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 over 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 1/1/2014. New links from the past yearish are in red.

To see the author/date of an article, hold the mouse over the link box.

A list of instructions for specific dance sequences is on a subpage.

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
• Sequences
• ONS (One-Night-Stand) issues
• Sequences
• 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.
    KD KD : Filling dead time.
    TH RM : Memorizing.
    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.
    RN : Chanting.
    BP : Laryngitis.
    EH : Mike usage.
    BM : Recording yourself.
    DP KD : Contra line breaking down.
    JS JS : Transcripts.
    JE RM : Voice technique.
    DP GW : Counting.
    JS TP DP : Timing.
    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.
    DS : Flourishes.
    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.
    NM MG : Heat.

  • Programming

    TP : Mixers.
    JS : Building programs.
    JS : Community dances.
    TP : Dancers' needs.
    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.
    KD : 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.
    CR AW TP 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 JS : Early swings.
    TP TP : Quebecois swing.
    SN JS CH CF DH : Teaching.

  • Balance

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

  • Courtesy turns

    RS : Chain vs. change.
    DM : Early half ladies chain.
    RS : Teaching ending orientation.
    JS JG AN : Teaching.
    TP JM TP : Standardization.
    JS JS JS KD 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.
    TP : Box the gnat history.
    BM CH : Connected circles.
    DL RD : Contra corners.
    TP : Cross trails.
    DM : Do-si-do history.
    AW AW CH : ECD figures history.
    KN : Gypsies.
    BM AW L  BM : Gypsy objections.
    CP CH : Hey teaching.
    AW JS MB JS : Mad robin.
    SG KD : 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.
    AG : Useful skills.

• 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.
    KD : Early American dances.
    RS : Clogging in contras.
    AW : Early callers.
    RF : Poems.
    SG : Footwork definitions.
    AW : Researching dances.
    AW : Calling origins.
    KD : Germans.
    AW : Mixers.
    AW : Late 1800's.
    RS : Music of 1800's.
    AW : Interperting 1850's contras.
    AG : "Historic Dance" books.
    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.
    TP OW : Finances.
    DM PJ : Gym class.
    DL SM BL : New Hampshire in 1940's.

  • Mid 1900's

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

  • Contemporary

    DM : Becket.
    AW : The folk process.
    DL : Changing traditions.
    DL : Apprenticeships.
    DM : Old-timers talk.
    DL : Unchanging programs.
    TS : Triplet origins.
    AW DL : 1964 video.

• Squares

  • Traditional

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

  • MWSD

    RN : Call standardization.
    DW : Early recordings online.
    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.
    TP TP DW : Switch to records.
    TP TP TP : Records.

• People

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

  • Ralph Page

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

• 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

  JS DM : Types.

  • Modern

    • Choreography

      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.
      FF : 1980 collection.
      CP CP : ECDish.
      DM WL : Hash.
      EH FP ST : Blues contras.
      CR CR DK : Development.
      DM TH DK : New figures.

    • Culture

      BP : Attributes.
      AN : Change.
      TP : Naming.
      PR TP : Endorphins.
      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 TP MM : What is "traditional"?
    DL DL DM DM : Tunes.

    • Triple minors

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

    • Individual dances

      DL : Arkansas Traveler.
      BN : Chimes of Dunkirk.
      AW JS : Chorus Jig.
      JS : Lady of the Lake.
      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.

  • Unusual formations

    • See sub-page for instructions.

• Squares

  • Sequences

    • See sub-page for instructions.

  • Traditional

    JS : Couple numbers.
    TC : National calendar.

    • At contra dances

      TP : Attributes.
      SN : Skills needed.
      JS : Keepers vs mixers.
      SN DM : Including squares.
      WL AW TP CF DL : Not liking squares.
      ST TP BM 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

    CB : Hexagons.
    RN : Resolving hash.
    JM : Smoothness.
    GF : State folk dance.
    CB : MWSD lists origins, and differences from contras.
    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 TP : At conventions.
      CB RN RS : Customs.
      TP AS CB CP EM DW AB BP : Teaching contras to MWSDers.

• ONS issues

  • Sequences

    • See sub-page for instructions.

  • Venues

    • Schools

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

    • Weddings

      JG : ECD.
      JS : Jewish.
      DL : Programs.

    • Historical recreation

      KD : Over teaching.
      AW : Civil War cds.
      AW TP : California.
      DH KD : Civil War advice.
      DH KD AW : Civil War repertoire.
      AW KD AW DL : 1812 dance.

    • Seniors

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

    • Other

      AC : Prisons.
      KD JS : Bar Mitzvah.
      AW CH : Gender-free.
      DK PR BM DL : Creating a community dance.

