A bold new venture.
Apr. 5th, 2004 01:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rivkaThis evening, for the first time, I'm going to call some dances for my English Country Dance group.
I've been interested in calling for a while. It initially arose out of frustration with callers who irritate me, which perhaps isn't the best of motivations. But I also think it's something that I'll do well, once I've had some practice. So I've been talking to different callers, collecting advice, and thinking about how I would explain various dance moves and dances.
Tonight's a "community callers" night, meaning that lots of different people will call a few dances each. I've been promised skilled musicians who require little direction. (I haven't the faintest idea of how to direct ECD musicians, so this is a very good thing.) I've chosen two simple dances I know well. The only potential hitch is that it's the first Monday of the month, and the first Monday is when we have a new dancers' workshop before the regular dance. So there will probably be some complete beginners.
As we always do, I'll teach the steps of each dance first, phrase by phrase. Then, as they dance it through with the music, I'll call out upcoming steps just before or just as they happen. If anyone gets confused or loses track of what they're supposed to be doing, it will be my job to call out enough useful instructions to fix it. That's the part that worries me most.
The dances I've chosen are:
Ashford Anniversary
Here's how I might teach it, assuming that any beginners present have already learned the extreme basics:
Let's make three-couple sets for Ashford Anniversary.
This is a USA dance, a common style of English dance in which you have three figures - Up a double, Siding, and Arming, each followed by a chorus figure.
So start by taking inside hands with your partner and leading up a double - three steps forward, and close - and then back. Now face your partner, and in your lines of three fall back a double, and forward.
Here's the chorus figure. Look across the set and to your right. If there's someone there, that person is your right diagonal. You're going to set to your right diagonal and change places, crossing by the right. The two people who don't have a right diagonal - that should be the first woman and the third man - you're going to skip around the set into each other's places. Let's try both of those at the same time: set and cross, or skip around... okay, and then everybody turn single.
Everybody should be across from a new partner and on the wrong side of the dance. Set to this person, and two-hand turn once and a half to end proper. That's the chorus.
Okay, let's try the whole chorus, with the music. Ready to set and cross, or skip round...turn single, set to new partners, turn once and a half.
Now, side right with your new partner. Walk in to the center so you're right shoulder to right shoulder, and fall back. And side left. And the chorus: set and cross, end people skip round. Turn single, set, turn once and a half.
And arm right with your new partner, and arm left. And the chorus: set and cross, turn single, set, turn once and a half. You should be back to your original place and partner. Is everyone back? Good. We'll dance the whole thing through twice.
Ashford Anniversary, written by Charles Bolton in 1986. With your partner, ready to lead up a double and back.
Well Hall
Now let's make a longways set and take hands four for Well Hall.
This is a slow and elegant dance, and there's lots of time to be sweeping and graceful in your movements.
To start off, the first couple turns by the right, once and a half. Then cast below (make this a big cast) while the twos move up. And the ones right-hand turn half way.
Now the second couple does the same: turn by the right once and a half, cast while the ones move up, and then the twos right-hand turn halfway. Everybody's back to place.
First corners: that's the first man and the second woman. First corners cross.
Second corners cross: that's the second man and the first woman.
Take hands and circle left halfway, and we're going to do a cloverleaf turn single. Everyone is going to turn away from the center of the dance. So the ones are going to turn up, first woman over her right shoulder, first man over his left. And the twos are going to turn down, second woman over her left shoulder and second man over his right.
Now the second corners cross (second man, first woman), and then the first corners cross.
Circle half, and the ones cast down while the twos lead up. You should be progressed, and ready to begin again in a new hands four.
Okay, let's come back to place and dance Well Hall, from 1686. Ones, ready to turn by the right once and a half.
I'll probably make something of a mess of it - I'm sure everyone does, when they're up there for the first time trying to call and pay attention to the musicians and watch the dancers and pick up on mistakes as they're happening. But it's not as if it would be any easier if I waited longer. I know these dances by heart. They're easy. There will be a lot of experienced dancers there to help out the beginners. So here we go - wish me luck!
