Playing For Dances

[Randy Stein]

My experience with playing more traditional genres of music is primarily in sessions at pubs or in the homes of musical mates. I really never played for contra or ceilidh and the such though I thoroughly enjoy them and the music.

When my swing group, DC Ambiance, performs at a festival, restaurant or pub it's not unusual to have a couple here and there get up and swing dance to our music. But performing or jamming is very different than actually playing for a swing dance.

Styles of dance (Lindy hop, jitterbug, west or east coast swing, Balboa etc.) require specific styles of music and tempos. For the dancers there are some set dance moves and styles but their choreography is just as creative and individual as the musician playing a solo.

Our group has recently been booked to  play more of these dances.  It is a fun challenge to come up with ever increasing ways to to keep pace with the dancers. 

Just saying... 

[RAc]

What is to add? The interaction between dancers and musicians can become arbitrarily complex, and with perfect bidirectional communication between the two groups, the result is pure magic.

 

I've had the good fortune to have had a number of opportunities to play for dancers in ceilidhs and bals recently. It is one of the most challenging and satisfying musical experiences I ever had.

 

There are just two tidbits to add for beginners:

 

- The best dance musicians are also passionate dancers, so whoever wants to get into dance music making is very well advised to also "try out the other side" as much as possible.

- Regardless of your musical background: UNLEARN playing music from scores. Dance music is not even half the fun for either dancers or musicians when there is no eye contact.

 

[Kathryn Wheeler]

Yes I agree - I took up dancing a few years back after being a musician for years and now I aim to play the music just as it feels to dance it. Watching the dancers closely and how the feet fall, the rhythm of the stepping and the atmosphere of it all.  Mind you I’m mostly dancing these days rather than playing for dancing!

 

It’s also given me an appreciation for what tunes feel like they’re suited well to the steps and structure and what doesn’t - and also things like if and how things are swung, rhythm wise. 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I think that if your write a good tune [ with a bit of rhythm to it] - or a nice melody that gets your own feet tapping then you know you may be well on the way to a success [even if you did write it yourself] sometimes they seem to almost 'write themselves'.. Although I haven't as yet found anyone to dance my "Dance the Gannet" tune 😊 [ maybe the birds will do it instead?}.

[Kathryn Wheeler]

Whilst I'm on the subject,

I've found when writing tunes for dances that it is much appreciated if it is based as closely as possible on the structure of the dance and make it feel like it feels to dance it, if that makes sense.  I've come across quite a few tunes that don't do that and it actually frustrates me when I dance them!  A good tune choice can really add extra energy!

Edited August 30, 2023 by Kathryn Wheeler

[RAc]

8 minutes ago, Kathryn Wheeler said:

I've found when writing tunes for dances that it is much appreciated if it is based as closely as possible on the structure of the dance and make it feel like it feels to dance it, if that makes sense.  I've come across quite a few tunes that don't do that and it actually frustrates me when I dance them!  A good tune choice can really add extra energy!

Exactly! Our only purpose in life as dance musicians in the moment of the dance is to serve the dancers at all costs (the heart attack has to wait until after the dance, sorry), and how hard and challenging that is... well, you only know when you danced it... Each dance is as individual as each dance tune. Matching good fits is a craft in itself, methinks.

[Clive Thorne]

On 8/30/2023 at 2:21 PM, RAc said:

Exactly! Our only purpose in life as dance musicians in the moment of the dance is to serve the dancers at all costs (the heart attack has to wait until after the dance, sorry), and how hard and challenging that is... well, you only know when you danced it... Each dance is as individual as each dance tune. Matching good fits is a craft in itself, methinks.

Totally agree. Just because a dance is, say, a 32 bar reel doesn't mean that any 32 bar reel tune will be a do (well it might  "Do", but not be a good fit).

[Kathryn Wheeler]

Quite!

[wunks]

I agree with all above.  You can take it a step further by composing tunes and dances together.  It's one of the things that keeps me up at night.  It's tempting to think all the moves have already been invented but something simple thrown into the mix can liven things up a bit.  I'll be dancing tonight with a caller from out of town.  I'm sure they'll bring something new....😀

[Kathryn Wheeler]

Ah fabulous! I’m just starting to think of interesting dance ideas and combinations- the tunes come far more quickly!

[Jim Besser]

Part of the challenge in playing for many trad social dance forms is communicating with the caller.  For English country dance musicians, it's usually easy - specific tunes go with named dances.  For contras: that's the exception to the rule, except for things like Chorus Jig, Petronella, etc.