  • Business aspects

    TP : Guest callers problems.
    OW KD : Fees.
    BD DH : Pre-planning.
    OW OW : Sound set-up.
    KD KD OW : Checklist.
    KD KD LH KD TP KD OW KD : Finding gigs.

  • Teaching advice

    PR : Adapting.
    BB : Mixing squares.
    BP : Overteaching.
    KD : Progression.
    DL : R&L through.
    PR : Variety.
    TP : Walkthrough styles.
    TP KD : Distractions.
    OW CH : Pacing.
    RK DL : Set management.
    DL DH DL TP : Caller's mindsets.
    SN ST SG EH SH TP CG OW : Getting people up.

  • Miscellaneous

    DP TP KD TP : Usable figures.
    OW KD DM KD RK CG TP PR : Useful line dances.

Music

• Bands

  • Working with the band

    JS : Weak bands.
    NF : No band.
    DM : Shutting up.
    WL : Tune matching.
    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 : Programming dances.
      NM : Variances between bands.
      NM NM : Playing for contras.
      NM BM : Recordings.
      DK DK : Cultural differences.

• Music Theory

  JS : Punctuation.
  JM : Tempo.
  JS BD : Upbeat.
  AW AW : Tune lengths.
  SE TP TP JS : Time signatures.

• Recorded

  LS : Tempo adjusting.
  BA : Audio editor.
  JS : Usable material.
  CB : MWSD music.
  DS DM : abc.
  DW BM DW DW : Record hiss.
  TP DP WL DP : Calling to recordings.
  MM DW BM TP CB : Converting to cds.

• Sound

  DP : Ten Commandments of Sound.
  CB : Sound enhancement.
  KD : Remote power.
  JL : Lightweight speakers.
  WL RM : Megaphones.
  NC WP EH : Digital recorders.
  BP WL BD WL : Microphones.

Miscellaneous

• Organizers' issues

  DM : Vision statements.
  DM : House callers - advantages.
  RK : New dancer's survey.
  BM CK : The break.
  BH BK : Volunteers appreciation.
  DP JS RH : Photos.
  JS PS RH : Series rebirth.

  • Publicity

    SE : Facebook.
    KD : Fliers.
    KD : Public drum.
    SG : Reach.
    JK : Trycontra.com.
    TC CS BS : Series databases.

  • Youth

    BO : Children.
    DS : Contra prom.
    ME : Youth group.
    MF RS : Techno contra.
    RH DS RS RH RS JK RS RH : Attracting.

  • Problem dancers

    EH : Examples.
    RM : Excluding.
    RM : Changing.
    MG AW : Policy codes.
    MG EH AW ST : Inclusivity.

  • Facilities

    AG : Air conditioning.

    • Halls

      JS : Space per dancer.
      JE : Finding a new hall.
      KD CH : Building capacity.

    • Floors

      JS : Marks.
      MJ JS : Refinishing.
      TH WW : Building.
      RM RS : Maintenance.

• Dancers' issues

  RS : Enjoying contras.
  MM : Intimidation.
  AW : Recovery.
  EH : Phases of a dancer.
  MC : Techniques to improve.
  DM : Great dancers.
  JS : Teaching pivots.
  AW : Varsouviennes.
  RS : Booking ahead.
  JT : Infants.
  MB AW DH BM ST JS : Declining dances.

  • Crossing dance cultures

    BM : Dancer intolerance.
    BM : Tunnel vision.
    AW : Cultural expectations.
    BN BM NM : Separate but equal.
    AW MW MM MM : Ceilis.

• Media

  • Newspaper articles

    BM : Portland squares.
    JK : L.A. contra.

  • Books

    DL : Contra in fiction.
    AW : Moliere quote.
    DM PR : Kids'.

  • Video

    RN : "Barn Dance" TV special.
    DM : RPDLW video.
    CB : Square dance movies.
    AW : Pride & Prejudice dances.
    DM : C-4.
    DM DM DM DM DM DM BM : Squares.

  • Other

    BN : Chuck Jones.
    DM MP : NPR story.
    CK DL RH DM : Staging contras.

• Business stuff

  RS : ASCAP & live music.
  MJ MJ : Dance sequence copyright.
  TP BM : Pay scales.
  TP MM DM LH : Insurance.
  MM KD BP KD KD JM DL : Contracts.

• Online resources

  JS : General.
  HC : Australian colonial.
  SM : Early music.
  JS : EEFDS.
  DM : Note services.
  CK : Sets in Order.
  DM : Square dance history.
  NC : Stockton syllabi.
  JK : Library of Congress audio archive.

• Listserve stuff

  RK : History.
  RK : Etiquette.
  EM : Accessing archives.
  RK : Copyright etiquette.
  RK : Post trimming.
  RK : Vacation stops.
  RK : 'MUC'.
  RK RK : Announcements.

Back to the main links page.