I've been interested in calling for a while. It initially arose out of frustration with callers who irritate me, which perhaps isn't the best of motivations. But I also think it's something that I'll do well, once I've had some practice. So I've been talking to different callers, collecting advice, and thinking about how I would explain various dance moves and dances.
Tonight's a "community callers" night, meaning that lots of different people will call a few dances each. I've been promised skilled musicians who require little direction. (I haven't the faintest idea of how to direct ECD musicians, so this is a very good thing.) I've chosen two simple dances I know well. The only potential hitch is that it's the first Monday of the month, and the first Monday is when we have a new dancers' workshop before the regular dance. So there will probably be some complete beginners.
As we always do, I'll teach the steps of each dance first, phrase by phrase. Then, as they dance it through with the music, I'll call out upcoming steps just before or just as they happen. If anyone gets confused or loses track of what they're supposed to be doing, it will be my job to call out enough useful instructions to fix it. That's the part that worries me most.
The dances I've chosen are:
Ashford Anniversary
Here's how I might teach it, assuming that any beginners present have already learned the extreme basics:
Let's make three-couple sets for Ashford Anniversary.
This is a USA dance, a common style of English dance in which you have three figures - Up a double, Siding, and Arming, each followed by a chorus figure.
So start by taking inside hands with your partner and leading up a double - three steps forward, and close - and then back. Now face your partner, and in your lines of three fall back a double, and forward.
Here's the chorus figure. Look across the set and to your right. If there's someone there, that person is your right diagonal. You're going to set to your right diagonal and change places, crossing by the right. The two people who don't have a right diagonal - that should be the first woman and the third man - you're going to skip around the set into each other's places. Let's try both of those at the same time: set and cross, or skip around... okay, and then everybody turn single.
Everybody should be across from a new partner and on the wrong side of the dance. Set to this person, and two-hand turn once and a half to end proper. That's the chorus.
Okay, let's try the whole chorus, with the music. Ready to set and cross, or skip round...turn single, set to new partners, turn once and a half.
Now, side right with your new partner. Walk in to the center so you're right shoulder to right shoulder, and fall back. And side left. And the chorus: set and cross, end people skip round. Turn single, set, turn once and a half.
And arm right with your new partner, and arm left. And the chorus: set and cross, turn single, set, turn once and a half. You should be back to your original place and partner. Is everyone back? Good. We'll dance the whole thing through twice.
Ashford Anniversary, written by Charles Bolton in 1986. With your partner, ready to lead up a double and back.
Well Hall
Now let's make a longways set and take hands four for Well Hall.
This is a slow and elegant dance, and there's lots of time to be sweeping and graceful in your movements.
To start off, the first couple turns by the right, once and a half. Then cast below (make this a big cast) while the twos move up. And the ones right-hand turn half way.
Now the second couple does the same: turn by the right once and a half, cast while the ones move up, and then the twos right-hand turn halfway. Everybody's back to place.
First corners: that's the first man and the second woman. First corners cross.
Second corners cross: that's the second man and the first woman.
Take hands and circle left halfway, and we're going to do a cloverleaf turn single. Everyone is going to turn away from the center of the dance. So the ones are going to turn up, first woman over her right shoulder, first man over his left. And the twos are going to turn down, second woman over her left shoulder and second man over his right.
Now the second corners cross (second man, first woman), and then the first corners cross.
Circle half, and the ones cast down while the twos lead up. You should be progressed, and ready to begin again in a new hands four.
Okay, let's come back to place and dance Well Hall, from 1686. Ones, ready to turn by the right once and a half.
I'll probably make something of a mess of it - I'm sure everyone does, when they're up there for the first time trying to call and pay attention to the musicians and watch the dancers and pick up on mistakes as they're happening. But it's not as if it would be any easier if I waited longer. I know these dances by heart. They're easy. There will be a lot of experienced dancers there to help out the beginners. So here we go - wish me luck!
