T Claw via 
Callers
Sent: Thursday, September 5, 2019 12:27 PM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Family Dances

Does anyone have any recommendations, for silly fun called/led 
dances/figures/games for a family dance that has lots of young kids and perhaps 
not enough adults joining in the mix?

Thanks,
T-Claw


Sasha.pdf
Description: Sasha.pdf
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Re: [Callers] Contra Corners Dance

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Strangely enough, I forgot about Wallpole Dollhouse. Thanks, Jim for reminding 
me of it.

It can, of course, be a contra line or a Sicilian circle.

Melanie's dance is a little simpler, better to use on newish dancers.

I like them both, and, they are more forgiving--as a progressive dance--than 
any of the others mentioned so far.

~Erik Hoffman


-Original Message-
From: Callers  On Behalf Of jim saxe 
via Callers
Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2019 9:18 AM
To: Rich Sbardella ; Caller's discussion list 

Subject: Re: [Callers] Contra Corners Dance

A nice easy dance for introducing Contra Corners is "Down by the Riverside" by 
Melanie Axel-Lute:

 http://www.maxellute.net/down.html

The dance is a progressive 3-face-3, ending with a basket swing in B2 after 
which dancer open out with anyone in the middle, facing a new threesome.  Like 
Erik Hoffman's "Walpole Dollhouse",

 
http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/2013-May/006143.html

you can think of it as a much simplified version of Pat Shaw's "Walpole 
Cottage".

On account of the progression, dancers get to lead the contra corners figure 
with a succession of different opposite active (center) dancers.  Thus, dancers 
who don't quite understand the figure are likely eventually to run into 
counterparts who can send guide them in the correct direction.  By contrast in 
a triplet, triple-minor, or duple-minor setting, a confused dancer may be asked 
to lead contra corners with the same equally-confused partner time after time.

--Jim

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Re: [Callers] Two Face Three Dance Inquiry

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I believe this—Jack Turn Back—is actually called The Cottontail Rag, by Steve 
Schnur (sp?)

Sandy Bradley said, of the basket, “No matter how spaghetti armed you get, when 
I say, ‘break that basket, left hand star,’ forget about it!”

It works with 7 people and 9 people, too. If there are different sizes, the 
timing gets off.

As far as “easy” or “hard” I often call this for beginnerish people, especially 
if there’s only a few people and I want all to dance. The mistakes on the way 
to an “aha!” moment can be priceless.

~Erik Hoffman
   Oakland, CA


From: Callers  On Behalf Of Mac 
Mckeever via Callers
Sent: Sunday, July 7, 2019 7:55 PM
To: Caller's discussion list ; Rich Sbardella 

Subject: Re: [Callers] Two Face Three Dance Inquiry

I have a dance I think is called 'turn back jack' - part if it is 3 face 2 and 
the 2 dosido with the center dancer in the line of 3.  It goes into a basket 
swing in a way that is hard to explain - but i will try

I will not relate this to the music because it never seems to be able to keep 
up - so it is more free form.

All 5 right star - one person is designate as the Jack
Jack drops out of the star and turns back the other way an chooses someone to 
swing
The other 3 do a basket swing and end in line of 3 facing the other 2 who were 
swinging
Who ever ends up in the center of the line of 3 is the Jack next time around
Line of 2 dosido with person in center of line of 3
Center person returns to center of line - but faces out and crosses arms to 
take hands in line of 2
other 2 join to make a circle of 5 with the new Jack facing out with arms 
crossed
Jack raises top arm to make arch and pulls 2 dancers into middle of circle
no one lets go - center dancers raise arms over others to make a basket (yes - 
this actually works!)
Basket swing - release to right star and start again.

This is not an easy dance

Mac McKeever
ST Louis


On Sunday, July 7, 2019, 09:43:03 PM CDT, Rich Sbardella via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


Folks,

I remember dancing a dance where two people face a line of three.  I believe 
there was a Dosido as lines of two and three, but I cannot remember the dance.

Does anyone recall such a dance.  Are you willing to share it?

Thanks,
Rich
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Re: [Callers] new dance

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I agree with Tom Hinds, Nice Dance.

But in my geezerness, I'd suggest dancers skip all the claps. But I know it 
ain't going to happen.

~Erik Hoffman



Poussetranella (Becket) C. 
Abell 6/19



A1   Ring bal, Petronella 1x (8)

Ring bal, Petronella (take hands with N) (8)*
A2   Half poussette, gents go backwards first (4)

Ladies continue backwards to other side, gents pass right sh (4)**

N swing (8)

B1   Circle left 3/4x, slide left (ladies lead) (8)
(new) Gents dosido 1x (8)

B2   P bal and swing (16)

w/ same N...



* I suggest the dancers skip the clap on the second Petronella

** Gents pass right sh in the middle - nice flow into the swing

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Re: [Callers] Hand Turns & Safety

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Yes, sweaty men’s arms? IckQ! Sweaty women’s arms? Glowing!




From: Callers  On Behalf Of Rich 
Sbardella via Callers
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2019 5:34 PM
To: Don Veino 
Cc: Caller's discussion list 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Hand Turns & Safety

Don,
That is why Gents wear long sleeves all year in MWSD.
No skin too skin.
Rich

On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 8:19 PM Don Veino via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Not to mention a lot less sweaty skin contact!
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[Callers] Hand Turns & Safety

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

John Sweeny below hoped we callers would teach more about hand turns and the 
like.

I've been thinking on this for quite a while. Years ago I had a discussion with 
Brad Foster. We both lamented the loss of the allemande with mildly 
interlocking thumbs to the modern overprotective thumb against the side of the 
palm allemande. At that time I think I was still in Santa Barbara, thus it must 
have been pre 1994. I wrote an article for our dance rag called, "If Allemande 
Left, Where'd Allemande Go?"

I talked about what I do when someone grips my hand-and I think all of us 
should remove that word, "grip" from our caller's vocabulary...

But the most important thing I discussed is:

  *   Our Wrist is Strongest When It's Straight
  *   Our Fingers are Strongest When Curved
  *   Thus, however one does an allemande, it should be a hook, with curved 
fingers and a straight wrist.

Lately I've seen teachers promote the straight fingers, bent wrist, and flat 
palm method. The almost always makes one person's wrist uncomfortable. Not as 
bad as when someone draws the others hand into that 
almost-Aikido-put-them-on-the-ground position, but usually quite uncomfortable.

Thus I hope most of us learn the curved fingers, straight wrist, no grip, and, 
no thumb clamping allemande, ECD hand turn, two hand turn type hand connections.

~Erik Hoffman,
   Oakland, CA

From: Callers  On Behalf Of John 
Sweeney via Callers
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2019 2:09 PM
To: 'Caller's discussion list' 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Name that Dance

Hi Rich,
  I would just call it a "Big Set Mixer".  It is a slight variation 
of the one in the Community Dances Manual.  Callers just make up a 32 bar 
sequence that works for their dancers.

  While it is a good example of all ages having fun together, I 
really wish callers would teach the dancers just a tiny bit about how to do 
better hand/arm turns and swings :-)

Happy dancing,
   John

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   j...@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 
574
http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs

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[Callers] Two Dances: A New One and a Might Be New One

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

First, it's been quite a while since I've contributed, and I have 767 unread 
Callers' List emails... Life's been busy. And, I've just replied to a couple 
emails without reading the whole thread. Hope I didn't butt in too soon..

Then, I've recently written a couple of dances. One I'm sure is new. The other 
I need to check with y'all to see if I actually did come up with it, or if I 
just recalled it from some distant or recent dance...

>>>>>>>> The new one >>>>>>>>>

Turnstile
Becket-Erik Hoffman

A1)  Circle Left ¾;  Pass Thru up & down, New Neighbor Swing

A2)  Women Chain Right to Shadow;  Men Allemande Left 1½
 NOTE: actually, men are start an allemande for 3 full turns!

B1)  Pick woman across, take her half way,
Women loop back WHILE men (continue) allemande half
   Pick up Partner, take her half way (to original side)
Butterfly whirl

B2)  Women (across) Do Si Do;  Partner swing

For some reason, men want to end the allemande every time they pick someone 
up... The second time I called this I had the men allemande three times around, 
in the hopes they would get the feel of it. I also developed the call:
   Men Allemande one and a half,
   Pick up that neighbor there, take her just half way
   Drop her off & go another half
   Pick up your partner

Or something like that.

There are two square dances: The Texas Star (in some versions), and The Chinese 
Fan, that have men (or women) in a double star, and have the women (or men) 
looping back to the men (or women) behind.


>>>>>>> The second dance >>>>>>>>>

This is the one that needs to be checked.

If I did make it up I'm calling it Sole Delight, as it was first danced at the 
Springfield, Missouri Sole Fest.

So:

(The proposed) Sole Delight
Becket

A1)  Petronella Balance with an overspin to new Neighbor
Neighbor swing

A2)  Hey, Men start, Left shoulder-end in long waves, Men facing in, Women out, 
same Neighbor in Right Hand

B1)  Box Circulate x 2
(Balance wave, Men Cross while Women loop Right;  Balance Wave, Women 
Cross as Men loop)

B2)   Box Circulate x 1 (Men Cross, Women Loop) Partner Swing

Is it new?

~Erik Hoffman
   Oakland, CA


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Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Although I basically agree with Yoyo, I state it slightly different:

The direction of a balance should always consider what happens after the 
balance. Note that the direction of movement of an allemande is forward. Then 
(from physics) the connection of the hands accelerates the forward motion into 
a circular motion. But recognizing that the initial direction of motion in 
either a left or right allemande is forward. Thus, following a wave balance 
with any allemande suggests a forward and back balance.

~Erik Hoffman
   Oakland, CA

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Yoyo 
Zhou via Callers
Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 1:03 PM
To: Maia McCormick 
Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?

For flow, it depends what comes after the balance. If it's followed by an 
allemande left, you'd be better balancing left. Allemande right: balance right. 
Walk forward: balance forward and back. Box circulate: right and back.

But getting dancers to balance left - except as the second half of a Rory 
O'More-type figure - is hopeless, in my experience. It's my vote for "hardest 
move in contra dancing".

So I'll say "balance forward and back" in such circumstances.

Yoyo Zhou

On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 11:07 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, 
allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as "balance 
left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the dancers 
defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff was 
happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight.

I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / 
flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In your 
opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential 
unidiomaticness?

Cheers,
Maia

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Re: [Callers] Put Your Red Hand In

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Great idea! I’ll use it, too.

~Erik Hoffman
   Oakland, CA

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Bree 
Kalb via Callers
Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 5:58 PM
To: Caller's discussion list 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Put Your Red Hand In

Brilliant idea; I plan to use it, too.

Bree Kalb
Carrboro. NC



On Nov 6, 2017 7:19 PM, "Rich Sbardella via Callers" 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
I had a Girl Scout Dance coming up Sunday and I was thinking how I would get 
150 six to nine year old girls to know which hand was right and which hand is 
left.  On the way to my contra calling gig on Saturday, the thought arose that 
right hand sounds very close to red hand.  On the way to the Scout Dance, I 
stopped and purchased scissors and some red ribbon (the store did not carry 
yarn) and asked that the leaders tie a red ribbon bracelet around each scout as 
they entered the hall.  When I called dances with arm turns I called, "Turn 
your partner with your red hand, change hands, other way back."  It worked so 
well that I know I will do it again.

I thought I would share this trick, and then ask if anyone has useful methods 
when working with only children.  Please share some trade secrets.

Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT

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Re: [Callers] Major Hey

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi Richard,

Ah, yes, it's been so long since I danced K&E that I forgot it's sort of one 
left progressing becket and one right progressing becket side by side and 
intermingling. Seeing it here reminded me that I want to learn it again, but 
replied prior to working through it.

And yes, in my dance it's sort of like two becket contras side by side, and 
when you get to the hey for eight, you just switch to the other line. It could 
be done in contra formation, and just do a hey for four in that B2.

Thanks for pointing out the differences.

And, I see, it's been a couple months since I've looked at Trad Callers, and 
forgot that, in order to reply to the list, I've got to put the shareweight 
email in the "to:" field...

~Erik

-Original Message-
From: Richard Fischer [mailto:richardallenfisc...@verizon.net] 
Sent: Friday, June 9, 2017 1:37 PM
To: Erik Hoffman 
Subject: Major Hey

Hi Erik,

I’m trying to understand your dance. I *think* it’s not quite the same 
formation as K & E. In K & E the two couples in the middle of the group of 
eight are the ones, moving down the hall, and the two couples on the outside 
are the twos, moving up. I *think* in your dance the ones are the couples 
starting with right shoulders to the top?  Also in K & E you stay in the same 
file as you move up or down the hall, but I *think* in your dance you swtich 
from side to side as in an ordinary four-face-four. Is that correct?  I’m 
intrigued to try it. Is there by any chance a video of it?

All best wishes,

Richard

Re: [Callers] Contras which feature a "Dublin Bay" figure

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Jerome nailed it. The first part of the dance sets up the lines with a shadow, 
not partner. At the end of the Dublin Bay, then people on the ends essentially 
turn single half way, turning away from the lines or, as I put it, “looping 
back,” over their outside shoulder. The people in the center have been behind 
their partner, you know, watching their partner’s every move (at least for the 
last bit of the Dublin Bay…). They centers step forward, and towards the 
outside to meet their loopy, oops, no, I mean looping partners.

Now I’m off to the Oakland Women’s March. No Ravens, or Rubies, or Wems today!

~Erik Hoffman
   Oakland, CA

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
Jerome Grisanti via Callers
Sent: Friday, January 20, 2017 1:15 PM
To: Kalia Kliban 
Cc: callers 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Contras which feature a "Dublin Bay" figure

Kalia,

In Erik's dance, it appears partners are in adjacent lines of four (whether 
women or men are in front depends on which side of the set you're on, also 
which way the lines are turned. It also appears that the first 12 beats of the 
Dublin Bay figure are as usual, but the last 4 beats are replaced by outsides 
turning down and insides walking up to meet their partners.

--Jerome



Jerome Grisanti
660-528-0858
http://www.jeromegrisanti.com
"Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius and power and 
magic in it." --Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

On Fri, Jan 20, 2017 at 2:47 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
I can't figure out the transition from the Dublin Bay figure to the P bal/sw.  
Can you elaborate?

K


On 1/19/2017 11:49 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:
I find, when dancing the one or two dances I’ve danced that try to steal
the Dublin Bay figure, they have a line backing up bending into a
circle. I found this transition not to my taste. So I took a stab at a
different transition. I think it works, but it’s a bit tricky:

Happy Birthday, Susan
Erik Hoffman
Becket
A1  Wm “Chain the line” (Wm Al R ¾, then to next Wm,  Al L ¾ to meet
Nb on R diag –  across from Shadow);
Neighbor Swing
A2  LLF&B;  Wm Chain to Shadow
B1  Dublin Bay DH4inL ends loop back, centers step forward to
B2  Pt B&S

Given to Susan Petrick on her birthday, while on tour with the
OpporTunists in 2010 (I think).
The Dublin Bay DH4inL: Down for 4, turn alone backing up for 4,
up for 4, turn alone, backing up for 4. From the ECD dance Dublin Bay.
Others have used the Dublin Bay  move, but ended it with a “fold into a
circle. That backing up, then circling has never felt good to me. This
is my attempt to come up with a segue I like.
Note, even though it’s a Becket dance, there is a difference in
roles in this dance between the “ones” and “twos”.

~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA

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Re: [Callers] Contras which feature a "Dublin Bay" figure

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I find, when dancing the one or two dances I've danced that try to steal the 
Dublin Bay figure, they have a line backing up bending into a circle. I found 
this transition not to my taste. So I took a stab at a different transition. I 
think it works, but it's a bit tricky:

Happy Birthday, Susan
Erik Hoffman
Becket
A1  Wm "Chain the line" (Wm Al R ¾, then to next Wm,  Al L ¾ to meet Nb on 
R diag -  across from Shadow);
Neighbor Swing
A2  LLF&B;  Wm Chain to Shadow
B1  Dublin Bay DH4inL ends loop back, centers step forward to
B2  Pt B&S

Given to Susan Petrick on her birthday, while on tour with the OpporTunists in 
2010 (I think).
The Dublin Bay DH4inL: Down for 4, turn alone backing up for 4, up for 
4, turn alone, backing up for 4. From the ECD dance Dublin Bay. Others have 
used the Dublin Bay  move, but ended it with a "fold into a circle. That 
backing up, then circling has never felt good to me. This is my attempt to come 
up with a segue I like.
Note, even though it's a Becket dance, there is a difference in roles 
in this dance between the "ones" and "twos".

~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA

Re: [Callers] Favorite relatively Modern ECD

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

As per my request for modern English dances, I don't mind collecting any few 
dances that people really like. But, for more info on the dance I'll be 
leading, it's the Mendocino, California, English dance. Having not been to it 
before, but knowing the organizers: Beth & Mickie Zekely, I think it's a 
dedicated English dance with dedicated English dancers. My suspicion is that 
Kalia and Alan Winston may know more about the dance than I, since they've both 
been there.

Again, Thanks for any help!
~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA

-Original Message-
From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
Kalia Kliban via Callers
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2016 9:47 AM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite relatively Modern ECD

On 12/9/2016 10:49 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> I'm going to lead an English dance in early February. I've led English 
> once or twice, and mostly stuck with The Playford Collection, and some 
> Pat Shaw dances. I wouldn't mind collecting a few more modern dances.
>
> Please feel free to either post them to the list, or send to me directly:
>   _erik@erikhoffman.com_ <mailto:e...@erikhoffman.com>
>
> And, of course, please include the music.

Erik, can you specify what the group is like that you'll be calling for? 
  Hardcore English dancers?  Mostly contra folks who are taking a walk on the 
wild side?  Brand-new dancers?  That will make a difference for the dances we 
can recommend.

Kalia

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[Callers] Favorite relatively Modern ECD

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

I'm going to lead an English dance in early February. I've led English once or 
twice, and mostly stuck with The Playford Collection, and some Pat Shaw dances. 
I wouldn't mind collecting a few more modern dances.

Please feel free to either post them to the list, or send to me directly:
  e...@erikhoffman.com<mailto:e...@erikhoffman.com>

And, of course, please include the music.

Thanks,
~Erik Hoffman
   Oakland, CA

Re: [Callers] Holiday contras - BEG/EASY

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Although I share the idea that concept programs are often not that great, I've 
been calling a Christmas Night dance for years, and will again, in Santa 
Barbara this year. Not only that, but it's a Free Dance.

And, for years, I've had the joy of working with Ken Keppeler & Jeanie Mclerie, 
of Bayou Seco, from New Mexico.

We used to put together a set of straightened out Christmas carols. Cutting Joy 
to the World short works. Sort of... But:

We Three Kings works great as a jig, and straightens out easily, and I wrote a 
dance for it, which I think I've posted here every year for a while.

The Dance:

Follow That Star
Improper
Erik Hoffman

A1  w/ Current Neighbors: Star Left (8)
  w/ Previous Neighbors: Star Right (8)

A2  Man #1, Man #2, & Woman #1 for a Line of Three: They go Down Hall, Turn 
Alone and Return
   WHILE:
  Woman #2 comes Up the Hall, Turns Alone, Returns

B1  Line of three Circles Left around Woman #2 (8); All Swing Neighbor on Own 
Side

B2  Long Lines Forward & Back;  All Swing Partner

This dance has a story:
A1   There was a star traveling across the sky
A2   Three Kings followed the star
B1   They found a Babe in a Manger
B1 & B2  Everybody Partied!

We also almost always do one of the Blues Contras, and play the Elivs Presley 
blues song, "Santa Claus is Back in Town."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqVMfTz_HDU

~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA



-Original Message-
From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
Claire Takemori via Callers
Sent: Friday, December 2, 2016 3:19 PM
To: Shared_Weight_Callers 
Subject: [Callers] Holiday contras - BEG/EASY

Hi everyone!   Wishing you all fabulous holidays.  I’m so grateful for this 
resource. 

I’m calling a small contra on 12/20 and would like to have some Beg/Easy modern 
contras with fun holiday theme titles.   There is usually several new dancers 
and 1/3-1/2 beg to very experienced dancers.  

I appreciate any choreography that you can share.  I’ve searched all the dances 
I already have in Caller’s Companion.  

Thank you So much! 

Claire Takemori (SF Bay Area) 
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Re: [Callers] Post election day dances?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

OK, it was written for a previous election fiasco, but:

Black Wednesday-Nov 3 Blues
Becket
Erik HoffmanNovember 3, 2004
A1  In foursome: BAL & Square Thru 2 X2, Start Nbr w/ Rt
A2  R to Nbr: BAL, Nbr pull-by R, Pt Sw (or Pass Thru to Pt Sw)
B1  Circle Lft ¾; Nbr Sw
B2  Wm Chain; Lft Diag R&L
Written & called the day after G.W. Bush stole yet another election.

Just change the 3 to 9...

~Erik Hoffman
  Oakland, CA

-Original Message-
From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
April Blum via Callers
Sent: Monday, November 7, 2016 1:48 PM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Post election day dances?

I calling the Baltimore contra on Wednesday. 

Vote With Your Feet of course. 
Others I am considering are:
Take All of the Credit and None of the Blame The Eyes Have It Illegal in Most 
States Not a Figment of Your Imagination Rocks and Dirt In Cahoots Chaos Pie 
Blueshift The Dancer's Duty Long May It Wave There Is No Way to Peace

Any other suggestions? 

April Blum
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Re: [Callers] A Lot of "Don't Know" dances--Most Now Have Names

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

Thanks to all who've supplied names! Below are the names of most of my "Don't 
Know" dances. A few, reposted at the bottom of this email, are still mysteries.

~Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA

My Right Hand Man
Becket
Roger Auman
A1Wmn Allemande Rt 1½; Half Hey (Nb st Lft sh)
A2  NbrB&S
B1  on Lft Diag: Women Chain-to Shdw;
(w/ Shdw) Across: Right & Left Thru
B2  LLF&B; Partner Swing


a slight variation of: A Precarious Balance
Improper
Becky Hill-original has A1 as Nbr B&S
A1  DSD Nbr;  Sw Nbr
A1  R&L Thru Acrss; Star Lft ¾,
end in a wave on the Wm's side Pt in left, Shdw in Rt
B1  BAL the wave, Al Rt Shdw; Sw Pt
B2  Circle Lft 1¼; CA twirl Pt

Early Morning Swim-w/ clarification from Kathy
Improper
Kathy Anderson
A1  Ones split the Twos: Mirror DSD to Circle;
BAL the Ring, Pt Rollaway with a Half Sashay Acrss
A2  DSD Nbr to a Wave, Mn in Center;
Rory O'More BAL (to put Wm in center)
B1  Wm Al Lft 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  Prom Pt;  Circle Lft ¾, Twos Arch, Pop the Ones through

Greenfield Petronella
Improper
Chris Ricciotti
A1  Ptnella BAL Twice
A2  BAL the Ring, CA Twril Pt;  Sw Nbr
B1  Mn Al Lft 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  Wm Chain;  Half Hey, Wm start, Rt shoulder
>From a green piece of paper, the 2000 Echo Summit dance schedule.  I should 
>email Susan Kevra (the other caller) and see if she knows about this dance.


Rollin' and Tumblin'
Improper
Cis Hinkle
A1  BAL & Sw Nbr
A2  LLF&B w/ Wm Roll Away with Half Sashay (left);
LLF&B w/ Mn Roll Away with a Half Sashay (Rt, same Nbr)
B1  Wm Al Rt 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  Wm Chain;  Star Left

Fun Dance for Majoirie
Becket
Dean Alemain
A1  Crcl Lft ¾;  Nb Sw
A2  LLF&B; Mn Al Lft 1½
B1  Pt BAL & Sw
B2  Mn Cross (4), Wm Cross (4); Hands Across Rt Star
Single File lead to next couple (Mn in lead)

California Twirlin'
Imp
Janet Levatin
A1  Bal Ring, w/ Pt, CA Twirl, turn alone to face in
Bal Ring, w/ Nb, CA Twirl, (I think:) turn alone to face in
A2  Bal Ring, w/ Pt, Ca Twirl to face new Nb;  that New Nb Sw
B1  Circle Lft ¾;  Pt Sw
B2  Wm Chain;  LLF&B w/ Rollaway
(or, I think, LLF&B; Wm Chain /w Rollaway)

Backstitch
Improper
Al Olson
A1  (Remember this Nbr) LLF&B;  BAL Towards Nbr One, Back, Roll Away with 
Half Sashay
A2  (still in lines) BALt  towards Nbr Two, Away, Sw Nbr Two
B1  Mn Al Lft 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  (with Nbr Two) Star Lft ¾;  Sw Nbr One
>From Kathy Anderson at the Brattleboro Dawn Dance, May 29, 2000

Rollin' to the Grey Eagle
Improper
Hank Morris
A1LLF&B w/ Rollaway; Women Chain
A2Hey (Wm st Rt sh)
B1Partner B&S
B2Circle Left ¾; Neighbor Swing

Baridhara
Improper
Chris Weiler
A1Star Right; Neighbor Gypsy
A2Circle Single File Left Half (still looking at Neighbor Women lead) (4)
 Neighbor Gypsy (some more) (4);
 Neighbor Swing
B1Give & Take: Women pull Partner back
B2Women Chain; Star Left

Roll 12.5
Improper
Chris Page
A1 Nbr DSD; Nbr Swing
A2 LLF&B;  Wm chain (to Pt)-end in Ring
B1 Ring Balance, Roll Nbr; Pt Swing
B2 Circle Lft ¾;  Ring Balance, CA Twirl

Quicksilver Reel
Becket
Mike Richardson
A1  Long Lines Forwad & Back;  Circle Left, Slide Lft (R&L T; Circle Slide, 
or LLF&B, Circle ½, Slide)
A2  Hey, Wm start, Rt shoulder
B1  Wm Al Rt ¾ to long wave in center (4), BAL;  Wm back out WHILE Mn Al Rt 
with Man to Rt ¾ to long wave, BAL
B2  Mn step forward to Pt: Sw Pt

Ben's Spinoff #3
Becket
A1Nbr Allemande Rt, Wmn Lft Pull By, Pt Allemande Rt, Wmn Lft Pull By
A2Neighbor B&S
B1Circle Left ¾; Partner Swing
B2LLF&B; Women Chain
At least it was on a blue piece of paper that also had Hey for 40, as 
called by S.K.

