Re: [Callers] Holiday contras - BEG/EASY

The year I called the No Snow Ball in the SF Bay Area, Hillbillies from Mars agreed to include I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus as one tune in a set. I sang it after dancers got their flow going, and it went great. I like Alan's idea of including not only holiday tunes but bad holiday puns as

Re: [Callers] Novelty & Gimmick Contras

Another great whole-oval dance, along with Gang of Four, is the ever-popular Fairport Harbour by Paul Balliet. Advanced dancers can add in a cool trick in that one: suggest that in the B, gents have time to rollaway your partner before passing through the set (with lady on the left -

Re: [Callers] wireless Mic

I also have a Shure Beta 58A wireless handheld. When I was first looking, the audio expert at the music store suggested Sennheiser. I tried them both out with their speakers, and we found it fascinating to realize that while the Sennheiser worked beautifully with his male voice, the Shure

Re: [Callers] Seen This One Before?

 What a great story. And the dance looks really useable and fun too: I'll try it out early on at my next dance. I love the idea of naming it "Clearwater Pete-ronella"; what better than a pun to immortalize the event? Ha! Tina --- >Hi All: > > > >Faced with a largely

Re: [Callers] Coconut Cream Pie: easy 4-facing-4s

sight Now!" > > From: Dorcas Hand <hand...@tekkmail.com> >To: Tina Fields <tfiel...@yahoo.com>; Caller's discussion list ><call...@sharedweight.net> >Sent: Saturday, July 6, 2013 2:06 PM >Subject: RE: [Callers] Coconut Cream Pie: easy

Re: [Callers] Coconut Cream Pie: easy 4-facing-4s

dancers. Would you post your version?   Tina > > From: Mac Mckeever <mac...@ymail.com> >To: Tina Fields <tfiel...@yahoo.com>; Caller's discussion list ><call...@sharedweight.net> >Sent: Saturday, July 6, 2013 2:05 PM >Subj

[Callers] Coconut Cream Pie: easy 4-facing-4s

Hi everyone, I had the pleasure of calling Lynn Ackerson's 4x4 "Coconut Cream Pie" for the first time last night. It was, forgive me, easy as pie for everyone to get - which I suppose was her reason for writing it as it's a simplified version of Apple Pie Quadrille. (It was also perfect for an

Re: [Callers] Hello!

On Aug 5, 2012, at 10:00 AM, : Kalia Kliban > > > Hi all, > > I've just joined up and wanted to say hello. I'm a new contra caller > but longtime English caller from Sebastopol, CA, about an hour's drive > north of San Francisco. I saw a few familiar names as I was

Re: [Callers] easy ONS dances where partner is kept? - report

Beth said, >>>"I "teach" people to listen to me during the first dance. I start with a >>>big >>>circle. I teach the group the following: Walk to the left, walk to the >>>right, >>>go into the center 3 steps, come back and do-si-do. After that I start the >>>music and call hash of those. I

Re: [Callers] easy ONS dances where partner is kept? - report

"Let us know how it goes!" Alan Winston requested, after so many of you kindly expounded on your favorite ONS dances that are not mixers. So here's the report: The "Me and My Cowboy" Girl Scout father-daughter dance was unlike anything else I'd ever called before. The hall was packed with

Re: [Callers] name of a dance - Honor among thieves

To add to the history that Bree offered, the last time Honor Among Thieves was posted on this most excellent list (by John McIntire), Alan Winston took it further back yet. So the whole story, as I can put it together from what everyone has said, is as follows: Alan said that the 'chase'

Re: [Callers] ONS easy dances keeping your partner

Joy Greenwolfe said, <> Hash calling squares... holy bologna, Joy, it is so great to see your growth as a caller since we first met a few years back! Witnessing this in each other is yet another real joy of this list. Thanks for the idea, and the details you provided about how you pulled

Re: [Callers] Making It Fun for Experienced Dancers

This is such a rich topic, key for making the dances inclusive and fun. John, thanks for opening it up. It would make a great hands-on workshop at a dance camp. In the meantime, I've not heard two terms you used. What are: * a "Lindy Anchor" (on Lines Forward & Back) * A "North Country

Re: [Callers] easy ONS dances where partner is kept?

Everyone: Thank you SO much for all of the dances, suggestions, and tips from your own experience! This list rocks. Tina

[Callers] easy ONS dances where partner is kept?

Hi o esteemed community of callers - I'm going to call a big father-daughter dance for the Girl Scouts next month. (It's called "Me and My Cowboy; how cute is that?!) In preparing, I realize that most of the supremely easy dances I know are mixers. While this is usually great, these girls are

Re: [Callers] sing-along contras?

