One of the neat things to come out of the techno contra movement is a renewed focus on a medley format, in some form or another -- in other words, a less broken-up format in which the music is more continuous and the dances/partners change up independently of this, to more reflect a club-like atmosphere where the music continues all night without lulls between sets. I've heard of three main categories of this style of event as practiced in the contra dances and events I've been to, each with their own pros and cons. So, in no particular order....
Type #1: Same Partner, Different Music, Different Dances
I saw this kind at NEFFA the years I went and at Contra Sonic when we experimented with them there. Essentially, for a set amount of time (e.g., 30 minutes, 60 minutes), you keep your partner, and continue the dance, and every 5 or 6 times through, the dance (and maybe the caller) changes.
Pros:
Cons:
Pros:
- You get one partner to yourself for 30 to 60 minutes.
- You get to know that one partner really well -- and what their capabilities are -- over the course of that time.
- You only have to think about the choreography and not who your next partner is.
- It's a fun challenge to see if you can dance for that long at a stretch.
Cons:
- You're stuck with the same person for 30 to 60 minutes; somehow gambling 10 minutes of your life is different than 30 to 60 minutes of it on an awful partner. This means that people frequently book someone well ahead of time to be their partner for it (possibly many hours/days before).
- This can be really isolating for new or out-of-town dancers, due to said booking.
- If you don't get in on the beginning, it's entirely possible that there won't be anyone on the sidelines who wants dance and so if you're not in at the beginning, you're out for the duration (and as such several folks may leave since leaving half an hour to an hour early is preferable to sitting and waiting for the next dance/session, if there is to be one).
Type #2: Different Partners, Different Music, Different Dances
This kind of medley has continuous music for however long (usually several hours over the entire event) and periodically changes the dance every 5 or 6 times through like Type #1, but you switch out partners periodically at the ends of lines. an example of this type is the annual Medley Marathon event in Glenside, PA in mid-March (done with acoustic music, I'll note).
Pros:
Cons:
Pros:
- Fun challenge of endurance, but with expectation that folks will drop in and out to get water/etc.
- It is culturally expected that you won't keep the same partner all night (which means that asking a newbie to dance is a less chancy venture -- you can go up and down the line once and thank them and bid them goodnight).
Cons:
- Since the dances aren't formally bounded with music beginning and ending, it can be hard to catch in-demand partners.
- There is no forced break like in a normal contra dance evening, which means dancers must be exceptionally aware of their biological needs (e.g., thirst, pain) and break from dancing accordingly.
Type #3: Same Partner, Same Music, Different Dances
This type is probably best embodied in caller Dave Colestock's dance, "Seventeen." It's normal contra-dance length (approximately 8 to 10 minutes), but after every iteration of the dance (every 64 beats), the choreography changes, thus forming a chain of dances end-to-end. This has a similar effect to square dance's "patter calling." I've only ever seen this done with acoustic music but I'd imagine it could be done with techno-type music (possibly without lyrics, though?).
Pros:
Double-Edged Sword:
Cons:
Pros:
- These have the challenge of shifting choreography and the duration of a regular contra dance.
- In some ways, this represents a happy medium of the first two.
Double-Edged Sword:
- These get booked ahead well in advance as well (con), but in my experience the booking-ahead is quite a bit less aggressive than with Type #1 (pro).
Cons:
- These have to be very carefully choreographed ahead of time, and probably should only be done with one caller, whereas the other two can be done more easily with multiple callers.
Which of these do you like? Which would be more fun if they were included in regular series, techno or otherwise, and which do you see more as fun one-offs? Have I missed anything? Sound off in the comments!
Previous/Related Discussions of Medleys
- Techno Contra & Medley Format (April 2012)
- Pacing & Formatting in Crossover Contra Events (August 2011)