Don't Know #1
Improper
Don't Know
A1  with Nbr, BAL, Bx Gnat;  Star Rt
A2  Circle Lft ¾;  Sw Pt
B1  Mn Pull By with the Left, Bx Gnat with Nbr;
Half Hey, Nbr start Rt Shoulder
B2  BAL & Sw Nbr

Don't Know #2
Improper
Don't Know
A1  BAL with Nbr, Gypsy (Rt shoulder);
Half Hey, Wm start Lft Shoulder
A2  BAL & Sw Nbr (opposite side)
B1  Wm Gypsy 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  LLF&B;  Mn Gypsy 1½ to progress

Don't Know #3
Improper
Don't Know
A1  Nbr BAL & Sw end in Circle
A2  BAL Ring, Pet Tw to wave: Pt in Rt, Wm in Cntr
Rory O'More BAL,
B1  Mn Al Lft once, Pt Sw
B2  Circle Lft ¾; Nbr Al Lft 1½
On an envelope


Don't Know Yet From Andy Wilson-June 1, 
Imp
A1  "Hey" along lines: Pass Nb Rt, next Lft, 3rd Rt Shoulder Turn, pass 
next Left, to
Current Nbr
A1   w/ Current Nbr, ½ Rt Sh Turn then "Stalk": Wm crosses, Mn follows to 
other
side;  Nb Sw
B1  Circle Lft ¾;  Pt Sw
B2  Star Lft ¾; turn to face Nbr: BAL, Pull by w/ Rt
Says, Beware to start the "Hey" with the Right Shoulder. Could that last 
Balance & Pull By be with the Left?

Re: [Callers] suggestions for dances

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Much as I'm happy to see my name in this list, the dance I wrote: Second Third 
Friday, turned out to be a very minor variation of Tony Parkes dance Friday 
Night Fever. His came first and, in my opinion, is better, the difference being 
half-promenade rather than a right & left thru.

Although we came up with our dances independently, we both did it to add a 
partner swing to Bill Cochran's dance, Third Friday. So, please take "Second 
Third Friday" off the list, and use Tony's dance "Friday Night Fever"

Cheers,
~Erik Hoffman
  Oakland, CA

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
Martha Wild via Callers
Sent: Friday, November 4, 2016 7:25 PM
To: Karin Neils 
Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] suggestions for dances

Wednesday's at AmherstRon Blechner
Saturday Night LineJoseph Pimentel
Saturday Night ReelHerbie Gaudreau

On Nov 4, 2016, at 10:26 AM, Karin Neils via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:

Monday  Jim Hemphill
Tuesday Night in Headingly Al Green
The Last Wednesday  Rich Goss
Gold Star WednesdayDale Wilson
Thursday Night Special  Larry Jennings
Friday Night Fever   Tony Parkes
David on Fridays   Paul Eric Smith
3rd Friday   Bill Cochran
Friday Night Special Sam Flinders
Second Third FridayErik Hoffman
Good Friday   Kirston Koths
Friday Night Affair   Chrissy Fowler
Ozark Saturday Night Don Armstrong
Foggy Sunday Afternoon  Hans Krackau


On 11/1/2016 8:28 PM, Tony Parkes via Callers wrote:
Barbara G wrote:

> Wanted to know if anyone has dances with days of the week in the title.

Don't know if you can use a dance without a partner swing, but there's:

Saturday Night Reel (by Herbie Gaudreau)
LLFB, swing N (or start with B&S N)
2WCh, 1/2 prom across
Repeat 2WCh, 1/2 prom
Star R, star L

Tony Parkes
Billerica, Mass.
www.hands4.com<http://www.hands4.com/>








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[Callers] A Lot of "Don't Know" dances

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

In my book of collected dances I have a bunch of "Don't knows." Some have more 
info, like "from Kathy Anderson." In an attempt to get names and choreographers 
in one fell swoop, I'm putting them all here. All help is appreciated!

Don't Know Yet #0, from ???
Becket
Don't know
A1Wmn Allemande Rt 1½; Half Hey (Nb st Lft sh)
A2  NbrB&S
B1  on Lft Diag: Women Chain-to Shdw; (w/ Shdw) Across: Right & Left Thru
B2  LLF&B; Partner Swing

Don't Know #1
Improper
Don't Know
A1  with Nbr, BAL, Bx Gnat;  Star Rt
A2  Circle Lft ¾;  Sw Pt
B1  Mn Pull By with the Left, Bx Gnat with Nbr;  Half Hey, Nbr start Rt 
Shoulder
B2  BAL & Sw Nbr

Don't Know #2
Improper
Don't Know
A1  BAL with Nbr, Gypsy (Rt shoulder);  Half Hey, Wm start Lft Shoulder
A2  BAL & Sw Nbr (opposite side)
B1  Wm Gypsy 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  LLF&B;  Mn Gypsy 1½ to progress

Don't Know #3
Improper
Don't Know
A1  Nbr BAL & Sw end in Circle
A2  BAL Ring, Pet Tw to wave: Pt in Rt, Wm in Cntr Rory O'More BAL,
B1  Mn Al Lft once, Pt Sw
B2  Circle Lft ¾; Nbr Al Lft 1½
On an envelope

Don't Know #4
Improper
Don't know
A1  DSD Nbr;  Sw Nbr
A2  R&L Thru Acrss; Star Lft ¾, end in a wave on the Wm's side Pt in left, 
Shdw in Rt
B1  BAL the wave, Al Rt Shdw; Sw Pt
B2  Circle Lft 1¼; CA twirl Pt

Don't Know Yet #5 from Cis Hinkle
Improper
Kathy Anderson
A1  Ones split the Twos (with hands? Gate?): Mirror DSD (or gate?) to 
Circle;  BAL the Ring, Pt Rollaway with a Half Sashay Acrss
A2  DSD Nbr to a Wave, Mn in Center;  Ry O'Mr BAL (to put Wm in center)
B1  Wm Al Lft 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  Prom Pt;  Circle Lft ¾, Twos Arch, Pop the Ones through
>From Cis Hinkle at Harvest Moon

Don't Know from Briefcase #1
Improper
Me?
A1  Ptnella BAL Twice
A2  BAL the Ring, CA Twril Pt;  Sw Nbr
B1  Mn Al Lft 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  Wm Chain;  Half Hey, Wm start, Rt shoulder
>From a green piece of paper, the 2000 Echo Summit dance schedule.  I should 
>email Susan Kevra (the other caller) and see if she knows about this dance.

Don't Know Yet From Andy Wilson-June 1, 
Imp
A1  "Hey" along lines: Pass Nb Rt, next Lft, 3rd Rt Shoulder Turn, pass 
next Left, to
Current Nbr
A1  w/ Current Nbr, ½ Rt Sh Turn then "Stalk": Wm crosses, Mn follows to 
other
side;  Nb Sw
B1  Circle Lft ¾;  Pt Sw
B2  Star Lft ¾; turn to face Nbr: BAL, Pull by w/ Rt
Says, Beware to start the "Hey" with the Right Shoulder. Could that last 
Balance & Pull By be with the Left?

Don't Know Yet From Cis Hinckle @ Harvest Moon
Improper
A1  BAL & Sw Nbr
A2  LLF&B with Wm Rolling Away with a Half Sashay (left);  LLF&B with Mn 
Rolling Away with a Half Sashay (Rt, same Nbr)
B1  Wm Al Rt 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  Wm Chain;  Star Left

Don't Know Yet from Dean Alemain
Becket
A1  Crcl Lft ¾;  Nb Sw
A2  LLF&B; Mn Al Lft 1½
B1  Pt BAL & Sw
B2  Mn Cross (4), Wm Cross (4); Hands Across Rt Star
Single File lead to next couple (Mn in lead)

Don't Know Yet From Gordy Euler-Oct 17, 2012, in Berk
Imp
A1  Bal Ring, w/ Pt, CA Twirl, turn alone to face in
Bal Ring, w/ Nb, CA Twirl, (I think:) turn alone to face in
A2  Bal Ring, w/ Pt, Ca Twirl to face new Nb;  that New Nb Sw
B1  Circle Lft ¾;  Pt Sw
B2  Wm Chain;  LLF&B w/ Rollaway
(or, I think, LLF&B; Wm Chain /w Rollaway)

Don't Know Yet from Kathy Anderson @ BDD 9
Improper
Al Olson
A1  (Remember this Nbr) LLF&B;  BAL Towards Nbr One, Back, Roll Away with 
Half Sashay
A2  (still in lines) BALt  towards Nbr Two, Away, Sw Nbr Two
B1  Mn Al Lft 1½;  Sw Pt
B2  (with Nbr Two) Star Lft ¾;  Sw Nbr One
>From Kathy Anderson at the Brattleboro Dawn Dance, May 29, 2000

Don't Know Yet From Kathy Anderson @ M.T. #1
Improper
A1LLF&B w/ Rollaway; Women Chain
A2Hey (Wm st Rt sh)
B1Partner B&S
B2Circle Left ¾; Neighbor Swing

Don't Know Yet From Kathy Anderson @ M.T. #2
Improper
A1Star Right; Neighbor Gypsy
A2Circle Single File Left Half (still looking at Neighbor Women lead) (4)
 Neighbor Gypsy (some more) (4);
 Neighbor Swing
B1Give & Take: Women pull Partner back
B2Women Chain; Star Left

Don't Know Yet From Mavis March 2 2016
Improper
A1 Nbr DSD; Nbr Swing
A2 LLF&B;  Wm chain (to Pt)-end in Ring
B1 Ring Balance, Roll Nbr; Pt Swing
B2 Circle Lft ¾;  Ring Balance, CA Twirl

Don't Know Yet From Mike Richardson, MT 2001 #1
Becket
???
A1  Long Lines Forwad & Back;  Circle Left, Slide Lft (R&L T; Circle Slide, 
or LLF&B, Circle ½, Slide)
A2  Hey, Wm start, Rt shoulder
B1  Wm Al Rt ¾ to long wave in center (4), BAL;  Wm back out WHILE Mn Al Rt 
with Man to Rt ¾ to long wave, BAL
B2  Mn step forward to Pt: Sw Pt

Don't Know Yet from Susan Kevra (I think)
Becket
A1Nbr Allemande Rt, Wmn Lft Pull By, Pt Allemande Rt, Wmn Lft Pull By
A2Neighbor B&S
B1Circle Left ¾; Partner Swing
B2LLF&B; Women Chain
At least

Re: [Callers] Pre-existing dance?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I, too, agree.

I think of a dance by Bill Cochran:

Third Friday
Improper
A1: Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2: Down Hall 4 in Line, turn as couples, return
B1: Women Chain over & back
B2: Balance & Square Through 2, twice, starting with Partner

This might have been the first dance with the
  Partner: Balance, Pull by, Neighbor Pull By,
  Partner: Balance, Pull by, Neighbor Pull By to progress

Being a modern contra dancer, I wanted to add a partner swing, so, for a dance 
I called the Second Third Friday, crediting Bill Cochran, my version went:
A2: Men Allemande Left 1-1/2, Partner Swing
B1: Right & Left Through across; Women Chain

Later I found Tony Parkes had the same idea, and came up with Friday Night 
Fever, also crediting Bill Cochran. His version is the same as mine, with one 
(better) idea:
B1: Partner Promenade, Women Chain
And, his adaptation preceded mine. So now I just call Friday Night Fever...


Sometimes, though:

I've come up with a major alteration Gene Hubert's wonderful dance, The Nice 
Combination
A1: Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2: Circle Left ¾; Partner Swing
B1: Hey, Women start Right shoulder
B2: Women Chain, Star Left

And I usually introduce it as a major variation of The Nice Combination...

I've got many "Innominate," dances, or "unnamed." Many are just glossary dances 
as David Kaynor suggests.

~Erik Hoffman
  Oakland, CA



From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Bill 
Olson via Callers
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 12:29 PM
To: Neal Schlein ; Dave Casserly 
; callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Pre-existing dance?


Yep, I agree..



bill


From: Callers 
mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net>>
 on behalf of Dave Casserly via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 7:25 PM
To: Neal Schlein
Cc: callers
Subject: Re: [Callers] Pre-existing dance?

Regarding attribution, I like the way David Kaynor puts it on this website: 
"Some of my dances are "compositions" only in the loosest sense of the word; 
they fall into the category of "glossary" contras which basically amount to 
minimally imaginative resequencing of ordinary contra dance elements. Do such 
dances...especially if conceived spontaneously in a teaching/calling 
situation... qualify as "compositions?" Maybe. Maybe not."

I'm in the maybe not camp.  They're not protected by any copyright here (at 
least in my view, which has generally been shared by most people on this list 
when the topic comes up on occasion).  I don't call regularly; most of the time 
when I call dances, I'm doing so late at night after a singing event or at 
somebody's house or at a more-or-less spontaneous outdoor gathering, where I 
don't have dance cards with me.  I know several dances by name and memory, but 
most of the dances at such events are things I've made up on the spot.  I am 
almost certain that every single one of these dances is a progression I have 
danced before at some point in the past, and that somebody has written and put 
their name on Partner Balance and Swing, Circle Left 3/4, Neighbor Swing, Long 
Lines, Ladies Chain, Left-Hand Star, New Neighbor Do-Si-Do.  Good for whoever 
that person is, and if it's a catchy title, that can be a useful way for us to 
refer to that particular glossary dance.  But I wouldn't call it a composition, 
and I certainly wouldn't feel like I need to research whoever wrote that dance 
and the title and attribute it to that person.

Where I differ from Neal is that I don't really want a dozen people to be 
putting their name on that above dance I just made up (after I've danced it 
many times already, after somebody else made it up, etc).  It's just not 
interesting enough of a sequence to be worth attributing at all.

It gets a bit tougher when we're talking about dances that, when written, were 
really compositions, adding something new or fresh to the repertoire, but could 
now be considered glossary dances because of how common those figures have 
become in modern contra dances.  But that's not the case for most of the dances.

-Dave
Washington, DC



On Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 2:59 PM, Neal Schlein via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
As someone with an academic background in the field of Folklore, the way we 
talk about attribution and authorship bothers me.

(NOTE: what I'm talking about here is distinct from trying to track down the 
source of a dance you collected somewhere, or according respect to the first 
person to dream up a sequence.  Both of those goals are entirely legitimate.)

The dance Luke described was created by him, not Mark Goodwin.  The sequence 
happens to be the same as one dreamed up by Mark Goodwin at a previous place 
and t

Re: [Callers] Contra friendly squares

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Though Banjos in Love, For Maxine & Brendan does fit the quality of 
"Contra-like", it's not the easiest dance in the world. But it does have its 
own intro/break:

Banjos in Love, for Maxine and Brendan  Quadrille

Intro, Break, End

A1  Head women chain right;
Same four half hey

A2  Four women star right half way (4)
Swing the one you meet (12)

B1  New head women chain right (actually, same head women, new head men);
Same four half hey

B2  Four women star right half way (4)
Swing partner at home (12)


 
Figure

A1  Head couples lead right, split the sides, and cross trail through, 
around one to lines (man man woman woman)
Lines of four, forward and back, center women roll away with a half sashay

A2  Forward and back
Women chain across, end courtesy turn with a roll away with a half sashay

B1  Swing the one coming your way (they're across from you at the ends of 
the lines, and next to you in the center of the lines)

B2  Promenade this new partner to the man's home place.

Call: intro, heads, heads, break, sides, sides, end

A (slightly improved upon) square for the wedding of Maxine Gerber and Brendan 
Doyle, both great banjo players from Berkeley.  Either of these figures can be 
used as a quadrille figure with a normal break, but they were conceived as a 
single dance.

Re: [Callers] headset mics

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hmm, looking at this I see I was ambiguous:

These transmitters use balanced wires to connect to the PA. The Senheiser uses 
a TRS (Tip-Ring-Sleeve) type connector. And, the receiver needs power. It’s the 
power wire that wears out. The Sennheiser came with wall-wart transformer and a 
connector that slides in a slot. The original had the ancillary threaded part, 
which has been replaced with a less expensive, generic wall-wart that just 
pushes into the slot.

A web-search yields the name: coaxial power connector. Picture from wiki
[https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Hohlstecker_und_Hohlbuchse_5%2C5x2%2C5.jpg/350px-Hohlstecker_und_Hohlbuchse_5%2C5x2%2C5.jpg]

Ones that have the threaded part are called “Locking Coaxial Power Connectors:
[Image result for locking coaxial power connector image]

Again, I’ve replaced both the locking power connector with a non-locking one, 
and the locking phone plug of the Sennheiser mic—that goes into the 
transmitter—with a standard mini-phone plug with no problems.

~erik hoffman
   Oakland, ca

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Erik 
Hoffman via Callers
Sent: Tuesday, September 13, 2016 12:34 AM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] headset mics

I’ve had a number of wireless mics. Many of them come with a simple connector 
plug, with and additional feature that holds the plug on by screwing the wire 
to the receiver.

When they break—and they do break in a life of plug in, unplug, transport to 
next gig—I replace them with cheap ones from our local electronics shop (Al 
Lasher’s on University Ave., in Berkeley CA). You don’t need the screw on tight 
feature, just one with the same size connector. And I’ve used these at camps, 
gigs, everywhere, no problem.

Of course, you can pay a bit more and replace them from Sennheiser or Shure…

~erik hoffman
   Oakland, ca

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
JillAllen via Callers
Sent: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 7:12 PM
To: Dale Wilson mailto:dale.wil...@gmail.com>>
Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] headset mics

Dale,

Yes, it has a standard connector.

Jill

On Sep 7, 2016, at 4:47 PM, Dale Wilson 
mailto:dale.wil...@gmail.com>> wrote:
​Hi Jill,
Does you​r Sennheiser headset have a non-standard connector (one that screws 
into the transmitter/receiver?)   It's nice that mine stays plugged in, but it 
was a real pain when a wire broke in the cable and I had to do major surgery 
rather than simply replacing it with a standard connector.

Dale

On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 2:50 PM, jill allen via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Regarding the Sennheiser:

Headpiece:  ME3-ew
Belt pack and receiver:  ew 100 G3

I like the headpiece because it stays in place, the sound quality of the system 
is excellent and I have never had a problem with it in 8 -10 years.

Also, I recently purchased a "Compact Powered PA System" by the name of SRM 
150.  It weighs  maybe 10 pounds, I can lift it with one finger, and the one 
speaker sounds great and fills a big room.

Jill

___
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Callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
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--
Turn Observation into Data. Turn Data into 
Information<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Information>. Turn Information into 
Knowledge. Turn Knowledge into Wisdom. Turn Wisdom into Beauty. Turn Beauty 
into Love .

Re: [Callers] headset mics

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I also have a Sennheiser transmitter that uses a mini phone plug to connect to 
the lavalier—I used it for a fiddle, not a headset mic. Since it was connected 
to the fiddle, the transmitter probably went in and out of my pocket a lot more 
than a headset would have come on and off my head. On this, too, when it needed 
fixing, I replaced the phone plug with a regular gold-plated one from Radio 
Shack. Not threads to clamp it down, and it, too, has been working fine for 
years. A lot easier than splicing wires…

~erik hoffman
Oakland, ca


From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Dale 
Wilson via Callers
Sent: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 2:47 PM
To: jill allen 
Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] headset mics

​Hi Jill,
Does you​r Sennheiser headset have a non-standard connector (one that screws 
into the transmitter/receiver?)   It's nice that mine stays plugged in, but it 
was a real pain when a wire broke in the cable and I had to do major surgery 
rather than simply replacing it with a standard connector.

Dale

On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 2:50 PM, jill allen via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Regarding the Sennheiser:

Headpiece:  ME3-ew
Belt pack and receiver:  ew 100 G3

I like the headpiece because it stays in place, the sound quality of the system 
is excellent and I have never had a problem with it in 8 -10 years.

Also, I recently purchased a "Compact Powered PA System" by the name of SRM 
150.  It weighs  maybe 10 pounds, I can lift it with one finger, and the one 
speaker sounds great and fills a big room.

Jill

___
Callers mailing list
Callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net



--
Turn Observation into Data. Turn Data into 
Information<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Information>. Turn Information into 
Knowledge. Turn Knowledge into Wisdom. Turn Wisdom into Beauty. Turn Beauty 
into Love .

Re: [Callers] headset mics

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I’ve had a number of wireless mics. Many of them come with a simple connector 
plug, with and additional feature that holds the plug on by screwing the wire 
to the receiver.

When they break—and they do break in a life of plug in, unplug, transport to 
next gig—I replace them with cheap ones from our local electronics shop (Al 
Lasher’s on University Ave., in Berkeley CA). You don’t need the screw on tight 
feature, just one with the same size connector. And I’ve used these at camps, 
gigs, everywhere, no problem.

Of course, you can pay a bit more and replace them from Sennheiser or Shure…

~erik hoffman
   Oakland, ca

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of 
JillAllen via Callers
Sent: Wednesday, September 7, 2016 7:12 PM
To: Dale Wilson 
Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] headset mics

Dale,

Yes, it has a standard connector.

Jill

On Sep 7, 2016, at 4:47 PM, Dale Wilson 
mailto:dale.wil...@gmail.com>> wrote:
​Hi Jill,
Does you​r Sennheiser headset have a non-standard connector (one that screws 
into the transmitter/receiver?)   It's nice that mine stays plugged in, but it 
was a real pain when a wire broke in the cable and I had to do major surgery 
rather than simply replacing it with a standard connector.

Dale

On Wed, Sep 7, 2016 at 2:50 PM, jill allen via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Regarding the Sennheiser:

Headpiece:  ME3-ew
Belt pack and receiver:  ew 100 G3

I like the headpiece because it stays in place, the sound quality of the system 
is excellent and I have never had a problem with it in 8 -10 years.

Also, I recently purchased a "Compact Powered PA System" by the name of SRM 
150.  It weighs  maybe 10 pounds, I can lift it with one finger, and the one 
speaker sounds great and fills a big room.

Jill

___
Callers mailing list
Callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net



--
Turn Observation into Data. Turn Data into 
Information<http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Information>. Turn Information into 
Knowledge. Turn Knowledge into Wisdom. Turn Wisdom into Beauty. Turn Beauty 
into Love .

Re: [Callers] Name that dance/dance that name!

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

As Bob noted, the first dance is Missing Duck. A note on the figures:


Missing Duck, becket
Erik Hoffman
A1: circle L 3/4 and pass through
   new ladies alle. L 1/2, partner alle. R 3/4 to long wave (Wm facing in)
A2: Rory O'Moore
B1: ladies start full hey by L shoulder

Actually, the first pass is Partner by the right. At the end of the Rory O'More 
balances, I like it if you take your partner's hand, and launch your partner 
into the hey:
  Women get launched to the center to pass left
  Men get launched out to loop right

B2: partner b&s


From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Bob 
Isaacs via Callers
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2016 11:12 AM
To: Maia McCormick ; Shared Weight 

Subject: Re: [Callers] Name that dance/dance that name!


Maia:



The first dance is Missing Duck by Erik Hoffman.



The Country Doctor's Reel goes:



A1. 4,4  Neighbor balance, turn to R

4,4  Neighbor balance, turn to R



A2. 4,4  Neighbor balance, turn to R

4,4  Neighbor balance, box the gnat



B1.  4,4  Neighbor pull by R, ladies pull by L

8  Partner swing



B2.  8  Long lines forward and back

8  Ladies chain to neighbor



In A1/A2 neighbors take R hands, balance, and do a Petronella turn ¼ to the R.  
After three such balances the ladies are back to back facing out.



Bob






From: Callers 
mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net>>
 on behalf of Maia McCormick via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>>
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2016 1:14:43 PM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Name that dance/dance that name!

Was going through an old notebook and found the following scribblings. Can 
anyone help identify them, or put choreography to the name?

Many thanks,
Maia

#1, becket
A1: circle L 3/4 and pass through
new ladies alle. L 1/2, partner alle. R 3/4 to long wave
A2: Rory O'Moore
B1: ladies start full hey by L shoulder
B2: partner b&s

#2, improper
A1: (w/ new Ns) star R
N spiral
A2: ladies cross, gents follow to swing N
B1: gents alle. L 1 1/2
swing P
B2: ladies chain
star L to new Ns

#3, Country Doctor's Reel, by Merilee Karr

Re: [Callers] Headset mics, take two

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Some things on wireless headsets:

There are complete kits. Brands I’ve used and liked:
   Shure
   Sennheiser

Brands I’d avoid:
  Nady—really cheap, poor construction
  Samson—better than Nady

If you do a search on these mics, most of what we see are the
   consumer, like Nady & Samson
   Price range: $50 to $150
  “Prosumer,” like Shure, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica, AKG, Line 6, and more
   Price range: $200 to $1000
   True Pro: Shure, Sennheiser, com and other
   Price range: $1000 and up

Some sound guys stock up on the budget gear. They work, they break, they can 
fix or repair them.

I’ve used Shure, Sennheiser, and Line 6. I loved the Line 6 mic, but it had 
lots of problems with interference—it would cut in and out. Never had that 
problem with the Shures or the Sennheiser.

Note that high quality mics like Countryman and DPA only make mics, you have to 
purchase a transmitter (body-pack), and receiver system. I haven’t used the 
Countryman much, though I have one. I have a clip-on DPA that I clip onto my 
fiddle and use with a Shure DLX body pack. It’s the best mic in my gear, and 
when I’m calling and fiddling I can work from the middle of the room, teach 
while playing.

For calling I’m still a strong advocate of the handheld, and when doing fiddle 
while calling gigs, I have the DPA on the fiddle and a Shure with a Beta 87 
head on it on a stand.

DPA info: http://www.dpamicrophones.com/

~erik hoffman
Oakland, ca

[Callers] FW: Favorite dance to teach a ladies chain?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I agree with Yoyo and others: so much of the order I teach figures depends on 
the dancers and the gig. Having just done a couple one-night-stand gigs, I had 
the realization that I use the same formula more or less for all dances: Can I 
teach a dance in less than 5 minutes--or 8 at the most--and start with the 
music. Hence, for rank beginners, start with circles, into the center, swings, 
and promenades--I can do all this with music and no talking... Then the 
Virginia Reel. Then onto what dancers are ready for. On rare occasions, hands 
four dances. Usually not...

If I'm teaching after doing a beginners' workshop, I do an extremely glossary 
dance that covers the figures we drilled in the workshop: Lady's Chain, R&L 
Thru, Balance & Swing. The beginners have had a chance to walk it and learn it, 
then, when the dance starts, the experienced dancers have no problem helping. 

ABC
Improper
A1 Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2 Women Chain over & back
B1 R & L Thru over & back --OR--
B1 R & L Thru; Half Promenade
B2 Long Lines Forward & Back; Ones Swing

The OR B2 depends on how well dancers learned the R&L Thru. The challenge on 
the R&L Thru is mostly for the women, who are naturally steered the wrong way. 
Men can help, of course, in the pull by, but that takes awareness--something I 
usually point out in a workshop. And noting other comments, I have come to 
usually teach the Right & Left Thru first, the Chain second. I've done it both 
ways, and, of course, works or it doesn't...

Although I do think of how people enter into the next figure, I often think if 
it as what kind of connection there is, and whether the position is ambiguous. 
I'll alter dances based on this. Like, another beginner dance is the slightly 
altered Nice Combination, by the late Gene Hubert:

Nice Combination (slightly altered):
Gene Hubert
A1 Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2 Down Hall Four in Line, Turn as Couples, Return, Fold to Circle
B1 Circle Left 3/4; Partner Swing
B2 Women Chain; Long Lines Forward & Back

The original ends with a B2 Women Chain, Star Left

Where a star starts and ends is a bit ambiguous until a dancer has internalized 
the bearings of the dance. So finding the next neighbor out of a mess of people 
possibly looking at their left hands in the center of the star is a challenge. 
Long lines forward and back has you connected to the previous neighbor and your 
next neighbor, and, if a mistake is made, is a bit easier to see where you're 
supposed to be. 