 

Most callers around here are adept at telling the band what they want:  a smooth jig, a marchy reel, a chunky jig, something slinky,  etc.  What I really like to hear is something specific:  "something that works with a balance at the top of the B."

 

  We almost never know what dances the caller will do in advance, and have to make quick decisions about what in our playlist works with the next dance (actually, what TUNES - we always play 2 or 3 tune sets).  I've been playing for dances for decades, and can't think of a time when we knew what the caller was going to do before getting on stage.  So having someone in the band who's adept at quickly finding tunes that work with what the caller is about to call is critical.

 

What is a problem is when a caller doesn't communicate, or doesn't understand the relationship between the music and the dance. When I'm talking to the caller about the next dance, what I really hate to hear is "oh well, anything."   That's a prescription for disaster, because "anything" can really mess the dancers up.  Well-chosen tunes, on the other hand, really propel and energize the dance.

 

Fortunately, in our neck of the woods we have an abundance of talented callers who do a great job working with bands.

 

When we play English ceilidhs, there are probably more dances that work best with specific tunes - Sir Roger de Coverly is one that we almost always play, and sometimes Nottingham Swing, although lately we've been getting away from the tune usually associated with the dance.

 

We can't possibly know all the dances - especially with so many recently choreographed contras.  So knowing what kinds of tunes work with different elements of a dance is critical.  As is having a caller who knows how to communicate with a band.

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Jim Besser

[SteveS]

I recall when I played in a ceilidh band in Edinburgh - we'd play may be 10 dances per hour, and 3 tunes per dance - with a few spares, we played around 100 tunes in a 3 hour set.  I can't play any of them now - I went over entirely to Nordic folk music.

[wunks]

I like playing a single tune for a dance.  Two is fun but three is fun mostly for the musicians and we begin to lose sight of our mission.  You don't ask the caller " What three tunes would be good?"  That's when they're liable to say 

"oh well, anything".  If you have lots of dancers a good caller will divide them up into shorter sets.  In big halls with long lines you need a bit more prep.

[Jim Besser]

1 hour ago, wunks said:

I like playing a single tune for a dance.  Two is fun but three is fun mostly for the musicians and we begin to lose sight of our mission.  You don't ask the caller " What three tunes would be good?"  That's when they're liable to say 

"oh well, anything".  If you have lots of dancers a good caller will divide them up into shorter sets.  In big halls with long lines you need a bit more prep.

 

 

My primary band these days mostly does  2 tune sets, but we do a lot of variations to keep things interesting.  But 3 tune sets make sense in a big hall with lots of dancers, and for bands that don't do a lot of messing around with tunes.

 

When our Glen Echo Spanish Ballroom is really full, a single dance can take 9 or 10 minutes. Bands that don't do a lot of variation can get pretty boring. 

[SteveS]

There is no caller usually at Scottish ceilidhs, so that relieves the band of asking which tunes will fit.  Dancers are expected to know the dances, and by and large, they do, or can pick them up in real-time.

[wunks]

In the smaller halls we frequent, over 16 couples is rare and usually will be divided.  We have an eye for the bottom couple and start the 2nd tune when they begin as actives after waiting out.  Everyone gets to dance both roles through the set.  Trying to cram 3 tunes in can be disorienting.  We find it better to introduce variety with small tweaks and/or switching the lead.  I love playing dances with just piano and fiddle and my fab piano player can easily take the lead while keeping the rhythm going.  I need a third instrument these days however, as I'm starting to cramp up towards the end.  A second fiddler is ideal so I can play viola and ( soon I hope ) concertina!  I remember playing for big dances in the long gone days at NEFFA, Old Songs and the Dance Flurry in Saratoga.  It was exciting but a different beast altogether...😊

[Anglo-Irishman]

18 hours ago, Jim Besser said:

English ceilidhs

Now, there's an oxymoron for you ...! 😉

[Jim Besser]

3 hours ago, wunks said:

A second fiddler is ideal so I can play viola and ( soon I hope ) concertina!  I remember playing for big dances in the long gone days at NEFFA, Old Songs and the Dance Flurry in Saratoga.  It was exciting but a different beast altogether...😊

 

Yes, a different beast.  I enjoy playing for small dances - last year I did a family dance with about 6 couples, and it was a blast - but my normal environment is a very big and very crowded hall, which requires very different strategies.