<None>
rigg...@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
This past weekend I attended the Pigtown Fling and was in charge of
a Caller's Dance Card Swap. There were about 8 of us in the workshop
and we shared some of our repertoire with each other and walked through
some interesting dances.
I pulled out a card for "Eye of the Storm" by Dan Pearl. This has
a clever progression in which you do 1/2 of a hey with one couple and
then progress to another couple to finish the hey. I had danced it
in the past but have never had the guts to call it. The group did
figure out the progression and I got some hints on teaching the figure.
However, one of the participants who had not said much during the
session spoke up about the dance. I was taken back by the comments
which were quite critical.
He exclaimed he would get physically ill if he were to do this dance
due to the fact that the A1 and A2 parts basically consist of circles and
swings all directed in a clockwise direction. Then he implied that
he would not attend a dance where that caller called again and would
encourage the dance organizer not to invite that caller back. He was
quite emphatic that the caller would be held responsible for his sickness
if such a dance was called.
I did not know exactly how to deal with the situation. I had never
encountered such a strong reaction to any dance which I have called.
How do you deal with this situation during an actual dance situation?
Someone replied that if a caller removed dances that were not to someone's
liking, the caller would be left with no repertoire at all. I tend to
agree. However, one of the other callers expressed concern about using
dances that constantly move in one direction.
What would you do,
Mike White
Peter Renzland
>I pulled out a card for "Eye of the Storm" by Dan Pearl. ...
>... exclaimed he would get physically ill if he were to do this dance
>due to the fact that the A1 and A2 parts basically consist of circles and
>swings all directed in a clockwise direction.
>... However, one of the other callers expressed concern about using
>dances that constantly move in one direction.
>What would you do,
Call "The Left Hand" to undo the rotational bias? ;-)
--
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Dave Goldman
>...
> He exclaimed he would get physically ill if he were to do this dance
> due to the fact that the A1 and A2 parts basically consist of circles and
> swings all directed in a clockwise direction. Then he implied that
> he would not attend a dance where that caller called again and would
> encourage the dance organizer not to invite that caller back. He was
> quite emphatic that the caller would be held responsible for his sickness
> if such a dance was called.
>...
Mike --
I have at least once danced a dance like that, and a few people really did
find it physically unpleasant. As far as I know, we're talking 2 or 3 out
of a room of maybe 150. And nobody actually threw up. :)
So to me this is a valid criticism of a dance, though I wouldn't consider
it a make-or-break point. If you realize this in advance, you can always
warn the dancers before the walk-through that the dance moves continually
clockwise, and those who are prone to motion sickness might prefer to sit
it out.
Of course, this person who would permanently blacklist any caller who one
time called one dance with this flaw is WAY out of line. Since this
particular example was by Dan Pearl, can we assume that the person
objecting has now made up his mind to never attend any event in which any
dance written by Dan Pearl will be called? (That must exclude almost every
contradance series in the U.S.!)
-- Dave Goldman
Portland, OR
Kiran Wagle
> He exclaimed he would get physically ill if he were to do this dance
> due to the fact that the A1 and A2 parts basically consist of circles and
> swings all directed in a clockwise direction. Then he implied that
Much like "Rendezvous" and (I think) "Judah Jig" and lots and lots of
other dances. These dances ARE dizzying, even to wacko Midwesterners who
like to look at the ceiling while swinging. So I have some sympathy for
this position.
> quite emphatic that the caller would be held responsible for his sickness
> if such a dance was called.
This is better phrased in the active voice, "...he would hold the caller
responsible". Contra dancing is a physical activity, as such holds some
risk for the infirm, and since every dance is different and every dancer
is infirm in different ways, it seems that this situation is unavoidable.
> I did not know exactly how to deal with the situation. I had never
> encountered such a strong reaction to any dance which I have called.
You'd never met this person before, eh? <g>
> Someone replied that if a caller removed dances that were not to someone's
> liking, the caller would be left with no repertoire at all. I tend to
> agree. However, one of the other callers expressed concern about using
> dances that constantly move in one direction.
While I have some sympathy for this person's position, because it was
based on a physical condition and not just "I don't like it," I tend to
think that there's no way to please everyone, and that it's as much the
job of dancers to learn what kinds of dances a caller will call as it is
the job of callers to learn what dancers like. I also think that a
well-balanced evening will include dizzy dances and languid ones, in a
sequence that reflects the character of the dances. I'd be disappointed
if the dizzy dances left the repertoire because some people couldn't
handle them.
So, now that I have spent ten minutes saying absolutely nothing, I'll go
lie down and rest my feet. See you in Ann Arbor, perhaps.
