HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: rcheng@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Raymond Cheng)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: WSD: Re: Rotating Partners During Teaching
Date: 25 Jan 93 16:32:03 GMT
Reply-To: rcheng@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Raymond Cheng)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In rec.folk-dancing, mary@uicsl.csl.uiuc.edu (Mary E. Allison) writes:
*     Joel is one of the two best male dancers in our club.  QUITE
*PROBABLY the best (but it's a close call and depends on which of the
*two has had more floor time at any given time.)  But he's one of those
*REALLY SCARY math oriented type people.  They frighten me when they
*get on the dance floor.  They learn VERY quickly and have a great
*learning aptitude for dancing.

    But Mary, square dancing is quite mathematical.  Did you know that

 * relay-the-deuces is a point-symmetrical call?
 * square thru is eqiuvalent to quarter out?
 * load-the-boat is a line-symmetric call + quarter in?

Maybe Joel can add to this list.

Ray:

--------------------------------------------------------------
A true mathematician is one who can prove that any even number
greater than three is a sum of two prime numbers.
--------------------------------------------------------------
From: asente@adobe.com (A Usenet Pal)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: Square Dance Algebra
Date: 27 Jan 93 18:50:54 GMT
Article-I.D.: adobe.1993Jan27.185054.9655
Organization: Adobe Systems Incorporated

In article <C1ItEH.42K@boa.cs.unm.edu> jensen@boa.cs.unm.edu (Kris Jensen) writes:
>>sufficient to convert any symmetric parallel wave
>>formation into any other symmetric parallel wave formation
>
>Okay, I'll confess ignorance...what do you mean by "symmetric"?

By symmetric I mean that each person is diagonally opposite the person that
they began being diagonally opposite from.

In other words, you can assume that the initial position is symmetric, and
you don't need to be able to get into asymmetric ending positions.  If you
assume that the initial position is

  0 1 2 3
  4 5 6 7

you have to be able to get to

  7 1 2 3	(you exchange person 0
  4 5 6 0	 and person 7)

but you don't have to be able to get to

  1 0 2 3	(you exchange person 0
  4 5 6 7	 and person 1)

because this last position is no longer symmetric.

__   -paul asente
\/     asente@adobe.com   ...decwrl!adobe!asente   moo-bear@cs.stanford.edu

Feminism:  a socialist, anti-family political movement
           that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their
           children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and
           become lesbians.			-Pat Robertson












>Most square dance calling is "symmetric" in the sense that whatever
>is happening on one side of the square is also happening on the
>other side. If one draws a line through the middle of a square that
>divides the square in two halves, each half will contain 2 gents
>and 2 ladies, 2 heads and 2 sides, etc.
>
>But I have the feeling that "symmetric" has a different technical
>meaning here. So for me (and any other math? graph theory? impaired
>folks who might be lurking out there), how about an example?
>Take the waves formed by Heads Square Thru 4, Step to a wave. What
>would be another symmetric parallel wave formation?
>
>Thanks much...
>
>Kris (who wants to play too, but can't if she doesn't know the rules...)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: jensen@boa.cs.unm.edu (Kris Jensen)
Subject: Re: Square Dance Algebra
Organization: Computer Science Department, University of New Mexico
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 16:20:43 GMT

>sufficient to convert any symmetric parallel wave
>formation into any other symmetric parallel wave formation

Okay, I'll confess ignorance...what do you mean by "symmetric"?
Most square dance calling is "symmetric" in the sense that whatever
is happening on one side of the square is also happening on the
other side. If one draws a line through the middle of a square that
divides the square in two halves, each half will contain 2 gents
and 2 ladies, 2 heads and 2 sides, etc.

But I have the feeling that "symmetric" has a different technical
meaning here. So for me (and any other math? graph theory? impaired
folks who might be lurking out there), how about an example?
Take the waves formed by Heads Square Thru 4, Step to a wave. What
would be another symmetric parallel wave formation?

Thanks much...

Kris (who wants to play too, but can't if she doesn't know the rules...)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: lerner@stsci.edu
Subject: Party update: all LIVE music Saturday, at Baltimore workshop
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 05:23:48 GMT

** Our party on Saturday night, Jan. 30, will have all LIVE music.**

     The (hopefully final) schedule for the parties follows.

