We had a decent turnout for the New Year's dance, we made enough to pay for hall and a little left over for the band besides. Pat Czar wasn't able to make it down, so I ended up calling the dance. Apparently I still need a lot of practice making myself heard and understood. But we had some good dancers and most of the dances went well. Pot Luck played and sounded pretty good as far as I could tell. The band wasn't happy with their musical performance and the dancers thought they could play a little faster, but otherwise there were no complaints. The hard floor did wear everyone out early, so we didn't quite make it to midnight, but that was fine, too.
Happy New Year.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Just Ask Alice
Went to the Sunday Boca Raton dance and missed the Miami Barnacle dance. Alice Milmoe called and Cornbread played. The incorporation of Christmas songs into the repertoire was nice, although using the Chipmunk's Christmas Don't Be Late for a waltz was a bit odd.
I like Alice's calling, though I think most female callers need to speak up just a bit more than they do. I've been told the same about my calling, of course. Alice was calling at Orange Blossom Ball a few years ago and paid me the supreme compliment of asking me to dance. With a room full of excellent dancers, being singled out like that was most gratifying.
Here is the website link once again for anyone who wishes to sign up for the New Year's Eve contra dance: http://new-years-eve-contradance.jwbsite.com/ The more people who sign up early, the better we can make the dance.
I like Alice's calling, though I think most female callers need to speak up just a bit more than they do. I've been told the same about my calling, of course. Alice was calling at Orange Blossom Ball a few years ago and paid me the supreme compliment of asking me to dance. With a room full of excellent dancers, being singled out like that was most gratifying.
Here is the website link once again for anyone who wishes to sign up for the New Year's Eve contra dance: http://new-years-eve-contradance.jwbsite.com/ The more people who sign up early, the better we can make the dance.
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Decent-er 3rd
A decent turnout for the December 3rd dance. Not quite up to two lines but enough to fill the hall with one line. More guys than gals again, which used to be unusual but seems to be occurring with more regularity lately. Stepping Stones played and Brian called. Brian attempted, with some success, to give us a couple of harder dances than usual. I can't fault Brian for trying, but most of our dancers just aren't up to that level. At least the contra corners went reasonably well.
I did get to announce the New Year's Eve dance once again, and while there is some interest, I still don't have a good feel for how many will actually come to the dance.
When I was in Valparaiso, Indiana, I felt like the callers called too many circles, squares, Sicilian circles, triplets, and other novelty dances, and not enough contras. Down here in south Florida, I feel like we don't get enough of them. The only one I really don't like is the four-facing-four arrangement, only because you get stuck with a permanent corner not of your choosing. I have tried on occasion to pick my own corner, but most of the time it doesn't work. The other problem with the 4-4 arrangement is you only get to dance with half the crowd. The same problem occurs with the Sicilian circle, but by turning another willing couple, you can head back the other way and dance with everyone. Picking your own shadow is also problematic, particularly if you don't know a dance with a shadow is coming.
I did get to announce the New Year's Eve dance once again, and while there is some interest, I still don't have a good feel for how many will actually come to the dance.
When I was in Valparaiso, Indiana, I felt like the callers called too many circles, squares, Sicilian circles, triplets, and other novelty dances, and not enough contras. Down here in south Florida, I feel like we don't get enough of them. The only one I really don't like is the four-facing-four arrangement, only because you get stuck with a permanent corner not of your choosing. I have tried on occasion to pick my own corner, but most of the time it doesn't work. The other problem with the 4-4 arrangement is you only get to dance with half the crowd. The same problem occurs with the Sicilian circle, but by turning another willing couple, you can head back the other way and dance with everyone. Picking your own shadow is also problematic, particularly if you don't know a dance with a shadow is coming.
