[Callers] Super easy dances - do they exist?

Linda S. Mrosko via Callers callers at lists.sharedweight.net
Sat Jun 17 10:56:23 PDT 2017


I demo everything at least once -- circling, F&B, elbow swings, DSDs --
because there's time between the roars to grab someone.  Here's a picture
from the most recent dance where I'm in the middle of the circle with a
volunteer demo-ing Balance, Box the Gnat, Balance, Swat the Flea, DSD
​

On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 12:36 PM, David Chandler <chandler.dr at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Your mention of the magic of demonstrating a 2-hand turn led me to wonder
> how much you have used demonstration as the core of your teaching in this
> situation. I remember an English caller once who taught everything from the
> floor, demonstrating what she meant. Grabbing a few of the quicker or more
> confident kids to demonstrate figures might make it easier for others to
> learn, especially if they are in a big circle where everyone can see even
> if they can't hear (or listen). It would of course help if you had a
> wireless mic so you could make a noise (a funny-sounding whistle or kazoo?)
> to get them to pay attention to learn the next figure. Tough gig!
>
> David Chandler
>
> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
>> 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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> Callers mailing list
>>>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>>>
>>> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>>>
>>> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>>>
>>> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)*
>>> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)*
>>> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com/>*
>>>
>>> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
>>> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Callers mailing list
>>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>>
>>
>> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
>>
>> *102 Mitchell Drive*
>>
>> *Temple, Texas 76501*
>>
>> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)*
>> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)*
>> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*
>>
>> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
>> buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers at lists.sharedweight.net
>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>>
>>
>


-- 



*Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*

*102 Mitchell Drive*

*Temple, Texas 76501*

*(903) 292-3713 (Cell)*
*(903) 603-9955 (Skype)*
*contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>*

*www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance
buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/attachments/20170617/53960609/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 2017 - Me Teaching Box & Swat.JPG
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 80911 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.sharedweight.net/pipermail/callers-sharedweight.net/attachments/20170617/53960609/attachment.jpeg>


More information about the Callers mailing list