Hi all,
Thanks to everyone who came yesterday. We did some good work on walking on through to walk the dog and on stepping and the Tommy routine. I think they all improved a lot :-) The video from yesterday is here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBzXag7vb8
We'll get the ending sorted out tonight!
See you later,
Ffion x
Hi all,
I have now made the Premier Inn booking for DERT. We are booked into the
Leeds City Centre (Arena) hotel for the Friday and the Saturday nights.
The hotel's address is Hepworth Point, Clay Pit Lane, Leeds LS2 8BQ.
I've booked one double for Nikki and Ozzy and four twin rooms for Becky,
Jo, Sue, Laura S, Nic, Rachel, Ffion and Hannorah.
If you could all refund me £52, it would be very much appreciated - you can
either send it by bank transfer to the Ravens account or hand it to me at
practice.
Thanks a lot,
Rachel x
PS. The booking doesn't include breakfast, but if you want to add it for
the extortionate price of £8 each per breakfast, you're very welcome!
Hiya,
Last night the DERT set ran through the whole dance, spending maybe 10
minutes on each figure and thinking about timings, sword handling,
placement, snappiness, why some things were working better than others, etc.
I thought I would write out the list of things we discussed (as I remember
it). Please add to this if there's things I've forgotten. It'd be good to
bring this along on Sunday and focus on these points then too.
- - - - -
Walk the Dog - timing of swords going up and down (we preferred swords up
on 1 and down on 8, but aren't very good at it); keeping swords as straight
as possible; discussion of whether to bow swords or move hands apart when
coming back in - TBD; trying to get fully back into the set on 8 before
casting out again.
Back 8 - swords going up smartly on 1 or 5; Rachel to call better.
Fig 8 - keep swords high; push swords up as you come through the middle;
vertical handles in the middle but horizontal on the outside; trying to
come to a consistent point at the front but also a consistent point at the
back.
Open ring - calling early enough that 1 and 5 can move through the set
together; Rachel to not step backwards when she turns round so that 1 and 5
remain symmetrical; sword handles level and vertical; pentagon even.
Glass - be in position in time for the swords to snap down on 4.
Haymarket - trying to make a neat shape instantly; on the rotate, keeping
the set even and tight; not letting the "back" move around too much - Nikki
to consult; Hannorah to bounce less.
Pixies - we didn't practice, but I suspect the issues here would be around
swords going up and down on the right beats, smartly, and the set staying
tight and on the spot.
Stand-in guard - practised for Jo's benefit with the timings and Lindsey to
tumble. Felt pretty good.
Lock - we need to step for 4 to catch up with the music if necessary before
displaying, but if we're there already, an 8 is *not* necessary - there's
been confusion about that lately.
Spin - Rachel needs to remember to call it for longer (I know 16 has been
discussed).
Walk round - nice and tight
Hoops - practised coming out on the right beats, neatly, which was going
well; making sure to catch up with the person in front; number 5 leading
strongly out of the circle; keeping swords high; making sure the display is
neat and even; coming out tidily - 1&5 turning together, when does 3 turn?.
Fourth corner - moving quickly; swords high; snap down on 4; snap to
straight line; 1 and 5 with crossed wrists central over body; 2 and 4 to
lean hands more towards the centre of the set.
Curley - keeping shoulders tight to the pillar; keeping the pillars
stationary - 4&5 pillar was drifting away; coming through with your
partner; swords curving nicely; Sue to come in on the right of the set to
avoid unbalancing; not to worry too much about Sue coming in!
- - - - -
Thanks for making it to the end! Before we all get depressed, I think it's
worth saying that these are all little niggles, not major issues. We also
got compliments last night, with Rhona and Kat both saying how well our
stepping sounded.
See you all Sunday!
Rachel x
Hi all,
A couple of updates on the invitations from last night:
1. OXFORD
Due to general lack of availability, I'll be turning Oxfolk down (26-27/4).
- - - - -
2. PUZZLE DISPLAY
Lots of people are on holiday on 8th August! If you are not, please sign
up to this - it's a paid display spot on a Friday night. If were aren't
going to be able to make it, I need to decline (and potentially recommend
Thrales) sooner rather than later. I'm waiting on Lindsey, Sinead, Rhona,
Aisha, Becky, Hannorah, Janet, Nic. Please let me know in the next week or
two what your summer plans are!