Alan responded to Chrissy's call, "The vast majority of modern contra dances don't have particular tunes associated with them, although certainly some of the tunes which get used for contra have lyrics." Along with the commonly played Southern tunes with lyrics that Jeff mentioned, I'll add a

Re: [Callers] ricochet or push-back hey - Tapsalteerie

Back in Feb 2008, Jean Francis said: "I am looking for some dances with push-back or ricochet heys. I have only found one... Heard of another called Tapsalterrie, but can't find." As it so happens, I was searching the list for discussion about how to teach that very dance! So here it is:

Re: [Callers] Medleys, PS

I really like Jo's insight from Nils about how simple alterations can open our repertoire. Thanks for that! Tina Jo Mortland said, <<>>

Re: [Callers] Medleys

On 9/20/2010 7:32 AM, Jeanette Mill wrote: > I have a question for everyone about medleys - where, when and how do you find > them most effective when incorporated in a program? Tips for teaching? Any >other > comments? Several tidbits I've learned from experience: * I think medleys are

[Callers] Bees in the Shower

Hi folks - No, I'm not yowling for help. :-) I've been doing reciprocal dance trades with an English caller. She wants to call the contradance "Bees in the Shower." A search shows its author as Jim Kitch. Do any of you know how it goes? Thanks! Tina ***

Re: [Callers] Callers Companion and netbooks?

Living in the Bay Area, it's expected that most folks will drool over the newest computer technology. I've managed to resist the iPad -- until also hitting on the idea that Rich Goss mentioned:

Re: [Callers] Sung contras

What a fun question. This is not "real" singing, but because I sang for years before learning to call, I often find myself matching the pitch of my voice to the key the band is playing in. At first, this happened subconsciously. Dancers have commented on how they find that 'singing' pleasing,

Re: [Callers] Calling without a band / recorded music resources

Thank you, everyone, for the spirited discussion and the resources. I totally agree that calling WITH a band is the way to go - in fact, when I was asked if I could do without, I was taken aback for awhile. But I also agree with Chrissy: if the choice comes down to (A) calling a ONS dance to

[Callers] Calling without a band?

Hi all - Have any of you called for a dance without a band? I've gotten a query about calling a barn dance, but their budget is teeny tiny, so they asked if I could call to CDs. I know this is quite possible; my dad used to call square dances to records, but those records were specifically

Re: [Callers] Ralph Page Syllabi

David, thank you *so much* for taking the time to create these syllabi. The RPDLW archives are one of the most valuable calling resources I've found (along with this list - thanks also to Chris & co.!!) Tina

Re: [Callers] Mystery Dance

This dance looks like a lot of fun, and I'm going to try it. At first glance (without working it through via Smurf toys), it looks to me like the first turn of the wave makes folks face the "wrong way" up or down the set, with the Ladies Al-L 1/2 in the A2 turning them back in the direction of

Re: [Callers] Valentine's theme dance

Hi Andy (and everyone) - Last fall, I was asked by a woman to surprise her man on their 1st anniv of dating -- at the dance where they met! -- by calling a sweetheart dance in their honor. (They did want gypsies &/or Mad Robin, sorry... but just to add to the valentine theme dance list, here

Re: [Callers] squares for contra dancers, singing?

Hi folks - Great thread; very useful. Along these same lines, I've been wanting to add singing squares to my contradance eve repertoire, but keep finding either ones too difficult for contradancers to easily enjoy, OR ones aimed at boy scout groups, which they'd likely find dull or too

Re: [Callers] Cub Callers

Tough situation, particularly for programmers, holding the balance between an excellent dance with skilled talent and fostering the future of the dance through new callers and musicians. I know that I benefited from taking it slowly: I sought out training and called over a full year of guest

Re: [Callers] Callers' workshop

As one of those callers with 3-4 years' experience, I agree with others who've called for unusual formations like triplets and chestnuts. They're pretty hard to figure out on your own, and local dances will only want them if a caller already has them down cold. I also would benefit from

Re: [Callers] Gender Swapping w.s. report

Your workshop sounds great, Barbara! Congrats. One tidbit that I might add from my own experience as a gleeful gender-swapper during dances: Barbara Groh said, "There was a little confusion, of course, as folks forgot which side to be on after a swing and were not able to use visual cues of

Re: [Callers] emerging artists, and introducing new forms

OMG, Wendy, I *love* your hip-hop contra!!  How fun is that? This new fusion of the old dances with new tunes & moves has a lot of juice, and potential to keep the dance alive by intriguing the young folks in particular.  Have you seen the video of Youth Dance Week's late night dancing to

Re: [Callers] which hand

Re: diagramming dances, Jerome suggested some terrific web flash, then wrote, > And of course, there's always salt and pepper shakers then Alan responded, > I like coins.  (Different denominations for different numbers - pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters tells you who's who in a square,