~ Kiran
--
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"Elephants are inordinately fond of arrack. The Mandrill prefers
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David #6
: He exclaimed he would get physically ill if he were to do this dance
: due to the fact that the A1 and A2 parts basically consist of circles and
: swings all directed in a clockwise direction. Then he implied that
: he would not attend a dance where that caller called again and would
: encourage the dance organizer not to invite that caller back. He was
: quite emphatic that the caller would be held responsible for his sickness
: if such a dance was called.
Hi Mike,
Speaking as one who was there, I didn't get the impression that the
dancer's reaction was quite as strongly negative as you have written,
though it is very possible some of the conversation happened out of my
earshot.
Two comments: first, I think his comments were a criticism of the dance
and were not meant to be taken personally by you. Second, you have a
knowledge that he does not have: you have actually danced the dance.
Since you want to call it, my assumption is that not only did you enjoy
the dance, but the dancers you were dancing with enjoyed it as well.
I think you can infer that the dance _can_ be done without it causing
excessive dizzyness for most dancers.
However, the relative dizziness of a dance does have a fair amount to do
with the music being played; you might keep the critic's comments in mind
when you speak with the band about what type of tune to play when you
attempt to call it (Good luck!).
--
David
dav...@netcom.com
Dan Pearl
clockwise dance. I don't run it too long because it *is* dizzying to some.
I often warn the dancers about this, and suggest that they pace themselves.
I am occasionally asked what to do if you get dizzy while dancing. Here
is my answer:
1) When spinning, humans become dizzy, so some degree of dizzyness
is normal.
2) Keep your head LEVEL while swinging. AVOID tilting the head back!
3) If you get too dizzy, just slow down or stop. No one will be
mad at you.
I think of Rendezvous as kind of an amusement park ride. You don't want to
ride it all the time, but every now and then it's a thrill. Some people
don't like the feeling of dizziness, like that indignant dancer in the
original posting. Fortunately, the next dance is only 10 minutes away!
Maybe he's waiting for "Petronella: that dance with all that great clapping".
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Pearl ** Stratus Computer, Inc. ** pe...@sw.stratus.com
scotca...@delphi.com
dance this thread has been discussing; Eye of the Storm- sounds
like a great dance for the "experienced " dancers in our group.
Craig Whitehead
Charlotte,NC
Jerome L Neapoliton
eyes while swinging. Bye-bye dizziness!
Cella
Jonathan Sivier
>The advice I've heard -- and used successfully -- is to look in your partner's
>eyes while swinging. Bye-bye dizziness!
This will help, but won't necessarily completely eliminate all dizziness.
Different people are affected to different extents by dizziness. I've never
had any problems, but I know people who even after having danced for many
years still become quite dizzy on a 16 count swing. They just have to take
it easy, swing slower and rest when possible. The most extreme example of this
was one year at the Gypsy Moon Ball my partner in one dance (not a
particularily dizzy dance as far as I could tell), suddenly left me in the
middle of the set to run to the bathroom and throw-up. She was a person who
though she had been dancing for many years, still became very dizzy with even
the mildest turning. Unfortunatelyu there's not much that can be done. All
dances have some turning or spinning in them and there is probably going to be
some dancer who can't take it no matter how mild it is.
Jonathan
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Lynn Chirps
>However, the relative dizziness of a dance does have a fair amount to do
>with the music being played; you might keep the critic's comments in mind
>when you speak with the band about what type of tune to play when you
>attempt to call it (Good luck!).
Dot (Mrs. Chirps) Kent
Lynn Chirps
in the early eighties and conceived in the evil mind of Eric Zorn. Erna-
Lynne called several of the top vote-getters at Buffalo Gap CDSS Camp --
my favorite title "The Untouchables" sorry I don't know the author, in which
you didn't touch ANYONE. She chose not to call the winning dance because it's
claim to badness was guaranteed nausea.
Dot (Chirps is over my shoulder) Kent
David #6
I think it can be a number of things. Tempo certainly makes a
difference; faster spinning can tend to cause more dizziness.
But dancers dance to _music_, and the mood the band sets will affect how
the dancers approach the dance, how quickly people move, and what kinds
of extra effects or spins might be included. A jig leads to different
dancing than a fast reel, "Gaspe Reel" leads to different dancing than
"The Growling Old Man and Grumbling Old Woman."
Any musicians out there want to make comments or suggestions?
--
David
dav...@netcom.com
P Stamler
something called "Dizzy No More", check it out.
Paul Stamler
e-mail: Psta...@aol.com
Lynn Chirps
>But dancers dance to _music_, and the mood the band sets will affect how
>the dancers approach the dance, how quickly people move, and what kinds
>of extra effects or spins might be included. A jig leads to different
>dancing than a fast reel, "Gaspe Reel" leads to different dancing than
>"The Growling Old Man and Grumbling Old Woman."
people dizzy. I have played music at lots of dances and have never gotten
dizzy yet. If dancers feel the need to spin and whirl madly, then it is their
on fault if they get dizzy, not the music's fault. The tempo and excitement
of the music might inspire people to do the spins, but it is still the
individual dancers decision.
