<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">One thing is missing from this discussion, and that is a recognition that some embellishments occur between dancers who are dancing the same role. For example, if the dance calls for two gents or two ladies to allemande left once around, one those two dancers might start leading an allemande twice around instead of once around. The principles of mutual consent and of being alert to signals from the other dancer apply in this case as well.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size:small">Jacob</div><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 12:55 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="auto">Thanks, Jack.<div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">I think we, as callers, ought to acknowledge there are 2 camps of dancers, believing either:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">1. Gents/Larks role is implicitly "led", and ladies/Ravens role is implicitly "follow" (along with all of the good comments about consent, such as Maia's)</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">2. Contra is implicitly not lead/follow, and any initiating can be done from either role.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Either way to dance can be valid. Because<span style="font-family:sans-serif"> both are valid, then we cannot assume either is default. Thus, technically both viewpoints are wrong. Contra is not *implicitly* one or the other. And in fact, I dance both styles, depending on partner. Sometimes, I feel like one style and the very next dance I might feel like the other. Options!</span></div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Neither viewpoint is universal, nor is either rare. Thus, if we don't acknowledge that these both exist, we are doing a huge disservice by denying dancers to dance the way they want to dance.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">Thus, as callers, the view we should treat lead/follow are *style* choices. And while some areas may have dominant styles, it's not right to stifle either. Thus I have several practical recommendations:</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">1. Refer to it as style choice.</div><div dir="auto">2. Get to know what your dance partners' preference is. Don't presume one or the other.</div><div dir="auto">3. Lead/Follow are not appropriate role terms, because they dismiss people whose style is not that.</div><div dir="auto">4. Teach leading tips for both roles. Like, you have a long lines, and then a mad robin or gents/larks allemande left? The ladies/Ravens are leading the move by easing the gents/Larks into those moves.</div><div dir="auto"><br></div><div dir="auto">In dance,</div><div dir="auto">Ron Blechner</div></div></blockquote></div><div><br></div>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><a href="mailto:jandnbloom@gmail.com" target="_blank">jandnbloom@gmail.com</a><div><a href="http://jacobbloom.net/" target="_blank">http://jacobbloom.net/</a><br></div><div>View my Arlington Food Pantry fundraiser at <a href="https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657" target="_blank">https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657</a></div></div></div></div></div>
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