I’m trying to add more style points to my teaching. What are some of your favorite brief style or safety tips to deliver from the mic? Ones that are relevant to specific sequences, general tips, for beginners, or for experienced dancers, I’m interested in any and all of them!
Harris Lapiroff
Dance Caller and Organizer
Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates Board (Cambridge MA)
Pinewoods Camp, Inc Board (Plymouth MA)
https://chromamine.com/contra/
Prompted by some recent conversations, I’m curious how folks here feel
about shadow swings!
1. As a caller, do you:
A) not have an issue with shadow swings, and program them freely
B) not tend to program them just bc they don’t come up in your repertoire,
but have no issue with them
C) not program shadow swings as a matter of principle
D) some secret fourth thing (feel free to elaborate!)?
2. How do you feel about shadow swings as a dancer?
Will weigh in with my thoughts later, both to avoid biasing the
conversation from the outset, and also because I’m currently in transit 😅
Thanks for participating in the data gathering!
Cheers,
Maia
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
He hasn’t been active for many years, but I just learned that John Bradford
passed away on July 27, 2024.
John learned to call as a young child in Oklahoma, even before attending
one of Lloyd Shaw’s earliest caller workshops in Colorado Springs with his
parents. At the time he was not yet able to waltz (a prerequisite for
atending), and was trying to squeak by with a two-step. According to John,
Shaw caught him at it immediately—and set his best students to rectifying
the issue post-haste.
John would go on to perform with the Cheyenne Mountain Dancers, was a
founding member and driving force behind the Lloyd Shaw Foundation (LSF),
and was the caller for their recordings of Shaw’s 5-part singing quadrille
and the Broadmoor Promenade. According one report, he was deemed to have
perfectly picked up Shaw’s cadence and could call entirely without
affectation.
John was instrumental in getting the LSF’s recordings created, packaged,
marketed, and distributed to schools across the country. A deep well of
knowledge, John was a true old-time caller and knew patter that I have
never heard anywhere else.
In addition to being a superb and versatile caller and dancer (with one of
the best swings of anyone around), John was a self taught guitarist,
singer, and pianist, a professional educator, and an all-around gentleman
and excellent human being. As an added bonus, kids and adults both just did
what he told them to do.
He has left behind a family full of musicians, dancers, and callers, as
well as a legacy of teaching and inspiring everyone who danced with him—not
to mention the teachers and children touched by his efforts to have quality
dance exposure incorporated into school curriculums.
Neal Schlein
Librarian, MSLIS
Hi Folks,
Greg from Winnipeg - As customary, I just wrote a new dance and wondering if it's already been penned. It has two versions, below, one is easier, as I introduce many people to contra dancing in my group and it's nice to have a low stress option, the second is more standard. I also really like dances where it doesn't matter what side you're on, but it's hard to find variety without any corner figures.
In Action (standard) - duple proper/improper doesn't matter what side you're on
A1 - P DsD; Circle L
A2 - P B+Sw (end facing neighbours, doesn't matter what side but good to end on the side you started on)
B1 - N DsD; LH Star
B2 - LL F+B, neighbour roll away on the return; new neighbour LH turn
(Or, if I was Rick Mohr: B2 - LL F+B (7), Neighbour Roll Away (3), new Neighbour LH Turn (6)) LOL
Notes: Holding hands in long lines may not be necessary, as you're dropping them on the return to do the roll away, so if you're late you'll only get a 2 beat hand hold with your previous neighbour. It should only be required to pick up your current neighbour for the F+B.
In Action (easy) - duple proper/improper
A1 - P DsD; Circle L
A2 - P Swing
B1 - N DsD; LH Star
B2 - F+B across, with your neighbour (8); roll away your neighbour (4) and the last 4 beats is flex/catch up (because I usually find it's hard for people to orient themselves in the new minor set; I may say "Wave to your neighbour, then face your partner" or something like that).
Notes: I took out the balance because it's only satisfying if you get it right on the beat and my beginners are rarely ever there. The 16 beat swing can be catch-up time.
Greg
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Sent with [Proton Mail](https://proton.me/) secure email.
*my "**Vote Blue No Matter Who,**" tweaked for this election cycle:*
*(let me know how it goes if you call this one!)*
*Vote Blue No Matter Who, Version 2.024 *(5-2-24) *by Elizabeth Bloom
Albert *
Becket formation; start one-quarter turn to left of Improper; this dance
progresses clockwise.
A1* (2) Slide Left to new neighbors:
(6) Ladies Do-Si-Do 1 x
(8) Swing Partner
A2 (4) Ladies: R-hand Balance
(4) Ladies: Pull-by R to switch [places] {Drop hands}
(4) Gents: R-hand Balance
(4) Gents: Pull-by R to switch [places] {Don’t drop hands}
B1 (8) [Hands Across] Star Right
[End in Wavy Lines up/down hall with Gents facing in]
(4) Balance the [Blue!] wave
(4) Balance the wave again
B2 (8) Gents cross Left, for Half a Hey
(8) Swing Partner (again)
NOTES:
A1: CALLER: During walk thru and 1st time thru, couples do not shift left,
dancing instead with couple across.
Hi everyone,
I apologize - email to the list has been held up for a few days as there was a corruption in the mail database. Everything should be fine now. I don't yet know if any emails sent during the down time will come through.
Seth
I’ve been asked to call a dance at a church camp for middle schoolers at the end of July. Two of the campers have cerebral palsy - one is fairly mobile but the other is on crutches. I’m looking for dance ideas that could be used as is or modified for a dancer on crutches. About 40 people are anticipated (middle school aged campers and high school and adult staff).
Thanks,
Dianne
Hello!
I remember seeing a video of a contra dance a few years back, perhaps
during some kind of workshop, where one of the moves involved dancers
pumping their fists into the air and saying something. I think they were
saying "hey," but I'm not completely sure. I remember that the dance seemed
like it was at a typical contra dance level of difficulty and was a duple
minor, not a simple family dance.
Does anyone know what dance this might be?
Thanks!
Kyla Wargel
Bloomington, IN