That's my 0.02$ worth.
Chirps Smith
Merilee D. Karr
<chirp...@delphi.com> wrote:
Hmmm. Last year I submitted a dance to that very same Bad Contra
Contest called "The Left Hand", accompanied by colorful stories about how
it makes people nauseous. (I'll enclose here the letter I sent, to warn
the unwary, to cast temptation into the path of the foolhardy, and also
because I think it's funny ‹ but then, I write bad contras, don't I?) I
never heard anything more about the contest, until reading this news
posting.
Did I win the contest? If so, why didn't anyone tell me? I can
understand why it might be hard for the organizer to figure out how to say
it kindly: "Congratulations, you wrote the decade's worst contradance,
please let us know if you write anything else..." OR, is someone else out
there writing nauseating dances besides me? There are always new
frontiers in dancing.
Here's the letter. Remember, children, don't try this at home. If
this doesn't work,it's because I'm new on the Net, and I d-d-d-don't quite
have all my ducks in a row yet.
The Second Occasional Bad Contra Contest
Entry
* * *
The Left Hand Improper Contra
Merilee Karr and Jim Morrison
A1 With the couple below, active lady round two and gent fall through (8)
The chase is counter-clockwise (ccw)
Circle right once around (8)
A2 Gent round two, lady fall through (8)
Circle right once around (8)
B1 Two-hand turn your neighbor to the right, ccw, 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 (8)
Now progressed
Ladies chain (8)
B2 Circle right 3/4 (8) Until actives are below, progressed on wrong side
Two-hand turn your partner to the right, ccw, 1-1/2 or 2-1/2 (8)
* * *
Most Honorable Bad Contra Judges:
That is, Judges of Bad Contras, of course.
The reason this contradance deserves to win the prize in the Second
Occasional Bad Contra Contest is not any anatomical difficulty.
Anatomical difficulties are easy, and have been done to death.
Extraterrestrial dance traditions aside, we have only so many arms, legs,
wrists, ankles, knees, and elbows, and I am sure you are fatigued, at this
point in your contest, by the legions of anatomically impossible dances
submitted to you by clever contradance writers who can count to n plus
one.
Anatomy is easy. The problem with this dance is physiology.
It makes people throw up.
It was written in 1986, when the principle of "flow" was discovered to be,
after all was said and done, the most essential quality of any hit
contradance. "It don't mean a hoe if it ain't got that flow," was our
watchword, remember? This dance flows. It flows incessantly. It flows
incessantly ‹ to the right.
What's wrong with flowing to the right? I don't know, but after I called
it late one night at Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, couples were
discreetly retching together in the corners. A few helpful souls came up
and gave the usual post-new dance critique: the circle had to get around
faster, or the timing was off on the chain, and oh by the way we should
have a waltz next because everybody is nauseous after your dance. As
usual, the caller is the last to know.
Chris Caldwell came up very excited and said it was the best contradance
she had ever done. She is now a pediatrician.
I think you need a bouncy, noty, traditional tune to maximize the effect.
Jim Morrison wrote the A part at Lady of the Lake dance camp, to be danced
to "Under My Thumb," by the Rolling Stones, which is a slow, sinuous
contradance tune if ever there was one. I later added the B part, with
all the flow in it. It was not until I called it at Fiddle Tunes with the
evening's pickup band, which did not know the chords for "Under My Thumb,"
that the unique physiological effects of the dance manifested themselves.
Try a jig.
I have not asked Jim for permission to submit this dance as a Bad Contra,
but then, he's only responsible for the good parts.
Thank you for this opportunity. Have fun. And remember, the caller
doesn't have to dance it.
--
Merilee D. Karr
Portland, Oregon
mer...@teleport.com
Eric Conrad
> Merilee Karr and Jim Morrison
>
Eric
lydia
><chirp...@delphi.com> wrote:
>
>> Last year Erna-Lynne Bogue revived the Bad Contra Contest originally held
>> in the early eighties and conceived in the evil mind of Eric Zorn. Erna-
>> She chose not to call the winning dance because
>
> Hmmm. Last year I submitted a dance to that very same Bad Contra
>Contest called "The Left Hand", accompanied by colorful stories about how
i was there, and it is my distinct recollection that "the left hand"
was the winning dance. (my first partner had to give up after the
walk-through. ;)
but i don't know about the breakdown in communication. since there's
no evidence that erna-lynne's reading this group, i'll try to forward
her a copy of your posting.
she did read us the warning letter, btw.
-lydia
iev...@sils.umich.edu