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Baltimore Club Night
I was calling for the Chesapeake Squares in Baltimore tonight for their regular club night. It almost started with a near disaster but I managed to dodge that particular mortar shell...
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kent4str was calling for the DC Lambda Squares at the same time, he took our audio system for that gig while I took the spare for Baltimore's. Alas, there is one major difference between the carrying case of our primary Hilton versus the carrying case of the backup: the presence of a power cable.
Luckily, I was able to swipe the power cable from a computer workstation in the building for my Hilton. As soon as possible, I'm digging out a couple of spare power cables to (a) keep in the car and (b) stash somewhere in the building where the Chesapeake Squares dance.
For the fourth tip of the evening, I offered the dancers the choice of a regular Mainstream tip or my six couple rectangle Mainstream square dance figures. They overwhelmingly asked for the six couple stuff. Apparently, they've already seen this, calling it "six pack" dancing. Once again, it seems I'm the last person on the planet to learn of something novel. Figures.
The "six pack" stuff was eagerly received and I got a lot of compliments for it when we finished. I have one figure I'm going to retool but the rest seemed solid. Like most dance novelties, a little goes a long way so I only called perhaps 10-12 figures. I still have enough material in reserve for another club night.
Our part of the Baltimore pride festival has been finalized, more or less.kent4str and I need to be at the parade staging area by 3:30pm Saturday for a 4pm kick-off. We'll be there a little earlier naturally to set up equipment. I'm still hoping we can stop by the local square dance callers' association meeting near us in Silver Spring before we head to Baltimore, but it might be cutting close.
I still need to write some simple choreo and mix it with music so we have a CD we can give the Baltimore pride folks to play at the reviewing stand as we arrive. The reviewing stand will have a vastly more powerful sound system than we could provide with better sound coverage of the audience. That should be tomorrow's project.
Time for bed.
Because
kent4str was calling for the DC Lambda Squares at the same time, he took our audio system for that gig while I took the spare for Baltimore's. Alas, there is one major difference between the carrying case of our primary Hilton versus the carrying case of the backup: the presence of a power cable.Luckily, I was able to swipe the power cable from a computer workstation in the building for my Hilton. As soon as possible, I'm digging out a couple of spare power cables to (a) keep in the car and (b) stash somewhere in the building where the Chesapeake Squares dance.
For the fourth tip of the evening, I offered the dancers the choice of a regular Mainstream tip or my six couple rectangle Mainstream square dance figures. They overwhelmingly asked for the six couple stuff. Apparently, they've already seen this, calling it "six pack" dancing. Once again, it seems I'm the last person on the planet to learn of something novel. Figures.
The "six pack" stuff was eagerly received and I got a lot of compliments for it when we finished. I have one figure I'm going to retool but the rest seemed solid. Like most dance novelties, a little goes a long way so I only called perhaps 10-12 figures. I still have enough material in reserve for another club night.
Our part of the Baltimore pride festival has been finalized, more or less.
kent4str and I need to be at the parade staging area by 3:30pm Saturday for a 4pm kick-off. We'll be there a little earlier naturally to set up equipment. I'm still hoping we can stop by the local square dance callers' association meeting near us in Silver Spring before we head to Baltimore, but it might be cutting close.I still need to write some simple choreo and mix it with music so we have a CD we can give the Baltimore pride folks to play at the reviewing stand as we arrive. The reviewing stand will have a vastly more powerful sound system than we could provide with better sound coverage of the audience. That should be tomorrow's project.
Time for bed.
no subject
- Power cord to Hilton 300 (dance was 35 miles from home. I was able to use an extension cord from the janitor's closet at that church, since that model Hilton uses the big 3 prong style cord).
- Speakers (dance was 4 miles from home, but with the 11 traffic lights, it took 35 minutes to run home and back to get them. Dance started 10 minutes late).
- Records (dance was 30 miles from home. Someone found a dozen or so REALLY old records in their club closet that the previous caller had left them).
- Cable from laptop to amp (this one I've forgotten several times, and have either had to make a quick dash to a nearby Radio Shack or run home). Dances always started on time.
Venue keys (luckily someone else generally has another set, although not necessary to the club closet or the locked box where the amp is on the stage).
I've been blessed that I haven't had to cancel a dance due to my forgetfulness or rush to get out of the house. Nowadays I'm spoiled, since the square dance center has the sound equipment there, set up already.
Re: Six-pack. Have you tried a Relay the Deucey with the rectangle? You have to add an extra grand swing thru in the execution, but the dancers really like their ability to accomplish it.