This lack of connection is what causes problems in things like a hey, where 
there is a milling about with no contact, and no sense of the bearings and 
characters like up, down, across, right, left, current neighbor, partner, etc.

If I'm calling to mostly beginners, and it's a regular contra series, I'll call 
Carlotta Wellington's "Taking Liberties with Jefferson"

Taking Liberties With Jefferson
Carlotta Wellington
Improper (or Proper--doesn't matter, though technically Improper)
A1 Circle Left; Star left (back to starting point)
A2 Ones Down Outside, Return, Step to Center making Line of Four with 
Twos--Ones in Center
B1 Down Hall Four in Line; Ones Arch, Twos Duck Through to end up above Ones, 
Return 2x2
 ("Twos in Front, Ones Behind)
B2 All Balance & Swing Partner, End facing a New Couple

I like Yoyo's dance below, and will start using it, too.

Could go on, but that's enough for now...

Erik Hoffman
 Oakland, CA

-Original Message-
From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Yoyo 
Zhou via Callers
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2016 1:25 PM
To: Luke Donforth 
Cc: Callers@Lists.Sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Favorite dance to teach a ladies chain?

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 8:18 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers 
 wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I've been thinking about glossary dances, and building vocabulary for 
> new dancers. I'm curious what your favorite dance is for teaching a 
> ladies chain for a crowd of mostly new dancers? Or if you don't have a 
> specific dance, what do you look for in a dance to make the chain as 
> accessible as possible?
>
> Just a chain over? Or a full chain over and back?
> Chain to neighbor? Chain to partner?
> What move best precedes the chain to set it up?
> What move best follows the chain that still helps new dancers succeed?
> Other factors you consider?

Definitely for the first introduction to courtesy turn, just one chain ("half 
chain") and with neighbor.

My choice of dance depends on the crowd and what issues they are having, and 
whether the beginners have enough experienced neighbors to help them. For 
instance, sometimes they struggle to end a swing or courtesy turn on the 
correct side. Entering a courtesy turn from a swing (or long lines) is fine 
even if d

[Callers] On Balances, Box circulates, Allemandes, Circles & Timing

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

There’s been a discussion on balancing forward & back, or right & left, or 
starting the balance left, then right when the balance precedes a left 
allemande. And there’s been a discussion on the timing of circles. Like, does a 
circle left ¾ take 6 or 8 beats? And how long should a circle  left 1¼ take?

Balances & Direction

I think it was Cammy Kaynor who told me he always teaches, “Balance in the 
direction you’re going to go.” This, as stated, is obvious in a box circulate: 
you’re going to go forward after the balance. It’s also obvious in a Rory 
O’More type balance: the balance is right, then left making that right slide or 
twirl gratifying. And it’s the one place where we do teach the left then right 
balance, to make that slide/twirl left so cool. Now, consider the allemande:

The initial motion of an allemande is forward. The connection of arms is what 
turns the forward motion into a circular motion. It is not very satisfying to 
balance right—tension in the left arm—then left—no tension in the left arm—then 
go into an allemande left. But a forward & back creates some loss of tension in 
both arms, then tension in both arms, and you can even favor tension in the 
left arm facilitating a wonderful launch into that left allemande. When doing 
this there is no need to alter our “normal” right then left balance. Thus I’ve 
strongly adopted the above rule: Balance in the Direction you’re going to go. 
And remember: the initial direction of an allemande—any allemande—is forward. 
Thus following this rule yields satisfying results whether the balance precedes 
a left or a right allemande. I try to bring this up whenever I teach a dance.

Circles, Allemandes, & Circumference

Back in the old days (when I started dancing in the 1980s), callers could and 
would give styling points. We did dances where, in 8 beats, we might allemande 
left once, dances with an 8 beat 1½ allemande, and dances, like Hull’s Victory, 
where we’d make it twice around in 8 beats. Some of us were taught that we 
could get a good connection and give good weight by varying the circumference 
of the circle we traveled. Keep arms wide, travel a larger circle, and once 
around in 8 beats feels great! Pull in close, and you can make it around twice 
in 8 beats.

At times there has been discussion about how a circle left ¾, swing someone is 
a 6, then 10 beat set of figures. I think of it as 8 & 8, but let dancers do 
whatever they want. Then we have a circle left ¾, ring balance, California 
twirl. The timing of this is definitely 8, 4, 4.

It is easy to have a good connection, give good weight in a circle ¾, and make 
it last 6 or 8 beats by expanding or contracting the circle. Aware dancers will 
adjust to make the move fit the timing of the dance. Circle left ¾ into a 
balance: make the circle bigger so the path is a bit longer. Want that extra 
two beats of swing? Contract the circle, and get there early…

I do agree that a circle left 1¼ in 8 beats does not work well. So, make the 
circle a bit bigger and turn it into a zesty 12 beats.

Erik Hoffman
Oakland, CA

Re: [Callers] Role Scramblers dances with balances

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

If my memory serves me well, yes, grand right and lefts and other things. I 
jotted it down at Mendocino, (BACDS dance week) or maybe Harvest Moon, in the 
80s. Since it was at a dance camp, there was an expectation that we'd figure It 
out or have a good time messing up. And, that's part of what I recall. That it 
was OK to mess up and laugh a lot!

~erik hoffman

-Original Message-
From: James Saxe [mailto:jim.s...@gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 11:26 AM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Cc: Erik Hoffman 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Role Scramblers dances with balances

On Apr 8, 2016, at 9:49 AM, Erik Hoffman wrote:

> Don’t know if you call squares, but Ted Sanella
[Sannella --js]
> called this square—a number of times when I was lucky enough to dance to his 
> calling.
> ... 
[remainder of Erik's message w/ full dance description copied below]

Erik,

Do you remember anything about the break figures Ted used with this dance?

If the breaks included allemande left (with corners) and right and left grand, 
dancers would have to cope with looking in what could feel like the "wrong" 
direction to find corners and with going in what could feel like the "wrong" 
direction for the right and left grand.  If the allemande left came after a 
partner swing, that might have been particularly challenging for dancers unused 
to that sort of thing.  [Side note:  Using an Alamo Ring type chorus could meet 
Lindsay Dono's original request for "dances with balances and waves," but, just 
as with a regular right and left grand, some dancers could find that the action 
felt disconcertingly different when they changed gender roles.]

Breaks included things like "head couples right and left through"
or "side 'ladies' chain" or "all four 'men' left hand star" might similarly 
have required dancers to keep their wits about them (or drawn upon their 
capacity to remain cheerful in the face their own and each other's goofs).

The sort of stuff I'm talking about strikes me as more suited for a challenging 
session at a dance camp/weekend than for a regular evening dance--and even more 
so now than at the time of Ted's visits to California 25-30 years ago, on 
account of the generally lower average familiarity of contras dancers with 
squares.  Indeed, if someone were calling at the kind of dance camp/weekend 
where the acceptable number of squares to call is quite limited, I'd hope 
they'd lean towards squares that they were confident they could put across 
without stressing the dancers' readiness to remain cheerful in the face of 
confusion.

--Jim

>  
> Sex Change Dance
> Mixer
> from Ted Sanella
[Sannella]
>  
> Couple One Swing at Home and Promenade the outside of the Ring All the 
> way, Man One stop at home, Woman One keep going to the left side of 
> Gent Three Those Three go Forward to the middle and Stand There Pat 
> Side Couples R&L Thru—Around the Line of Three Lonely Gent “Do Si Do” 
> around the Threesome then Lonely Gent: Right Hand Round with Partner, 
> Left Hand Round with Woman Three Left Elbow Round with Gent Three,

[Is Left Hand Round followed by Left Elbow Round really what you (Erik) meant?  
--js]

> and Take Him Home!

[I presume that at this point Gent 3 takes on the role of Lady 1 and vice 
versa.  Right? --js]

>  
> Everybody Home with Partner Swing
>  
> —Four times around and all have changed sex roles.  Four more times, and all 
> are back “home”

[As I understand it, the second round would be led by Couple 2, and would swap 
Lady 2 with Gent 4.  Then the next round would be led by "Couple 3" but with 
the role of "Gent 3" being danced by the original Lady 1.  And so on.  --js]

Re: [Callers] Role Scramblers dances with balances

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Don't know if you call squares, but Ted Sanella called this square-a number of 
times when I was lucky enough to dance to his calling.


Sex Change Dance
Mixer
from Ted Sanella

Couple One Swing at Home and Promenade the outside of the Ring
All the way, Man One stop at home, Woman One keep going to the left side of 
Gent Three
Those Three go Forward to the middle and Stand There Pat
Side Couples R&L Thru-Around the Line of Three
Lonely Gent "Do Si Do" around the Threesome then
Lonely Gent: Right Hand Round with Partner, Left Hand Round with Woman Three
Left Elbow Round with Gent Three,   and Take Him Home!

Everybody Home with Partner Swing

-Four times around and all have changed sex roles.  Four more times, and all 
are back "home"

Re: [Callers] Thoughts on B2/A1 swings and having time to flourish

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

On the 16-count swing. It can be totally enjoyable, but usually for experienced 
dancers. For a group of mostly beginners, even a 12-count swing can be a bit 
much. So, if I’m calling to a substantially beginning group, I’d turn it into a 
do-si-do and swing. I’ll even turn a balance & swing into a DSD & swing.

I went through a short phase of changing endings to end a dance with a swing. 
Now, I just try to stay out of the way of the band. I much prefer them doing 
the big wind-up or the occasional fade-out and surprise the dancers. So I’ve 
stopped trying to advertise my presence by calling the last time through. But, 
if a dance starts with a partner swing, I often ask the band to pick a 
last-tune-in-the-set that permits them to play three B parts the very last time 
though the dance. This lets the band do a big wind-up, me keep my mouth shut, 
and still end the dance with that A1 partner swing.

~erik hoffman
 oakland, ca


On the starting with a partner

From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of tavi 
merrill via Callers
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2016 5:39 PM
To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net; callers-requ...@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Thoughts on B2/A1 swings and having time to flourish

…

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

Re: [Callers] Rates for private events (weddings etc)?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

It would be good if, as you reply, you say where you’re from. Quite clearly the 
cost of a wedding in NYC or the SF Bay Area might be more than in Missoula, MT. 
Still:

Musicians tend to undercharge. I’m no exception. I love what I do, and can be a 
pushover on price. With that said: we tend to underrate our business. This is 
probably because most of us don’t do it as a business, but as a vocation for 
which we at times get paid.

If you’ve ever booked Wild Asparagus, you know that George books dances as a 
business. You might think he’s trying to wring every last dollar out of you, 
but, this is their primary source of income, and they’ve done a fantastic job 
of building they’re reputation—their “brand”—and now ask for what they know 
they deserve.

Jay Ungar once told me that he knows all the caterers in the Hudson Valley. 
When he negotiates a price he tries to find out who the caterer is. If it’s a 
$500 a plate business, he charges accordingly. If it’s a point-person 
organizing the pot-luck, again, if he wants the gig, he suggest a much lower 
fee.

Right after I moved to the Bay Area, I got a call about gig, a fund-raiser for 
a school. Every school I’d ever done such an event for was scrounging for any 
extra money they could make. I said, “we like to make $200 a person.” “OK, 
that’s fine,” was the immediate response. That seemed strange. It wasn’t until 
after the gig that I understood the Head Royce School in Oakland is a private 
school for the CEO types. It was one of the more interesting gigs—though it was 
also one where it was clear we were the servants, and should keep to our little 
corner, play music, and, perhaps get a few people dancing… The interest was 
just in watching the uber-rich of the 90s in Oakland do their thing.

So this note is a strong suggestion: don’t undercharge. You may feel (as I do) 
that charging $1500 for three of us to play music is a lot, as I do. But often 
it’s still one of the least expensive thing on the budget. Well, hall rent 
might be only $500 to $1000, but the rest of many of these types of things can 
run into the thousands. And, don’t be afraid to compare to other types of 
service performers: Call a wedding band and ask what they charge—it’s usually a 
lot more than what we charge. If you’re doing it solo with recordings, call a 
wedding DJ and find out what they charge.

~erik Hoffman

oakland, ca



I charge $150 for a wedding and $50 more if alcohol is served.
JoLaine
On Mar 26, 2016 5:29 PM, "Dave Casserly via Callers" 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
I've only called weddings for good friends, and I do that for free.  But I've 
played a lot of weddings, and I generally would not take a wedding gig unless 
it paid at least 2-3x what a normal dance would pay.

For a single caller, assuming you're NOT bringing sound or being in charge of 
the band, you'll probably have some MC duties, at least.  It's been that way at 
pretty much all of the weddings where I've played for a dance.  As Alan and 
Jeff said, it doesn't matter how much time there will be actual dancing; you'll 
end up being there for quite a while in any event with setup, etc.  Keeping 
your time to a minimum isn't going to be a priority; I've played weddings where 
the band sets up and finishes sound check literally three hours before going on.

I recommend getting the couple on the phone immediately so you can gauge what 
they're looking for.  Generally, I think about it in terms of how long I need 
to be there.  If it's a local gig, I'd start with something like $150 for the 
first hour I'd be there, and $50/hr after that, plus travel.  But I'd ask for 
more if I had any duties other than playing (or calling), such as setting up 
sound, providing recorded music, etc.  Typically, you won't be at a wedding for 
less than three or four hours, at least, so you're looking at $250-500.  I live 
in DC, which is not quite as expensive as NY, so adjust accordingly.

I am generally willing to play or call for dances for community events and 
other one night stands at a much lower rate.  With weddings, though, the 
couple's paying LOTS of money for stuff that isn't as valuable as the music, 
and I'm unlikely to move much off the initial ask, unless it's a very close 
friend, in which case I'd do it for free.

-Dave

On Sat, Mar 26, 2016 at 4:36 PM, Alan Winston via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
First off, you're not charging for the number of minutes of dancing.  You're 
charging for your experience, expertise, and skill, showing up on time and 
being ready to do it, waiting around as necessary, traveling if needed, being 
mellow if (when) things go over and your time is cut, etc.

What are you being asked to deliver for your fee?  Are they booking their own 
band and arranging their own sound?

For the we

Re: [Callers] Rates for private events (weddings etc)?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Jeff Below says:
Weddings are a lot of hassle. I find most weddings a joy.

I used to do mobile DJ. Doing that it was easy to see I was primarily part of 
the service industry, and often it was just a gig. Since I now do only calling, 
and only with live music (even if it’s just me and my fiddle), I find that I 
almost always wish I knew the people who are getting married, and often enjoy 
the whole wedding. Yes, there are still a few when I feel more connected to the 
caterers – the other servers of weddings.

They are a hassle in the way that there are other things you need to check in 
about:
Dress
First Dance
Father/Daughter, Son/Mother
Special events
Dollar Dance?
Boguet and/or garter Toss?
Etc.
The caller ends up being more or less the emcee of the evening.
As Jeff points out, if you’re bringing the sound system, you often have to get 
there prior to the wedding and stay until the end. Often the sound system gets 
used for toasts. A wireless hand-held mic can come in handy!

Money: A musician friend of mine once showed me an article on how music is at 
the bottom of the pay list. Thousands on a wedding dress, thousands on 
catering, a hundred on music. And, when doing a good job at leading those four 
or five dances, you hear back that that is what people remember about that 
wedding!

We folk musicians often undercut ourselves. I know I do. I have a hard time 
asking for $500 a person, where a swing band might have no problem with that. 
I’ve been getting better at it. And, I’ve been getting better—and think it 
works better—saying package rates:

$1600 for three of us and a sound system
$1200 for two of us and a sound system
$700 for me and my fiddle

Of course these are the start of negotiations. For repeat groups like schools 
and churches that have yearly get togethers I charge what they can afford. 
Actually, the same is true for weddings, I do try to ask what they’re budget 
is, and often work with it. I still do these kind of gigs for $200 to $300 per 
person, and less for friends. But it is more than 3 times a normal dance in our 
area (where one might get $75 or $80…)

I did write a book on this subject called Old-Time Dance Calling for Weddings, 
Parties, and One-Night Stands. $20 includes postage & handling.

~erik Hoffman
oakland, ca


From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Jeff 
Kaufman via Callers

I would ask for about 3x more for a wedding then for an evening of dancing:

* weddings are a lot of hassle

* you're only playing/calling for a short time, but you need to be there very 
early and schedules are not reliable at weddings -- this may be worse for bands 
than callers

* people spend so much at most weddings these days that they're typically 
willing to pay whatever (once I let someone negotiate me down a lot by them 
saying they were trying to save money and when I got therei found out that the 
food cost more per guest then they were paying each of us)

* I'd charge much less or free for a friend, especially if I would be at their 
wedding anyway: it's like a wedding gift
On Mar 26, 2016 2:23 PM, "Michael Fuerst via Callers" 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Central Illinois where I live?  $35-50, although our local callers would 
probably do such for free.
NYC?  $2000, but  $3000 if on a weekend

Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801  217 239 
5844

On Saturday, March 26, 2016 1:13 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers 
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:

Hey folks,

I've just been asked to call a wedding, and I don't have a good idea for what 
the going rate for these things is. What do you all charge for a wedding (say, 
30 mins-an hour of dancing)? (And how might you adjust this rate for NYC?)

Thanks,
Maia

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Re: [Callers] Novelty & Gimmick Contras

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Here are a couple novelty dances I've made up:*
*

*
Garbology*

Erik Hoffman

Odd—Modified Tempest Formation

December 1998

A1Ones down center, turn as a Couple, Return, WHILE the twos and threes 
slide up the set one Couples place, cast off with (new) same sex two and 
three person


A2Hey for Four, ones start, passing Right shoulder, Couples two and 
three acting as “units” latching (arms around each others backs) onto 
Partners.


B1Finish the hey (it takes longer with “units”), ones cross to Star Left 
(in threes) with the opposite Couple (ones without Partners)


B2All Balance & Swing Partners

Formation is a U shaped triple minor formation, Couple one facing down, 
Couple two to the Right of Couple one(from the callers point of view), 
facing in, Couple three to the Left of Couple one, also facing in. I set 
this up by having both the ones and the twos get Improper, then the twos 
and threes circle Left one-quarter, as in Becket formation.


On the first walk-through I don't teach the progression; I do on the 
second walk-through.Note that when couples finally progress, two couples 
come out at the same time.Since only one goes in the next time round, at 
the top I have the number two Couple go in first, and the number three 
Couple wait out an extra time.At the bottom, when the a couple comes 
out, they need to wait for a second Couple before entering the dance.I 
suggest the first Couple waiting out become a number two, the second a 
number three. That way, Twos wait out twice at the bottom, threes, twice 
at the top.


This dance was written at Camp Harmony, the San Francisco Folk Music 
Club’s annual new years camp.It was at a workshop where I was making up 
“experimental contras.”I was naming them for the signs around the 
hall.This one landed on the “Garbology” sign – one discussing the use of 
garbage.Since this is something we should all consider, I think it’s 
well named
Part of the idea for this came from the beautiful and flowing 
dance, /American Summer/, by Phillipe Callens.




-



The next is designed as a Christmas dance, to go with the tune, We Three 
Kings, played as a straightened out jig. But I think it can be fun just 
as it is:



*Follow That Star*

Improper

Erik Hoffman

A1with New Neighbors: Star Left;with Old Neighbors: Star Right
A2Ones take Number Two Man Down Hall in Line of Three WHILE
 the Number Two Women come up the hall single file,'
  Turn Alone, Return, the Lines of Three Folds into a Circle around
  Number Two Women
B1 Circle Three around Number Two Wm;Neighbor Swing on “Own” Side
B2Long Lines Forward &Back;All Swing Partner (or just Ones if space is 
tight)


The story line is:
   Three Kings Follow Stars. They find a Babe in a Manger, Everyone 
Celebrates!To be danced to “We Three Kings” straightened out and as a Jig.





--
~Erik
  510-410-0456 Mobile
  510-444-4397 Land-Line

Re: [Callers] Contras for One Nighters

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

~Erik
  510-410-0456 Mobile
  510-444-4397 Land-Line

On 3/5/2016 4:03 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers wrote:

On 3/5/2016 1:27 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:

As written, it's proper (or, for a non-dancer crowd, "it doesn't 
matter which side you're on as long as you're across from your 
partner'), so I'd avoid using the gendered terms in the A2.  And as 
written, it was RH then LH star but I think it flows better the other 
way.


Of course! That's why I wrote "(pretending it's) Improper." I did 
suspect that it'd be proper, with first corners & second corners, but I 
suppose I'm more of an American style caller...


And, about those A2 terms, for a beginner group I'd change that to:
A2: Partner DSD; Neighbor DSD
as anything on the bias -- especially when it's likely to change when 
you transform from one to two or vice versa--is confusing for the 
uninitiated...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca





Itchington Long Dance
Hugh Rippon, 1990

(pretending it's) Improper
A1: Star L/R;

A2:Wm DSD; Mn DSD

B1: Ones down center, turn alone, return, cast

B2:1s swing and look down for new Nbrs

For beginning dancers, I'd change B2 to Long lines forward and back
(good for connection, reduces swing time, which is often better for
beginners)


Good suggestion!  I'm making a note on the card.

Kalia
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Re: [Callers] Contras for One Nighters

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

In looking at Kalia's suggestions, I've put the Itchinton dance in what 
is more readable to me. Kalia, do I have it correct?


Itchington Long Dance
Hugh Rippon, 1990

(pretending it's) Improper
A1: Star L/R;

A2:Wm DSD; Mn DSD

B1: Ones down center, turn alone, return, cast

B2:1s swing and look down for new Nbrs

For beginning dancers, I'd change B2 to Long lines forward and back 
(good for connection, reduces swing time, which is often better for 
beginners)


~Erik
  510-410-0456 Mobile
  510-444-4397 Land-Line

On 3/5/2016 12:54 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers wrote:

On 3/5/2016 10:44 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers wrote:

I rarely call a contra at a One Night Party Dance, but occasionally I am
asked to.  I have a few in my cards, but can anyone make some sure fire
recommendations.

Assume 95%-100% non dancers.


Just getting to the duple minor progression can be quite a process.  
The simplest duple minor I've got is not technically a contra (it's an 
English ceilidh dance), but works well as a mine-sweeper to see 
whether more complex duples will work.  It's called the Itchington 
Long Dance (Hugh Rippon, 1990).  Star L/R; cnrs dosido; 1s 
down/bk/cast; 1s swing and look down for new Ns. If your crowd is up 
for it and you've got room, the B2 can be a general P swing, but I 
like to do it just for the 1s to make the progression clearer.


Washington Quickstep (a contra chestnut) is good too, and if the 1s 
lose track of who needs to be on the right after the swing, nothing 
terrible happens.  Star R/L, 1s dn/bk/cast; R&L thru over/bk; LLFB, 1s 
sw.


Kalia
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Re: [Callers] Contras for One Nighters

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Add the Clap and Rich's House Dance Special turns into the simple 
version of Haste to the Wedding (for which that tune works great:


A1 Circle left, then right
A2 Star right, then left
B1 Partner DSD; Clap, Partner two hand turn once
B2 Neighbor DSD; Clap, Neighbor two hand turn one-and-a-half

Or, as below:
B2 Neighbor DSD; Clap, Pass Neighbor, bow to next


~erik hoffman
   oakland, ca

On 3/5/2016 11:00 AM, Jacob or Nancy Bloom via Callers wrote:

Hi Rich,

On such occasions, I use what I think of as my House Dance Special, 
which is just a Sicilian Circle straightened out.


Duple, and don't say a word about who is supposed to be on which side 
of the set


Circle left, circle right
Right hand star, left hand star
Dosido partner, two hand turn
Dosido neighbor, pass through and bow to new neighbor


Jacob


On Sat, Mar 5, 2016 at 1:44 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


I rarely call a contra at a One Night Party Dance, but
occasionally I am asked to.  I have a few in my cards, but can
anyone make some sure fire recommendations.

Assume 95%-100% non dancers.

Thanks, Rich
Stafford, CT

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--
jandnbl...@gmail.com <mailto:jandnbl...@gmail.com>
http://jacobbloom.net/


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Re: [Callers] Family dances for 3-9 people?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Here's a dance I made up sometime -- don't quite remember when, for 7, 
but works with 9 (or even 11...)


The Millennium Bug
Erik Hoffman
Written for a weird New Year...

Formation is a longways set of couples facing the odd person out who is 
"The Bug"


A1  Essentially, up a double towards The Bug, but I call it a 
with-your-partner
   forward and back then make lines a the sides and the bug strolls 
down

   the center
A2  Unzip the Line:
  When The Bug gets to the bottom, he or she keeps facing down, 
crosses

  his or her arms, makes an arch with the higher arm, and backs up,
  guiding the low arm people under the arm
B1  After the ends of the lines come out: Circle Left, then Right
B2  The Bug Swings Someone (The Bug chooses first!) then the rest choose
   a Partner and Swing. The dancer with no partner is The New Bug and
   goes to the Top, others end forming a longways set facing The Bug

Originally conceived for 7 people, and works well in that size, and 
works well for 9, too.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 2/18/2016 10:52 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers wrote:

Hi Everyone,
In preparation for calling my first family dance on March 6, I’d like to find 
some family-friendly dances that are for very small groups, like 3-9 people.
Ideally NOT proper triplets, or 3x3s (already have a few of those) and NO 
gender roles.

I’ve got a good collection of simple dances for 10++ people, circles, lines, 
etc.
I’m preparing for a crowd of up to 100 but if it dwindles down to 1-2 families 
or starts slow, I’d like something for small groups too.

Thanks!
Claire Takemori

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[Callers] Another New Dance?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

I made up another dance last night. Is it new?

Becket
A1 Petronella Ring Balance;  Neighbor Swing
A2 Big Oval Promenade--Clockwise (women towards center)--turn as a 
couple (men now towards center); Return

B1 (looking for man with partner) Men Allemande Left 1-1/2; Partner Swing
B2 Long Lines Forward & Back; Star Right Half, Single File Prom (men 
leading partner) to next Couple to form a Ring


If it is new, and not out of some misplaced memory, then it's called A 
Valentine Surprise.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] another new word idea

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi Rich and All,

My memory of "Frontier Twirl" is pretty strong. But then again, it's the 
80s I'm talking about...


~erik

On 1/27/2016 1:20 PM, Rich Sbardella wrote:

Erik,
I have heard Frontier Whirl as a California Twirl, but never Frontier 
Twirl?  Are you sure?  (Maybe I am mistaken.)

Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT

On Wed, Jan 27, 2016 at 12:26 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


What Michael Fuerst said at a readable size (It's still coming
through to me in some microscopic font):

> Are you also contemplating  to abandon the awkward to say
"California
> Twirl"

Aha! A whole new topic. Well, actually old. Larry Edelman, one of
my favorite dance callers, and someone I feel lucky to have spent
time with, and from whom I have learned so much, use to complain
about "California Twirl." I don't recall his reasons, but he
always called it a "Frontier Twirl," which I think he got from old
square dance books.

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] another new word idea

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

What Michael Fuerst said at a readable size (It's still coming through 
to me in some microscopic font):


> Are you also contemplating  to abandon the awkward to say "California
> Twirl"
> If you use your gypsy alternative for new dancers, will you advise them
> of all the synonyms being conjured ?

Aha! A whole new topic. Well, actually old. Larry Edelman, one of my 
favorite dance callers, and someone I feel lucky to have spent time 
with, and from whom I have learned so much, use to complain about 
"California Twirl." I don't recall his reasons, but he always called it 
a "Frontier Twirl," which I think he got from old square dance books.


I've been using "right shoulder turn," and "left shoulder turn," and 
mentioning that there's been a discussion on the use of the word Gypsy. 
Then again, somewhere around sixty percent of the time I tend to call a 
"right hand turn," instead of "allemande right," as it's more descriptive.


This, in some ways, gives another reason for using different words: the 
use of descriptive calls. Thus abandoning a non-descriptive call for one 
that is more readily interpreted by all dancers has other benefits than 
just abandoning a word that some--or all--find pejorative .


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 1/27/2016 7:03 AM, Michael Fuerst via Callers wrote:
Are you also contemplating  to abandon the awkward to say "California 
Twirl"
If you use your gypsy alternative for new dancers, will you advise 
them of all the synonyms being conjured ?

Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801  217 239 5844

Re: [Callers] Weary of the same discussions

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Two ways to eliminate some of the time sorting through unwanted emails:

1) sort on the subject line, highlight all the unwanted emails (like "g 
word"), delete all at once


2) make a folder into which all the emails from the callers' list go. 
Then you can delete them when you have time, and still sort them on the 
subject line and jettison all "g word" emails at the same time.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 1/22/2016 8:30 PM, Amy Carroll via Callers wrote:


I'm sorry, but it really isn't enough to just ignore the posts.  They 
fill my inbox and become another pile of stuff to filter through 
trying to find the email I really need/want to read.


I feel as though this discussion happened already, quite recently, and 
it's just the same thing again.  No one is convincing anyone.  It all 
started with the simple announcement about a lecture, and then some 
snarky comments re sparked this entire discussion. Yuck.


Questions:
#1) Is it possible to recieve a daily digest of this list instead of 
each individual message?  Like you can do with yahoo groups.  Then I 
wouldn't mind all the junk so much.


#2) Is there a facebook equivalent of this list?  Those are nice, 
because when you don't have time, you don't bother to look.  If you 
don't comment, you don't see the whole discussion unless you really go 
looking for it.  I would appreciate the discussion, even the repeated 
discussion,  that happens here a lot more if it were not in my email.


Other solutions?

yours,

Amy Carroll
a...@calleramy.com
<mailto:a...@calleramy.com>206-330-7408
http://www.calleramy.com/



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Re: [Callers] That g word

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Reminds me of a mediation I was sort of part of, where a pure-breed 
female dog was unsuccessfully inseminated by another of that breed. 
"Bitch" and "Stud" were used liberally, and, of course, accurately...


(It was a small claims court, we mediated, and the resulting 
decision--validated by the small claims judge--was: the person who owned 
the bitch got the pick of a litter from a bitch owned by the person with 
the stud. A result that would never have occurred had it gone to a 
judge. Both parties were satisfied with the result, if not exactly happy.)


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 1/22/2016 9:15 AM, Martha Wild via Callers wrote:
And I don’t ban those words from my conversation if they are 
appropriate and in context. My daughter raises chickens. We talk about 
the cocks and the hens. In the lab the carboys have stopcocks on them. 
I have friends called Dick and I use their right name. Context is 
important, though if I were in the presence of an English language 
learner I might be careful assuming my listeners were not as familiar 
with different words. But that is also context.

Martha

On Jan 22, 2016, at 9:04 AM, Ron Blechner <mailto:contra...@gmail.com>> wrote:


It also means that I refrain from the following word uses:

"Gay" meaning happy.
"Cock" meaning rooster.
"Pussy" meaning cat.
"Douche" meaning to shower.

This, as an aside, was a funny email to write. Apologies for any 
offended, but I use slang/swear words to make a serious point, and 
we're all mature here. I hope.


Ron

On Jan 22, 2016 12:01 PM, "Ron Blechner" <mailto:contra...@gmail.com>> wrote:


Sargon,

You and I don't get to decide what millions of people think a
word means. it's the nature of language. Logic often has no
bearing on it.

In the same way "negro" is derived from Latin for "black", and
aptly may describe a color, it's still inappropriate and
offensive in most human contexts nowadays.

When a word stereotypes a group of people, the only ones who get
to decide the proper use of that word is... that group of people.

...

As for contra communities, until there's more groundswell of
support for changing "gypsy", it's an uphill battle. I think
perhaps the smart thing for those of us concerned with not using
the word is to educate. At the same time, I fully respect callers
choosing to use their own replacements.

Ron Blechner

On Jan 22, 2016 11:50 AM, mailto:sargo...@gmail.com>> wrote:

I disagree. If it is fair to condemn a word despite
widespread ignorance of its racist etymology (such as the
very real problem with the verb "gyp"), then the inverse must
be true: it is fair to exonerate a word despite widespread
ignorance of its non-racist etymology (e.g., niggardly). That
a word falsely gets attributed to a category in which it
doesn't belong is irrelevant. If two separate
meanings/derivations converge to an identically spelled
modern word, I don't believe the innocent word (when used in
its original context) deserves to be written off. Let us
truly abide by what you claim to support: its current use
*is* relevant.


On Jan 21, 2016, at 13:25, Ron Blechner via Callers
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


Martha,

Regardless of whether it was derived from Welsh hundreds of
years ago, would you say more than 0.1% of dancers know
that? Or, do you think 99.9%+ of dancers associate "gypsy"
the dance move with the slang for wandering people?

Regardless of its origin, its current use is relevant.

Ron

On Jan 21, 2016 12:15 PM, "Martha Wild via Callers"
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:

As mentioned, there are many words we use that are even
considered impolite but only depending on context. The
nickname for Richard, for example. Lots of men proudly
use that as their name, but it’s also a really offensive
term. The name Randy has other contexts, yet we use it
without any problem in the context of someone with that
as their name. (Note the use of the plural for the
generic singular pronoun, which I’ve done for years,
unhappy with he/him for that term and that just sort of
started happening). If our word actually came down from
Welsh, and has no relationship to the Romani whatsoever,
then it would seem even more reason to recognize that it
is context dependent and completely divorced from the
pejorative use of the unfortunately similar word in
other countries.
   

Re: [Callers] That g word

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I've been dancing both roles since before I started calling. I remember 
dancing once with David Cantieni at Spring Weekend in the 80s, and women 
getting mad at us because we should have danced with them... And, I 
started using "Men" and "Women" almost when I started to call.


I used to say, "Anyone can ask anyone to dance, men can ask women, women 
can ask men, men can ask men, and women can ask women. You should try as 
many of these as possible." Then my dance community, Santa Barbara, CA, 
received a letter about me saying that at a dance in Santa Maria, a 
little, quite conservative town north west of Santa Barbara. The letter 
noted that some people left when I said that. After that, on further 
reflection--for the time and place--I felt the letter writer was 
correct. I didn't want to drive away homophobic people, though I wanted 
people to feel comfortable dancing with anyone.


But Read W., well, I'm from California, and he's from Massachusetts. 
Things might have been different back here, rather than out east, since 
we are the "left coast"...


~erik hoffman
Oakland, ca


On 1/21/2016 5:33 PM, Read Weaver via Callers wrote:
I expect at the time you made the change from "ladies" to "women," very 
few men would have considered dancing with another man, and those who 
did would have faced confusion at best, and hostility from some--I speak 
from my own experience. As that has changed, so has the language. Sorry 
if you think that's something to sigh about.


Read Weaver
Jamaica Plain, MA
http://lcfd.org

Re: [Callers] Petronella spin, no chain or allemande?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

Hey, like Michael F., I think it's good to use few words. And, when 
calling, I rarely, if ever, call "Petronella." Much more likely to say, 
"Balance Now... Spin to the right!" I also think it's great to 
acknowledge where dances came from. Thus, when teaching, I like 
mentioning the move came from an old dance, and even letting people know 
that they'd be lucky to dance it.


To Ron's point of the dance being spin then balance, I'm not so worried 
about using the word Petronella to indicate the way most (if not all) 
modern dances use the figure. I trust when people dance Petronella, 
whether as in the sort of modern version of holding hands in a ring, or 
as only active couples dancing it as described in  Beth Tolman & Ralph 
Page's, "The Country Dance Book," or in the Scottish Country Dance 
style. I trust that any dancer with even a vague interest will see the 
connection if they get to try it in one of the older verions.


Meanwhile, I still suggest saying something like, "a move stolen from an 
old dance called Petronella..."


~erik hoffman

On 12/15/2015 11:09 AM, Bill Olson via Callers wrote:
Hi Erik and all, heh heh, I often chuckle at MYSELF when I find myself 
saying that same thing: "as in Petronella", when I realize very few of 
the dancers have ever danced Petronella.. BUT, after trying to teach 
the move with out saying the "P word", I realized that some of the 
dancers at least know what the move is and having a percentage of the 
dancers "doing the right thing" helps the others., especially those 
who learn by seeing as opposed to having something "explained"... 
(with rights and lefts in it ugh).. I've found saying: "balance the 
ring and move one place to the right while pivoting over your right 
shoulder" doesn't always get everyone doing the same thing (hah!), if 
it doesn't actually freeze some dancers in their tracks!!


Now I hear newer callers saying stuff like "balance the ring and 
Petronella to the right" or "balance left and Rory to the left". 
Making new verbs out of these proper names.. well, whatever works!!!


bill

> To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
> Date: Mon, 14 Dec 2015 19:14:30 -0800
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Petronella spin, no chain or allemande?
> From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
>
> Bay Area Caller Tom Thoreau made up a dance that I've used lots at
> beginner level dances:
>
> Barbarella
> Becket
> A1 Petronella Balance x 2
> A2 Petronella Balance x 2
> B1 Partner Balance & Swing
> B2 Right & Left through; Circle half, slide left to next couple
>
> And, it is dedicated to Jane Fonda...
>
> An aside (which I might have said before)
>
> I still find it funny when callers announce, "as in Petronella," or "as
> in Rory O'More." I look around the room and see almost no one who has a
> clue as to what Petronella or Rory O'More is. Sometimes even the caller
> doesn't know--or barely knows... I recommend saying something like "a
> move from a wonderful old dance called Petronella."
>
> ~erik hoffman
> oakland, ca
>
> On 12/13/2015 7:33 PM, Bill Baritompa via Callers wrote:
> > Hi Ron,
> >
> > Great for total beginners, not sure of name or author:
> >
> > Easy Petronella ? improper
> > A1, A2 Circle Balance, petronella spin 4X
> > B1 Neighbor Dosido; Neighbor Swing
> > B2 LLFB, 1s Swing
> >
> > Cheers, Bill
> >
> >
> > On 14/12/2015 4:13 p.m., Ron Blechner via Callers wrote:
> >> Any suggestions for your favorite easy or intermediate Petronella
> >> spin dance
> >> with no chain, no allemandes?
> >
> > ___
> > Callers mailing list
> > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net
> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
> >
> >
> >
>
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Re: [Callers] Petronella spin, no chain or allemande?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Bay Area Caller Tom Thoreau made up a dance that I've used lots at 
beginner level dances:


Barbarella
Becket
A1 Petronella Balance x 2
A2 Petronella Balance x 2
B1 Partner Balance & Swing
B2 Right & Left through; Circle half, slide left to next couple

And, it is dedicated to Jane Fonda...

An aside (which I might have said before)

I still find it funny when callers announce, "as in Petronella," or "as 
in Rory O'More." I look around the room and see almost no one who has a 
clue as to what Petronella or Rory O'More is. Sometimes even the caller 
doesn't know--or barely knows... I recommend saying something like "a 
move from a wonderful old dance called Petronella."


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 12/13/2015 7:33 PM, Bill Baritompa via Callers wrote:

Hi Ron,

Great for total beginners, not sure of name or author:

Easy Petronella?improper
A1, A2Circle Balance, petronella spin 4X
B1Neighbor Dosido; Neighbor Swing
B2LLFB,  1s Swing

Cheers, Bill


On 14/12/2015 4:13 p.m., Ron Blechner via Callers wrote:
Any suggestions for your favorite easy or intermediate Petronella 
spin dance

with no chain, no allemandes?


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Re: [Callers] Gypsy Synopsis

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

OK, Adding Gyre to the top of the list. Makes me wonder what the move 
"gimble" will look like...


And a quick look at another minor fascination of mine: Gypsy Jazz. Don't 
know if they're looking for a replacement word...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 10/29/2015 1:24 AM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:


* I thought I'd collect all the words that have been suggested so far 
(unless I missed one or two) in one place. Here it is:

Gyre

No Hand Turn
No Hand Allemande (and I do think Allemande comes from "The 
German," a dance)

Dance Around, or Walk Around
Face to Face Do Si Do
Bine (binary stars -- snippet below)
Nose-to-Nose Do Si Do
Dance Around - or Dance About
Orbit Around - or Orbit About
Loop
Eddy
Vortex
Swirl
Spiral
Eyes or "Take Eyes"
Holding Eyes
Eyeballs
Facing
Maypole
Hands Off
Face à Face (facey-face...)
Right (Left) Shoulder (without the G-word)
Cyclone (though mentioned with a complaint - too "violent") 

[Callers] Gypsy Synopsis

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

On the subject of gypsies and language, I've enjoyed reading the myriad 
comments, and find myself feeling ambiguous (which I define as feeling 
very strongly both ways). And, I know it's been thrashed about and we've 
a request for acknowledging that we are unlikely to change any opinions 
on this. That said:


* I have had this discussion with a number people in the past, about the 
very strong negative connotations of the word "Gypsy." Ambivalent as I 
am, I do think we should look for a replacement word.


* I thought I'd collect all the words that have been suggested so far 
(unless I missed one or two) in one place. Here it is:

No Hand Turn
No Hand Allemande (and I do think Allemande comes from "The 
German," a dance)

Dance Around, or Walk Around
Face to Face Do Si Do
Bine (binary stars -- snippet below)
Nose-to-Nose Do Si Do
Dance Around - or Dance About
Orbit Around - or Orbit About
Loop
Eddy
Vortex
Swirl
Spiral
Eyes or "Take Eyes"
Holding Eyes
Eyeballs
Facing
Maypole
Hands Off
Face à Face (facey-face...)
Right (Left) Shoulder (without the G-word)
Cyclone (though mentioned with a complaint - too "violent")

* I like "Single File with a Smile" to replace "Indian Style." Many 
Indians don't like the moniker "Native American," and vice versa -- 
America is a name that comes from a European explorer, in some ways more 
insulting than the misconstrued "Indians," from the name given by a 
murderous European explorer... It is good, I think, to stop using words 
that come from stereotyped images of an oppressed or victimized people.


* When thinking of our positive feelings about the word -- "happy, 
colorful," think about people of the slave-holding South remembered with 
great delight how "Nigras" were always happy, and how warm and wonderful 
it was when they were slaves. Of course, they rarely considered that 
that "happiness" stemmed from fear -- the fear of bodily injury, jail, 
or even lynching...


* We are teaching dance in a public forum. Dog breeders use the word 
"bitch" regularly -- no problem. Start calling a woman that word, and 
the connotation is different. A chink in a chain, a dike to hold back 
water or in a rock formation, etc. are all used in specialized 
situations. I run into a similar problem as I love playing the Jews 
Harp... Our use of the word Gypsy in a public forum could be said to 
have that specialized meaning. But it can be construed to have those 
negative connotations.


* Eric Black says he uses "Gents & Ladies," never, "men & women." Years 
ago I stopped using Ladies & Gents since their roots are steeped in 
classism, and we live in a severely class society -- even though we 
pretend we don't. Be that as it may, I started using Ladies & Gents 
again when I realized most of us don't have those connotations 
associated with those words. Now I've gone gender free, and use ravens & 
larks. But when I was young we used "him," and "he" to mean "everyone. 
We did notice the affect this had on young women as promoting that sense 
of exclusion that still dominates our culture. Most of us now say "he 
and she," or just "she", and it has changed how some of us think about 
the power of women. Language does make a difference. Much of this came 
about from discussions on how the words I choose to use affect some. 
Most of are "unaffected," by the use of certain words. Or at least we 
don't perceive an affect of the use of certain words. It's like those of 
us who are White often don't know the scrutiny Black people are 
subjected to throughout their everyday lives. Or the majority of us men 
don't live with the fear and degradation women are subjected to. It is 
important to understand how our language affects those around us, 
especially from the podium.


Well, enough for now, as that's more than two-cents worth...

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

The Snippet on from Richard Fischer (richardallenfisc...@verizon.net) 
"Bine":
> I have a suggestion for a new word to replace "gypsy."  My word is 
"bine" and I derive it from
> "binary stars" which, especially if they are of similar mass, circle 
each other as in our dance
> move. I consulted with an astrophysicist friend, who told me that 
under certain circumstances
> binary stars may be "tidally locked," that is, facing each other as 
they orbit about each other.
> (Our moon is tidally locked, but in the earth-moon case it's not a 
mutual thing.)

>
> "Bine" can be used as a verb and a noun, it&#x

Re: [Callers] Fw: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Yes, years ago I traveled with the Contra Bandits to a Knoxville dance 
weekend. (At least I think it was Knoxville...) The band wanted to play 
The Liberty Bell. I thought it needed a 4-beat thing at the end of every 
part, like a balance. I half succeeded...


Flying Circus
Becket
Erik Hoffman

A1Pass Thru to an ocean wave (4), Balance (4)
 Partner Allemande Right 3/4 to long waves (Men face out – Left 
hand with first Shadow)(4), Balance (4)
A2Allemande Left first Shadow 3/4 to wave with Men in the middle 
(4), Balance (4)

 Walk forward to wave with Parnter in left hand (4), Balance (4)
B1Men pull by with Right to a Neighbor Swing
B2on the Right Diagonal: Women chain--to second Shadow (8); Partner 
Swing  (8) ("fall into your Partner’s arms")




On 10/20/2015 4:38 PM, Mac Mckeever via Callers wrote:
I believe Eric Hoffman has a dance called Flying Circus.  I worked 
with a band several years ago to play Liberty Bell March - it was a 
lot of fun


Mac McKeever


- Forwarded Message -
*From:* Aahz Maruch via Callers 
*To:* callers@lists.sharedweight.net
*Sent:* Tuesday, October 20, 2015 6:29 PM
*Subject:* Re: [Callers] Musical styles for a Barn Dance question

On Sun, Oct 18, 2015, JD Erskine iDance via Callers wrote:
>
> A few weeks ago I attended a free, intro night of MWSD. The point I took
> away from that was that someone could really use any music if it met the
> basic criteria. There were Beatles tunes/songs, pop "standards" and 
such.

> Not much in the way of tune as many of us might generally expect or
> appreciate.

One MWSD caller I know likes to use John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell"
March -- aka the theme from Monty Python.  I find that somewhat
distracting as I keep expecting to hear the *STOMP*.
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
  <*>  <*>   <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html



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Re: [Callers] Blues for contra dancing

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Blues for Contras:

There are several contras made up for the blues. Fred Park made up one 
of them, and I've made up three-for various occasions. I don't know that 
I'd recommend them for a beginner dance, but they're posted below.


Understanding the structure of the blues, and how it fits into the 
normal structure of contra music is important. Richard, below, is 
incorrect in saying "24 beats," because we think of bars as being 
2-beats each, and the blues uses bars that are 4-beats each. Thus, 
talking beats:

32 2-beat bars = 64 beats, divided into four 16-beat sections (AABB)
12 4-beat bars = 48 beats, which can be divided into three 16-beat 
sections


Using The Walking Blues (Paul Butterfield -- 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9dkse6R3Tg) and Roman numerals for 
chords (ask a musician) as our basic 12-bar blues, your common blues 
follows this structure or variants thereof:


A:
|I   |I  |I |I |
Woke up this moring, I, looked around for my shoes

B:
|VI|VI|I |I |
Woke up this morning, I, looked around for my shoes

C:
|V |VI|I |V   |
Girl I had those, Whoa, mean old Walkin' Blues

OK, in this tune they don't play that V chord in the last measure, 
except in the instrumental part, but it's common.


One thing you need to watch out for is tempo. The Walkin' Blues is good. 
This is on the slow side:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D93PBlwBp8s

The first tune in this video of the fablulous Elmore James is a great 
speed, and has the basic "Blues Shuffle" backup (which is similar to a jig)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BgRO81Y5fU

The first tune of this great Muddy Waters video,/Rock Me Baby/, is a bit 
slow, but could be speeded up a bit easily. The second tune Hoochie 
Cootchie Man (3:13) is too slow. The third tune, /Trouble No More/ 
(6:04), is too fast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40-oo1S2WEw

Remember, at a barn dance, many of the dances we do, like the Virginia 
Reel, or Strip the Willow, or other sort of "unphrased" dances don't 
need the strict 32-bar structure.



Those Blues Contras:

Blues Too
Improper—Blues
Erik Hoffman
ACircle Left 1/2, Balance the Ring;  Swing Neighbor
BWomen Do Si Do 1-1/2;  Swing Partner
CCircle Left ¾;  Balance the Ring, CA Twirl

Swinging Into Marriage
Becket—Blues
Erik Hoffman
AMen Allemande Left 1/2 to a wave (4) Balance (4);  Swing Neighbor (8)
Bon Right diagonal: Women Allemande Right 1/2 (to a wave with Shadow 
on the diagonal (4), Balance (4);  Those same four Half Hey, Shadow 
start Left shoulder

CPartner Balance & Swing

Christmas Blues
Becket (right progressing)
APetronella Balance, Neighbor Swing
BMen Allemande Left  1-1/2; Partner Swing
CLong Lines Forward & Back; Partner Promenade 1/2, with a big loop 
to next couple

>>>>
Around 25 years ago we started doing a Christmas Night dance in Santa 
Barbara. Maybe 20 years ago Bayou Seco started playing for it, and we've 
been doing it for a long time! I love singing Elvis Presley's /Santa 
Claus is Back in Town/, so we've been doing a blues dance and using that 
song for about as long. Thus, we vary it a bit:/Fred Park's Ministry of 
Truth/, my /Blues Too/, and now /Christmas Blues/.


And finally:
What does it say on the blue's player's tombstone?
-- "I didn't wake up this morning..."

~erik hoffman
  oakland, ca


On 10/18/2015 3:13 PM, Richard via Callers wrote:

The structure of a classic blues song is 12 bars long (24 beats). Modern blues 
bands do play a lot of tunes that are not in this structure.  In any case it 
might be interesting to think about contras that are or could be made to be 48 
or 72 beats long, rather than 64.

R

Richard Hopkins
850-544-7614
hopkin...@comcast.net

Sent from my iPhone



On Oct 18, 2015, at 4:01 PM, via Callers  wrote:

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Dances For Short Line (Louie.cromartie via Callers)
   2. Re: Dances For Short Line (Linda Leslie via Callers)
   3. Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
  (Leslie Gotfrit via Callers)
   4. Re: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
  (John Rogers via Callers)
   5. Re: Musical styles for a Barn Dance question
  (JD Erskine iDance via Callers)


---

Re: [Callers] Problem dancers / Crying Wolf

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

First, sorry for the inadvertent sending of no message.

Second, although I agree with Lisa that it's great to have dancers take 
care of themselves and not call them "victims," and, if a dancer tells 
me about a specific situation with another dancer, her approach is 
commendable. But, two things:


1) When there is a dancer -- most commonly the older man seeking to 
"take over" the training of the new dancer -- there's a problem. This 
problem is that new dancers has no stake in the dance. If her (or his) 
enjoyment is reduced, they have no real reason to report it, and a good 
reason to never come back. OK, they may not be "a victim" though they 
receive the brunt of a behavior that causes them discomfort. It's not up 
to them to discourage such activity -- they have an easy way out: "why 
would I bother going there again?" So, it's up to those of us with a 
stake in the dance to interrupt such behavior.


2) If there is a regular dancer who's stake isn't so strong, and they 
don't feel willing or comfortable with direct confrontation, they, too, 
may just stop coming.


So, ultimately it is all of us who need to agree on the range of 
acceptable behavior and address each incident as needed. It might be 
totally appropriate to encourage a dancer to stand up for herself (or 
himself). It might be the best course for organizers to step in and 
assist a change in behavior. It might be for a caller to teach a styling 
point. And it's good for we with a large stake in the dance to know how 
people are feeling, about each other, about the dance, about problems.


Listening to both sides is also important.

I've mentioned this before, but in the Bay Area (SF) we had a woman once 
who wrote a letter to the board and had a restraining order against a 
man she had been involved with. The board sent out a copy of her letter 
with the note that we call the police if the man decided not to leave a 
dance when she was present. We got into a lot of hot water because we 
included her story, and this was prior to checking with the man. Many of 
us became aware later that the woman had a history of crying wolf, 
really tried to use the restraining order to hurt the man (like filing a 
complaint of him being too close as he was driving out of a parking lot 
into which she was pulling in -- their cars passed within the 50 ft 
limit...).


We learned to inform our managers that when a restraining order incident 
comes up, call the police and don't take sides, and to listen to both 
sides of a case, and not send out one person's testimony...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 9/10/2015 11:14 AM, Lindsay Morris via Callers wrote:

Great point, thanks Lisa.

On Thursday, September 10, 2015, Lisa Greenleaf via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


Hi Everyone-

I am cringing every time I read the word victim.  VIctim implies
powerlessness, so why not use the word dancer and encourage
self-empowerment?

Sometimes dancers approach me because I am an official organizer,
and other times friends of the person approach me because they
know I might be able to help. My first question around complaints
is always, “Did you talk with the person whose behavior bothered
you?” And then I model an “I” statement for them: “I don’t like
that,” “I don’t feel comfortable dancing with you because I don’t
like to be twirled,” etc.

Of course, most people find it difficult to talk directly to the
person disturbing them, but it’s still worth encouraging,
especially if you show them how to do it.  You are teaching them a
real-world skill that they can use outside of the dance.

When a dancer approaches me with a complaint, I don’t see them as
a victim who needs rescuing.   For one thing, I don’t know the
real situation until I have heard both sides of the story. Yes,
the situation may expand to a larger problem, but even then I
don’t change “dancer” (or more specifically, the name of the
person) to “victim.”