     Friday    8:00 -  8:30   recorded music (including several Telespringars)
               8:30 -  9:30   Luk na Glavata (Macedonian)
               9:30 - 11:00   Fred Jacobowitz and Judy Meyers (Balkan),
                              Judy doing some Scandinavian, and
                              Ron doing some teaching

     Saturday  7:30 -  8:00   Fred and Judy (Balkan)
               8:00 -  8:20   Baltimore-Washington Spelemannslag (a newly
                              formed group of fiddlers (between 5 - 10 of
                              us will be playing) led by Andrea Hoag - 
                              Scandinavian)
               8:20 -  9:20   Karpouzi (Greek)
               9:20 -  9:45   Baltimore-Washington Spelemannslag
               9:45 - 11:00   BAMCO (Balkan brass band) 
                              
     Ron may review the dances from the teaching sessions at Saturday's party.
     (The schedule is on BST (Balkan Standard Time) :-) )
                              
     Suze Stentz, from Chapel Hill, will be selling her wares (ethnic 
     clothing +) throughout the weekend.
     
     For more info, please call Robin and David at (410) 366-2742.
From: pearl@spectacle.sw.stratus.com (Dan Pearl)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: Looking for author of "Stars of Joy" (contra dance)
Date: 21 Jan 1993 15:05:30 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Software Engineering
NNTP-Posting-Host: spectacle.sw.stratus.com

In article <C15uKw.69G@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> jsivier@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jonathon Sivier ) writes:
>   Last Friday at our local dance the caller called a great dance entitled
>"Stars of Joy".  However he said he did not know who the author was.  I would
>like to call this dance, but I always try to give credit to the author.  

"Stars of Joy" was written by Kate Chaitin(sp?)"

It is, of course, adapted from "Joy" by Lannie McQuaide.

>Stars of Joy	duple improper
>
>A1 - right star (hands across) 1 time
>     men drop out at home and ladies chain over
Note that this is more like a 3/4 turn for the women.  Emphasize in the 
teaching that the women chain to their NEIGHBORS here.
>
>A2 - hey for 4 (men return to original place)
Of course, women start the hey passing right shoulders.
>
>B1 - ladies cross and swing partners
You might want to specify that the women pass Right shoulders (as if 
continuing the hey).  It that case, asking the men to "return to the
original place" in preparation for the swing might be counterproductive,
as it would leave the couples askew.  Probably saying nothing about what
the men do would be better.
>
>B2 - ladies chain over
>     left star (hands across)
-- 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dan Pearl  **  Stratus Computer, Inc.  **  pearl@spectacle.sw.stratus.com

Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: wex@cs.ulowell.edu (Paul M. Wexelblat)
Subject: Re: Square Dance Algebra
Originator: wex@bigmax.ulowell.edu
Reply-To: wex@cs.ulowell.edu
Organization: Univ. of Lowell CS Dept.
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 16:22:24 GMT


In article <1993Jan26.184349.5036@adobe.com>, asente@adobe.com (A Usenet Pal) writes:
|> From: asente@adobe.com (A Usenet Pal)
|> Subject: Square Dance Algebra
|> Ok, time for some fun square-dance dweebery.
|> 
|> Give each call a point value corresponding to its level.  A Basic call is one
|> point, Mainstream 2, Plus 3, Advanced 4, C1 5, C2 6, C3 7, C4 8.
|> 
|> Find the set of calls, sufficient to convert any symmetric parallel wave
|> formation into any other symmetric parallel wave formation, that has the
|> smallest sum.  You can't leave waves (i.e. sequences of calls that move you
|> out of waves and then back into them are not allowed) and you the calls must
|> not be modified (i.e. no "ladies trade" or "ends trade").

Trivial; the single call described a while ago in the Zip Coder (sorry, can't
remember the author) named; "Go Over There and Turn Around" is
sufficient to produce ANY position from Any starting position.
Note that since GOTATA is not on any list, it's point value must be '0'.
We are, of course allowing all versions of the call, e.g.
Go over there and don't turn around
Don't go over there but turn around anyhow
Don't go over there and don't turn around
Go over there and turn around [(left|right|in|out|etc),(fraction)]
(fraction)[left|right|reverse|mirror|nothing](fraction) 
     (don't) [(Go Over there) | (Come over Here)] and/but ((fraction)| (don't))
	turn around [right|left|in|out|etc]

e.g.

3/8 left don't come over here and turn around 1/2 out


And the ever-popular "Go over there and sit down"
The not uncommon  "Do your part of GOTATA"
Random Crazy GOTATA


You begin to see the possibilities...

So the answer to your question is that it all (including asymetrics) can be 
done with one call that uses zero points.