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Miami Dance
An unusual evening in Miami where new people showed up all evening long, making things a little difficult. It's still the case, though, that the Barnacle dance attracts the youngest crowd of any of the dances. I don't know that the Barnacle dancers actually translate into many (or any) regulars, but if we could figure out how the Barnacle dance attracts younger people and do the same at the other dances, we might start to create a new generation of contra dancers.
It was a pretty low turn-out for Miami. I expected a lot more considering it was relatively cool and close to the snowbird season. Too close to Thanksgiving, perhaps, but that's always true of November.
I will soon have a website where you can purchase tickets for the New Year's Eve dance. I talked to the scheduler for the Woman's Club and no one else has asked about renting it, so I'm going ahead with the dance. Please sign up!
It was a pretty low turn-out for Miami. I expected a lot more considering it was relatively cool and close to the snowbird season. Too close to Thanksgiving, perhaps, but that's always true of November.
I will soon have a website where you can purchase tickets for the New Year's Eve dance. I talked to the scheduler for the Woman's Club and no one else has asked about renting it, so I'm going ahead with the dance. Please sign up!
Sunday, November 27, 2016
November 20th Dance
I was disappointed that I didn't get a chance to announce the New Year's Eve dance, so I haven't posted anything this week about last Sunday's dance. But now I have something new to post about. If you haven't heard of him, go check out Cecil Sharp, the founder of the English Folk Dance and Song Society in the UK. (Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Sharp) Not only was Cecil Sharp instrumental in saving and reviving folk dances and songs in England, including Morris dancing, he toured Appalachia and wrote down and preserved many folk tunes here in the US. It may not be stretching things too much to say that there would not be a Country Dance and Song Society (CDSS) in the US if Cecil Sharp hadn't existed.
I can't recall the caller's name now, but different is always good. The dance in Valparaiso tried hard to have TEN different callers a year, a different one every month in the season.
I can't recall the caller's name now, but different is always good. The dance in Valparaiso tried hard to have TEN different callers a year, a different one every month in the season.
Sunday, November 13, 2016
The Twelfth of November
Cornbread played and Anita and Brian called, dividing the calling duties between them. Turnout was low but better than usual. Lots of new people were there, with the usual confusion that results. But at least the balance of male and female was pretty close, and even right on the money at one point.
I did get to announce the New Year's Eve dance, and three people were interested in it, but no ticket sales yet.
For anyone too young to remember, my post title is a reference to The Twelfth of Never, a song back in the 50s by Johnny Mathis. I'm too young to remember, too, but I like old 50s songs.
I did get to announce the New Year's Eve dance, and three people were interested in it, but no ticket sales yet.
For anyone too young to remember, my post title is a reference to The Twelfth of Never, a song back in the 50s by Johnny Mathis. I'm too young to remember, too, but I like old 50s songs.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
November Now
A decent turnout last night at the 1st Saturday dance, although it didn't look like it would be at 7:45 p.m. Chuck Abell called and Stepping Stones played. Both did a very nice job. I think there was only one new person there, and none of the young ones from the previous dance. A lot of our regulars were missing, too.
I announced about the New Year's Eve dance, and got a round of applause, which was a bit of a surprise, but no tickets sold yet. If you'd like to buy tickets ($15 each), please get in touch with me. Pat Czar will call and Pot Luck will play.
It will be interesting to see if we end up on the FAU campus whether or not any/many students come out to try contra dancing, or if they do, how many keep at it. I know in Goshen, Indiana, the students at the college did NOT go to the dance when it was on campus, but DID start going after it moved off campus.
I announced about the New Year's Eve dance, and got a round of applause, which was a bit of a surprise, but no tickets sold yet. If you'd like to buy tickets ($15 each), please get in touch with me. Pat Czar will call and Pot Luck will play.
It will be interesting to see if we end up on the FAU campus whether or not any/many students come out to try contra dancing, or if they do, how many keep at it. I know in Goshen, Indiana, the students at the college did NOT go to the dance when it was on campus, but DID start going after it moved off campus.
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