<div dir="ltr">I happened to play on Saturday night for Queer Contra Chicago, a dance series that prefers to use bands/ bares. I've called for that series as well. <div>Two things stood out: The first is that during the workshop someone asked the caller if he'd heard the larks/ ravens terminology, and said they thought it was easier to remember larks = left, ravens = right.<br><div>The second is that every time the caller said "bands," in addressing the floor, I jumped, because I thought he was talking to the musicians and I had missed something. I wouldn't have noticed that as a caller, I think. </div><div>For what it's worth....</div><div>Meg</div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr">On Mon, Jun 1, 2015 at 7:28 AM Delia Clark via Callers <<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word">I have informally polled some members of my band and they prefer gems/rubies to jets/rubies, for all the reasons others have stated, so I’m going to take that out for a test drive at the upcoming wedding I’m calling for two women. If I gain any more insights from that, I’ll share them here!<div><br></div><div></div></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br><div><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Jun 1, 2015, at 2:25 AM, Erik Hoffman via Callers <<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> wrote:</div><br><div>
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
It's funny, but there's a part of me that finds all of these
different words a little weird. In a way, I'm not sure I like any of
them. But I do like the sense of liberation they give -- the level
of comfort that's appearing at dances for people dancing with
anyone. In my area, the SF Bay Area, men are definitely getting more
comfortable dancing with men. Around here -- as opposed to outlying
areas -- there has always been a level of tolerance, but the level
of acceptance is growing.<br>
<br>
I think my sense of weirdness -- slight discomfort -- comes from
both working to change my habits, and from the sense of the terms
being contrived. OK, my thought/feelings are changing, and my mind
is starting to think of this use as being creative rather than
contrived. Also, use is working in my favor: the more I call using
Larks and Ravens, the more comfortable it's getting for me, and I'm
feeling it's less "contrived." But it has been a bit of a hurdle for
me to overcome.<br>
<br>
As for liking jets & rubies, I have the same problem many do:
the multiple meaning of the word "jet." OK, I can be told it's a
jem, but a machine to fly, developed by the military, designed for
aggressive fighting, then given to the public for high-carbon
footprint travel is my first thought -- extremely masculine.<br>
<br>
Second thought that comes to an old geezer like me is a gang in New
York's West Side, about which there is a story, which is also
masculine...<br>
<br>
Jet as a gem would be slow to replace the other two. So, were I to
try these, I'd go for gems & rubies. But we'll stick with Larks
& Ravens for a while...<br>
<br>
~erik hoffman<br>
oakland, ca<br>
<br>
<div>On 5/28/2015 12:30 PM, Ron Blechner via
Callers wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"><p dir="ltr">For those interested in gender free contra dance
terms:</p><p dir="ltr">1. Do you like or dislike jets / rubies ?<br>
2. How would gems / rubies compare?</p><p dir="ltr">In dance,<br>
Ron Blechner</p>
<br>
<fieldset></fieldset>
<br>
<pre>_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
<a href="mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank">Callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>
<a href="http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net" target="_blank">http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
</div>
_______________________________________________<br>Callers mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank">Callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a><br><a href="http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net" target="_blank">http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net</a><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><div>
<span style="border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Helvetica;font-size:12px;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px"><div><div><br><>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<></div><div><br></div><div>Delia Clark</div><div>PO Box 45</div><div>Taftsville, VT 05073</div><div>802-457-2075</div><div><a href="mailto:deliaclark8@gmail.com" target="_blank">deliaclark8@gmail.com</a></div><div><br></div></div><div><br></div></span><br>
</div>
<br></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>
Callers mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank">Callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a><br>
<a href="http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net" target="_blank">http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net</a><br>
</blockquote></div>