- - - - -
3. SUMMER FESTIVALS
We've been invited to three summer festivals, none of which are getting
much love at the moment. We were keen to do a festival last summer -
please sign up to those we've been invited to this year!
29 JUNE 2014 - Leigh-on-Sea Folk Festival - Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
11-13 JULY 2014 - Sandwich Folk and Ale Festival - Sandwich, Kent
4-5 OCTOBER 2014 - Tenterden Folk Festival - Tenterden, Kent
- - - - -
The sheet can, as ever, be found at
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11XHQc6j0g7HQto7rhOs6k0bfkw-XmFb8jmCeRa4…,
awaiting your love.
See most of you at the church from 2pm on Sunday.
Rachel x
We are on fire!! X
Sent from my HTC One X on O2
----- Reply message -----
From: "ffion_coch" <ffion_coch(a)hotmail.com>
To: "Sue Connolly" <connollysue(a)hotmail.com>, "Tower Ravens" <team(a)towerravens.org.uk>
Subject: [Tower Ravens] Last nigt
Date: Sat, Feb 1, 2014 17:35
Excellent :-)
Sent from Samsung Mobile
-------- Original message --------
From: Sue Connolly
Date:01/02/2014 17:25 (GMT+00:00)
To: Tower Ravens
Subject: Re: [Tower Ravens] Last nigt
We collected £123.92
S x
> From: ffion_coch(a)hotmail.com
> Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 10:33:43 +0000
> To: team(a)towerravens.org.uk
> Subject: [Tower Ravens] Last nigt
>
> Hi all,
>
> Thanks to everyone who came crawling last night. Hope you had fun. Congratulations to Katherine and Laura F on completing their first dance outs and becoming fully fledged ravens!
>
> Here's a video of the second half of the last dance- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVE5No7AwQM. If anyone else took any videos and can be bothered to upload them I'd love to see them. Make sure you save it as 'unlisted' - we don't want anyone to steal our
moves before DERT ;-)
>
> See you on Monday,
>
> Ffion x
> _______________________________________________
> Tower Raven's mailing list
> team(a)towerravens.org.uk
Excellent :-)
Sent from Samsung Mobile
-------- Original message --------
From: Sue Connolly <connollysue(a)hotmail.com>
Date:01/02/2014 17:25 (GMT+00:00)
To: Tower Ravens <team(a)towerravens.org.uk>
Subject: Re: [Tower Ravens] Last nigt
We collected £123.92
S x
> From: ffion_coch(a)hotmail.com
> Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2014 10:33:43 +0000
> To: team(a)towerravens.org.uk
> Subject: [Tower Ravens] Last nigt
>
> Hi all,
>
> Thanks to everyone who came crawling last night. Hope you had fun. Congratulations to Katherine and Laura F on completing their first dance outs and becoming fully fledged ravens!
>
> Here's a video of the second half of the last dance- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVE5No7AwQM. If anyone else took any videos and can be bothered to upload them I'd love to see them. Make sure you save it as 'unlisted' - we don't want anyone to steal our moves before DERT ;-)
>
> See you on Monday,
>
> Ffion x
> _______________________________________________
> Tower Raven's mailing list
> team(a)towerravens.org.uk
_______________________________________________
Tower Raven's mailing list
team(a)towerravens.org.uk
Hi all,
Thanks to everyone who came crawling last night. Hope you had fun. Congratulations to Katherine and Laura F on completing their first dance outs and becoming fully fledged ravens!
Here's a video of the second half of the last dance- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVE5No7AwQM. If anyone else took any videos and can be bothered to upload them I'd love to see them. Make sure you save it as 'unlisted' - we don't want anyone to steal our moves before DERT ;-)
See you on Monday,
Ffion x
Hi all,
As most of you will know by now, I have been looking into redesigning the
sign up sheet. After taking on board various people's feedback, I will be
switching across to the new text version. There'll be a short trial period
where I'll try to keep both systems roughly aligned in case people forget.
Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are obviously
welcome. I've had one suggestion already that the text system might work
better in excel - let me know if you have any strong feelings about that.
The new system is fairly easy to use. There's four rows for each event - a
yes, maybe, no, and no reply. You cut your name from the "no reply" row
and paste it depending on your availability. The events appear in
alphabetical order.
I've tried to make sure everybody has access, but let me know if you have
problems for any reason. Here you go, and have fun signing up!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11XHQc6j0g7HQto7rhOs6k0bfkw-XmFb8jmCeRa4…
Rachel x
