[Callers] New Dance to Share

[Frederick Park via Callers]

Dear Folks,

This little opening for discussion of unusual dances that are not contra or square is delightful. Thank you all.

"Le Brandy" and the “Weevil" are both new to me and have great potential I think. 

Erik, I don’t have your “double becket" dance - will you send it my way?

The other dances are well known to me and I wish to offer a teaching element I’ve used successfully in the Pat Shaw dance, K + E.

Once sets are established, 1s on the outside facing in, 2s standing back to back in the center facing outside couples, the primary dance move that makes it all work out is the partner relationship.
I ask all to practice once or twice “Change Hands” with Partners. Obviously, those in the center, the 1s, when changing the direction they face at any time places their own Partner on one side and then the other.
Simply suggesting that the call is “Change Hands” when practicing the move makes it unique and clear and simple, all at once!
Having the sense of “double beckett” is not so very intuitive for dancers simply because this dance is a one-of-a-kind dance. I can “see” it but I wouldn’t mention it to dancers.
The 1s need to “bond”. As well those far across on the opposite side of the set, the 2s, need to “bond” or recognize they are a unit…which is all the more useful once any couples reach the end of the set.
To that end I ask the dancers to change places with couple they are initially facing (each 1 changes places with their original 2) and the “Change Hands” introduces them to their other half for any who are in the center four.

The only thing that pushes this dance into the realm of “intermediate to advanced” is the final 8 bars of the dance, the progression.
Those on the outside are swinging their Partners and could and should “move up the hall” every so slightly.
Meanwhile the center four have just met again (the “magic” includes meeting their Partners!) and are with their “other half”, the 2s! 
The 1s then “Circle Down - three quarters ‘round - and Change Hands”. 
This call indicates the movement of Circle Left 3/4 WHILE moving down the hall ever so slightly (to end with “Trade Hands in the Center”, face out and meet a new Couple 2 to begin again . . .

I’ve found that the movement of Circle and move is akin the square dance chorus figure of four dancers moving in a circle Left while dancing in Promenade direction around the “other couple”.
So introducing such a chorus in a square dance one or two dances earlier allows the whole dance hall to be a bit familiar with the similar pattern used in K+E!

Lastly, may I recommend that any of you may also find interest in Pat Shaw’s “The American Husband”! It’s a sicillian circle for groups of three, very unusual progression and includes a Shetland Hey (for three) with each couple dancing as a single unit in a hey for three pattern! Let me know if you can’t find it and I’ll post it here.

More dances? Yes, please! (especially circle mixers and sicillian circles)  : )

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Frederick Park
3377 Halls Chapel Road
Burnsville, NC 28714
828.335.5630
frederick at apalache.com
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