Lisa


> On Sep 9, 2015, at 8:02 PM, Yoyo Zhou via Callers
> wrote:
>
> Taking you at face value: if you have a systemic problem, you need a
> policy. If you have a problem with one person, you need to come to
> terms with that person. I'm not sure if it's just the board, or if
> other dancers also have issues with her. But if you seek mediation,
> take notes on your interactions so you have evidence to back
yourself
> up.
>
>
> Now, I think the last thing you need is a policy requiring
victims to
> speak up. It's counterproductive to making a safe dance space. 
(Let's

> discuss that on the other thread.)
>
> Let's say I'm new to your dance and I have a bad experience with
&g

Re: [Callers] Problem dancers / Crying Wolf

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

On 9/10/2015 11:14 AM, Lindsay Morris via Callers wrote:

Great point, thanks Lisa.

On Thursday, September 10, 2015, Lisa Greenleaf via Callers 
> wrote:


Hi Everyone-

I am cringing every time I read the word victim.  VIctim implies
powerlessness, so why not use the word dancer and encourage
self-empowerment?

Sometimes dancers approach me because I am an official organizer,
and other times friends of the person approach me because they
know I might be able to help. My first question around complaints
is always, “Did you talk with the person whose behavior bothered
you?” And then I model an “I” statement for them: “I don’t like
that,” “I don’t feel comfortable dancing with you because I don’t
like to be twirled,” etc.

Of course, most people find it difficult to talk directly to the
person disturbing them, but it’s still worth encouraging,
especially if you show them how to do it.  You are teaching them a
real-world skill that they can use outside of the dance.

When a dancer approaches me with a complaint, I don’t see them as
a victim who needs rescuing.   For one thing, I don’t know the
real situation until I have heard both sides of the story. Yes,
the situation may expand to a larger problem, but even then I
don’t change “dancer” (or more specifically, the name of the
person) to “victim.”

Lisa


> On Sep 9, 2015, at 8:02 PM, Yoyo Zhou via Callers
> wrote:
>
> Taking you at face value: if you have a systemic problem, you need a
> policy. If you have a problem with one person, you need to come to
> terms with that person. I'm not sure if it's just the board, or if
> other dancers also have issues with her. But if you seek mediation,
> take notes on your interactions so you have evidence to back
yourself
> up.
>
>
> Now, I think the last thing you need is a policy requiring
victims to
> speak up. It's counterproductive to making a safe dance space. 
(Let's

> discuss that on the other thread.)
>
> Let's say I'm new to your dance and I have a bad experience with
> someone. What do I do? I might complain about it to my friends who
> convinced me to come. I might just avoid that person. I might
just go
> home dissatisfied. One of the last things I might do is complain to
> the management (and I might view that woman as an extension
thereof),
> because who knows if they'll just shrug it off and not take me
> seriously?
>
>
> Also, you wrote, "it seems to me that she's committing
violence." No,
> I disagree. This totally cheapens the meaning of "violence". What
> words do you use for when punches are actually thrown? (It's
happened
> at a dance here.)
>
> Yoyo Zhou
>
> On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 7:42 AM, Ron Blechner via Callers
> > wrote:
>> Maybe. Maybe not. My point was that we should be very, very
careful about
>> making a definitive statement about something being "just an
accusation",
>> especially when in your example, there was a second problem -
even if it was
>> a year earlier.
>>
>> On Sep 9, 2015 10:39 AM, "Lindsay Morris via Callers"
>> > wrote:
>>>
>>> Appreciate that.  Don't think the "where there's smoke there's
fire" issue
>>> applies here, though.  It would if there were several
different women
>>> complaining about one man...
>>>
>>> 
>>> Lindsay Morris
>>> CEO, TSMworks
>>> Tel. 1-859-539-9900
>>> lind...@tsmworks.com 
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 10:34 AM, Ron Blechner
> wrote:

 Hi Lindsay,

 I realize this is a tricky topic, so apologies in advance if
my brevity
 comes off as bruskness.

 These two suggestions work for Amherst Contra.

 As a proxy complaint comes in, a board member would seek out
the source.
 Anonymous complaints are permitted, and a high level of
ensuring that we ask
 open-ended questions, and not leading questions.

 We also wear board member buttons at dances and make regular
 announcements about us being available for any reason.
Usually 4-7 members
 of our board attend any dance.

 You might speak privately to Will Loving, our lead organizer,
if you're
 interested in more specifics.

 I would also caution about making such definitive statements
as "just an
 accusation". In my experience, where there's smoke, there's
fire. For every
 accusation, there's five people who are too uncomfortable to
speak up.

 That said, I have seen the success of proactive addressing of
issues. The
 biggest benefit is simple:

 Address 

Re: [Callers] [Musicians] worthiness of a tune for contra?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I, too, had no trouble hearing phrases of 4-beats, 8-beats, and the 
major parts. (In music speak: 2-bar phrases, 4-bar phrases, and 8-bar 
parts.) I would have no trouble calling to either tune in that video. 
Thus, I'm also curious about what makes it hard to hear, for those of 
you who have trouble with it.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 7/30/2015 6:52 PM, James Saxe via Musicians wrote:

After Emily Addison asked about the tunes in this video

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DkJQ9xNGuU

several people commented that they found the phrasing of
the jig (Jim Rumboldt's Tune) deceptive.  I'm curious to
know what any of you--or other list members--think after
listening to it at 1.25x speed, as described in my previous
message (quoted below).

I did a little searching for other videos of the tune.
This one

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx_E3qeZAfQ

is played at about 165 bpm.  If it were played at a
normal contra tempo and with a clear four-beat intro, but
otherwise in the same style as in the video, I think it
would be fine for dancing.  Yes, there are a couple places
where, if I started the video at a random point in the
tune, I could momentarily wonder whether a particular note
was a pick-up note or the true beat 1 of a new phrase.
But, to my ear, there are enough other places where the
phrasing is quite clear so that it's not a problem.  I'd
be interested in reading other people's reactions.

I found another rendition starting about 3:15 in this
video

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCnFlmrN1mk

with tempo in the high 140s.  I can't make sense of
the phrasing in this one at all.  It seems to me it's a
different, and genuinely crooked, variant of the tune.
Does anyone disagree.

After watching that last video, I tried searching for abc
notation or pdfs of sheet music or tablature to see whether
I'd find notation for different versions--straight vs.
crooked--of the tune.  So far, however, I haven't turned
up any notation at all.

--Jim


On Jul 30, 2015, at 1:58 AM, James Saxe  wrote:

I'm a mere caller and pretty much a musical muggle, but
here are some observations about the jig for what they're
worth.

First off, in the video the jig is played at about 93 or 94
beats per minute (based on my stopwatch timing, which also
appears to agree closely with the YouTube time counter).
You might get a better idea of how it would sound as a dance
tuen by playing it at 1.25x speed.  (Click on the gear-shaped
"Settings" button near the lower right of the YouTube video
frame; then click on the Speed box (typically defaulting
to "Normal"); then click "1.25" in the menu that pops up.
YouTube should then play at 1.25x normal speed but with the
audio pitch-shifted back down to normal pitch.)




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Re: [Callers] Ferry Boat Contra Ideas

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Dancing Sailors is a fantastic dance -- one of my favorites! It's also 
quite tricky. Unless you're calling to experienced dancers, you may 
choose to avoid this dance, with contra corners into a hey where the 
ones are dancing with their partners, but the twos with a shadow in a 
different minor set, it's ripe for beginner, and even experienced 
confusion. Besides being a challenge when in the middle of the set, the 
end effects are tricky, and can easily increase the confusion factor...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 7/9/2015 11:48 PM, Claire Takemori via Callers wrote:

Lindsey,
I was looking for a fun but easy to call contra and found this one for 
your nautical theme.  From Rich Goss' collection of dance cards. 
http://www.quiteapair.us/calling/


claire takemori

*Dancing Sailors *- Ed Shaw Proper**

Reels

*A1:* Actives down the outside below two couples

Return up the center, cast off

**

*A2:* Actives turn contra corners

**

*B1:* Actives with their second corners

Hey-for-4 on the diag (actives start pass right sh)

**

*B2:* Actives swing in the middle (end facing up)



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Re: [Callers] Title and author if this dance, please?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Um, yes, difference is in the B1, of course.

~erik hoffman

On 7/12/2015 1:30 PM, Amy Carroll wrote:


Hi Erik -


I'm thinking you mean the difference between your dance and Tony's is 
in the B1, not the B2?  Am I right?



Amy Carroll

Seattle

On July 12, 2015 at 1:41 PM Erik Hoffman via Callers 
 wrote:


On Writing Dances that have been Written:

Years ago our we danced Bill Cochran's:
/Third Friday/
A1  Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2  Down Hall 4 in Line, Turn as Couple, Return, Fold Line
B1  Women Chan -- over & back
B2  Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru 
Two to next Neighbor


I loved the B2 move, but wanted a partner swing in the dance, so I 
made the:

/Second Third Friday/
Improper
Erik Hoffman
A1  Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2  Men Allemande Left 1½;  Partner Swing
B1  Right & Left Thru Across the set; Women chain back
B2  Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru 
Two to next Neighbor.


And, I published it in my first book, Contra Comments.

Turns out Tony Parkes had the same idea, and he wrote:
/Friday Night Fever/
with the only difference being the B2, where Tony's dance goes:
B2  Partner Promenade; Women Chain
-- Which I now like better. And, Tony wrote his dance prior to me
Tony published it in one of his books (don't recall which)

Turns out Myrtle Wilhite also wrote and published this dance, the 
same as my version, and called it /Balanced Out #2/


In looking at composition dates, Tony's came first, mine second, and 
Ms. Wilhite's third -- all in the late 80s or early 90s.


I'm pretty sure we all came out with this dance independently. Both 
Tony and I attribute Bill Cochran for the basic Idea. Myrtle doesn't, 
so, perhaps she came up with the dance independently.


But the point of this is, we choreographers are all bound to put 
together some dance that someone else has also come up with. At this 
point, it's great to have this list to check that a sequence is 
original. It goes a long way to checking this.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] Title and author if this dance, please?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

On Writing Dances that have been Written:

Years ago our we danced Bill Cochran's:
/Third Friday/
A1  Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2  Down Hall 4 in Line, Turn as Couple, Return, Fold Line
B1  Women Chan -- over & back
B2  Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru Two 
to next Neighbor


I loved the B2 move, but wanted a partner swing in the dance, so I made the:
/Second Third Friday/
Improper
Erik Hoffman
A1  Neighbor Balance & Swing
A2  Men Allemande Left 1½;  Partner Swing
B1  Right & Left Thru Across the set; Women chain back
B2  Partner Balance, Square Thru Two, Partner Balance, Square Thru Two 
to next Neighbor.


And, I published it in my first book, Contra Comments.

Turns out Tony Parkes had the same idea, and he wrote:
/Friday Night Fever/
with the only difference being the B2, where Tony's dance goes:
B2  Partner Promenade; Women Chain
-- Which I now like better. And, Tony wrote his dance prior to me
Tony published it in one of his books (don't recall which)

Turns out Myrtle Wilhite also wrote and published this dance, the same 
as my version, and called it /Balanced Out #2/


In looking at composition dates, Tony's came first, mine second, and Ms. 
Wilhite's third -- all in the late 80s or early 90s.


I'm pretty sure we all came out with this dance independently. Both Tony 
and I attribute Bill Cochran for the basic Idea. Myrtle doesn't, so, 
perhaps she came up with the dance independently.


But the point of this is, we choreographers are all bound to put 
together some dance that someone else has also come up with. At this 
point, it's great to have this list to check that a sequence is 
original. It goes a long way to checking this.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 7/12/2015 6:01 AM, Tom Hinds via Callers wrote:

Keith,

You probably missed my response.   The Becket dance you refer to was 
written by me and is called The Host.  I'm embarrassed that I took 
credit for The Host since it really isn't original.  I just never 
figured out that it was the same as Piece of Cake until Martha 
mentioned it.   So I'd say yes the dance you called is Piece of Cake.  
In my mind the first one who writes the dance get the credit and 
variations like this are not original compositions.


T

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Re: [Callers] Buzz Step Swing

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Erik Hoffman Chiming in:

In a beginners' workshop I will often do a quick demonstration of a buzz 
step, but never explicitly teach it. I think it's not opinion that:
* thinking about footwork while trying to also figure out figures 
is more than most beginners need

* one walking while one buzz steps works fine
I will say, "if you come back you'll find your feet figuring out out." I 
might say, "if you try it, keep your right foot in front of your left 
foot," with a small demo.


Things I think are important to covey in that usually 20 minutes:
Giving Weight
No Grip! Gripping leads to hurt! (And I have a small mission of 
encouraging callers to remover the word "grip" from their calling 
vocabulary.

Smooth transitions
Swing Position
Hands on shoulder blades
Giving Support
98 percent -- end with woman (raven) on right
Geography
Courtesy Turns
Lady's Chain
R&L Thru
Balance - and - Balance & Swing

And, that is a lot to absorb! I think adding footwork is just too much.

Maia wrote:
Of course any teacher worth their salt will teach that a swing 
always ends with the lady on the right.


Since I've been dancing for a while, and, back in the day when we used 
to do proper, active/inactive dances, and I still occasionally call 
those, there are times when you don't end with the lady on the right and 
the gent on the left, but instead end backing away from your partner 
into the vacant spaces behind you, as in ... Rory O'More!


(I still think it's funny when callers say, "as in Rory O'More," or, "as 
in Petronella," and I look around and see 98% of the dancers -- and 
possibly even the caller -- have never danced Rory O'More or Petronella...)


I agree with Tom on ending swing transitions offering timing and other 
challenges:

Swing and face the next neighbor -- potentially confusing
Swing into a R&L Thru -- incorrect ending messes up timing
Swing int a Ladies Chain -- doesn't need to be a problem, as even 
ending up on
the incorrect sides, the women (ravens) just put out their 
right hands but

often leads to timing issues because newcomers think they must get
into the correct spot prior to starting the chain...

On 6/21/2015 10:52 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote:
I agree that the buzz-step is not the be-all, end-all of contra swing! 
I've been dancing for going on 5 years and I pretty much exclusively 
walk-swing, because I find it more comfortable and easy to control, 
and don't actually like swinging extremely fast.
I completely agree with this, although I do buzz. Then again, with new 
dancers who are still getting dizzy, sometimes I just sway and slow turn...


John mentions the bad habits that even experienced dancers may have 
while swinging, such as:


- grip, clamp, squeeze, hang, press
- hold their partner in the wrong place so it is uncomfortable
- use too much strength and try to do silly things like making
their
   partners feet leave the floor
- lean sideways or backwards
- start twirls too late and when they are facing the wrong way
so that they
   end up in the wrong place

I find it pretty telling that this list of habits actually has nothing 
to do with footwork! In my opinion, the reason to teach walking swing 
instead of buzz-step to beginners is that there's SO MUCH ELSE to 
concentrate on. The more things we can abstract away, the easier a 
time beginners will have learning what's left. If you're focusing on 
strange new footwork (and I find that buzz-stepping beginners tend to 
think that the buzz-stepping is the most important part of the swing, 
and concentrate more on that than on their frame), it's harder to pick 
up things like giving weight, a proper hold, etc. But everyone already 
knows how to walk!

Above, I'm putting this in my own words...

Sometimes, if there's a call for it, during the break I'll give a 
buzz-step lesson. A long time ago I was presented a way to do this:
first: teach dancers to "gallop": right foot forward, the buzz step 
in a straight line
second: have dancers back away from partner, to opposite sides of 
the room

third: have dancers hold their "frame"
fourth: set them off galloping towards each other. When they meet, 
while still galloping, have them enter into swing position, and they'll 
start going round in circles.
It's fun! When I learned this, this teaching plan was attributed to Todd 
Whittemore.


erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] Box - Swat - CA - Jersey/Nevada

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I learned several subtle distinctions. Back in the 80s, when Larry 
Edelman was on staff at lots of our weeks and weekends, he'd drill us in 
these figures:


These moves depend on where you're facing when you start, and which way 
you face when you end.


Both Box the Gnat and Swat the Flea start facing the person you're doing 
it with, and have you change places and end facing them
Box the Gnat starts facing the person you're boxing with, joining right 
hands turning the woman or raven under, and swapping places, ending 
facing each other and right hands are still joined.

Swat the Flea is the same, except you have left hands joining left hands

Both the California Twirl (also called the Frontier Twirl) starts 
standing next to the person you're doing it with, woman or raven on 
right, man or lark on left with near hands joined, and ends with the 
couple about facing. That it, it results in the pair turning as a couple.
The Jersey or Nevada Twirl does the same, but with the man (or lark) on 
the right, woman (or raven) on the left.


A star through starts with a pair facing each other with the man's 
(lark's) right hand joined with the woman's (raven's) left hand and ends 
with them swapping sides, but facing the same direction.


There are several contras that use it. A part might be

A1 facing your new neighbor: join inside hands (man's right, woman's 
left), balance, star through (end facing partner); Women chain


I don't recall if there's a reverse star through: starting facing 
someone, joining hands -- Man's left, Woman's right, and "reverse star 
through (moon through?) -- ending side by side, woman on left, man on right.


And I don't think I've ever learned one where you start side by side, do 
a swap to change, and end up facing each other


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 6/12/2015 9:17 PM, Jeff Kaufman via Callers wrote:


Huh. If learned it as:

G right in L left: California twirl
G right in L right: box the gnat
G left in L left: swat the flea
G left in L right: star through

Or just tell people what hands to join and then "twirl to swap".

On Jun 12, 2015 10:40 PM, "Charles M. Hannum via Callers" 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


Indeed, the only times I've seen “star thru” used in contra, it
was directly borrowed from MWSD.

This is what Callerlab says.  Even in Tech Squares it's considered
incorrect to call it from other formations.


24. Star Thru

Starting formation: Facing Dancers (man facing woman)

Command example: Star Thru

Dance action: Man places his right hand against woman's left hand,
palm to palm with fingers up, to make an arch. As the dancers move
forward the woman does a one quarter (90 degrees) left face turn
under the arch, while the man does a one quarter (90 degrees) turn
to the right moving past the woman.

Ending formation: Couple

Timing: 4

Styling: Hands are joined in raised position at approximately eye
level, palm to palm, with fingers pointed up to form an arch. The
arch will be offset to the man's right and woman's left. The man's
hand should be used to stabilize as the woman provides her own
momentum. As the call is completed, the hand grip should be
readjusted to couple handhold.

On Fri, Jun 12, 2015 at 11:25 PM, Aahz Maruch via Callers
mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:

On Fri, Jun 12, 2015, Jeff Kaufman via Callers wrote:
>
> Nit: a "California twirl with other hands" is traditionally
called a "star
> through".

Really?  I haven't seen Star Thru in contra much; in MWSD, at
least, Star
Thru is normally done with partners facing each other, as
opposed to the
California Twirl with partners facing the same direction. 
What's being

asked for here is a sashayed California Twirl -- I don't think
I've ever
seen that before.  However, "Nevada Twirl" does have plenty of
hits when
I search, which suggests a clear provenance...

(You could argue that in a ring partners are sort-of facing
each other,
but I think that's a wasted argument when people already have
a clear
choreographic name for the concept.)
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
  <*>   <*>  <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
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Re: [Callers] Name this dance?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Another Blues Dance!

The 24-bar length fits a 12-bar blues progression.

That is 24-two-beat-bars fits a 12-four-beat-bar pattern.

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 6/12/2015 1:20 PM, Jeff Kaufman via Callers wrote:

Does this dance have a name?

(16) neighbor balance and swing
(16) circle left, partner swing
(16) ladies chain, star left

Yes, it's a 24 bar dance.  It's an attempt at being the most
predictable dance at every point except for the length.
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Re: [Callers] Another approach to Gender Free calling

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I've been skimming the Another Approach thread, as I haven't had time to 
really process it, though I look forward to examining the ideas, 
internalizing concepts, and using it.


But, on the point of having different ways to say things, YES!

When I'm dancing, I never try to teach in the walk through. I might ask 
the caller a question. And I hate it when a caller says something like 
(as happened recently), "end the hey and stand back to back with your 
partner No, back to back No, on the other side, and stand back 
to back..." and on and on, not really seeing how people were 
misinterpreting this, doing exactly what she said, but now how she 
wanted them to do it. Another unnamed caller used to say, after 
describing something in a very ambiguous manner -- in a way I could 
interpret in a variety of ways, did in fact, and I was incorrect -- and 
then would say, in effect, "Dancers, you're just not listening to me!"


I always look, both during the walk through and during the dance, and 
try to see what is confusing to dancers, and adjust my instruction to 
their need in a general way.


Devices I use:
Room Geography! Does one wall have windows, the other not? Turn 
your back on the band, or face the band. Etc.

Partner: Face your Partner or Neighbor
And all the conventional ones: Right, Left, Up, Down, Middle, Outside
Even with these "standard" ones, I try to think, "if someone doesn't 
understand "outside," how else can I say it? It might be, "step outside 
the set, that is, take a step away from your partner."


Always, look for different ways to say moves, and hone in on the one 
that will help those in need.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 6/3/2015 10:34 AM, Jacob Nancy Bloom via Callers wrote:
You raise a good point.  It took a long time for someone to impress 
upon me that, although I have no problem with positional calling, many 
people do.  Different people have different strengths.


When calling for a group of beginners, I've found that things go more 
smoothly if I know several ways to describe an action, and use them 
all.  "Look for the next, look away from the couple you've been 
dancing with, for a new person."  Some people will understand that 
they are dancing with one couple after another and turn the right way 
when I say "Look for the next", some are orienting themselves relative 
to the other couple and find "look away from the other couple" 
clearer, and some do not have a strong positional sense but will look 
around for a new person to dance with.  Different calls work best for 
different dancers.


Jacob

On Wed, Jun 3, 2015 at 11:58 AM, Aahz Maruch via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


On Wed, Jun 03, 2015, Jim Hemphill via Callers wrote:
>
> I realize that it is much easier on callers to just substitute a
label  for
> ladies and gents on their calling cards.  It shifts the burden
onto the
> dancers who haven't grown up in a genderless dance environment
as their
> brains translate the label into a term they are used to. 
 Positional

> teaching and calling is more challenging for the caller.  Not
every dance
> will lend itself to this technique but I bet with a little
thought most
> would.

Positional calling is also considerably more difficult for at
least some
dancers.  My perception is that changing the "gender" label is pretty
easy for most dancers -- at least, I've never seen many people
struggling
with it, and I do see people struggling with contra corners (which
is the
most common use-case in standard contra dancing).

Re: [Callers] Jets / rubies genderfree terms redux: gems?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

It's funny, but there's a part of me that finds all of these different 
words a little weird. In a way, I'm not sure I like any of them. But I 
do like the sense of liberation they give -- the level of comfort that's 
appearing at dances for people dancing with anyone. In my area, the SF 
Bay Area, men are definitely getting more comfortable dancing with men. 
Around here -- as opposed to outlying areas -- there has always been a 
level of tolerance, but the level of acceptance is growing.


I think my sense of weirdness -- slight discomfort -- comes from both 
working to change my habits, and from the sense of the terms being 
contrived. OK, my thought/feelings are changing, and my mind is starting 
to think of this use as being creative rather than contrived. Also, use 
is working in my favor: the more I call using Larks and Ravens, the more 
comfortable it's getting for me, and I'm feeling it's less "contrived." 
But it has been a bit of a hurdle for me to overcome.


As for liking jets & rubies, I have the same problem many do: the 
multiple meaning of the word "jet." OK, I can be told it's a jem, but a 
machine to fly, developed by the military, designed for aggressive 
fighting, then given to the public for high-carbon footprint travel is 
my first thought -- extremely masculine.


Second thought that comes to an old geezer like me is a gang in New 
York's West Side, about which there is a story, which is also masculine...


Jet as a gem would be slow to replace the other two. So, were I to try 
these, I'd go for gems & rubies. But we'll stick with Larks & Ravens for 
a while...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 5/28/2015 12:30 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers wrote:


For those interested in gender free contra dance terms:

1. Do you like or dislike jets / rubies ?
2. How would gems / rubies compare?

In dance,
Ron Blechner



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Re: [Callers] Jets / rubies genderfree terms redux: gems?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

We are still using larks and ravens at the Berkeley dance. And, though I 
don't seem to have too much trouble using different words for different 
dances -- so far I've used men/women, ladies/gents, bands/bares, 
trees/squirrels, and larks/ravens without changing my mess of dance 
notes -- I understand that others can't switch so easily. On this note, 
at the Berkeley dance a caller recently did the following:


1) asked if anyone had some post-its. When found some
2) wrote "lark" and "raven" on the sticky end
3) cut out these little cheat-sheets
4) covered the words "gents" and "ladies" with the post-it cheats
5) move cheats to next card as needed

Thereby changing their cards to the current words on the fly. I was 
impressed.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 5/28/2015 8:01 PM, Kalia Kliban via Callers wrote:

On Thu, May 28, 2015, Alan Winston via Callers wrote:

On 5/28/15 12:30 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers wrote:


For those interested in gender free contra dance terms:

1. Do you like or dislike jets / rubies ?


Like. (I'm responding on personal preference alone; I'm aware of some
objections to this, which I don't personally share.)


2. How would gems / rubies compare?


Less good, because the soft "ms" would make the call less clear. Also,
rubies _are_ gems, so this is confusing.


Me too.  I haven't yet tried calling with the jets and rubies 
terminology, though I've used bands/bares and larks/ravens.  I can't 
say I'm eager to add yet another set of translated cards to my files.

Kalia Kliban
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[Callers] Seen This Dance Before?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

I made up this dance, but need to send it through the "Is It New" mill. 
So Here it Is:


I Think It's New
Improper Contra

A1  Neighbor right shoulder Gypsy;  Neighbor Swing
A2  with Partner: Half Pousette -- start Women Pull, Men Push
   merge into a Half Hey -- Women start, passing Left, while the 
Men back up to start

B1  Women make one more cross by left, Partner Gypsy, Swing
B2  Ring Balance, Men Cross by Left shoulder, with Current Neighbor left 
shoulder Gypsy, then go onto New Nieghbor


~erik hoffman
 oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] Applause or Not...

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Sometimes it's hit and miss -- it seems like it's in the stars, no 
applause, next time raucous appreciation. Sometimes you know you're not 
up to your best, or you can tell the band is lagging or lacking. Still, 
that's the night when everyone comes up and says, "Great Dance, That was 
Better than Wild Asparagus," (comparagus, as Peter Barnes used to say -- 
don't know if it happens much any more...). Sometimes you're on top of 
everything, the band is hot, your teaching is good, your right with the 
music when calling, and people come up and say, "what's wrong tonight." 
Sometimes there's not much you can do. But:


As I mentioned earlier, certain communities develop certain habits.

* If I'm dancing, I make sure I applaud with aplomb.
* I do quiet down when the teaching starts.
* I, too, don't teach in the walk-thru. If there really is a problem, I 
ask the caller to address it. If I can get away with it, I teach 
non-verbally.


(Comments addressing other comments and threads.)

