{"items": [{"author": "Jan-Willem", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/100580955183019057735", "anchor": "gp-1374064119545", "service": "gp", "text": "I assume contra was originally danced to even older-time music?", "timestamp": 1374064119}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1374069477397", "service": "gp", "text": "@Jan-Willem\n\u00a0The term \"old time\" is kind of fuzzy, but it's generally used for southern style traditional music. There's also northern style traditional music, which is old as well, but has a very different feel.", "timestamp": 1374069477}, {"author": "Lucinda", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620520584652", "anchor": "fb-620520584652", "service": "fb", "text": "Well, I sure love square dancing to old timey tunes.", "timestamp": "1374092158"}, {"author": "Perry", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620520684452", "anchor": "fb-620520684452", "service": "fb", "text": "I actually like contra dancing to old time music. I find it not so bad. They are square tunes, and they have a nice driving rhythm that I find helps to pick my feet up when I dance and make the whole thing delightful. Until I come to the dancer in line who tells me how much they hate old time music.", "timestamp": "1374092273"}, {"author": "Cindy", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620521807202", "anchor": "fb-620521807202", "service": "fb", "text": "went to a contra dance that had a tropical band. \"The Pineapple A-Go-Go\". It was total fun. Who says ya can't?", "timestamp": "1374092930"}, {"author": "Emily", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620522046722", "anchor": "fb-620522046722", "service": "fb", "text": "The right old time tune played in the right way is fabulous. Fairly easy requirements: 32 bars, clearly differentiated A and B section, fits the dance that's being called. Just have to know when to play it. Pair a couple of smooth jigs with a dance full of petronellas and balances and you get the same mismatch.", "timestamp": "1374093115"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620586233092", "anchor": "fb-620586233092", "service": "fb", "text": "@Emily: \"fits the dance that's being called\" is a big one, and one that many old-time musicians aren't interested in learning how to figure out.", "timestamp": "1374130202"}, {"author": "Perry", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620590095352", "anchor": "fb-620590095352", "service": "fb", "text": "Jeff - that depends. In our area there are lots of old time musicians who do know how to play for contra dances and are teaching others to do so. We have an old-time jam in our area (I haven't been since I don't play), and a jam band is playing for our dance, led to several strong old-time musicians who also dance. I am interested to see how this turns out.", "timestamp": "1374143312"}, {"author": "Emily", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620591482572", "anchor": "fb-620591482572", "service": "fb", "text": "I just object to the generalization about OT. Hotpoint String Band and Hillbillies from Mars are just two well known examples of bands playing old time tunes. As Perry said, we have a number of very good OT bands around here. In my own band, I can nearly kill myself cranking out hot Irish jigs, fc reels, Scottish, New England, but the crowd screams when we do Sandy Boys. Take an old time musician off the street and they probably won't play well for a contra, but the same holds true for someone who plays for Irish step and has never experienced contra.", "timestamp": "1374146392"}, {"author": "Perry", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620613009432", "anchor": "fb-620613009432", "service": "fb", "text": "Of course that's not to say that there aren't old time bands who don't play well for contra. I once called for one - they told me at the start that they don't do medleys, they only play reels, and they only play at one speed. I think they told me it was their first contra dance. But there are also lots of hot old time bands that I think are good for dancing. However, old time sometimes is not favored by many dances. There was this one dance that the Dead Sea Squirrels were playing, and I was rocking out having a grand old time dancing to their high energy music, and I ran into at least 3 or 4 dancers saying that they were bored with the music. So it's a mix of can they play it well AND do dancers enjoy dancing to old time music?", "timestamp": "1374160991"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/620403828632?comment_id=620625150102", "anchor": "fb-620625150102", "service": "fb", "text": "@Emily: \"the crowd screams when we do Sandy Boys\"
Many contra dance musicians in New England play approximately one old-time tune, and that is Sandy Boys. Why? Because it happens to be phrased in a way that fits a lot of contra dances very well, while still having the drive and power of a good old time tune.
It's like a less extreme version of dancing to popular music: almost no mainstream song fits contra dances, but when you find one that both supports the dancing and has all the things people like about that genre of music, dancers love it.", "timestamp": "1374169552"}]}