Ok, back to work

(Hi Helena!, hope you're feeling better)
-- 

	...Wex
From: CHU@TUCVM2.VNET.IBM.COM
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: (none)
Date: 21 Jan 93 22:46:08 GMT

****************************************************
*   From :  John Chu                               *
*   Organization :  IBM - AdStaR (Tucson, Az)      *
*   Internet Address :  CHU@TUCVM2.VNET.IBM.COM    *
****************************************************

Subject:  Tucson Bulgarian Workshop with Yves Moreau

  Following is an early posting for planning purpose, please consider
  joining us for the following workshop :


  Event :  Tucson International Folkdance 30th Anniversary
  Teacher :  Yves Moreau
  When  :  March 12th, 13th and 14th, 1993
  Place :  Zenith Dance Center, Tucson, Az.
  Cost  :  Package price $25.00 includes Friday night workshop,
           Saturday afternoon workshop, Saturday night party,
           Sunday review, picnic and dance syllabus.
           All-events registration at the door will be $35.00
           Payable to TIFD, postmarked by 2/26/93, mail to
           Blaine and Nancy Menth, 4155 E. River Road, Tucson, Az. 85718

  Upon receipt of mailed registrations, confirmation will be sent with
  street addresses, workshop times, etc.  Tickets will be held at
  registration desk.

  For any additional questions, please call Blaine or Nancy at
  (602) 299-9609.  March is a beautiful time in Tucson and with
  this year rain, the desert will again be full of wild flowers.

Xref: sparky rec.folk-dancing:2353 rec.music.folk:9561 pa.general:503 pgh.general:346
From: tjw+@pitt.edu (TJ Wood)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing,rec.music.folk,pa.general,pitt.general,pgh.general,cis.general
Subject: Children's Concert: Michael Cooney Sun Jan 31st 2PM Carnegie Lib $5
Date: 29 Jan 93 01:22:59 GMT
Followup-To: rec.folk-dancing
Distribution: pa
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

Michael Cooney, who's been called a "One Man Folk Festival" will be the
Featured Artist for a Children's Concert before the Superbowl on Sunday!

The Sunday Children's Concert is at 2PM in the Carnegie Lecture Hall (behind
Main Library).  This concert is sponsored by the Carnegie Library and
Calliope.  Tickets are available at the door for only $5 for Children AND
Adults!  (Such a deal!)  So come out before the Superbowl and bring the
kids!

For more information call the Calliope Office at 687-7713.
-- 
        INTERNET: tjw+@pitt.edu         BITNET: TJW@PITTVMS
"Laugh while you can, Monkey Boy!"                        - Lord "John" Warfin
"There can be only one!"                                  - The Highlander
"There should have been only one. I want my money back!"  - Terry
From: pierre@Autodesk.COM (Pierre Malraison)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
Subject: Re: Square Dance Algebra
Date: 28 Jan 93 23:07:15 GMT
Organization: Autodesk Inc., Sausalito CA, USA

OK, OK the REAL math in square dancing  is Group Theory.
A sequence of calls ending up back home is an expression for the identity.
E.g.
head r & l thru, heads r &l thru
gets back home so if we call that a,

 2
a  = identity.

So we get one group generated by the basic calls
a bigger group generated by plus, etc.

Are C* calls really new, so that the Chalenge group is bigger than
the A2 group or are they just fancy combos?

Example: If A2 was JUST acey-deucy, which is a combination of
plus calls: (centers trade ends circulate) then
A2 group = Plus group, since acecxy deucy is just a shorthand.


-- 
Pierre Malraison
U.S. Snail: Autodesk ,Inc. 2320 Marinship Way,Sausalito CA 94965
e-mail:         pierre@autodesk.com
Opinions expressed above purely personal.
Xref: sparky rec.folk-dancing:2330 rec.arts.dance:1042
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing

In rec.folk-dancing, robert@slipknot.rain.com (Robert Reed) writes:

>In article <1993Jan18.155540.14335@nntpserver.chevron.com> xepama@usbk03.bk5001.chevron.com (Parker Mann) writes:
>|I'll be in Denver during the week of January 24-29 and in Seattle 
>|February 7-11.  Could someone send me Contra Dance information for
>|these times and areas?  Hotline numbers would be sufficient.

>In Colorado, it looks like your best bet is to call the Colorado FOODMAD
>hotline, 303-592-3972.  In Seattle, call Derek Booth, 206-783-7639. 

The Colorado Organization is "FOOTMAD" - It stands for "Friends Of Old 
Time Music And Dance.

