[Callers] More on Programming

[Cary Ravitz via Callers]

Why swings in every dance - because that is a huge part of the contra
experience, a swing with the person that you asked to dance.

Why should the partner swing follow the neighbor swing - because this is an
art form, not an exercise routine. The storyline of a contra is the uniting
of partners, not the the breaking up of partners (that's my preference
anyway). And in practical terms, I want to be with my partner at the end of
a dance to thank them quickly before finding another partner.

"Squares are just like contras, only you have to listen" - this is not
correct.

Some things that people to not like about squares -

  less movement/music connection due to lack of strict phrasing
  having to listen to the caller breaks the movement/music connection
  teaching time
  mixer squares breaks the partner connection
  visiting squares leave people "out of the dance" for long periods.

I find squares and contras completely different.

On Wed, Jun 24, 2015 at 11:47 AM, George Mercer via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> I may not be a good example or even that good a caller, but ... I like
> swings, I have no need to have a neighbor swing in every dance and most
> certainly don't care where in the dance the neighbor swing happens.  That's
> making up rules for the sake of having rules.  I like the buzz step, but to
> put it mildly there are many dancers with whom a buzz step is impossible,
> difficult or merely uncomfortable.  I teach a walking swing and sometimes
> demonstrate a buzz step with a little time for practice. Far too many
> callers and beginner workshop instructors teach a buzz step in a way that
> promotes bouncing, which in turn makes swinging difficult or worse. I've
> also heard more than one caller-instructor tell dancers that to "give
> weight" (an inadequate term) they should lean back. Just kill me. As a
> dancer, I often combine a walking swing-with a buzz step -- especially if
> we have gotten out of sync with the music. I come down on to the floor when
> I think it's required. On two occasions recently while dancing, the person
> I was dancing with said, "Well, this a dance the caller has never actually
> danced before. If she or he had, she or he wouldn't have chosen it." Amen.
> I was at an dance recently where a mixer was called near the end of the
> evening. I'm not sure what that was all about. Once early in my limited
> calling career,just as the first dance got underway about 20 newcomers
> walked in. I then called several dances without swings, just to get them
> acclimated to moving in rhythm and with the music.  I'll never do that
> again.  I was too cautious and shouldn't have been. I honestly was afraid
> the experienced dancers were going to hurt me. And they say I can't learn.
> Perhaps my biggest peeve on the dance floor is the experienced dancers who
> insist on sharing their bad dance habits (swinging backwards, excessive and
> unexpected twirling -- I almost wrote twerking --, inappropriate dipping,
> showing how athletic and fancy they are, etc.) with new dancers rather than
> helping them learn the basic fundamentals, timing and courtesy. I love
> squares. Not everyone does, but I often explain to people in my square,
> "squares are just like contras, only you have to listen."  And finally,
> callers, please stop telling people that when they reach the end of the
> line, "they're out."  This seems to encourgae dancers to think, "Well now,
> I don't have to pay attention." While they are on the floor they should
> "stay in the dance." That just may be me.  Thanks, George
>
>


-- 
Cary Ravitz
caryravitz at gmail.com
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