But I do still wonder, how to get a community to alter their habits. 
And, if their habit is non-applause on a regular basis, I'd like to 
teach them. Habits, one of the most challenging things to alter...


Now, if they looked at each other and bumped hips, or gave each other a 
high-five, or hugs all around, as mentioned about square dancing, I'd 
take that as applause. But if they just wander off, it still leaves me 
wondering.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 4/23/2015 10:18 AM, Kalia Kliban via Callers wrote:

On 4/22/2015 7:08 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote:

Hi All,

There are several places where almost no applause occurs after a 
dance. In some communities, when I've been subjected to that 
experience, I've asked, "were we off tonight?" The reply usually is 
something like, "no, the dance was fine (or even great), we just head 
for our next partner..." I know sometimes it's just the night. 
Sometimes, though, it's the community's habit. I spoke with a 
renowned musician the other day, who will no longer play for a 
certain series. One of the reasons: lack of applause -- lack of that 
palpable sense of appreciation.


I think dancers don't often know that applause really makes the band 
and caller feel better. If they feel better they play better. And, as 
a dancer, applause usually makes me feel better, too. Any ideas on 
how to encourage applause? Or, if you're in one of those communities 
where applause is minimal, does it bother you?



I had that experience a while back at one of our local contras, when I 
was calling with a really hot band.  We'd finish a dance, get a few 
claps and then just crickets.  It was really depressing and upsetting. 
The dances were going ok, the music was smoking and then... nothing. 
I've just looked back into my dance log and the comment I wrote later 
that night was "I don’t know what was up, but it felt bad-weird from 
the stage."  Applause really does make a difference.


Kalia
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Re: [Callers] When the dancers aren't paying attention

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I've used the statement, "when did SHUT UP become impolite to say?"

~erik hoffman


On 4/22/2015 7:48 PM, Michael Fuerst wrote:

It's interesting that "shut-up" and "quiet down" mean the same.
Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801  217 239 5844



On Wednesday, April 22, 2015 8:59 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers 
 wrote:



On the question of paying attention:

A while back, in one of these e-groups, someone pointed out that we 
contra dancers keep talking about "community." This post pointed out 
that we contra dancers go to a dance, and, often forsaking applause 
(yet another topic...), run off to find our next partner and line up 
for a dance. This posting compared that to country-western dance, or 
swing dance, where they would sit around a table and talk, get to know 
others through chatting, and not dance every dance, but have other 
social things happen. It got me to thinking:


Often, after people have lined up, they talk with each other, their 
partner, their minor set, or other people around them. Often callers 
strive to get everyone to shut-up so they can start the dance. I've 
come to believe this time of conversation is the main time we get to 
know a little about each other and is thus a "community building time."


My practice now is to say into the mic in a regular talking voice, 
"Are you ready?" If the general banter keeps going on, I wait a couple 
beats, and say, again, "Are you ready?" After two to four times of 
asking the question, someone will say, "Yes!" Then another might do a 
loud, "S!" When people finally quiet down, I teach the dance.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 8/4/2014 10:26 AM, barb kirchner via Callers wrote:
sometimes when dancers aren't paying attention, it's because there 
are too many other things going on in the hall.


sometimes it's the band warming up or sound checking, but i've seen 
all kinds of things going on - bake sales, people on their mobile 
devices, a group of beginners coming in who don't yet know dance 
etiquette, or maybe the dancers are having trouble hearing you. 
 sometimes musicians talk loudly behind the caller (i'm a musician 
and a caller) and it's hard to understand the caller because the 
chatter can be heard through mics or pick-ups.


you can't fix some of those things, but you can address retail events 
in the hall, cell phones, sound system, etc


are your experienced dancers modelling good dance etiquette? are you 
teaching efficiently, or are you spending so much time talking that 
people lose interest?


sometimes, i just start the walkthru anyway.  as soon as people 
realize that most people are starting to swing, they get a little 
more interested :-)


cheers,
barb


> Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2014 13:05:57 -0400
> To: maia@gmail.com <mailto:maia@gmail.com>
> CC: call...@sharedweight.net <mailto:call...@sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] When the dancers aren't paying attention
> From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>

>
> It depends why the dancers aren't paying attention. Are there lots of
> experienced dancers, such that the walkthrough isn't really necessary?
> Are they ignoring walkthroughs the first time through because they
> know there will be a second one? Are they just having a lot of fun
> with their friends and prioritizing that above listening to the
> caller? How does the dance go once it starts?
>
> A few strategies I might try:
>
> * Not bother with the walkthroughs entirely. If the crowd is ignoring
> the walkthroughs because as a whole they don't need them, then just
> call the dance. This means only picking dances that can be called
> no-walkthrough, but there are still a lot to choose from.
>
> * Give the dancers a bit longer between dances before starting the
> walkthrough. If they're chatting with neighbors and catching up, let
> them do that for a bit. Then once you start the walkthrough go
> quickly.
>
> * Ask the band for rolling starts, where they play music under the
> walkthrough. This makes it harder for people to talk and feels more
> like dancing. You don't have time to explain complex things, so you
> have to give that up, but it's much more forgiving than straight-up
> no-walkthrough.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 4, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers
>  
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> > At Falcon Ridge this weekend, I saw a couple of different styles 
of dealing
> > with that frustrating state of affairs when 50%+ of the hall just 
isn't

> > paying attention to the walk-through. I'm curious if you all have any
> > particular strategies you employ her

Re: [Callers] Applause or Not...

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Maia writes:

On 4/22/2015 7:20 PM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote:

I often announce the band again, possibly with a "give a big hand to..."


I have done this, too, or, as the last note goes quiet, announce the 
band name. In certain communities this doesn't do much. I've also 
announced the band at the beginning of a dance. This often does receive 
a round of applause. Of course, it's sort of funny, because often it's 
done when the band is trying to tune. Or start the potatoes...


Also, Barb asks if it's on tour or at a local dance. Both. Been on tour, 
been on a seriously good roll, only to stop at a town where no applause 
whatsoever. And, as noted, certain communities are known for their lack 
of applause, for locals or not. Other communities are known for their 
warm welcome. In our area, we love playing the Sacramento dance because 
they are so appreciative.



~erik hoffman
oakland, CA

On Wed, Apr 22, 2015 at 10:08 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


Hi All,

There are several places where almost no applause occurs after a
dance. In some communities, when I've been subjected to that
experience, I've asked, "were we off tonight?" The reply usually
is something like, "no, the dance was fine (or even great), we
just head for our next partner..." I know sometimes it's just the
night. Sometimes, though, it's the community's habit. I spoke with
a renowned musician the other day, who will no longer play for a
certain series. One of the reasons: lack of applause -- lack of
that palpable sense of appreciation.

I think dancers don't often know that applause really makes the
band and caller feel better. If they feel better they play better.
And, as a dancer, applause usually makes me feel better, too. Any
ideas on how to encourage applause? Or, if you're in one of those
communities where applause is minimal, does it bother you?

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca
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[Callers] Applause or Not...

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Hi All,

There are several places where almost no applause occurs after a dance. 
In some communities, when I've been subjected to that experience, I've 
asked, "were we off tonight?" The reply usually is something like, "no, 
the dance was fine (or even great), we just head for our next 
partner..." I know sometimes it's just the night. Sometimes, though, 
it's the community's habit. I spoke with a renowned musician the other 
day, who will no longer play for a certain series. One of the reasons: 
lack of applause -- lack of that palpable sense of appreciation.


I think dancers don't often know that applause really makes the band and 
caller feel better. If they feel better they play better. And, as a 
dancer, applause usually makes me feel better, too. Any ideas on how to 
encourage applause? Or, if you're in one of those communities where 
applause is minimal, does it bother you?


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] When the dancers aren't paying attention

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

On the question of paying attention:

A while back, in one of these e-groups, someone pointed out that we 
contra dancers keep talking about "community." This post pointed out 
that we contra dancers go to a dance, and, often forsaking applause (yet 
another topic...), run off to find our next partner and line up for a 
dance. This posting compared that to country-western dance, or swing 
dance, where they would sit around a table and talk, get to know others 
through chatting, and not dance every dance, but have other social 
things happen. It got me to thinking:


Often, after people have lined up, they talk with each other, their 
partner, their minor set, or other people around them. Often callers 
strive to get everyone to shut-up so they can start the dance. I've come 
to believe this time of conversation is the main time we get to know a 
little about each other and is thus a "community building time."


My practice now is to say into the mic in a regular talking voice, "Are 
you ready?" If the general banter keeps going on, I wait a couple beats, 
and say, again, "Are you ready?" After two to four times of asking the 
question, someone will say, "Yes!" Then another might do a loud, 
"Shhhh!" When people finally quiet down, I teach the dance.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 8/4/2014 10:26 AM, barb kirchner via Callers wrote:
sometimes when dancers aren't paying attention, it's because there are 
too many other things going on in the hall.


sometimes it's the band warming up or sound checking, but i've seen 
all kinds of things going on - bake sales, people on their mobile 
devices, a group of beginners coming in who don't yet know dance 
etiquette, or maybe the dancers are having trouble hearing you. 
 sometimes musicians talk loudly behind the caller (i'm a musician and 
a caller) and it's hard to understand the caller because the chatter 
can be heard through mics or pick-ups.


you can't fix some of those things, but you can address retail events 
in the hall, cell phones, sound system, etc


are your experienced dancers modelling good dance etiquette? are you 
teaching efficiently, or are you spending so much time talking that 
people lose interest?


sometimes, i just start the walkthru anyway.  as soon as people 
realize that most people are starting to swing, they get a little more 
interested :-)


cheers,
barb


> Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2014 13:05:57 -0400
> To: maia@gmail.com
> CC: call...@sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] When the dancers aren't paying attention
> From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
>
> It depends why the dancers aren't paying attention. Are there lots of
> experienced dancers, such that the walkthrough isn't really necessary?
> Are they ignoring walkthroughs the first time through because they
> know there will be a second one? Are they just having a lot of fun
> with their friends and prioritizing that above listening to the
> caller? How does the dance go once it starts?
>
> A few strategies I might try:
>
> * Not bother with the walkthroughs entirely. If the crowd is ignoring
> the walkthroughs because as a whole they don't need them, then just
> call the dance. This means only picking dances that can be called
> no-walkthrough, but there are still a lot to choose from.
>
> * Give the dancers a bit longer between dances before starting the
> walkthrough. If they're chatting with neighbors and catching up, let
> them do that for a bit. Then once you start the walkthrough go
> quickly.
>
> * Ask the band for rolling starts, where they play music under the
> walkthrough. This makes it harder for people to talk and feels more
> like dancing. You don't have time to explain complex things, so you
> have to give that up, but it's much more forgiving than straight-up
> no-walkthrough.
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 4, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers
>  wrote:
> > At Falcon Ridge this weekend, I saw a couple of different styles 
of dealing
> > with that frustrating state of affairs when 50%+ of the hall just 
isn't

> > paying attention to the walk-through. I'm curious if you all have any
> > particular strategies you employ here, thoughts on how to deal 
with this,

> > how to get the attention of the hall, etc.
> >
> > In dance,
> > Maia
> >
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> >
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Re: [Callers] Difficulty rankings?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Some things that I think make dances easy are:

1) Stay within your minor set. Even easy appearing dances that leave 
your minor set add a challenge that is often confusing. It's can (I 
think) be slightly less confusing to do a simple double progression than 
leave and return to a minor set.


2) Use those plain English calls: ones that we understand without having 
to learn a figure: circle left, right-hand turn, swing your partner. 
Lines forward and back. Most people in my neck of the world (Coastal 
California) know Do Si Do...


3) A good story line. Getting into dances somewhat experienced contra 
dancers find easy: A good story line. A dance built in a way that flows 
in a way that fits into our concept of what comes next. This concept is 
a bit more mystical. It's easy to identify these dances: you can stop 
calling. A dance can have a lot of parts, but somehow fit easily into 
our brains and movements.


The things Alan mentions below are all worthy of consideration, too, as 
are Larry Jennings' discussion in /Zesty Contras/, as well as his 
rankings and marks in his transcriptions are worth looking at again, and 
then again.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 4/19/2015 1:27 PM, Alan Winston via Callers wrote:

Maia --

While you can assign a level of difficulty of dances in isolation, it 
doesn't really tell you the whole story.  Whatever intrinsic 
difficulty the dance possesses interacts with what the floor can do 
right now and what the caller can put across. A dance that's easy 
right after the break might have been fatally difficult as an opener.
A floor of relatively fit dancers with some level of experience and no 
hearing impairment can do things easily that others can't do at all.


A caller can make any dance difficult, and a caller can put across an 
intrinsically more difficult dance with clarity, confidence, and 
precise prompting.  So some of that suitability of dance to crowd has 
to deal with the state of the caller.  This makes it hard to write 
down a rating on a card that's going to have meaning when you use it.



So what makes a dance easy, intrinsically?
 - strong flow
 - Low piece count
 - few or no fractions (some people can't hear, don't process, or 
won't do the "and a half" part of 1 and 1/2;
this is recoverable if the next thing is partner swing but bad 
news if you need to do something else right

away)
 - no action outside the minor set
 - clear progression
 - symmetry (because if the roles are the same there's less confusion 
at the ends)

 - recovery point(s); moment of poise
 - sticking with your partner
 - straightforward end effects
 - familiar figures or figures that you can get without drill


When I'm calling for a dance society dance where I have a strong 
expectation that there'll be enough people for satisfactory longways 
contras through the whole evening and there'll be more experienced 
people than beginners and I know the strengths of the band, I make up 
a program with what I think is increasing intrinsic difficulty, figure 
variety, etc, maybe building up to a medley with all figures in it 
handled earlier in the evening if the organizers like medleys, 
cruising down to a satisfying low-piece-count strong-flow dance as a 
finish.  (If it's an old-timey band that doesn't phrase strongly - 
some do - I try to avoid dances that need tight timing; mushy 
Petronellas are annoying.)


But if it's something where I can't get a good read beforehand on 
attendance, I have a file of easier contras and a file of harder 
contras on my tablet computers and while this dance is running I'm 
flicking through the file and picking the next dance based on my 
current read of the floor, what figures they know already, what I now 
think the band can do, etc.


(You could just have twenty dances memorized and have all the bases 
covered, but I like to have a bunch of different choices for the same 
niches so that I stay out of the rut of only calling the same twenty 
dances in front of the same people, since people dance gypsy all over 
Northern California and you'll see the same ones 150 miles apart.)


As you can guess, I don't have a quantified difficulty scale for 
dances.  I might mark "good opener", and I throw them into the 
"easier" or "harder" piles.  I don't find it worth doing more than 
that because so much of the perceived difficulty is contextual rathe 
than intrinsic.


-- Alan




On 4/19/15 10:53 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote:
As I overhaul my contra deck and realize that my difficulty ranking 
system is super incoherent, and most of my dance rankings are from 
way before I had any idea what actually makes a dance easy or hard, 
I've been thinking of scrapping this difficulty ranking system and 
just starting over. So I was wondering: if you rank your dances by 
difficulty, what is

Re: [Callers] Solo fiddler or recorded music?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Yes, the courtesy turn is a challenge. And, in a right & left thru, 
finding your "turner" is a challenge for the women. This is because for 
the person on the right, the natural way to turn is away from your 
partner. And, for some reason, men often think they don't have to move...


But, for a room of beginners, I think, as said in an earlier email, the 
chain is a challenge, as the mere idea of progressing one way or the 
other...


~erik Hoffman

On 3/27/2015 8:54 AM, Cheryl Joyal via Callers wrote:
The courtesy turn is the hard part.   Sometimes Teaching hat first 
works as they practice the movement prior to moving - then have them 
walk across and do same turn.   Similar for ladies chain although I 
think having a dance with R&L b4 chain is my new approach.  And 
sometimes it just doesn't work with many beginners - so I apologize 
for not explaining well and change to an easy backup dance


Cheryl Joyal
630-667-3284

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 27, 2015, at 8:28 AM, Jacob Nancy Bloom via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


I would absolutely believe that the dancers were completely confounded 
by "right and left through".  I remember how surprised I was, when I 
called my first dance, to discover how much more confusing it was than 
a Ladie's Chain.  If you are used to both of them, then you tend to 
think of them as being similar.  If you've never done either, then one 
of them has you connected to other people, while the other leaves you 
by yourself, trying to figure out which way to turn (and usually 
getting it wrong.)


But learning which figures are easier and harder comes quickly. 
Learning which dances to call for a given crowd and how to teach them 
efficiently is a neverending process!


Jacob

On Fri, Mar 27, 2015 at 10:47 AM, Brooks Hart via Callers 
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:


So, as the original poster, I am reporting back.

The dance with the solo fiddler was a mixed bag.  The music was
very nice, but because I am new to calling, and our dancers are
99% beginners, way too much time was spent on walk-throughs and
teaching. The fiddler sat out for long stretches of time, which
seemed like a waste of his time and the money spent on live music.

I thought I had picked easy dances, but you wouldn't believe how
confounded so many of the people were at "right and left through",
 and that falls on me and my lack of experience with teaching and
crowd wrangling.

A special moment for everyone, though, was doing a circle waltz
dance with the fiddler playing, unplugged, in the center of the
circle.

So, thanks again for everyone's input and encouragement,
Brooks




> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 03:50:51 -0700
> To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Solo fiddler or recorded music?
> From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
>
> [resting up before the CALLERLAB convention, catching up on some
older
> messages]
>
> On Thu, Mar 05, 2015, Neal Schlein via Callers wrote:
> >
> > So, the moral of the story is that if a caller isn't USED to
working with a
> > band, live music isn't necessarily going to result in the best
experience
> > for the dancers.
>
> My experience as a relatively new caller is that it also depends
on the
> caller's experience as a dancer. My hearing makes it a bit
difficult to
> tune into the phrasing of a live band to call at the correct
times, but
> because I've been contra dancing for so many years (almost
exclusively to
> live music) I can roughly manage it -- and I know what it's
supposed to
> sound like.
> --
> Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
> <*> <*> <*>
> Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
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Re: [Callers] Solo fiddler or recorded music?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Ah! the trials and tribulations of what some of us call The One Night 
Stand Dance. Many of us have learned that, when calling to a group of 
beginners, hands-four dances come way late in the evening, if at all. 
Right & left thru, women chain, progressing, are all big challenges for 
beginners. Even understanding the line is a challenge.


You might want to purchase a book or two on the subject. Dudley's 
/Traditional Barn Dances with Calls/, is a great one, as are Marian 
Rose's /Step Lively /books, and The New England Dancing Masters books.


And, of course, I could use this for unsolicited self promotion, as I 
wrote a book called /Old-Time Dance Calling for Weddings, Parties, and 
One-Night Stands/. ($18 to be mailed to you, $15 if you come get it...).


~erik hoffman


On 3/27/2015 7:47 AM, Brooks Hart via Callers wrote:

So, as the original poster, I am reporting back.

The dance with the solo fiddler was a mixed bag.  The music was very 
nice, but because I am new to calling, and our dancers are 99% 
beginners, way too much time was spent on walk-throughs and teaching. 
The fiddler sat out for long stretches of time, which seemed like a 
waste of his time and the money spent on live music.


I thought I had picked easy dances, but you wouldn't believe how 
confounded so many of the people were at "right and left through", 
 and that falls on me and my lack of experience with teaching and 
crowd wrangling.


A special moment for everyone, though, was doing a circle waltz dance 
with the fiddler playing, unplugged, in the center of the circle.


So, thanks again for everyone's input and encouragement,
Brooks




> Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 03:50:51 -0700
> To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Solo fiddler or recorded music?
> From: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
>
> [resting up before the CALLERLAB convention, catching up on some older
> messages]
>
> On Thu, Mar 05, 2015, Neal Schlein via Callers wrote:
> >
> > So, the moral of the story is that if a caller isn't USED to 
working with a
> > band, live music isn't necessarily going to result in the best 
experience

> > for the dancers.
>
> My experience as a relatively new caller is that it also depends on the
> caller's experience as a dancer. My hearing makes it a bit difficult to
> tune into the phrasing of a live band to call at the correct times, but
> because I've been contra dancing for so many years (almost 
exclusively to

> live music) I can roughly manage it -- and I know what it's supposed to
> sound like.
> --
> Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
> <*> <*> <*>
> Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
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Re: [Callers] Dizziness Equivalents

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Bill wrote about dizziness:

To put this into "real life" perspective, I have only had dancers 
complain about ONE DANCE in this regard and that's Carol Ormand's "You 
Can't Get There From Here" which has a LOT of CCW motion.. I have to 
also add that some dancers have actually REQUESTED this dance because 
they love it so much!!! (xxoo Carol if you're reading this) So how do 
you deal with this from a dance programming perspective??.. keep 
things varied I guess..


In the 80s a few of us called Dan Pearl's dance, Rendezvous "The 
Chiropractor's Delight," Circle left, circle left swing for 16 counts. 
We figured all that leftness would require a back-cracking adjustment


~erik hoffman
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Re: [Callers] Yet Another "Does this dance already exist?"

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Kiran Wagle once pointed out that, after a post DC dance discussion, 
some people discovered that any contra corners dance could be turned 
into an alternating corners dance. Having considered this on most, if 
not all, of the contra corners dances I know, I don't feel right about 
calling an old contra corners dance by a new name just because I called 
it in the alternating style. With that in mind:


Thanks for telling me the name of the dance! I'm sure I the Hillsboro 
Jig in my collection.


Cheers,
~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 7/22/2014 7:41 PM, Linda Leslie wrote:

I have the non-alternating version of this dance as “Hillsboro Jig” by Bill 
Thomas. There might be some interesting discussion about whether or not making 
it alternating is a “new dance” worthy of a new name/choreographer.
LInda Leslie

On Jul 22, 2014, at 10:31 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers 
 wrote:


I'm at Stockton Folkdance Camp, And I arrived at a workshop where I 
inadvertently left my cards behind. I'm doing a series of Old and New:

Did Petronella then a dance called Terry O'Less that has the Petronella move in 
it.

Today I did Chorus Jig, then a dance that had alternating corners. Since I 
didn't have my cards, I made one up:

1st A1 Neighbor B&S
1st A2 Ones down center, turn as couple return, same-sex cast off
1st B1 Ones turn contra corners
1st B2 Ones B&S
2nd A1 Neighbor B&S
2nd A2 Twos up center, turn as couple, return, same-sex cast of
2nd B1 Twos turn contra corners
2nd B2 Twos B&S

Is this one of Jim Kitch's ideas, or another dance that does the alternating 
thing?

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca
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[Callers] Yet Another "Does this dance already exist?"

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

I'm at Stockton Folkdance Camp, And I arrived at a workshop where I 
inadvertently left my cards behind. I'm doing a series of Old and New:


Did Petronella then a dance called Terry O'Less that has the Petronella 
move in it.


Today I did Chorus Jig, then a dance that had alternating corners. Since 
I didn't have my cards, I made one up:


1st A1 Neighbor B&S
1st A2 Ones down center, turn as couple return, same-sex cast off
1st B1 Ones turn contra corners
1st B2 Ones B&S
2nd A1 Neighbor B&S
2nd A2 Twos up center, turn as couple, return, same-sex cast of
2nd B1 Twos turn contra corners
2nd B2 Twos B&S

Is this one of Jim Kitch's ideas, or another dance that does the 
alternating thing?


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca
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Re: [Callers] does this dance already exist?

[Erik Hoffman via Callers]

Two things in the email:
1) Comment on Seth's Possibly New Dance
2) A Possibly New Dance I made up

==
= 1) Seth's Dance ==
==

>  Aahz Maruch aked:
>>  A1: (8) Circle Left; (8) Left hand Star
>
>  Did you intend to reverse direction or should that be a right-hand star?

And Chris Lahey suggested a star right into Ptnr DSD may flow smoother

about Seth's possibly new dance:
> duple minor, improper:
> A1: (8) Circle Left; (8) Left hand Star
> A2: (8) Partner DSD; (8) Neighbor DSD
> B1: (16) Neighbor balance and swing
> B2: (8) Long lines; (8)1s swing

A circle left followed by a left hand star, with a reverse of direction 
is, in my collection, far more common than a circle left, right hand 
star (or circle right, left hand star). The reversal of direction makes 
it more likely that the minor set will return to their current "home." 
And, it feels good! That reversal of direction.


The star into a DSD with someone within that star means someone needs 
turn back to find someone. In Seth's dance, it's the woman who needs to 
turn back. This means (for some) the flow is a bit smoother for the men. 
It's good that it starts with the partner, as partners should be easy to 
identify.


I like this dance as a beginner friendly dance, and know I'll use it.

It could get a bit more challenging by:

A1: With current Neighbors Circle Left (8); with Previous Neighbors Star 
Left (8)

A2: With Current Neighbor DSD (8); with Partner DSD (8)
B1: With Current Neighbor B & S (16)
B2: Long Lines F & B (8); Ones Swing (8)

This adds the challenge of going out and back into your minor set. I'm 
not sure what it's like to flow from a circle with one couple to a star 
with another couple, but my minds eye thinks it would feel good. In some 
ways the back & forth of Nbr DSD,  Ptnr DSD,  Nbr B&S feels better 
(again, mind's eye -- have to try it in real life...). But those things 
also change it's suitability from interesting beginner & intermediate 
dance to one that's more on the intermediate level.


==
= 2) My Maybe New Dance ==
==

While on the topic I have a possibly new dance, as well. So, I'm asking 
the same question: has it been previously choreographed?


Becket
A1 Women chain, over & back
A2 Bucksaw (Diagonal Left Right & Left thru; Straight Across Right & 
Left thru)

B1 Petronella Balance; Neighbor Swing
B2 Petronella Balance; Partner Swing

Made it up at the end of Mendocino Folklore Week, of things most had 
been doing throughout the week. Still created more of a mix-up than I 
would have liked.


I'm calling it Folklore Frolic, unless I'm informed it's already in the 
lexicon...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

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Re: [Callers] ONS on Carpet

[Erik Hoffman]

I, too, have called lots of gigs where there are carpeted floors. Low 
pile is by far the most common in business places. And, for an ONS, no 
problem -- as mentioned -- better than a small wood dance space with an 
edge going onto the regretfully carpeted area of what used to be a grand 
old ballroom... And dancing in socks can actually make some of these 
floors a bit faster.


As far as outside, I bring a shovel, try to get there early, AND 
recommend to the hiring party that an outdoor space needs to be 
inspected holes and irregular bumps, for safety reasons. I've spent a 
half-hour to 45 minutes with a shovel filling in holes and smoothing 
things out.


Which reminds me about another safety issue:
   When teaching the sashay part of the Virginia Reel (or any first 
dance with a sashay), I always do a demonstration. I do this in order to 
show a youthful, way far sashay, and, more importantly, a geezerly 
walking sashay. I started this after an elderly woman fell once, trying 
to do a youthful, bounding sashay, an act her body was no longer capable 
of. What I want is to make sure everyone feels comfortable joining in, 
and remind themselves to take care.