____________________________________________________________________________

                _              Software Engineering Systems Division
     __ ,_ _  _/_'                                            /\  /\
  ,__\'_/ ) )_/                Hewlett-Packard Company       /  \/  \/\
                               3404 E. Harmony Road, MS 7   /   /    \ \
                               Ft. Collins, CO 80525
                                                               __o
  Susan Marie Frontczak  susan@fc.sde.hp.com  (303)-229-2569   \<,
_____________________________________________________________()/ ()_________
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: sanshu@asdi.saic.com (Don Sanshu x6484)
Subject: Polka Dancing
Keywords: polka
Organization: SAIC
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 20:47:58 GMT

Hello,

   A friend of mine is putting on a Polka dance in San Diego and Los Angeles.
He is flying in a band from the East coast.  Is this the proper place to note
such things? If any one is interested in further information, send email. If
anyone knows of a better place to post this type of information, please let
me know. By the way, the dance is this weekend 1/30 & 1/31.


Don Sanshu
sanshu@asdi.saic.com
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: lerner@stsci.edu
Subject: Baltimore Balkan Dance Workshop Jan.29-30
Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 16:18:28 GMT

         The Johns Hopkins International Folk Dancers are sponsoring
         a Balkan dance workshop to take place January 29-30, in Baltimore.
         Please join us for a weekend with Ron Wixman, one of the
	 country's most well respected international folk dance
	 teachers, who has taught dance groups all over the country.
	 When he's not dancing, Ron is a professor of ethno-political
	 geography at the University of Oregon. He's considered an
	 authority on the Balkans, having written numerous books and
	 given countless presentations.

	 Friday and Saturday night events will take place at Lovely
         Lane Church which is on the corner of St. Paul and 22nd
         Streets. 

	      Friday night   8:00 - 11:00  -  party
	      Saturday      10:00 - 12:00  -  teaching session
	                     2:00 -  4:30  -  teaching session
	                     7:30 - 11:00  -  party

         Parties will have both live and recorded music. The groups
         playing are listed below.

	      Friday's party   - Luk na glavata (Macedonian)
	                         Judy Meyers and Fred Jacobowitz (Balkan)
                                 Judy will also do some Scandinavian.
	      Saturday's party - Karpouzi (Greek)
                                 Scandinavian fiddlers (Andrea Hoag, 
                                 Ellen Jacobs, Robin Lerner, David Kantor,
                                 and others)
	                         Judy Meyers and Fred Jacobowitz (Balkan)

	      Prices for each teaching session or party

	          members of JHUIFD or students   non-members
	                       $4.00                 $5.00

	             or for the whole weekend
	          members of JHUIFD or students   non-members
	                       $15.00                $18.00
	 
         Ron will give a talk on Sunday titled, "Current ethnic conflict in
         Bosnia-Herzegovina". The talk is free and will start at 1:00 p.m. 
         in The Great Hall in Levering Hall, on the Homewood Campus of JHU.

         No advance registration is necessary, but call Robin and David 
	 at (410) 366-2742 ASAP if you need housing.
Xref: sparky rec.folk-dancing:2352 rec.music.folk:9560 pgh.general:345 pa.general:502
From: tjw+@pitt.edu (TJ Wood)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing,rec.music.folk,pgh.general,pa.general,pitt.general,cis.general
Subject: Calliope Concert: Michael Cooney Sat Jan 30th 8PM Synod Hall $15/$13
Date: 29 Jan 93 01:19:38 GMT
Followup-To: rec.folk-dancing
Distribution: pa
Organization: University of Pittsburgh

Michael Cooney, who's been called a "One Man Folk Festival" will be the
Featured Artist at the January 30th Pittsburgh Home Companion Concert
at 8 PM.  The concert will be held at Synod Hall (125 N. Craig Street).
This concert is sponsored by Calliope: The Pittsburgh Folk Music Society.

Tickets are $15 (or $13 if you are a member of Calliope).

Tickets can be purchased at the Tix Booth downtown or at the East End Food
Co-op, the Pitt Student Union, or the Calliope Office by calling 687-7713.

There will also be a Sunday Children's Concert at 2PM in the Carnegie Lecture
Hall (behind Main Library).  This concert is sponsored by the Carnegie Library
and Calliope.  Tickets are available at the door for only $5 for Children
AND Adults!  (Such a deal!)  So come out before the Superbowl and bring the
kids!

