Jody Kruskal Posted November 5, 2006 Share Posted November 5, 2006 Last weekend four of us (no bass) played a nearby dance. The sound man had a video recorder. Gosh! Is that what I look like? Best if listened to with real speakers or headphones, otherwise you can't really hear what's going on through computer speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff H Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Very cool ! Yes.. must use headphones otherwise cacophonic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaryK Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Can hear it fine on computer speakers. What's the difference anyway between contra dancing and square dancing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaryK Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Can hear it fine on computer speakers. What's the difference anyway between contra dancing and square dancing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 What's the difference anyway between contra dancing and square dancing?They can be (note: "can be," not "are always") very similar, except the shape is a dead giveaway. A square dance is generally for four couples arranged in a square. A contradance is generally for an unspecified number of couples arranged in two parallel lines facing each other. Usually (but not always) facing your partner in the other line. Square dances are usually of predetermined length while contradances repeat the figures every 32 bars with a different couple and continue until the band or the caller decides it's gone on long enough. Much more info out there on the web if you google for it. This feels as dicey as defining the differnece between concertinas and accordions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Stout Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 (edited) Often there is also a diffenence in the music with squares played much faster than contras and without as well marked phrasing. Squares are descended from quadrilles (mostly a 19th century introduction) and contras are descended from earlier longways dances. You can fit more people in the hall doing contra. Some contra dance groups will (perhaps a bit grudgingly) dance a few traditional squares. So, back to concertinas: I know of several people who play concertina for contra dances, ECD, and morris. Does anyone play concertina for square dancing? Edited to remove redundancy Edited November 6, 2006 by Larry Stout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 So, back to concertinas: I know of several people who play concertina for contra dances, ECD, and morris. Does anyone play concertina for square dancing? I used to play in a band that did mostly family and community dances that emphasized squares, with only the occasional contra. But around here, contras reign supreme. I think traditional square dancing has been tainted by "western squares," with their silly costumes and recorded, hokey music. Traditional squares and Western squares are very different animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Traditional squares and Western squares are very different animals. Yeah, I was hoping not to get into that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 Traditional squares and Western squares are very different animals. Yeah, I was hoping not to get into that... Somehow I can't picture you in a string tie, with a towel ring on your belt, but maybe i"m wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Booth Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 One of my earliest memories is of lying on my back on a pile of coats in the Hebo Inn (on the Bucolic Oregon Coast), staring up at an old man on the stage, the caller for the Blue Pacific Twirlers: my parents' Square Dance Club. The caller had taken Marty Robbins' "Devil Woman" and adapted it to the square... OOOOOOh, Devil Woman/ Devil woman do-si-do... No wonder I can't abide Square Dancing in my dotage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted November 6, 2006 Author Share Posted November 6, 2006 (edited) OOOOOOh, Devil Woman/Devil woman do-si-do... That's funny! One of my earliest memories is making a nest of coats under the piano and listening to my mother play Brahms with her chamber music club. I still like that sort of thing when flipping through the radio while driving. Here in NYC, my community of dancers have a very different model of fun than that of the club dancers out west. We did play a square at the dance shown in the clip and do one or two at most contras I play. Mostly New England squares with pretty simple calls, and we never dress up in those frilly skirts and bolo ties and hats. Tee shirts and shorts are common and comfortable for dancing. I went to an Irish ceilidh in New Jersey a few years ago. Though they were using a kind of polka step and called the moves with different names, it sure seemed like the sets and figures were square dancing to me. The same in England, at several dances there this summer I danced squares as well. I guess when you come right down to it, the four couple square is just a very handy shape for set dances. Grand Picnic will be playing again this weekend, Saturday at 8:00. If anyone is ever in NY City and wants to try it, beginners are welcome. Dances weekly. Info at www.cdny.org (edited to add text) Edited November 6, 2006 by Jody Kruskal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Besser Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 (edited) Grand Picnic will be playing again this weekend, Saturday at 8:00. If anyone is ever in NY City and wants to try it, beginners are welcome. Dances weekly. Info at www.cdny.org I've danced to Grand Picnic, and have to say it's exhilarating and exhausting. I don't know of any band on the contra dance circuit that infuses so much energy onto the dance floor. Unfortunately, that often spells trouble for me, since I'm an inept dancer, swept along by the high-energy tide, so to speak, holding on for dear life. At this year's sword ale, I plan to feign a serious leg injury so I can sit and listen instead of risking life and limb on the dance floor. Hope my wife isn't reading this. Edited November 6, 2006 by Jim Besser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted November 6, 2006 Author Share Posted November 6, 2006 Hope my wife isn't reading this. You be nice to me Jim, or I'm gonna tell on you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidesqueeze Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I would love to pursue the topic of traditional vs. western square dance. I was under the impression that Pappy Shaw was the father of square dance and had created it by combining moves from other traditional dances in the US: contra, clog, and buck 'n wing. That was all before my time. Can anyone offer clarification? Bringing it back to concertina, I've played other instruments for contra dances for almost 30 years and I plan to play concertina for contras in the future. Can't picture it working for square dances, those callers almost always use recorded music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boney Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 (edited) I think traditional square dancing has been tainted by "western squares," with their silly costumes and recorded, hokey music. Ew. Tee shirts and shorts are common and comfortable for dancing. Ew. I was under the impression that Pappy Shaw was the father of square dance and had created it by combining moves from other traditional dances in the US: contra, clog, and buck 'n wing. From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Shaw : During his time teaching folk dance he noticed that all the square dancing callers were getting old, and there was no new generation to take over. He also noticed a lack of continuity in the activity in different parts of the country. Shaw came up with a solution that many believe kept the activity from dying out. Shaw traveled the country, and compiled instructions for traditional square dances from different callers all over the country. He documented them, and tried them out on the students he taught. Edited November 7, 2006 by Boney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidesqueeze Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 Thanks, Jeff The Wickipedia article was good and the links and references at the end even better. Subject can be closed, probably to the relief of all those east of the Pond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom C Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 (edited) Last weekend four of us (no bass) played a nearby dance. The sound man had a video recorder. Gosh! Is that what I look like? I'm totally new to youtube - thanks for giving us the link. It inspired me to set up the little Canon compact camera on a cheapo mini-tripod and try the video function. Here it is - . I've searched youtube for concertina and found some great videos - even Simon Thoumire. Perhaps others on conertina.net would like to join in? Edited November 11, 2006 by Tom C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted November 11, 2006 Share Posted November 11, 2006 I'm totally new to youtube - thanks for giving us the link. It inspired me to set up the little Canon compact camera on a cheapo mini-tripod and try the video function. Here it is - . I've searched youtube for concertina and found some great videos - even Simon Thoumire. Perhaps others on conertina.net would like to join in? Tom Nicely done!! Perhaps this will inerest you. A concertina group on YouTube with a collection in one place: http://youtube.com/group/concertina By Rat Face (A concertina net member) Join and contribute to it Thanks Leo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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