Traditional-dance-callers links

Back in 1997 a listserve was set up to get disparate groups talking to one another -- traditional square callers, contra callers, modern square callers, and eventually contra callers and family dance teachers. This list migrated to yahoo groups six years later, and since then yahoo has archived nearly 20,000 posts. There's a huge wealth of information here. I've culled some of my personal favorites, and organized them below.

However, the list and archives are part of a private yahoo group. To access these articles you must:

1. Sign up to be a trad-dance-callers member.
2. Sign up for a yahoo ID.
3. In your yahoo profile, link to your email account used in step 1.

Last updated 1/1/2012.

(This list is not quite complete. Sometime in the next few months I plan on adding sections for dance sequences, especially for squares and ONS dances.)

Quick index

• Calling technique
• Individual dances
• Calling evenings
• Figures and figure teaching
• Beginner's sessions
• History
• General
• Squares
• People
• Traditional dance series
• Dance forms
• Contras
• Modern
• Chestnuts
• Squares
• Traditional
• MWSD
• ONS (One-Night-Stand) issues
• Music
• Bands
• Music theory
• Recorded
• Sound
• Miscellaneous
• Organizers' issues
• Dancers' issues
• Media
• Business stuff
• Online resources
• Listserve stuff

Calling technique

• Individual dances

  • Walkthroughs

    CP : Frames of reference.
    BP : Teaching time limits.
    DM : Teaching flirtation.
    JS : On avoiding questions.
    AW : Progression.
    JS : Right-seems-wrong syndrome.
    JS : Misunderstandings.
    RK : On lecturing.
    KM : Filling dead time.
    MM MM : Teaching/set formation time statistics.

  • Prompting

    JM : Filler words and tempo.
    JS : Dance length.
    JS : Exceptions to who-what-where.
    DK : Medleys.
    DH : Dropping out.
    KM : Contra line breaking down.
    JE : Voice technique.
    RN : Chanting.
    BP : Laryngitis.
    BM : Recording yourself.
    DP GW : Counting.
    DM AW WL : No calling.

    • Ending the dance

      BP DS : Modifying.
      RK RK : Prompting.
      TH RD TH : Odd couple out.

  • Style

    SG : Style and connection.
    CH : Promoting style.
    DH : Too much advice.
    DH DH EH DK EH EH : Safety.

• Calling evenings

  • Behind the mike

    MM : Caller's duties.
    DS : Death.
    MW : Giving feedback.
    RK : Getting feedback.
    RK : Honoring someone.
    RK : Panic.
    RS : Recovering from mistakes.
    CK : Silly dances.

  • Programming

    TP : Mixers.
    JS : Building programs.
    AW : Difficulty level.
    ST : Repeating dances.
    AW TP : Variety.
    MB JS : April Fool's.
    DS DS DM AF JM TP BD DH MD : Sannella programs.

  • Repertoire management

    ST : Without cards.
    DS : Card memorization.
    KM : Cardfile boxes.
    DS MD : Databases.
    AW DM NM : Repertoire size.

  • Building community

    DM : Dancer support.
    DK : Hotshots.
    DM : How you shape your audience.
    CC : Molding a population.
    DM : Programming tactics.
    DM : Shaping the community.
    DS DM : Center-set syndrome.

  • Unusual dancers

    GR : Deaf.
    DL : Marching through Georgia.
    DS : Mentally handicapped.
    DM DW JG : Blind.
    BH BD WL : Non-English speakers.
    CP CR AW CH DS DL : Gender-free.

• Figures and figure teaching

  • Swing

    JK : Number of rotations.
    JS : Mid-phrase.
    DM : Mutual support.
    RS : Woman on the right.
    DK : Swing-to-chain.
    JS : Early swings.
    TP TP : Quebecois swing.
    RS CH SN CF DH : Teaching.

  • Balance

    DL : History.
    RS : Starting foot.
    RS : Teaching.
    DM : Waves.
    DL TP : Pigeon wing.

  • Courtesy turns

    RS : Chain vs. change.
    DM : Early half ladies chain.
    RS : Teaching ending orientation.
    JS JG AN : Teaching.
    JS JS JS KM JS : Older ladies chains.
    DL JM RS RS AW : Older right and left throughs.

  • Down the center

    RS : "Cast" etymology.
    RS : Chestnuts and down-the-hall.
    DM : Down the hall timing.

  • Miscellaneous figures

    EH : Allemande safety.
    RD : Bouquet waltz.
    BM CH : Connected circles.
    DL RD : Contra corners.
    DM : Do-si-do history.
    KN : Gypsies.
    BM AW L  BM : Gypsy objections.
    AW : Gypsy and heys -- historical.
    CP : Hey teaching.
    AW JS MB JS : Mad robin.
    SG KM : Petronella claps.
    RL : Regional variants.
    JS : Roll the Barrel.
    CB RS RN : Sashays.
    NM NM JS DM JS : Square do-si-dos.
    CB CP : Twirl to swap.