All for now,
~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 4/24/2014 7:03 PM, Sue Robishaw wrote:
I've agreed to call a wedding reception dance this summer, outside on 
more-or-less flattish ground. Having practically memorized all the 
wonderful advise on the list about weddings and grass I'm comfortable 
with that. But if the weather doesn't cooperate, the gig moves inside 
the Inn/Dining/Bar. Very crowded, AND, I just found out, carpeted. 
Crowded I think I can handle (though recommendations would be 
welcome), but carpeting -- eeackk. OK, so it's not turning dances and 
maybe it's not much different from lumpy grass -- lots of walking and 
no sashaying -- but if you've done it could you share what worked best?

Thanks,
Sue R. - U.P. of Michigan
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Re: [Callers] Sorry About Address

[Erik Hoffman]

Not unless you know her.

~erik


On 4/5/2014 3:17 PM, P E wrote:

Was wondering if we should send a card or something...?


Date: Sat, 5 Apr 2014 14:41:09 -0700
From: e...@erikhoffman.com
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Sorry About Address

Hi All,

As probably most of you guessed, I errently sent my aunt's address. It
was intended for my family members. The perils of trying to do something
too quickly...

Sorry,
~erik hoffman
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[Callers] Sorry About Address

[Erik Hoffman]

Hi All,

As probably most of you guessed, I errently sent my aunt's address. It 
was intended for my family members. The perils of trying to do something 
too quickly...


Sorry,
~erik hoffman

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 116, Issue 1

[Erik Hoffman]

Hi All,

Here's Aunt D'Anne's address:

Dorothy Anne Cleary Hoffman
1955 Vista Ave
Sierra Madre, CA 91024

Love,
~erik


On 4/4/2014 8:23 PM, gretchenda...@yahoo.com wrote:

Tica Tica Timing was written by our own Dean Snipes here in Charlotte NC. Glad 
to see it spreading across the country. It's a great dance.

Sent from my iPhone


On Apr 4, 2014, at 12:00 PM, callers-requ...@sharedweight.net wrote:

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Today's Topics:

   1. Looking for 2 dances (tallygal007)
   2. Re: Looking for 2 dances (Linda Leslie)


--

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 13:19:36 -0400
From: tallygal007 
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Looking for 2 dances
Message-ID: <523ue89a7ai1cql18lpqbj0f.1396545576...@email.android.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Would someone care to share with me the following 2 dances:

Tika Tika Timing by Ron Buchanan and
Old Time Elixir #2 by Linda Leslie

Thank you!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone

--

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2014 13:29:08 -0400
From: Linda Leslie 
To: Caller's discussion list 
Subject: Re: [Callers] Looking for 2 dances
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=WINDOWS-1252;format=flowed;
delsp=yes

Happy to give you the dance! I have Tika Tika Timing as being written
by Dean Snipes...and not sure who wrote the dance first..
Linda

Old Time Elixir #2
Linda Leslie
Type: Contra
Formation: Becket-CW
Level: Easy
Music: Ross? Reel, Frenchies

A1 ---
Circle left three-quarters
Neighbor Swing
A2 ---
Right and left Through (or promenade)
Ladies Chain (to partner)
B1 ---
Ring Balance, Pet Twirl
Ring Balance, Pet Twirl
B2 ---
Partner Balance and Swing (look of the left diagonal for new cpl)

Other Notes: Same dance written by Dean Snipes, and called Tica Tica
Timing not sure who wrote their first.



On Apr 3, 2014, at 1:19 PM, tallygal007 wrote:

Would someone care to share with me the following 2 dances:

Tika Tika Timing by Ron Buchanan and
Old Time Elixir #2 by Linda Leslie

Thank you!

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
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End of Callers Digest, Vol 116, Issue 1
***

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Re: [Callers] Dummer's Reel + Cottontail Rag (was Re: Three Couples or Less Dances)

[Erik Hoffman]

Jim Saxe gives a long discussion about how to "teach" getting into the 
basket.


After looking at Dummer's Reel, which is altogether more complicated 
than the Cottotail Rag, perhaps teaching it well is a good idea. For the 
Cottontail Rag, however, I try to barely teach it. I learned, from Sandy 
Bradley, that these type of dances are actually more fun if you don't 
really know how it works, and then get the Joy of Getting It. I remember 
her teaching the Cottontail Rag -- I think she called it the Jack Dance 
then. She'd say, "no matter how spaghetti armed you get, when I say, 
'Break the Basket, Left Hand Star,' let go!" And, I've come to believe 
her: there are many of these dances where, when dancers actually know 
how to do it, and do it exactly right, it looses a lot of the fun of it. 
Thus, I say: don't over teach these things, let dancers play with 
discovery and a likely 'aha!' moment.


~erik hofffman
oakland, ca


On 3/3/2014 10:49 AM, James Saxe wrote:

On Mar 2, 2014, at 6:46 PM, Jacob Bloom wrote:

General Dummer's Reel (for five), my dance Shira's Seven (for seven), 
and
Cornish Six Hand Reel (for six) are three other dances I've found 
useful.

They are described in the archives, at:

http://www.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers/2013-February/005742.html


The page Jacob cites references the description of Dummer's Reel
in the syllabus from the 2006 Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend:

http://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2006.pdf

(page 38).  In the version as called by Jacob, one dancer--the
one designated as "Jack" in the current round--leads a maneuver
by which a circle of five is transformed into a basket without
anyone releasing hands:

 "Jack" lift left hand, turn over own right shoulder to back
 under the arch, and pull two other dancers under the arch as
 well; all joined hands inside the circle are raised and the
 outside dancers duck under them to form a basket

This move is very cool when it works, but often some dancers will
have difficulty with it.  Here are a few things you can do about
that:

1.  You could just relax about it and encourage the dancers to
be mellow about it as well.  Let them know that if they get into
a tangle trying to make the basket, or if someone want's to let
go instead of twisting their shoulder out of its socket, they can
just let go and form the basket any old how (or skip it and go on
to the circle if it's time).  As different people take turns
being "Jack", the action of making the basket can start working
better and batter (with occasional regressions),  If dancers
succeed at making the basket (at least some of the time)by the
end of the dance after fumbling around with it at first, they
can get a satisfying feeling of accomplishment from it.

2.  You could dispense with the fancy method of forming the
basket.  In this rec.folking-dancing thread from 1998

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.folk-dancing/91ANPzO7apQ

Chris Brady describes what he says is an older version Dummer's
reel, with no mention of pulling two dancers under an arch to form
the basket.  Presumably the dancers all face the middle, and each
dancer simply reaches behind the backs of the adjacent dancers on
either side to take hands with the next ones around the ring.

3.  If you do want to teach the fancy way for forming the basket,
here's an idea that may make it a little easier.  Perhaps the most
common mistake dancers make in trying to form the basket is that
"Jack" will lift his (or her) left hand and then turn to the left
(ccw) as if to walk forward under the arch instead of turning
right (cw) and backing under the arch.  The idea of forming an
arch and turning your back on it can seem so counterintuitive as
to be rejected apparently without even being considered.  One time
when I was in a set while another caller was walking us through
this dance, I suggested to "Jack" that she she needed to "turn the
other way."  She took the suggestion, but as she did so, she
lowered her left had and raised her right hand to form a different
arch!  Oops.  Thinking about that afterwards, I arrived at the
idea I now share:  During the walkthrough have "Jack" raise *both*
arms to form arches.  Now "Jack" can successfully turn around (180
degrees) either way.  In either case, "Jack" will end up in the
middle of the ring facing out with one hand crossed over the other,
and can use whichever arm is lower to pull tow dancers through the
arch made by the higher arm.  After that, the dancers still have to
figure out which arms go over which heads to finish forming the
basket, so the opportunities to get into a tangle aren't entirely
eliminated, though I think they're reduced.

 * * * * * * * * * *

Another dance that uses the idea of pulling two dancers through an
arch to form a basket of five is "Cottontail Rag" by Steve Schnur.
You can find it described in the 2007 RPDLW syllabus

http://www.library.unh.edu/sp

Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 115, Issue 2

[Erik Hoffman]

The Cottontail Rag can also be done with 7 or 9. Bev Smith (who I think, 
learned it from me), calls it for various sizes, and, once started lets 
them work it out on their own.


I wrote a dance I call the Millennium Bug. Designed for 7, but works 
with 9 or 11...


Millennium Bug
Erik Hoffman for the turn of the century...
A line of 3 or 4 couples facing a lonely person (the Millennium Bug)

A1 Forward and back towards the Bug (up a double), end in lines at sides 
holding hands
  The Bug goes down center, and, facing down with arms crossed, 
joins hands with the free hands at the end of the lines.
A2 Unzip the Line: the Bug backs up, pulling the "low hand" line under 
the arch made by the "high hand" line
  (both lines move, the low hand line going under, the high hand 
line going around)

B1 Circle Left & Right
B2 Bug Choose & Swing! then all others choose & swing, new Bug goes to top

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca



On 3/3/2014 10:40 AM, Martha Wild wrote:

Not sure if anyone mentioned the 5 person dance called either Hot Tub Rag, or 
Jack Turn Back, or sometimes Cottontail Rag. It's by Steve Schnur and you can 
find instructions for it here:
http://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2012.pdf#page=15b

Martha


On Mar 3, 2014, at 9:00 AM, callers-requ...@sharedweight.net wrote:


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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: three couples or less (Sue Robishaw)
   2. Re: Three Couples or Less Dances (Jacob Nancy Bloom)
   3. Re: three couples or less (Yoyo Zhou)


--

Message: 1
Date: Sun, 02 Mar 2014 21:33:09 -0500
From: Sue Robishaw 
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] three couples or less
Message-ID: <5313e9e5.40...@manytracks.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

 In the B2 of the dance, Microchase you say "Turn Single (spacer if needed.") 
Is that because there's music left over after the arch and all thru? 

Yes, I'd simply changed from the Contra Corners in the original to DoSiDos but 
almost always had time left so ended up adding the TS. I like your arrangement 
though and look forward to trying it. Even better, it starts with something other 
than F&B! I just realized I only have one dance in about 50 that has arming in 
it (other than ECD). Don't know why I didn't notice that before. Thanks!
Sue




--

Message: 2
Date: Sun, 2 Mar 2014 21:46:43 -0500
From: Jacob Nancy Bloom 
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Three Couples or Less Dances
Message-ID:

Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi Rich,

Ted's Triplet #3 has already been mentioned.  Of Ted's Triplets, it's the
only one I know of that's suitable for a less-experienced group.

My dance The Luck of the Morris is in Zesty Contras, in Larry Jennings'
version.  Here's my version:
Formation: From a three couple longways set, have ladies #1 and #3 change
places, and have lady #2 and gent #2 change places with each other, to get
a circle with each dancer's partner across from them.  Dancers retain their
numbers throughout the dance.  The dance is not square with the walls of
the room.

A1: Couple #1 lead a forward six and back [1]
   All swing opposite.  End couples end their swing facing the center
of the set, and the active couples end facing either of the other two
couples
A2: Active couple ladies chain with the couple you face
   Chain back with an extra half turn to face the other couple
B1: Actives half R&L with the couple they face
   Actives down center of set and cast off
B2: Circle 6 to the left
   All go forward and back

Repeat with couple two leading the first Forward & Back, then couple three.

[1] The forward and back is oriented so that the active couple is going
forward and back to each other, and the other four dancers are going
forward and back towards someone who is not their partner.

For two-couple dances, both Billingsdale Pattern by Chip Hendrickson and
O'Donnell Anew by Tony Saletan are in Zesty Contras.

General Dummer's Reel (for five), my dance Shira's Seven (for seven), and
Cornish Six Hand Reel (for six) are three other dances I've found useful.
They are described in the archives, at:

http://www.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers/2013-February/005742.html

Jacob B

Re: [Callers] Community

[Erik Hoffman]

I, too, feel the loss of Greg on this list. As Chris points out, Greg 
has always voiced strong opinions, many of which I find do not fit with 
me, my style, or my experience. Are they wrong? They work for him. And 
they always cause me to think. And, as Chris points out, some have 
modified my approach to things. And, I agree that email is far too easy 
to misinterpret. Like, when Greg described the calling by the then 
unnamed callers in the videos not good in the way he did, I took it as 
hyperbole. I'm guilty of that, too. Maybe not in the same way, but I do 
often emphasize a point by exaggeration.


It reminds me of a time when I'd be staying with Cammy Kaynor -- another 
brilliant and unorthodox thinker -- and Larry Jennings -- a now departed 
icon of contra dance. They had radically differing opinions about a 
number of things, and a great appreciation for the care both brought to 
the table.


I think that's what I want to say here. It's clear that we, on this 
list, have a huge care about this form of dance and music. How we go 
about expressing out care for it and the people in the community 
sometimes hurts. I've experienced this directly, as much of my sense of 
self is wrapped up in fiddle-tunes and dancing. When, in the past, 
someone has attacked me directly, I end up lashing out, then 
hibernating, then trying to discern what truth may be in someone's 
complaint, and, hopefully, growing: in awareness and in understanding. 
Very rarely has this caused a permanent break in friendship.


Thanks to Chris for reminding me that I'd like to add these two-cents.

All for now,
~erik hoffman
oakland, ca



On 2/23/2014 12:45 PM, Chris Weiler (Home) wrote:

Callers list members,

First, let me apologize. Due to my health problems and the recent 
arrival of my infant son, I have not been able to give this list the 
attention it deserves. I have not been on top of moderation requests 
and have not kept up with conversations. The most I've been able to 
do, most of the time, is read the subject lines.


Now, I was very concerned when the tread titled "A Call For Civility" 
hit my inbox and read it. Shortly after, I received Greg McKenzie's 
unsubscription notification. I now have been able to read the 
conversations leading up to that thread. I've been struggling with how 
to respond to the callers list community about this, but I can't let 
this go any longer, so I'm just going to have to go with my gut and 
stop trying to puzzle it out with my head.


One of the things, actually it's the thing I love the most about the 
contra dance community is it's inclusive and tolerant nature. When I 
started dancing, I was socially awkward and bumbling. The community 
welcomed me each week. I made friends. I got better at social 
situations. I found a home. I found love there on the dance floor. I 
have seen it over and over again at dances: socially marginal people 
being welcomed, tolerated and accommodated in ways that they had never 
experienced anywhere else. This is the ideal that makes our community 
special. This is why I dedicate myself to creating this community 
wherever I live, dance or call. It's why I started this list, so we 
could learn how to make it better together.


That's why I've been so disappointed with how Greg was treated by this 
community. We are supposed to be the leaders. We are supposed to be 
the bearers of the ideals and show our dance communities how it's 
done. I've never really understood the problems that people had with 
Greg. Yes, he has strong opinions. Yes, he is socially awkward and 
doesn't always communicate his intentions clearly. But I've always 
found him to be straightforward with his opinions, positive in his 
criticism, creative in his thinking and open to feedback. He and I 
butted heads many times early in the list history and over on 
trad-dance-callers. I've learned a lot in my discussions with him and 
reading his posts. I never took any of his criticisms personally, 
because he criticized my ideas, not me. He challenged my thinking on 
this list and I came out better for it. Not because he convinced me, 
but because I thought through my ideas better and understood why they 
were right. Although a lot of times, he convinced me to change my 
ideas, too.


As part of his social awkwardness, sometimes he crossed the line in a 
post. Every time, when people pointed it out to him, he apologized. 
Yes, he crossed the line when he criticized the calling of people in 
an easily identifiable video. But he apologized for it. Twice. And 
then was repeatedly taken to task afterwards. Then talked about 
derisively in the third person on-list. And he was right - other 
people added the identifying names, not him. A valuable voice in this 
community was driven out because his intentions were misunderstood. 
Several disapproved of his "tone"

Re: [Callers] Hand Manners (was: Dances with three or more allemandes)

[Erik Hoffman]

The Wham Connection is an example of the non-smooth connection, and, I 
think should be used with a lot of caution. The problem is, in the 
negotiation of connection, it's a one-sided deal. Another place that 
this sometimes occurs is the "push-off" at the end of an allemande. 
These mover seem OK, for people who are familiar with each other and 
have a pre-negotiated (even if it's unspoken) agreement that they like 
this kind of connection seem OK.


And, it comes back down to, how do we teach these points? I do think at 
least pointing out that every connection requires that instant 
negotiation. Things that come into the decision process are:
familiarity: those of us who come a lot know who's in for the 
spins, and who we have to get to know first
peripheral awareness: keeping our eyes open as we come into a minor 
set, seeing how a person dances


Just to name two.

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca



On 2/18/2014 7:49 AM, Lindsay Morris wrote:

Great point.
Hard to naysay vigor and enthusiasm in dancing, yet I get hurt that way too
sometimes.  Guess all a caller can do is encourage respect and attention.


Lindsay Morris
CEO, TSMworks
Tel. 1-859-539-9900
lind...@tsmworks.com


On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 10:46 AM, Linda Leslie wrote:


Dear George,
I am so glad that you brought up this issue. I have noticed it, too, and
also see that the whacking has become a prelude to a balance (yikes!) for
some dancers. It will be interesting to hear from callers how we might
approach this challenge. For me, although I have no particular arm or
shoulder problems, I simply don't like the gesture. Usually I do say
something like "a gentle connection works better for me", or a related
sharing. But I have also used the "ouch!" with success.

I wonder if it comes from "high five"??
Linda


On Feb 18, 2014, at 9:12 AM, George Mercer wrote:

  I guess this is tangential to the hands/allemande discussion, but it has

been a source of personal pain for me for some time.  Over the past decade
or so more and more people, many of them pretty good long-time dancers
(both men and women), have approached me for an allemande with a
percussive
force akin to a punch or slap.  Wham!  I have a variety of hand/arm issues
and the percussive impact of the initial allemande contact sends a jolt
all
the way up to the shoulder.  I have been forced to hold my hand/arm back
until the last second (when the force has dissipated) or even set it up so
the other dancer whiffs past my hand altogether.  When did whacking
someone's hand for an allemande become acceptable or appropriate?  This
may
not be a problem for others, but for me it has the same result as the
death
grip, bent wrist, thumb wrench, and other allemande problems -- pain.
Thanks.


On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 7:45 AM, Lindsay Morris 
wrote:

  Don's photo illustrates the "OSHA-approved" grip I mentioned.  It's not

the
intuitive thing to do, so callers would do well (IMHO) to promote it.

Jonathan, the "thumbs-up" position is different, and puts one at risk of
injury or just awkwardness (like, when a new dancer grabs my thumb with
their whole hand- ick).

"Hand manners" in general would be a good topic - and how callers can
promote good ones.


Lindsay Morris
CEO, TSMworks
Tel. 1-859-539-9900
lind...@tsmworks.com


On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 10:03 PM, Don Veino 
wrote:


  [Lots of other posts trimmed...]

Similar to a previous comment, and knowing one size does not fit all, I


try


to preface any "style points" with a fellow dancer with "it would help
me
if..." and then describe or show my desired interaction behavior. Puts


the


issue totally on me and makes it sound like I'm asking a favor of them
to
adjust to my needs, not correcting them -- if it leads to further good


form


from them generally thereafter, so much the better. I've not had a


negative


reaction to this since I started doing it.

BTW, for allemandes I use a connection that I picked up somewhere in my
contra travels (which sounds a lot like some of he best practices


described


to this point). I find this to be fairly common where I dance. As a


picture


is worth a thousand words, here it is (note I'm torqued slightly in
these
due to holding the camera with the other hand for the photo -- the
normal
connection is neutral and unstressed but results in good weight):


  https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3My2DFMxZpOb3g1MVJWSS1lOGc/

edit?usp=sharing


-Don
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Re: [Callers] Hand Manners (was: Dances with three or more allemandes)

[Erik Hoffman]

OSHA?? Really??? You mean the government has finally recognized the 
beauty and joy of contra dancing (as opposed to contra gun-slinging)?


And, it is an interesting discussion. I started my more formalized 
thoughts after a discussion with Brad Foster about our mutual sense of 
displeasure at this "government approved" version of the allemande.


Aahz mentioned that I'm a big person. It's true. Still, I know and have 
taught protective techniques that will work with a person of any size, 
and I've had had my hand twisted using this "avoid the thumb" hold: when 
it, too, turns into a grip.


Now there is a place where I strongly advocate what I call, "The Rule of 
No Thumbs." That's in circles. I find it very uncomfortable when a thumb 
clamps down on the back of my hand. It's another place where the 
practice of "hooks" is preferred, no thumb-clamps necessary. And, no 
grips! Or I gripe...


And, as I've stated before, with so many divergent opinions, I think we 
should teach the basic rule of safe practices:


Rule One: Hooks, not Grips
Rule Two: Connect Smoothly -- no jerking, please

Remember, every connection is a negotiation, and it should be easy to 
back out or say "no."


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 2/18/2014 4:45 AM, Lindsay Morris wrote:

Don's photo illustrates the "OSHA-approved" grip I mentioned.  It's not the
intuitive thing to do, so callers would do well (IMHO) to promote it.

Jonathan, the "thumbs-up" position is different, and puts one at risk of
injury or just awkwardness (like, when a new dancer grabs my thumb with
their whole hand- ick).

"Hand manners" in general would be a good topic - and how callers can
promote good ones.


Lindsay Morris
CEO, TSMworks
Tel. 1-859-539-9900
lind...@tsmworks.com


On Mon, Feb 17, 2014 at 10:03 PM, Don Veino wrote:


[Lots of other posts trimmed...]

Similar to a previous comment, and knowing one size does not fit all, I try
to preface any "style points" with a fellow dancer with "it would help me
if..." and then describe or show my desired interaction behavior. Puts the
issue totally on me and makes it sound like I'm asking a favor of them to
adjust to my needs, not correcting them -- if it leads to further good form
from them generally thereafter, so much the better. I've not had a negative
reaction to this since I started doing it.

BTW, for allemandes I use a connection that I picked up somewhere in my
contra travels (which sounds a lot like some of he best practices described
to this point). I find this to be fairly common where I dance. As a picture
is worth a thousand words, here it is (note I'm torqued slightly in these
due to holding the camera with the other hand for the photo -- the normal
connection is neutral and unstressed but results in good weight):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3My2DFMxZpOb3g1MVJWSS1lOGc/edit?usp=sharing

-Don
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Re: [Callers] Dances with three or more allemandes

[Erik Hoffman]

And I'm on a (perhaps hopeless) campaign to restore it.

So, Aahz, why do you want to eliminate it? I'm talking about the thumbs 
up as guideposts, fingers hooked around the others hand, a hook, not a 
grip, wrists straight, fingers curved. Is it just the safety issue? I 
play music. I teach music. I worry a lot about my hands! I have things I 
do to protect myself, and I don't let people grab and grip, or bend my 
wrist in some painful way.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 2/15/2014 10:32 PM, Aahz Maruch wrote:

On Sat, Feb 15, 2014, Michael Fuerst wrote:

I should have said thumbs an wrapped around the other's hand.
Interlocked was the wrong.

  I do know people who believe that interlocked thumbs are correct,
and I've been on a campaign to discourage the practice.  ;-)

Re: [Callers] Dances with three or more allemandes

[Erik Hoffman]

And in my reply, I used "interlocking thumbs." Now I recall that I 
think, "Thumbs as guideposts" is a better way to describe my preferred 
allemande.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 2/15/2014 1:20 PM, Michael Fuerst wrote:

I should have said thumbs an wrapped around the other's hand.   Interlocked was 
the wrong.

  
Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801   217-239-5844




On Saturday, February 15, 2014 2:49 PM, Aahz Maruch  wrote:
  
On Sat, Feb 15, 2014, Michael Fuerst wrote:



When I started contra dancing, people know how to allemande.  But
over the years people starting bending and twisting the wrists of
those with whom they allemanded, so today, in defense, dancers often
allemande with a stiff open, bent non-thumb fingers, or wrist to
wrist.  Thus I was pondering a workshop on correct allemanding:

1) thumbs interlocked, the other four fingers wrapped over the other's
hand,

As Lindsay's surprised interjection indicates, opinions vary widely about
correct styling here, and depending on exactly how you were phrasing
yourself, I might well loudly correct you if you were trying to workshop
this anywhere I'm dancing.

For my dancing style, interlocked thumbs are dangerous.

Re: [Callers] Dances with three or more allemandes

[Erik Hoffman]

I have done this:

I say, "Wrists are strongest when straight. Fingers are strongest, when 
curved -- their natural state." Then I discuss symmetry. In an 
allemande, both peoples arms should be bent, so as to permit a 
comfortable connection. Then I say, "it's never a grip! It's a hook!" 
and, for dancing purposes I have eliminated the word "grip" from my 
regular teaching.


Then I have advocated the return of the interlocking (but not locked) 
thumb. I have said "it just feels better," at which point I receive from 
some young and very experienced dancers, "No it doesn't! I think it 
feels better when the thumb is next to the hand, and not interlocking!" 
Then I realize certain things are habits that we learn to like.


I also teach protective hand positions. And, in my book, 
/ContraDictations/, I wrote an article with drawings, /If Allemande 
Left, Where Did Allemande Go? /Still available...


~erik hoffman
 oakland, ca

On 2/15/2014 10:18 AM, Michael Fuerst wrote:

When I started contra dancing, people know how to allemande.  But over the 
years people starting bending and twisting the wrists of those with whom they 
allemanded, so today, in defense, dancers often allemande with a stiff open, 
bent non-thumb fingers, or wrist to wrist.  Thus I was pondering  a workshop on 
correct allemanding:

1) thumbs interlocked, the other four fingers wrapped over the other's hand,

2) the top of your hand and top of forearm forming a straight line, ensuring 
the other's wrist is not  contorted
3) arm not held stiff, but used as a spring to maintain comfortable tension 
with the other dancer.

Such a workshop should be held in the middle of the evening, last 5-8 minutes 
minutes, and precede a dance with multiple allemandes.

So I am asking for dances which have at least three, and preferably four 
allemandes
  
Michael Fuerst  802 N Broadway  Urbana IL 61801   217-239-5844

Links to photos of many of my drawings and paintings are at 
www.ArtComesFuerst.com
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Re: [Callers] Planned vs. "on-the-fly" call wording (was Re: Circle & pass through as the last move of a dance)

[Erik Hoffman]

I agree with Rich, that, when the need arises, calling all the way 
through is good. It's even better when the caller is entertaining, which 
Rich's description, below, seems to indicate.


That word, entertainment, deserves some attention. A caller that calls 
in tune, is far more entertaining than one who chants out of tune. A 
caller who has a sense of rhythm, and can adjust her calls to the rhythm 
of the band also brings a sense of entertainment. And, a caller who has 
a number of ways to describe movements can add to both the understanding 
and the music.


Ways to check this out: Record Yourself & Listen. Record others and 
listen. Absorb good ideas. Think about how you might describe things. 
Listen to walk-throughs as well as calling with the band. Learn an 
instrument. Just spending time with a piano, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, 
or even a tuba will give you more of a sense of how the music works. 
Take voice lessons, ask trusted people for feedback. Etc.


