[Callers] Grand Square in a contra?

[David Harding via Callers]

Hi Luke, thanks for a great weekend.  I'm piping up as a dancer who had 
hoped that you would call a grand square in a contra formation after the 
discussion here.  Tonight I find myself in an analytical frame of mind, 
thinking about where we stumbled, in the hope that you (and others) will 
keep calling this dance and have great success with it.

I'm from Illinois, but a regular at the two Wisconsin weekends 
(IndepenDance and Squirrel Moon).  The programs tend to be dominated by 
contras, but with enough squares so most dancers are familiar with the 
basic concepts.  I haven't been keeping count, but it feels as though 
most weekends include one dance with a grand square, and I felt that 
there were sufficient dancers on Sunday who knew the grand square figure 
that we should have been fine.

Personally, I struggled to remember which direction to start as we 
flip-flopped from side to side.  I think a lot of us were disoriented 
that way.  Even in a square dance with rotating partners, one role 
usually stays home and can anchor the orientation.

Part of my problem was not (yet) having internalized my identity as part 
of a right or left couple in a four-facing-four.  I don't need to think 
any more when I'm addressed as a gent (or lady), as a middle or inside 
or outside.  I know when I'm a head or a side. I know where to find my 
corner wherever I am at the moment.  But I don't recall dancing a 
four-facing-four where the right couples did something different from 
the left couples.

My two cents in the interest of continuous improvement.

-Dave Harding


On 7/5/2016 12:15 PM, Luke Donforth via Callers wrote:
> Thanks John, that does seem like a fun bit to incorporate.
>
> I ran the Fox Hollow Foibles dance with the Grand Square happening on 
> the diagonal at IndepenDance in Wisconsin. Folks seemed to have fun 
> with it, but it was certainly challenging (my sense is that community 
> doesn't do many squares; Grand or otherwise).
>
> On Fri, Jul 1, 2016 at 5:20 PM, John Sweeney via Callers 
> <callers at lists.sharedweight.net 
> <mailto:callers at lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
>
>     Of course contra dancers like swinging, so you could try
>     incorporating this version into a contra dance:
>
>     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfqC8uVfCUo
>
>     In “Cowboy Dances” (1939) there was also a version with half a
>     two-hand turn (but they called it a swing!) every time you met
>     someone.
>
>     Happy dancing,
>
>     John
>
>     John Sweeney, Dancer, England john at modernjive.com
>     <mailto:john at modernjive.com> 01233 625 362
>     http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
>
>
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>
>
> -- 
> Luke Donforth
> Luke.Donforth at gmail.com <mailto:Luke.Donev at gmail.com>
>
>
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