  • Concepts

    AW : Lead/follow.
    JS : Teaching landmarks.
    DM : Teaching corner, progression.

• Beginner's sessions

  • Syllabi

    EH : Erik Hoffman.
    RK : Ridge Kennedy.
    DK : David Kirchner.
    DM : David Millstone.
    NM : Nancy Mamlin.
    SN : Sherry Nevins.
    JS : Jim Saxe.
    DK ST : Individualized teaching.

  • Should you have them?

    MA MA SE : Pro.
    RD DM SE : Con.

  • Musicality

    JG : Singing.
    AF : Teaching phrasing.
    RN : Counting.

  • Miscellaneous

    DP : Goals.
    ST : Philosophies.
    BM : Identifying newcomers.
    BS : Encouraging new dancers.
    LM : Empowering beginners.
    RM : Flourishes.
    CH : Developing the group.
    RS DK : Intimidation factors.

History

• General

  • Pre 1900's

    LH : American history program.
    RS : Clogging in contras.
    AW : Early callers.
    SG : Footwork definitions.
    AW : Researching dances.
    AW : Calling origins.
    KM : Germans.
    AW : Mixers.
    AW : Late 1800's.
    RS : Music of 1800's.
    AW : Interperting 1850's contras.
    AW AW : Sicilian circles.
    DL AW : Top couple active.
    JS BN : 80 step mystery.
    CB MM : Irish dances.
    JS JS : Lincoln.
    DL AW MM : Dancing masters.

  • Early 1900's

    LA : 1902 poem.
    RS : Ballroom vs. barn.
    AW : Decline in early 1900's.
    DM : Phases of popularity.
    CC : Colorado in 1920's.
    DL : New Hampshire in 1940's.
    TP OW : Finances.
    DM PJ : Gym class.

  • Mid 1900's

    TP : Jews.
    DL : Recordings.
    DL : Early NEFFAs.
    DL : Musician's unions.
    TP TP : Feuds.
    DL DL SM : Contra music.

  • Contemporary

    AW : The folk process.
    DL : Changing traditions.
    DL : Apprenticeships.
    DL : Unchanging programs.
    TS : Triplet origins.

• Squares

  • Traditional

    PJ : Recordings 1923-1925.
    TP : 1920's Ozarks.
    FF : 1949 booklet.
    JS : Earliest references.
    FF : Hamlin Garland quotes.
    TP : Good records.
    BD : Big set.
    DL : Alternate traditions.
    AW : Cotillion's influences.
    AW : Quadrilles.
    DM AW : French influence.
    DK RS : Old Catville Quadrille (1924).
    TP TP : Square ancestors.
    BN RL : Book links.
    TP TP : Cowboy Dances editions.
    FF FF FF : Arizona.
    NM TP TP : Taxonomy.

  • MWSD

    RN : Call standardization.
    JM : Timeline.
    DL : Early MWSD.
    RS : Allemande handholds.
    JM : Original CALLERLAB goals.
    TP : 1960's.
    JS : L.A. 7/13/1950.
    TP TP : Early choreography.
    DM JM : Jim Mayo book.

• People

  BB : Bob Brundage.
  TP : Ed Durlacher.
  DK BM : Gene Hubert.
  BN : Culver Griffin.
  DL DL JL : Dudley Laufman.
  WL : Duke Miller recordings.
  TP : Ed Moody.
  DM : Glenn Pease.
  DM : Ted Sannella.
  AB FF : List members threads.

  • Ralph Page

    TP : Recordings.
    DL : April 1st.
    DL : Prompting style.
    TP : 1939 article.
    DL SM HB : Memories.

• Traditional dance series

  BB : Connecticut.
  TP : Franklin, CT.
  JS : Florida.
  TP : Boston squares.
  DM DL : New Hampshire.
  WL : Bradford, NH. (1950's)
  DS : Orwell, NY.
  NM : Glendale Springs, NC.
  TP TP : West Newbury, VT.

  • Canada

    DL : Newfoundland.
    PL : Nova Scotia.
    AB DL DL : Quebec.

Dance forms

• Contras

  • Modern

    AN : Change.
    DK : Catch-up moves.
    TS : Ted's Triplets etiquette.
    DM : Adding figure names.
    RD : Fractional circles.
    TP : Modern classics thread.
    DM : Al Olson recommendations.
    LG : Slip jigs.
    CP CP : ECDish.
    DM WL : Hash.
    DM TH DK : New figures.
    SN DP DP RS : Complexity factors.
    DM DL AW ST JS JK JM : Variety vs. complexity.

