[Callers] Another approach to Gender Free calling

Mon Jun 1 11:36:47 PDT 2015

We have a caller in the Mad Robin group that calls our monthly dance that
doesn't use gendered terms. They only call a few dances in the evening, so
it's easier to pick a few dances that you can finesse around the language.

If you go into every swing saying where you end relative to the person
you're swinging "swing your neighbor and end in their place" versus "swing
your neighbor and end where you started" lets you say "the folks that ended
on the right now allemande in the middle", etc. It's finaglable, but gets
cumbersome.

Jim, while I applaud your dedication to making it happen, I'd personally
want the buy-in and support of my community before engineering a vocabulary
restructuring (we did an entire evening using explicit gender free at our
monthly dance, it was warmly received as a one-off, but folks were not
eager to see a permanent transition). A large part of the knowledge
transfer to new dancers happens between the folks on the floor; and if
you're using different language than the community, I worry about the new
dancers.

As a small note, I personally object to the idea that "chain" by itself is
fine in this context; as it's using a learned association without
acknowledging it. To me, it seems to reinforce the dichotomy while making
the dance less accessible to new dancers.

On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 1:23 PM, Dave Casserly via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Also with regard to Ron's questions, numbers 2 and 3 (who-leads-whom and
> who-walks-forward) can be handled by using the terms "clockwise" and
> "counterclockwise."  As to 4 (who passes whom for a hey), I agree with Bob
> that if the dance is good, it should be obvious, but even if not, "pass
> left shoulders in the middle for a hey for four" can only be interpreted
> one way, so that fixes the issue of referring to roles.  Roll-aways can be
> handled with "roll away from the left to the right" or "roll away from the
> right to the left."
>
> I'm not saying that it's perfect, but it is actually quite doable to call
> a dance without referring to roles at all, even without resorting to first
> or second corners.
>
> Perry asked for an example of a dance with global terminology used.
> Here's one (just picking a common, typical dance):
>
> Square Affair, by Becky Hill
>
> A1 Long Lines, 1st corners chain (or just say "chain" if you're dealing
> with experienced dancers and don't want to use the corners terminology)
> A2 Balance and pull by partner, pull by neighbor, balance and pull by
> partner, pull by neighbor
> B1 New neighbors balance and swing
> B2 Circle 3/4, partner swing
>
> Perry, you also mentioned that you are trying to figure out how global
> terminology would work for proper dances.  I have always called proper
> dances using global terminology without even thinking about it.  For Chorus
> Jig, for instance, why would you ever need to use the term "gent" or
> "lady"?  Down the outside, back, down the middle, back and neighbor
> around-the-waist turn, 1s turn contra corners, 1s balance and swing.
> Nothing that any particular role does that the other role isn't doing at
> the same time.
>
> On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 9:41 AM, Bob Morgan via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> With regard to Ron's questions
>>
>> 1. Would be easily covered by 1st or 2nd corners walk forward to a wave
>>
>> 2. Again can be done with reference to corners
>>
>> 3. Not so familiar with these.
>>
>> 4. You usually only need an obvious first pass person so not an issue I
>> think
>>
>> 5.  If you're facing out you turn, if you're facing across you walk is
>> how I call it anyway
>>
>> Bob
>>
>> On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 5:09 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers <
>> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Andrea, how would you handle the following:
>>>
>>> 1. Lines of one role/position to the center to a wavy line, as in Trip
>>> to Lambertville, et all?
>>>
>>> 2. Indication of who walks forward / backs up in a gypsy star?
>>>
>>> 3. Indication of who-leads-who, such as in Ramsay Chase, Pedal Pushers,
>>> Jurassic Redheads, etc.
>>>
>>> 4. Indication of who is passing while calling a hey.
>>>
>>> 5. Indication of who crosses, who turns in a box circulate?
>>>
>>> 6. Indication any other role/position specific move that I haven't
>>> mentioned? Turn over right shoulder, as in Fairport Harbour? Rollaways?
>>>
>>> None of these fall under the "most unusual figures" as you stated.
>>>
>>> Ron
>>> On Jun 1, 2015 11:59 AM, "Andrea Nettleton via Callers" <
>>> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> In previous discussions here, on FB, and privately with organizers at
>>>> Hampshire over the last two years, I have discussed the possible use of
>>>> global terminology for gender free contra.  I would contend that if used,
>>>> everyone would become more aware of the structure of dances.  Only the most
>>>> unusual figures/sequences would be unable to be called.  The addition of
>>>> first and second corner positions to the arsenal makes it possible for same
>>>> role dancers to also be called upon to dance together without reference to
>>>> gender.  Second corners chain, or first corners allemande L 1 1/2 for
>>>> example.  It would have to be agreed that this refers to those standing in
>>>> those positions at that moment.  In ECD we use first and second corners to
>>>> refer to the people, first and second diagonals for the positions.  But
>>>> since we use diagonal to refer to those across and over one set, this seems
>>>> unhelpful.  Simply corner positions works better.  I'm glad some folks are
>>>> trying it out at last.  I had hoped for an opportunity myself before now.
>>>> Cheers,
>>>> Andrea
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iOnlypretendtomultitask
>>>>
>>>> On Jun 1, 2015, at 8:37 AM, Jim Hemphill via Callers <
>>>> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> The recent discussions on this topic inspired me to try an experiment
>>>> in gender free calling.  Last night I called the contra dance in St. Louis
>>>> using gender free calling without telling anyone.    The experiment was a
>>>> great success.  I received lots of  positive feedback on the evenings
>>>> dance.  At the break and after the dance I made a point to ask several
>>>> dancers, some were callers as well, if they noticed anything different or
>>>> unusual about the dances or how I taught them.   One person noticed that
>>>> there were more dances that included a swing in the center for couple 2
>>>> than usual.  No one I talked to noticed that the calls and teaching were
>>>> gender free.
>>>>
>>>> It took some extra time to construct a fun, diverse 3 hour program, but
>>>> it is certainly possible.  Re-labeling the dancers is not the only way to
>>>> call gender free.
>>>>
>>>> If you are interested in the program I used or the larger collection of
>>>> gender free dances I chose the program from, send me an email,
>>>> arcadian35 at gmail.com.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Jim Hemphill
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Callers mailing list
>>>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Callers mailing list
>>>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Callers mailing list
>>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> David Casserly
> (cell) 781 258-2761
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
>

-- 
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth at gmail.com <Luke.Donev at gmail.com>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/attachments/20150601/0f436553/attachment.htm>