Re: [Callers] emerging artists

Here's one I co-wrote. It's been danced and refined a number of times. I'd still like constructive or enjoyable feedback. Grape-Stompin’ Peasant       duple improper contra by Tina Fields & Jim Marcolina,

Re: [Callers] emerging artists / Dave Colestock dances

Two questions for Dave Colestock's dances, which look like fun: A Sizzlin' Seattle has the Gents Allemande 1-1/2 - with which hand? Left? Men in Plaid has a Gent's Chain. With which hand is this typically done? Gents pull by R as ladies do, or by L?  I just called a dance this weekend with this

Re: [Callers] Limited Views on Dorky Dances

I really like Greg MacKenzie's question, >>The real question is: What is your purpose?  And what is the purpose of the >> majority of those who attend?  Are you trying to "preserve a tradition," to >> "open folks to other dance traditions," or simply "to offer an open >> community social dance

Re: [Callers] Sasha

A band asked me to call Sasha as we prepared for their monthly barn dance. Seems it was a favorite of that dance community. So I learned it for them and indeed, everyone was laughing and whooping it up. But warning: I then thought, how fun! Let's bring this dance into my home contra community

Re: [Callers] Carmen's Garments

B & Sw option duly noted, Joyce. Also it seems like this is a dance that's far better run short; sort of an intermezzo. I've noticed that due to its very novelty (goofiness), Carmen's Contra can really perk up a hall full of dancers who are getting tired or who've been thinking too much

Re: [Callers] Carmen's Garments

machine-leave message) > > > --- On Mon, 11/17/08, Richard Allen Fischer > <richardallenfisc...@verizon.net> wrote: > > > From: Richard Allen Fischer > <richardallenfisc...@verizon.net> > > Subject: Re: [Callers] Carmen's Garments > > To: tfiel...@

[Callers] Carmen's Garments

Hi callers - I've been calling this goofy, fun dance that I learned while dancing as "Carmen's Scarf." I want to ascribe it correctly. When I looked online, I found references to (w/o the dance) for a Carmen's Scarf by Paul Balliet and a Carmen's Hat by Kathy Anderson. Do any of you know which

Re: [Callers] Admission

Hi folks - I agree with most of the answers thus far, that dance attendees should indeed pay up according to ability, regardless of what specific part of the activity they're most drawn to (dancing, watching the caller, listening to the band, the brownies at the break...) But I must say I

Re: [Callers] Another Name That Dance

I have "Cure for the Claps" down as written by the inimitable Bob Isaacs. Tina Fields > Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:00:04 GMT > From: "crunchym...@juno.com" > <crunchym...@juno.com> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Another Name That Dance >

[Callers] Trouble Getting Gigs (very long)

skills to continually grow? Sorry for the length of this post and the ‘woe is me’ tone. But I figured some detail might help in this case, and I’m really feeling at a loss. Thank you, comrades, for any insight you might offer. Tina Fields

Re: [Callers] A Rollin and A Tumblin

Waltz Mixer. This way, dancers get to first practice smooth, slow, graceful rolls, then later with the contra they get to rant and roar with them. I've found that a really a fun combo. Tina Fields Message: 2 List-Post: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Date: 09 May 2008 18:45:56 -0400 From

Re: [Callers] tic tac shoes

Hi folks - Like a couple of you who've posted, I too have little "tortilla feet" - short and wide, women's 6-1/2 D. I do wear kids' shoes sometimes; that's excellent advice. But the best shoes I've found for contradancing are Capezio's Dansneakers. They are ugly to look at, but so comfortable

Re: [Callers] Callers with higher degrees

might be burdened with. I encourage all of you with higher degrees to persist in your pursuit of this marvelous tradition. Just a thought, Greg McKenzie **** At 10:04 AM 5/9/2008, Tina Fields wrote: >Hi everyone - > >In a conversation with Lynn Ackerson a couple of weeks ago, >it

[Callers] callers with degrees - details requested

Hi folks - Along with details of her own degree, Martha also mentioned others: "Well, let's see - here in San Diego, I've got a Ph.D. in molecular biology, another caller is a Professor of Dance at SDSU, another caller is a post-doc at UCSD, another caller has a Ph.D. and runs the electron

Re: [Callers] Beginner Contras & barn dances

Hey Sue (and other community dance callers), Would you mind posting the content of some of these dances here? The quadrille sounds very interesting. I've been asked to call a couple of barn dances too, and keep seeing references to these dances, but don't have access to the books they're printed

[Callers] Oddville (Ad Vielle) dance link

Hi folks - You might recall that I was looking for the dance Oddville (Ad Vielle) by Erik Weberg. Karen Fontana asked me to post it here when I found it. Well, thanks to your collective knowledge, I was able to write to Erik directly. He sent back a very kind response stating that he's now