  • Chestnuts

    EH : Being inactive.
    DK : Short lines.
    RS : Modern variants.
    DK : Preserving traditions.
    AW : Traditional choreography.
    DM SP : Programs.
    JS BM MM : What is "traditional"?
    DL DL DM : Tunes.

    • Triple minors

      DM : Set length.
      AW : Four couple sets.
      AW : Why inactive?
      DM : Teaching.

    • Individual dances

      BN : Chimes of Dunkirk.
      AW : Maid of the Oaks.
      DL DM : French Four.
      BD : Paul Jones.
      DL : Petronella/Chorus Jig.
      DM : Portland Fancy.
      AW : Spanish Dance.

      • Money Musk

        DM : Earlier versions.
        DL : Memories.
        DL : Money Musk.
        SM : Tune.
        RS : Turns.
        PY DL : Forward and back.
        WL LS : Patter.

• Squares

  • Traditional

    • At contra dances

      SN : Skills needed.
      JS : Keepers vs mixers.
      SN DM : Including squares.
      WL AW CF : Not liking squares.
      ST TP BD MM : Selling squares.

    • Calling

      JS : Failure points.
      JK : Driving hazards.
      NM : Improvising.
      DM FF : Patter samples.
      WL DM : Simplifying breaks.
      JS JS : Dancers' skills.
      EH TP TP : Music.
      AW NM DL : Leaving the phrase.
      NM NM NM NM LM : Big sets.
      JS JS JS JS TP JS : Timing details.

  • MWSD

    RN : Resolving hash.
    JM : Smoothness.
    GF : State folk dance.
    CB : MWSD lists origins, and differences from contras.
    TP : Supermarket records.
    CB CB : Figure overlap with contra.
    LG RS : Differences in appeal from contras.
    DM JM JM : Swing through.
    TP FF FF TP : Early records.

    • Complexity

      TP : Lists.
      JM : "Variety."
      DM : High-level dancer.
      RS : Class length.
      CB : Symptoms.
      DM : C4 Challenge.
      DM RS : Overactive 10%.

    • Contras

      DW : Organizations.
      CB RN RS : Customs.
      TP AS CB CP EM DW AB BP : Teaching contras to MWSDers.

• ONS issues

  • Venues

    • Schools

      DL : Programs.
      SN : Including parents.
      AC : 6 minutes.
      CP : Gig from Hell.
      CB : Squares.
      OW : Slap bracelets.
      DL : Large groups.
      DL : Fiddle clubs.
      KM JS : Large numbers.
      KM RK KM : Advice.
      YC DL DL AW : Historical programs.
      DM KM PR BP : Kindergartners.

    • Weddings

      JG : ECD.
      DL : Programs.

    • Historical recreation

      KM : Over teaching.
      AW : Civil War cds.
      DH KM : Civil War advice.
      AW DL : 1812 dance.
      AW DH KM : Civil War repertoire.

    • Seniors

      BD : Advice.
      BB AB : Programs.
      DL DL : Wheelchairs.

    • Other

      AC : Prisons.
      KM JS : Bar Mitzvah.
      DK PR BM DL : Creating a community dance.

  • Business aspects

    TP : Guest callers problems.
    KM KM : Checklist.
    BD DH : Pre-planning.
    KM KM LH KM TP KM OW KM : Finding gigs.

  • Teaching advice

    PR : Adapting.
    CH : Dancer fatigue.
    BB : Mixing squares.
    BP : Overteaching.
    KM : Progression.
    PR : Variety.
    TP : Walkthrough styles.
    RK DL : Set management.
    DL DH DL : Caller's mindsets.
    SN ST SG EH SH TP CG OW : Getting people up.

  • Miscellaneous

    KM : Emergency maypole.
    DP TP KM TP : Usable figures.
    OW KM DM KM CG TP PR : Useful line dances.

Music

• Bands

  • Working with the band

    JS : Weak bands.
    NF : No band.
    DM : Shutting up.
    JS : Tune requests.
    JM RB : Rolling starts.
    RK GM CF : Buzzwords.
    EH SE JS : Jigs.
    NM DK BM JS JS : Helping.

  • Working as a band

    DK : New band advice.
    SN : Squares vs contras.
    DL : Medleys.
    SE : Hotness.
    DM : Adapting tunes.
    MG : Historical styles.
    CP BP : Phrasing.
    CF CF : Cheap tricks.

  • Genres

    DL : Christmas.
    EH : Crooked tunes.
    SG : Swing music.
    TP : Victorian.
    AW WL : Ragtime.

    • Old-time music

      WL :