I'd also say, decide what kind of calling you want to do. Do you want to 
call to beginners? Or do you favor calling to experienced dancers? 
Squares? Or just contras? All these things may help you focus on the 
particular needs of that type of calling.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 2/14/2014 10:09 AM, rich sbardella wrote:

I attended a well established open contra dance recently with at least 50% 
newbies.  The caller did an excellent job teaching and calling contras, but his 
method was more like a square dance caller.  He seldom stopped calling and had 
lots of descriptive words for the dancers.  Several dancers throughout the 
night told me how easy it was to dance to this caller, and how good his calls 
were.  I did not hear one complaint from the dancers, or musicians, that he 
never stopped calling.  Additionally, the caller went out of his way several 
times to bring the attention to the excellent musicians playing beside him.  
The dance was very successful, and the caller (calls) very entertaining.

There are few callers capable of delivering that kind of program, and even 
fewer who do.  It was a welcomed change for me, and for many of the dancers at 
the event.

Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
  

Re: [Callers] Circle & pass through as the last move of a dance

[Erik Hoffman]

On 2/13/2014 7:53 AM, rich sbardella wrote:

I love the way the Hey is described in the dance below.  As a caller that is 
new to contra, the notation helps to understand the flow a little better.
Thanks,
Rich

Snip >>>

B1.  Hey (LR, NL, GR, PL)
When I first looked at this, I had to get away from "Left Right" to 
"Ladies Right." I'd write: (WR, NL, MR, PL). Then looking at this, one 
need note this is a half-hey. I suppose the person jotting this down 
knows that, but for the rest of us, adding a X2 could help. Then to be 
explicit, one has to leave out the last PL. Thus to be totally accurate 
it's:


(WR, NL, MR, PL, WR, NL, MR)

Which is common, and only 7/8ths of a full hey...

~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] Circle & pass through as the last move of a dance

[Erik Hoffman]

At the end of Ahz's comments:

All of which is a roundabout way of wondering what we as contra 
callers can learn from square dance callers. 


Probably a lot. And they from us, since they often use records, which 
are dynamically more "normalized" than live people playing live music...


But the point is clear: many of us would benefit from voice lessons and 
practice at theatrical enunciation. I'm calling a teacher today...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca

Re: [Callers] Calling weddings and private parties

[Erik Hoffman]

On 2/10/2014 2:14 PM, Alan Winston wrote:
(Erik Hoffman is a master of getting them moving; I've seen him walk 
out on the floor and just good-naturedly start allemanding with some 
random person, somehow pulling focus without saying a word.)


*It probably helps that I'm sort of big. I can draw attention pretty 
easily...*


5) I have The Talk with the people booking me (for weddings, 
especially).  I tell them that if they want the dance part to be 
successful they have to be involved; if they think the wedding party 
can go off for pictures for two hours while the guests dance that 
probably won't fly.  We typically set expected start times and hard 
end times (which I'm willing to overstay if the band is cool, etc, but 
they shouldn't expect that just because the food was late and the 
toasts ran over that our 10:00 pm end time can be an 11:00 pm end 
time, or whatever it is.  We're available for the agreed upon time.)


Note: If the bride and groom are in the contra dance community and 
they tell you most of the guests will be contra dancers, great; you 
can maybe call contra dances.  But it's likely to turn out that 
there's a bunch of not-previously-dancing family, and you can't get 
them to split up and dance with the experienced dancers, so you still 
need to have stuff in your bag.  (A few mixers are good.)


*If the bride & groom are contra dancers and want the dances to be 
contras, I give them a Big Warning! I've managed to avoid the couple 
that need Chorus Jig as Their Wedding Dance. I have heard horror stories 
of a half-hour of teaching, then everything falling apart...* *But there 
are times when there is a true contra dance wedding, with the majority 
of dancers being contra dancers, and, after the first two or three 
simple dances, contra dancing does happen.*



8) You have to be happy to be there, calling or not calling, leading 
the dorkiest, least challenging things, enjoying figuring out the 
thing that will work for the 17 people who got up to dance, and if you 
can't be delighted to be there in a situation that's just the opposite 
of calling dances for an experienced crowd, don't take the gig.

*
**I've learned from watching people try that calling for Weddings, 
Parties, and One Night Stands is an art, and not all callers are cut out 
for it. Grace and humor help, as well as the love of the simple dances. 
I have called the Virginia Reel & Blobs a million times, and still love 
them. I love the joy on dancers faces, the chance to share something I 
still love, with the music I love and see it enliven people. It makes me 
happy, and that seems to help make others happy. Yes, I have learned 
this: if I have fun calling and playing, attendees are more likely to 
have fun. If I find myself joyous when others find joy in the dance, and 
the playfulness of participating, that joy and playfulness expands.*


All for now,
~erik hoffman

PS, I tried to make my replies in a color, but, for whatever reason, my 
email program wouldn't let me. It does, however, permit bold -- which I 
use to make the separation between reply and original message.

[Callers] Circle Left, Pass Though, Timing, & Teaching...

[Erik Hoffman]

It is interesting to read all these comments on circling, teaching, and 
timing.


When I first started contra dancing, in 1980, it was extremely common, 
in my neck of the woods (California, more specifically, Santa Barbara), 
for the caller to take a few moments once or twice during the course of 
the dance to teach a styling point. At that time, we dancers honored and 
listened and learned. I don't know when it got to the point where a 
caller stopped being enough of an "expert" to no longer get that 
respect. Perhaps it was about the same time squares went out of fashion, 
and only smooth, equal contras became the norm.


It's interesting to think that, when we did unequal dances, and triple 
minors, and squares, and there was a wider variety of dances at the 
contras I went to, there was a lot more to learn, and needing the 
expertise of the teacher was greater. Now, though, as many have pointed 
out, some points of style have gotten lost -- and just letting 
"experienced" dancers do the teaching is not bringing these points back.


Let's take this item that's been discussed Circle left 3/4 and pass through.

Well, let's start with allemande: I learned from my caller/teacher (in 
the course of regular evening dances...) that one could adjust the 
timing of an allemande by getting closer or farther from your allemande 
partner. We did dances that required once around in 8 beats. No problem: 
let your arms unbend a bit, give good weight, and it's a joyous 
connection. Need to get around 1-1/2 in 8 beats? No Problem, bend arms a 
bit more and it's easy. Twice around in 8, as in Hull's Victory? Easy -- 
and Rollickin'! -- just make it close.


Same is true of circles. There are dances where it's all the way around 
in 8, then 3/4ths around in 8. Change the timing by the circumference of 
the circle. Do we teach this? No. And there are times when it's 3/4ths 
around in 6, and pass through for 2. It's easy if we give weight in a 
circle and make the adjustment to the diameter. But it's rarely pointed 
out. As a matter of fact, weight in circles is actually very rare these 
days, and that gratifying sense of connection has gone under some rock 
somewhere. And this does not get taught from the floor. Not sure what to 
do because:


If one does take a couple minutes to make a particular styling point, 
many "experienced dancers" don't listen, or worse, act like the teacher 
is saying something stupid and dramatically do the opposite of the 
suggestion. I've had this happen to me. So, this is a long diatribe of 
not sure what we should do, but I think thinking about how to present 
styling -- especially when it comes to safety -- no gripping, smooth 
connection, symmetrical allemandes, etc. is important -- and not 
effectively taught from the floor unless you know all your helpers are 
on the same page.


erik hoffman
oakland, ca

On 2/11/2014 4:12 PM, Maia McCormick wrote:

I agree that the caller trying to teach too much verbally gets pointless
very quickly. There are definitely pointers that callers can give that will
help dancers a bunch, but they should be given quickly and succinctly,
and/or shown through demonstration ("try the allemande the angry,
competitive way! Now try a noodle-arm allemande. Okay, now try it a way
that feels better to both of you.") It's distressingly easy for a caller to
make him/herself tune-out-able.

Along the lines of what Jonathan said, I'd be wary of even bringing up
"beats" to dancers at all. A lot of dancers aren't necessarily even
familiar with that terminology, or at least don't think of dancing in terms
of beats/phrase length, so to make a passing mention to the number of beats
something takes may be MORE confusing than not mentioning it all. Instead,
I would go with something like "the circle left is faster than you think!"
or "make sure you pass through in time to balance your next neighbor!" (and
then be really precise with calling the balance so it lines up directly
with the big beat--dancers on the whole tend to FEEL the beat 10x better
than they intellectually understand it).


On Tue, Feb 11, 2014 at 6:09 PM, Greg McKenzie  wrote:


Donna wrote:


Personally I prefer that the "regular dancers" do not verbally "teach"

the

new dancers.


I agree wholeheartedly and would not suggest that the regulars speak at all
during a walk-through.

The only exception to that might be when a caller is doing such a poor job
that confusion is spreading wildly through the hall.  Sometimes it is
necessary to clarify something when the caller makes a serious error and
does not realize it.  Otherwise some dancers may think that the confusion
is *their *fault.  That would be bad.

The vast majority of the teaching that takes place in the dance hall is
non-verbal.  As the only person in the hall 

Re: [Callers] Calling weddings and private parties

[Erik Hoffman]

A couple things:

First, I wrote a book on this subject: /Old-Time Dance Calling for 
Weddings, Parties, and One Night Stands/.  Still available. I think 
there's only one "hands four" dance in the book, and recommended only 
for a group that really gets into the dance, and is ready for a bit of 
teaching. Otherwise it's whole-set dances, mixers, and fun dances.


Second, as Bill Olson pointed out: the dancing at weddings is not the 
main event. Make the dance serve the event, usually bringing people 
together, and honoring the honorees. Doing this with grace and humor 
puts people at ease; it makes people comfortable with each other.


I'd like to also echo the sentiment that one or three dances is often 
enough. Remember, at most of these events, our dancing is totally new, 
and most people will never come to a contra, square, ceilidh, or barn 
dance. For them time is different: they're caught up in the frenzy of 
trying something new and it stretches the seconds.


Susan Michaels is a wonderful, and extremely creative humorist. Her use 
of funny descriptive terms can be a great help if it fits your style. 
Use it!


Lastly, right & left: I have no problem with this, either. In a 
foursome, I'll often say, "right hand star, other hand star." No worries...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 2/10/2014 7:59 AM, Les Addison wrote:

I went to a great workshop that Susan Michaels taught on this topic.

Some of the highlights that I remember from that workshop:

* Pied piper or conga line-type way to round up the dancers
* Use terms that are not gendered for the dance roles (e.g., suns and
moons) since this avoids lots of problems.  "Talls" and "Smalls" is also a
good pairing, and gets you an adult in each pair.
* Circle dances are good
* A dosido is "drive into the garage/back out of the garage"
* Don't use any figure in both the left and right direction-- star, circle,
allemande, or two hand turn should only go one direction.
* Feel free to use calls from English, contra or squares if their name is
easy/self-explanatory (two hand turns are easier than swings if you have a
group that doesn't do any sort of couple dancing, and doesn't require a
gent-and-lady hand position)

Les


On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 7:48 AM, barb kirchner wrote:


by far, the best thing i ever learned to do was to engage the couple (or
party organizers, or somebody who is known to the crowd) in the
programming.  if the bride gets up and says "let's dance!", people will.

if they want to do something else (and they might!), ask them to designate
some energetic types to help you round up people.

best accidental thing i ever did - an afternoon reception with food and
drink outside.  when the bride was ready, some of the musicians (those with
portable instruments) walked through the crowd, playing.  people followed
them back into the hall, just like the pied piper!

don't be afraid to make things up as you go - just stay calm and go ahead
and do your job :-)   i know that a lot of stuff i call at family dances
and parties comes to me on the fly, and so i just do it.

and i don't think of these gigs as "dances" - so i don't feel constrained
to do "dances", per se.  esp at family dances, i'm likely to ask the kids
what they'd like to do - it's okay with me if they just wanna gallop around
in time to the music for awhile.

good luck to you!

barb



From: hwat...@uark.edu
To: call...@sharedweight.net
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 15:33:03 +
Subject: [Callers] Calling weddings and private parties

Good morning everyone.

I've been calling for 15 years and to this day, the hardest dances for

me to call are private parties, like weddings.  Usually, a "soon to be wed"
couple comes to a regular dance for the first time, has a great time, and
that's what they want at their wedding reception.  What they fail to
realize is the atmosphere of a wedding reception is completely different
than a normal contra dance.  The focus of attendees to a contra dance is
the dance.  The attendees of a wedding reception are there to socialize and
usually drink.

I learned through trial and mostly errors that actual contra dances are

rarely a good idea at such an event.  The stumbling block is the contra
progression and has caused more private dances to crash and burn than I can
count.  You don't want to spend much time teaching as the dancers will lose
interest very quickly.  So, I keep a stash of very simple proper dances,
circles, and squares which seems to work the best.  The Virginia Reel is
always a favorite because it can become totally messed up, will still be
fun, and is easy to recover.  Even little kids can join in.

Would other callers share some of their experiences and solutions for

these types of events?  What dances have you found to be the most
successful?  I thou

Re: [Callers] Flow & Glide Contras

[Erik Hoffman]

I think "There Is No Way to Peace; Peace Is the Way" has good flow:

There Is No Way to Peace; Peace Is the Way
Becket
Erik Hoffman

A1  Women Do Si Do; Partner Swing
A2  Men Allemande Left 1-1/2; Neighbor Swing
B1  Long Lines Forward & Back; Women Right Elbow Turn 1-1/2
B2  Women Pick up Partner to Star Promenade 3/4;
   Men who meet link Left Elbow, (Women let go of Right Elbow)
  Star Promenade with these New (and Next) Neighbors
  End on Original Side with a Butterfly Twirl to face those
   same "New (Next)" Neighbors.

The title is a quote from our nation's one time most famous pacifist, A. 
J. Muste.


~erik hoffman



On 2/5/2014 9:02 AM, Joseph Erhard-Hudson wrote:

I've always thought of Fan in the Doorway by Gene Hubert this way. It takes
a little mind bending for everyone involved (band, caller, and dancers)
because it's danced to a 3-part slip jig, but once it gets going it can
flow like silk.

Choreography and one caller's notes here:
http://www.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers/2010-March/002510.html

To those notes, I would only add, work beforehand with the band on how to
get going and how to stop. Your usual 4-beat potatoes aren't going to work.
Also, some bands will have slip jigs of more than three parts. which can
work fine, you just can't count on ending the dance after a particular
phrase in the music. In my experience bands with slip jigs in their
repertoire are delighted to have a chance to play them for dancers.

Joseph



On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 6:14 AM, John Sweeney wrote:


Hi all,

I am planning some workshops, for festivals here in the UK, with the title
"Flow & Glide Contras: Dances with beautiful flow, connectivity and a
smooth, satisfying glide."  (Thanks to Sarah VanNorstrand and no doubt many
others for the title!)

I have lots of ideas already, but am always interested in finding great
dances that I am not familiar with.

If you don't mind sharing, please let me know your favourite ONE or TWO
contras that fit this description.

Many thanks.

Happy dancing,
John

John Sweeney, Dancer, England j...@modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent




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Re: [Callers] wireless Mic

[Erik Hoffman]

I have been happy with Shure.  And, I'm happy with Line 6.

I'd trust the big companies: AKG, Sennheiser, Audio-Technica.  I'd stay 
away from budget companies like Nady and Samson...


Behringer seems to be trying to change it's habits from a cheap 
knock-off company to a step above the budget market.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca


On 1/7/2014 6:02 PM, Laur wrote:

And you've been happy with this thus far?  Do you have both the head set and 
the hand held?

I have heard that Shure are dependable and overall most are happy with them.
  
Laurie

West MI



On Tuesday, January 7, 2014 7:33 PM, JoLaine Jones-Pokorney  
wrote:
  
Several folks asked what kind of SHURE mic I have.  It is a PGX1 and comes

in either a headset or a stick mic.  The transmitter is separate from the
headset, but I don't have any problems with it.  It isn't very heavy and so
doesn't weigh down the waistband of my skirt.  I also keep a tiny pouch
with a shoulder strap in the case so if I am wearing a dress and don't have
a waistband, I just slip it into the pouch.
JoLaine

--
JoLaine Jones-Pokorney

"We are as gods and might as well get good at it!"
- Stewart Brand
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Re: [Callers] Thoughts on Off-Stage Microphones (Was: Headset microphone recommendations?)

[Erik Hoffman]

I call regular contras, now -- again -- old-time squares, and a lot of 
one night stands.


At most ONS dances I'm playing fiddle & calling at the same time.  I use 
a wireless clip-on mic for the fiddle and the hand-held wireless on a 
stand.  The hand-held can get passed around for toasts, and other uses 
during various parts of many gigs.  Often, unlike what Greg mentioned, 
when used for toasts, and speeches, the wireless gets placed where 
people can comfortably walk up to it, or taken to where someone with 
difficulty walking is sitting.  It's really, really useful for those 
kind of gigs.  I hate being without.  But, unlike Rich below, I can use 
a wired mic on a stand, and a clip-on for my fiddle.


I use both because I have a deep voice, and, for intelligibility issues, 
I cut the bass on my vocal, but for the fiddle I often want to cut a bit 
of the highs.  So voice & fiddle ask for the opposite in equalization...


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca



On 1/5/2014 6:33 PM, rich sbardella wrote:

I call mostly One Night Stands.  I am crippled when my headset has a problem.
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
  


____
  From: Erik Hoffman 
To: Caller's discussion list 
Sent: Sunday, January 5, 2014 9:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Thoughts on Off-Stage Microphones (Was: Headset 
microphone recommendations?)
   


My opinion and experience on the use of wireless mics differs greatly from 
Greg's.

First: Although the caller is the most well noticed person in a dance hall, even 
she is often not looked at.  Dancers look at each other, not the stage.  Greg's 
descriptions of on & off stage use of wireless mics pertains far more to shows 
than dances.

Second: When using a wireless mic at a dance, where I want to demonstrate 
something, and feel the need of saving my voice by using the mic, I call 
attention to myself, that I'm using a wireless mic, and where I am going.  No 
mystery there!

Third: I have found it useful at times to assist a dancer through a move (like 
pointing where to go in Contra Corners) while calling.  I do this from the 
floor, during a dance.  At this time, dancers are not looking to the stage, and 
finding a disembodied voice, they are looking at each other.  I've had many 
thanks for such assistance.

Fourth: I often do sound and call.  When doing this, I can call, and walk 
around the room to see how the sound is, walk to the system, back out in the 
hall, keep calling.  Can't do that easily without a wireless mic.

Finally, I can check my own sound.  I am pretty sure I had my reputation 
severely damaged when calling at Brasstown Christmas Week a few years back.  I, 
mistakenly, thought: experts at camp, no need to take my own wireless mic.  
During the week I often had to ask people to go back a move or three during 
walk-throughs.  Didn't know why.  Towards the end of the week I was told that 
they had a wireless mic, which I immediately requested to use.  At that point I 
could go out in the hall, and when I did I could not believe how poorly and 
muffly they had EQ-ed my voice.  After I fixed it, I had far fewer problems 
with dancers understanding my calls.  But it was too late: the feedback I was 
given was that I was difficult to apprehend...

Now I will never go to a gig without my own wireless mic.  If some organization 
has a mic that I think is as good or better than mine, I'm happy to use theirs, 
but I won't do a gig where I can't check my own sound.

That said, I hate head-worn wireless mics except for teaching couple dances, 
like Waltz or Hambo to large groups.  I love a hand-held, where I can speak 
into it, hold it away and talk to someone, speak into it, etc.  Thus I 
recommend the hand-held over the headset.

I recently upgraded to a Line-6 XD-V75.  It has built in mic-modeling.  I found 
one of the mic models the EV N/D767 works so well for my voice that I need 
almost no equalization.

Prior to this I used Shure wireless mics.  I still have two of them: an old VHS 
system with a Beta 87 head that I really liked, and a newer one with a Beta 58 
head that works fine, but not as well as the line 6.  These are all in the $500 
to $700 range.  To get better than these for our purposes, I think one needs to 
go to the $1500 to $3000 versions.

~erik hoffman
 oakland, ca



On 1/5/2014 4:27 PM, Donald Perley wrote:

During an orientation, at least as I usually see it, everyone knows
where the teacher is.  Maybe in the center of a circle. So, wireless
mike not a problem for me here.

During an actual dance/walkthrough, yes, disconcerting to hear the
voice and not know where it's coming from.

I have seen it work ok in a set that small enough that having the
caller dance really helps; could go without a mike at all in this
case, but not everyone is comfortable belting it out loud enough.

On Sun, Jan 5, 2014 at 7:19 PM, Greg McKenzie  wrote:

Lindsay wrote:

Re: [Callers] Thoughts on Off-Stage Microphones (Was: Headset microphone recommendations?)

[Erik Hoffman]

My opinion and experience on the use of wireless mics differs greatly 
from Greg's.


First: Although the caller is the most well noticed person in a dance 
hall, even she is often not looked at.  Dancers look at each other, not 
the stage.  Greg's descriptions of on & off stage use of wireless mics 
pertains far more to shows than dances.


Second: When using a wireless mic at a dance, where I want to 
demonstrate something, and feel the need of saving my voice by using the 
mic, I call attention to myself, that I'm using a wireless mic, and 
where I am going.  No mystery there!


Third: I have found it useful at times to assist a dancer through a move 
(like pointing where to go in Contra Corners) while calling.  I do this 
from the floor, during a dance.  At this time, dancers are not looking 
to the stage, and finding a disembodied voice, they are looking at each 
other.  I've had many thanks for such assistance.


Fourth: I often do sound and call.  When doing this, I can call, and 
walk around the room to see how the sound is, walk to the system, back 
out in the hall, keep calling.  Can't do that easily without a wireless mic.


Finally, I can check my own sound.  I am pretty sure I had my reputation 
severely damaged when calling at Brasstown Christmas Week a few years 
back.  I, mistakenly, thought: experts at camp, no need to take my own 
wireless mic.  During the week I often had to ask people to go back a 
move or three during walk-throughs.  Didn't know why.  Towards the end 
of the week I was told that they had a wireless mic, which I immediately 
requested to use.  At that point I could go out in the hall, and when I 
did I could not believe how poorly and muffly they had EQ-ed my voice.  
After I fixed it, I had far fewer problems with dancers understanding my 
calls.  But it was too late: the feedback I was given was that I was 
difficult to apprehend...


Now I will never go to a gig without my own wireless mic.  If some 
organization has a mic that I think is as good or better than mine, I'm 
happy to use theirs, but I won't do a gig where I can't check my own sound.


That said, I hate head-worn wireless mics except for teaching couple 
dances, like Waltz or Hambo to large groups.  I love a hand-held, where 
I can speak into it, hold it away and talk to someone, speak into it, 
etc.  Thus I recommend the hand-held over the headset.


I recently upgraded to a Line-6 XD-V75.  It has built in mic-modeling.  
I found one of the mic models the EV N/D767 works so well for my voice 
that I need almost no equalization.


Prior to this I used Shure wireless mics.  I still have two of them: an 
old VHS system with a Beta 87 head that I really liked, and a newer one 
with a Beta 58 head that works fine, but not as well as the line 6.  
These are all in the $500 to $700 range.  To get better than these for 
our purposes, I think one needs to go to the $1500 to $3000 versions.


~erik hoffman
oakland, ca



On 1/5/2014 4:27 PM, Donald Perley wrote:

During an orientation, at least as I usually see it, everyone knows
where the teacher is.  Maybe in the center of a circle. So, wireless
mike not a problem for me here.

During an actual dance/walkthrough, yes, disconcerting to hear the
voice and not know where it's coming from.

I have seen it work ok in a set that small enough that having the
caller dance really helps; could go without a mike at all in this
case, but not everyone is comfortable belting it out loud enough.

On Sun, Jan 5, 2014 at 7:19 PM, Greg McKenzie  wrote:

Lindsay wrote:


We are looking at buying a headset mic to help people who are teaching the
beginner's lesson.

Do any of you have recommendations...


I would recommend you consider the option of *not *buying a headset mic.
I'm not sure if I've posted my reservations about headset mics here before,
but I think it is worth bringing it up again.

As a caller, a talent booking coordinator, and as a dance manager at open
public contra dances, I have worked for years on strategies and techniques
for making the dance hall a place where everyone can feel safe and
comfortable.  I believe this sense of a "safe space" is essential for
putting first-timers as well as regulars at ease in order to facilitate a
comfortable, fun social event where there is little stress or tension.
This is a subtle point but one that I have learned is critical for
integrating newcomers and for making the event an exciting, fun, and
relaxed social occasion.

The primary issue for me is not wireless mics, but *off-stage* mics--of any
kind.  Michael Jackson--and many other performers--have used wireless mics
professionally *on-stage* with great success.  This technology is
particularly useful when dancing or demonstrating.  Note, however, that
even when used on-stage, wireless mics are usually used in conjunction with
a follow spot.  The purpose of the follow spot is to help the 

Re: [Callers] Favorite AABBCC contra dances?

[Erik Hoffman]

Major Hey is an AABBC dance, or 40-bars, not 48.

Just in case that's also include-able:

Major Hey
4-face-4 Becket

Line up as a four face four, identify your traveling partners (your "hey 
buddy") then identify your direction of travel -- ones progressing down, 
twos up.  Then in circles of four, circle left one place.  Now traveling 
buddies are facing the "same wall," so identify "your original wall."


A1  Circle left 3/4, pass through up and down (direction of travel), and 
swing the new neighbor end facing in (facing partner)


A2  Long lines forward and back (toward partner) (there are four lines, 
sort of two contras);  Men (in lines facing) allemande left 1-1/2 to 
make waves of 8 -- partner in right (women in center lines that were 
back to back join left hands)


B1  Rory O'More Balances towards and away from partner -- you know, twice

B2  Half hey for 8, start passing partner's right shoulder, when you 
meet your partner the next time


C   Partner Balance & Swing

Note that though I call it AABBC, there are tunes that work fine that 
are played AABCC, like Little Billy Wilson or Three Thin Dimes.


I've had experiences calling this and having it run really smoothly -- 
with 1 walk through, and times when I've called it to dancers I thought 
could do it, and couldn't successfully teach it -- even after 3 
walk-throughs, thus watched it fall apart with confusion.


~erik hoffman
Oakland, CA

On 12/2/2013 6:19 AM, Bree Kalb wrote:
Major Hey by Erik Hoffman. I think you can find it with a quick 
search; if not, I'll write it out for you.


BTW, William, you wrote one of my favorite dances: Devil's Backbone. 
Thank you!


-Original Message- From: William Watson
Sent: Monday, December 02, 2013 3:27 AM
To: Caller's discussion list ; trad-dance-call...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Callers] Favorite AABBCC contra dances?

Hi All,

A band I'm working with on an upcoming contra dance gig has asked me if I
can find a dance to fit some AABBCC tunes they have. They mentioned Real
Beatrice, and suggested that a balance at the top of C1 might work very
well.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

William
--
wjw1...@gmail.com
This is my bulk mail / mailing list address.
William J. Watson
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