{"items": [{"author": "Steph", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365577403472567", "anchor": "fb-365577403472567", "service": "fb", "text": "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuPbte5knOY I made this.", "timestamp": "1331215108"}, {"author": "Paul", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365581916805449", "anchor": "fb-365581916805449", "service": "fb", "text": "Chris Ricciotti made a great one a few years ago at a genderfree dance that show a wide mix of personalities and dance styles all having a ball together.", "timestamp": "1331215740"}, {"author": "Danner", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365591390137835", "anchor": "fb-365591390137835", "service": "fb", "text": "I have a lot of trouble showing this too. Perhaps a video that also shows the walkthrough? it's pretty magical to just show the start of the dance, and daunting as people 'just know what to do'. after the walkthrough, I would want some kickin tunes, and lots of flourishes and all that, but showing the walkthrough is the thing that people miss on most videos.", "timestamp": "1331216778"}, {"author": "Frank", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365596476803993", "anchor": "fb-365596476803993", "service": "fb", "text": "Here are my 17 (and counting) favorite contra videos of mine to show people: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC4B0CC19A36684AF. #1 on the list is http://youtu.be/9veEzgGoO8Q, which shows beginner and advanced, old and young, closeup and wide angle, dancers and the band/caller, trad and pop songs, instrumental and singing. Even the camcorder goes in for a swing to show the viewer what that's like. And the video is on the Wikipedia page for contradancing.", "timestamp": "1331217324"}, {"author": "Andrew", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365597163470591", "anchor": "fb-365597163470591", "service": "fb", "text": "Decide what you are trying to show. That it looks like fun? That it's something they can do? What traditional music sounds like? Modern music? Exciting music? Interesting music? What the dance figures actually are? Showy dancing? Cooperative dancing? Emphasis on couples? Emphasis on the sets dancing together? Huge festival mob? Crowded hall? Sparse hall?
Most real contra dance videos are confusing enough to a novice so that it will just be a swirl of sound and movement and they won't be able to understand it to any real extent, it will only provide a vague impression, so you can look at a video and decide if it's giving the vague impression you intend - the novice viewer won't be seeing the fine points.", "timestamp": "1331217401"}, {"author": "Dave", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365653883464919", "anchor": "fb-365653883464919", "service": "fb", "text": "David Millstone made an awesome one called \"What's not to like?\" about the Norwich dance that really nails contra dancing, though I don't believe its online. Most youtube videos I've seen tend to be confusing. For most everyone I actually got dancing on a permanent basis, it took bringing them to a dance (most often the Nelson dance).", "timestamp": "1331222585"}, {"author": "Danner", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365663770130597", "anchor": "fb-365663770130597", "service": "fb", "text": "Dave brought me to my first dance, in nelson. as soon as I saw it i was like \"Oh! I can do this.\"", "timestamp": "1331223236"}, {"author": "John", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/107538053067746902173", "anchor": "gp-1331240258379", "service": "gp", "text": "A video of people dancing to music where the calling can barely be heard is not of much practical use to beginners who want to learn contradance. There are a few videos available that start with the walk-though which will allow the beginner to start learning the names of the various moves.\n
\n
\nHere are my old recordings of the dance \"Weave The Line\" from October 2006:\n
\nThe walk-through: \nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZNX2nsxb-s\n
\nThe dance itself: \nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8peDGz-zkc\n
\nThis will give a beginner some idea of what comes BEFORE the dance and how it translates into motion.\n
\n
\nThis website has a great series of eleven introductory videos including the basic moves:\n
\nhttp://contradance.org/html/new_dancer_info.php\n
\n
\nThey also have videos of an introductory class, and a dance starting at the walkthrough.", "timestamp": 1331240258}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1331240866673", "service": "gp", "text": "@John\n I'm not trying to teach people: I'm trying to give them a sample so they get more excited and want to go try it.", "timestamp": 1331240866}, {"author": "Darren", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=365852743445033", "anchor": "fb-365852743445033", "service": "fb", "text": "I like what Andrew said, and I would add: know your audience. If it's somebody who has no dance experience, show people having fun and also that it's something they can do. With people who've done other types of dancing, highlight what makes contra unique. Also, what kind of music are they looking for?", "timestamp": "1331243723"}, {"author": "John", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/107538053067746902173", "anchor": "gp-1331244488292", "service": "gp", "text": "I was thinking that some videos showing how easy it was to learn and do would help get more people excited about doing contradance instead of just watching it. Most any contradance video will show how much fun it is to watch.", "timestamp": 1331244488}, {"author": "Mac", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=366521213378186", "anchor": "fb-366521213378186", "service": "fb", "text": "First is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1...
by Doug Plummer, with Crowfoot, and breath taking production values. Clearest demo of the art form.
Second is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beOFeIIk4KY
Great clarinet rifs by Anna Patton -- always fun to dance to.
Third is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtEOaruqr4
for an exhaustive set of instructional videos for folks too shy to just get up and DO IT.", "timestamp": "1331338316"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/365565930140381?comment_id=366615810035393", "anchor": "fb-366615810035393", "service": "fb", "text": "@Walker: you're right that the crowfoot one is good: very good quality picture and sound. It's also good that it starts right off with movement and music. And the multiple angles helps too.", "timestamp": "1331352150"}, {"author": "Luke", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/117299533485648946080", "anchor": "gp-1331394030084", "service": "gp", "text": "I've been curious about this as well. Does CDSS have an official video plug?", "timestamp": 1331394030}, {"author": "CulBlu", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/105663377367510465963", "anchor": "gp-1445819632430", "service": "gp", "text": "I've made an entire series on \"What is Contra\". The aim of the videos is to provide a first hand account from contra dancers on what contra is, and why it's so fun. Feel free to check it out below.\u00a0\n
\n
\nLink: \nhttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGhQlAcv6RlRw_jBcU0zDrU7BwmuytsnV", "timestamp": 1445819632}]}