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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Hi Lenore,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> I think part of the challenge with contra is that there is so little teaching done at dances. Technique is very rarely taught; people are just supposed to pick it all up as they go along. As a result people who can get through challenging dances consider themselves “advanced” while still having no basic dancing skills.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> One of the most frustrating sequences for me is “Men Allemande Left 1.5; Neighbour Swing”. I like to spin out of the Allemande into my Neighbour’s arms for the Swing. But no-one ever teaches Allemande technique and very few dancers do it well (the ladies tend to be much better than the men). I get offered all sorts of strange hand positions; the dancers put their arms at strange angles which prevent you disengaging smoothly; many of the dancers seem to think that they are arm-wrestling instead of dancing; some of them have misunderstood the term “give weight” and lean away strongly so that I have to devote myself to stopping them from falling over (very tiring!); and, possibly as a result of all this poor connection, they don’t move fast enough - their steps are too small. All of this means that getting around 1.5 times takes too long and there is no time to add a spin out of the Allemande.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> You can’t build on shifting sands.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> Whenever I teach a Swing Variations workshop I always start by going over the basics of a good swing. It’s amazing how many people afterwards thank me and say they hadn’t realised that they could improve their basic swing. See <a href="http://contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#swinging">http://contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#swinging</a> for details.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> You may also find some ideas you can use at <a href="http://contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#connection">http://contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#connection</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> For improving technique in twirls (e.g. in and out of swings, and multiple twirls in a Ladies’ Chains), see <a href="http://modernjive.com/history/tension.html">http://modernjive.com/history/tension.html</a>. Although this article was written for a different dance style, the technique points apply equally well to contra twirls. Note: this article refers to Lead & Follow which is not a fundamental part of contra dance. However, for many flourishes the Lead & Follow principles apply for the duration of that flourish.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> Some flourishes that can be done easily by yourself are:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Spin into a Tidal Wave (long wavy line)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Twirl yourself going from Up The Hall in Lines of Four into a Circle Left<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Spin yourself out of Allemandes - great fun if you can do all four in a Contra Corners<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Do something on beat four of Long Lines Go Forward & Back: shimmy, stamp, hip bump the opposite person (if you know them well), bow…<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> I hope some of that helps.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Happy dancing, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> John <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>John Sweeney, Dancer, England <a href="mailto:john@modernjive.com">john@modernjive.com</a> 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html">http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html</a> for Live Music Ceilidhs <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.contrafusion.co.uk">http://www.contrafusion.co.uk</a> for Dancing in Kent</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.modernjive.com">http://www.modernjive.com</a> for Modern Jive DVDs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US> Callers <<a href="mailto:callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net">callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Lenore Frigo via Callers<br><b>Sent:</b> 26 April 2019 22:45<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [Callers] Easy flourishes or other "bonus" movements?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>I would like to teach some of my more advanced dancers some flourishes or other embellishments to contra dance. I'd like to start with things that are easy and obviously that can be smoothly integrated into a dance. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Simpler is better and I am especially looking for "extras" that can be done singly rather than within a couple. For example, simply twirling during a do-si-do, or little "meanwhile" things you can do while waiting out as your partner allemandes with their diagonal. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>I've found some YouTube videos, but they tend to be for more elaborate technique than I am interested in introducing at this time.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Thanks for any thoughts, tips, support, or warnings! :)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif'>Lenore Frigo<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>