For more information call the Calliope Office at 687-7713.
-- 
        INTERNET: tjw+@pitt.edu         BITNET: TJW@PITTVMS
"Laugh while you can, Monkey Boy!"                        - Lord "John" Warfin
"There can be only one!"                                  - The Highlander
"There should have been only one. I want my money back!"  - Terry
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: gary@maestro.mitre.org (Gary Bisaga)
Subject: First dance called!
Keywords: WSD
Reply-To: gbisaga@mitre.org
Organization: The Mitre Corporation, McLean Virginia
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1993 22:16:47 GMT

If anybody cares, I wanted to announce:  I called my first
dance last night!  (Or at least first significant part of one.)
My calling mentor is Mac McCall, whom some of you may know as
the baritone singer in the Red Boot Boys, travelling calling and
singing group.  I'd of course done some singing calls with him
before but this was the first time I got to do any patter.  I
must say, what I thought was hard, wasn't so, and what I thought
wasn't, was.  Actually I lie, I thought that was hard too.

I figured I'd have three problems:
1) Recognizing key couples
2) Resolving squares
3) Thinking of interesting things to call next

(1) wasn't too hard.  I had a fair amount of advice (including
an article written by Ed Foote on the subject) and was fairly
successful in recognizing the couples.  I don't know whether
it helped or hindered that I knew not a soul in the room, but
it wasn't too difficult to pick them out.  (I was only using
one and sometimes two squares to sight off, though - only two
in the room - so it may get harder with more squares used.)  I
heard a story about some caller who called a dance in Japan and
found himself in front of 2,500 Japanese people all dressed the
same, maybe that would be a little harder.  <:^)

(2) turned out to be fairly easy.  I was hampered a little by
this being a class and not having standard resolution calls (e.g.
wheel and deal) but it worked out ok.  I suppose asymmetric sight
would be harder - anybody done that?

(3) was the worst.  It turns out to be very difficult to think
of interesting things to do when (a) you're in real time and
(b) you don't have any particular goal in mind such as
resolution.  I was afraid of this beforehand, and so put together
some sequences, but it turned out to be a harder problem than I
expected.  So, it's off to home tonite to write more sequences.

It also didn't turn out to be as bad as I thought to be limited
in terms of number of calls.  In fact, I was almost disappointed
when Mac told me they had actually done a few more calls than I
thought!  I ended up calling three full tips (along with Mac) -
me doing a sequence then him doing one.  At one point I had to
ask him to take it - not because I couldn't resolve it but
because I couldn't think of anything interesting to do!  He's
got a fantastic voice so it was a little tough singing with him
but everybody told me I had a good voice so I suppose it turned
out ok.

-- 
Gary Bisaga (gbisaga@mitre.org)
Newsgroups: rec.folk-dancing
From: lgolder@hoh.mbl.edu (Linda Golder)
Subject: Re: Contras Without Squares?
Organization: Marine Biological Laboratory
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 93 14:17:56 GMT

In article <1993Jan27.181410.6244@ryn.mro4.dec.com>, rost@tecrus.dec.com (My name is Brian Rost) writes:
> I was speaking with someone last night who dances regularly in
> the Pioneer Valley area in western MA (Amherst, Greenfield) and she mentioned
> how some dancers were upset because a caller from Boston kept calling squares
> at a dance out there.  She said dancers in the western part of the state prefer
> contras *only* at their dances.  This is exactly opposite what most of the
> dances in the east are like, where squares are called quite often.
> 
> Is there really such strong regional preferences at dances like this?  Sounded
> very strange to me.
> 
> 					Brian Rost @tecrus.enet.dec.com

Good morning!

Yes, there are very distinct regional preferences.  In my local area 
(Cape Cod, Massachusetts), squares are *not* popular, and some of the 
local dance organizers will request *contras only* from callers.  Many 
of us will dance squares if they are called, but others will sit these out (the 
dance floor tends to empty out... more room for the squares, but lots 
fewer enthusiastic dancers).

I have noticed that Boston area dancers *enjoy* squares (especially the 
old singing calls).  These dancers put lots of heart into square dancing, and 
consequently do it very well... this makes SD much more interesting 
to dance.  So there appears to be a cycle of enthusiasm feeding enthusiasm...  
It's no surprise to me that a Boston caller would *assume* an interest 
in SD if no special instructions were given to him/her.  :-)

On a slightly different note:  there are also localized differences in dancing 
styles, even if we're just talking contra.  Promenade hand positions, courtesy
turn variations ("plain", woman's single twirl, woman's double twirl, woman's
"as many spins as I can possibly fit in" twirl, man and woman *both* twirl 
under), swing variations, hay ornamentation, etc, seem to make each 
micro-region's style unique.  Some of these variations are drawn from
other local dance interests, such as international folk dance, swing (or nightclub
variations),English or Scottish Country, WSD, clogging, or Cajun.  Variety can 
indeed be the *spice of life* if we can enjoy each other's dance styles.

- Linda  (lgolder@hoh.mbl.edu)