[Callers] Super easy dances - do they exist?

Sat Jun 17 10:07:43 PDT 2017

2-hand turns --  one year I was teaching a dance that had a 2-hand turn --
which I discovered was beyond their comprehension.  Lots of blank faces and
a few tried to hold onto each other and turn under their own arches.  I
grabbed a young fellow close by and demonstrated a 2-hand turn and there
was a huge "ahhhh" from the group.  Who'd have thought that was a foreign
term for 18-year olds.  Why don't they teach this stuff in school anymore?

Thanks for asking the gender question.  I still use ladies and gents when
necessary, but I add "those who are pretending to be gents" and "those who
are pretending to be ladies".  They're just kids and no one seems to mind.
But I've found it's easier to use mostly gender free dances.  That's why
Grease and Glue worked fairly well this year.  Don't have to be proper,
don't have to be improper, just have to have a partner.  Same with most
easy longways dances -- doesn't matter which side of the set you're on.

On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 11:51 AM, Linda Leslie <laleslierjg at comcast.net>
wrote:

> I use two hand turns with groups like yours….elbow swings work, too. Since
> there is more distance between dancers, they don’t seem to have any
> discomfort with these moves.
>
> A question for you, though:  if girls are dancing with girls, and boys
> with boys, how are you approaching the use of language to distinguish
> positions?
>
> thanks! Linda Leslie
>
>
> On Jun 17, 2017, at 12:31 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> That Tony Parkes dance looks good, but I'd never be able to use it with
> this crowd.  In years passed, I tried to teach them swings -- but I guess
> everybody still has cooties at 18 years -- never worked -- plus, you have a
> good number of girls dancing with girls and boys dancing with boys and it
> makes some of them uncomfortable.  This is a crowd that, when I tell them,
> let's make a big circle all around the room, they have trouble with the
> concept of what a circle looks like.  Not to re-mention the acoustics.
>
> As a contra dancer, I understand flow from figure to figure, but Swat the
> Flea into a right shoulder DSD wasn't a problem with this crowd.
>
> But thanks for sharing Tony's dance.  I don't remember ever seeing it
> before.
>
> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 4:55 AM, John Sweeney via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> Hi Linda,
>>         Re your Box ‘n’ Swat:  I have a somewhat similar dance in my
>> files:
>>
>> Circle Mixers Are Fun (by Tony Parkes)
>>
>> A1)     Into the Middle & Back x 2
>>
>> A2)     Partner Right Hand: Balance & Box the Gnat; Partner Dosido
>>
>> B1)     Partner Left Hand: Balance & Swat the Flea; Partner Seesaw (Left
>> Shoulder Dosido) 1 & 1/2 to meet your New Partner
>>
>> B2)     New Partner Balance (OR Gypsy) & Swing
>>
>>         Note that your sequence of Swat the Flea into Dosido involves
>> passing by the right when you are holding left hands.  Tony’s sequences
>> above allow much easier flow and connection as you can pull past with the
>> connected hand.
>>
>>         Last time I had the challenge of working with a room full of
>> noisy youngsters (most of whom didn’t speak English) I just led by example,
>> starting with a Grand March then did:
>> Sausage (Circle) to the Left/Right (Till I was at the top)
>> Long Lines Go Forward & Back
>> Top couple Gallop Down (I just took the person opposite and galloped);
>> Next Couple; Next Couple; Next Couple
>> Repeat
>>
>>         Once they has used up a bit of energy I was able to get them to
>> quiet down a bit!
>>
>> Happy dancing,
>> John
>>
>> John Sweeney, Dancer, England john at modernjive.com 01233 625 362
>> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
>>
>>
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>
>
>
> --
>
>
>
> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>
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>
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-- 

*Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*

*102 Mitchell Drive*

*Temple, Texas 76501*

*(903) 292-3713 (Cell)*
*(903) 603-9955 (Skype)*
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