Squareness

[stormecho]

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve worked on a small project for my square dance choreography.  Anyone who has seen me writing knows that I normally have my laptop out, along with (up to) 18 piles of variously colored index cards.  The cards are usually sorted by level, and contain concepts as well as calls.  I flip them over as I use them, and

Comments

[allanh]

Have you investigated CSDS? It'll let you create dances with electronic card pile which can shuffle sequences randomly within each pile.

The only disadvantage of CSDS - that I know of - is that it allows only 10 card pile per dance. (It may be more now, I haven't updated my copy in a while.)

[stormecho]

I haven't updates my CSDS in a while either.

I'm looking for a program that shuffles calls and concepts randomly for WRITING choreo.

It sounds like you are referring to shuffling sequences (already written cards).

[allanh]

Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you were looking to shuffle during performance. I've gotta get more sleep before responding to posts. :)

Here are some possibilities.

Online: http://instructors.cwrl.utexas.edu/~martin/RandomList.php

Offline: http://www.pallier.org/ressources/shuffle/shuffle.html

In Excel: http://www.mrexcel.com/archive/Formulas/8005.html

Does this help?

[stormecho]

Wow! I will have to look into those things. If something here works, I can leave the box at home.

[cheerfulchaotic]

So let me see if I understand. You want a database (or program) which will take a set of square dancing calls and produce a random series of those calls, with possible repetition, yes?

That could be done in excel without much headache. Create one tab with the calls in whatever order you like. Then on another sheet, use a random number generator to select a row on the first sheet and display its value. Copy and paste the formula to create a series of calls.

Now, if you want it to alternate between different sets of particular calls, that's slightly more challenging. If you want it to select randomly among calls that match certain characteristics, that can also be done, but it would be significantly trickier.

[stormecho]

I thought excel should have a way to random a list, but was unsure about it. I do have columns of stuff set up. I will look into the random formula (Allan posted an instruction link above). Thanks, Stephen.

[apparentparadox]

If you don't find what you want, talk to me. I might be able to write up a program to do what you want. One of the benefits of being retired is that I can take on projects that interest me!

[stormecho]

Thanks Tim. John Bowman has something that looks like it will work well. We're just trying to find a way to get it to me (without my provider spamming it).

Retired? Why don't I know this?

[apparentparadox]

I thought everybody knew. I was retired, then went back to work with that job in NJ which ended up not working out so I re-retired.

[stormecho]

Guess it's just my aging memory then.