Tina,
Don't forget that in the A1, to the music, it is "Sasha, Sasha, Ras Dvi Tre". I think you forgot to mention the words Sasha in your transcription of the dance. I use this one a lot at ONS events, and also the Heel and Toe Polka (in a circle). But never at a contra dance evening.
Dave Colestock
Harrisburg, PA
--- On Mon, 7/6/09, Tina Fields <tfields8(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
From: Tina Fields <tfields8(a)yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Sasha
To: "Ric Goldman" <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org>
Cc: Callers(a)sharedweight.net
Date: Monday, July 6, 2009, 5:45 PM
Hi Ric -
I think Sasha didn't go over with the whole crowd in Sebastopol, CA because it is goofy
fun, and mainly because some folks have very definitive ideas about what is
acceptable at a "contradance" evening. This is particularly ironic
because in earlier days, according to several historians, such an eve would mean both lines and squares. (The name 'contra' apparently caught on in the 1960s when hippies were turned off by the idea of 'squares' but 'contra' sounded groovy.) And a 'square dance' eve, according to
my dad who called in rural California, Oregon, & Nevada in the 1950s, included many round dances. Interesting, no?
Tina
Here's the dance. (It comes with its own tune, which can be found on the 'net.)
Sasha! Community dance, wild mixer
Dancers find a partner and scatter around the dance floor.
pre) (4) Point to your P as you say “Ras, Dva, Tri”
(means “One, Two, Three” or “Ready, set, go.”)
A1) (8+8) Clapping hands with P: “R,R,R, L,L,L, both, both, both, (own knees) knee, knee, knee.”
A2) (8) R elbow turn w/P-- 8 beats, singing “La, la la, etc.” When you say “Hey!” you say it with an upraised fist with your LH
(8) L elbow turn P, “Hey!” raising R fist.
B1/B2 (32) Then you leave your P behind (“Dasvadanya,” Russian for “Goodbye”) and walk randomly around the dance floor.
At the end of the B music, you face a new partner.
--- On Mon, 7/6/09, Ric Goldman <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org> wrote:
From: Ric Goldman <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org>
Subject: RE: [Callers] Sasha
To: "'Tina Fields'" <tfields8(a)yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, July 6, 2009, 1:23 PM
Hi Tina,
I'm late coming into this thread after a disc crash (catch-up, catch-up, catch-up). Could you describe Sasha, and a bit of detail
why it didn't go over at your home dance (which is where)? You've definitely caught my interest on both.
Thanx, Ric Goldman
Palo Alto, Ca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
> [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Tina Fields
> Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 12:21 PM
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Sasha
>
> A band asked me to call Sasha as we prepared for their
> monthly barn dance. Seems it was a favorite of that dance
> community. So I learned it for them and indeed, everyone was
> laughing and whooping it up. But warning: I then thought, how
> fun! Let's bring this dance into my home contra community
> too, as a spice between the line dances -- and was met with
> the hairy eyeball like you would not believe. :-p It was
> very interesting to discover the delicate nature of dance
> choice for different crowds. I still want to expand the
> variety at regular dances, though - albeit somehow more
> tactfully in future. Yeah, call Sasha for that ONS for sure!
>
> Tina
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
Hi Ric -
I think Sasha didn't go over with the whole crowd in Sebastopol, CA because it is goofy
fun, and mainly because some folks have very definitive ideas about what is
acceptable at a "contradance" evening. This is particularly ironic
because in earlier days, according to several historians, such an eve would mean both lines and squares. (The name 'contra' apparently caught on in the 1960s when hippies were turned off by the idea of 'squares' but 'contra' sounded groovy.) And a 'square dance' eve, according to
my dad who called in rural California, Oregon, & Nevada in the 1950s, included many round dances. Interesting, no?
Tina
Here's the dance. (It comes with its own tune, which can be found on the 'net.)
Sasha! Community dance, wild mixer
Dancers find a partner and scatter around the dance floor.
pre) (4) Point to your P as you say “Ras, Dva, Tri”
(means “One, Two, Three” or “Ready, set, go.”)
A1) (8+8) Clapping hands with P: “R,R,R, L,L,L, both, both, both, (own knees) knee, knee, knee.”
A2) (8) R elbow turn w/P-- 8 beats, singing “La, la la, etc.” When you say “Hey!” you say it with an upraised fist with your LH
(8) L elbow turn P, “Hey!” raising R fist.
B1/B2 (32) Then you leave your P behind (“Dasvadanya,” Russian for “Goodbye”) and walk randomly around the dance floor.
At the end of the B music, you face a new partner.
--- On Mon, 7/6/09, Ric Goldman <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org> wrote:
From: Ric Goldman <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org>
Subject: RE: [Callers] Sasha
To: "'Tina Fields'" <tfields8(a)yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, July 6, 2009, 1:23 PM
Hi Tina,
I'm late coming into this thread after a disc crash (catch-up, catch-up, catch-up). Could you describe Sasha, and a bit of detail
why it didn't go over at your home dance (which is where)? You've definitely caught my interest on both.
Thanx, Ric Goldman
Palo Alto, Ca
> -----Original Message-----
> From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
> [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Tina Fields
> Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 12:21 PM
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Subject: Re: [Callers] Sasha
>
> A band asked me to call Sasha as we prepared for their
> monthly barn dance. Seems it was a favorite of that dance
> community. So I learned it for them and indeed, everyone was
> laughing and whooping it up. But warning: I then thought, how
> fun! Let's bring this dance into my home contra community
> too, as a spice between the line dances -- and was met with
> the hairy eyeball like you would not believe. :-p It was
> very interesting to discover the delicate nature of dance
> choice for different crowds. I still want to expand the
> variety at regular dances, though - albeit somehow more
> tactfully in future. Yeah, call Sasha for that ONS for sure!
>
> Tina
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
I use Sasha at weddings/ONS - adults seem to have as much fun with it as the kids (sometimes they have more)
I use one that goes:
gent #1 turn the Right Hand lady with a right hand round - then back to your partner with a left around
turn Opposite lady with a right hand round - then back to your partner with a left around
turn Left hand lady with a right hand round - then back to your partner with a left around
then Gent #1 Cheats or Swings his own
then gent 1 runs back home and ALL the gents swing your own
goes in turn Gents 2 ,3 & 4
then gents 1 & 3 and Gents 2 & 4
then Lady 1, 2, 3 4 turn the gents
then Lady 1 & 3 and then Lady 2 & 4
then ALL 4 gents then ALL 4 ladies
----- with a break thrown in every so often
Mavis L McGaugh
510-814-8118 (answering machine-leave message)
--- On Tue, 6/30/09, Rickey <holt.e(a)comcast.net> wrote:
> From: Rickey <holt.e(a)comcast.net>
> Subject: [Callers] Sasha and Cheat or Swing
> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
> Date: Tuesday, June 30, 2009, 7:33 PM
> Hi all,
>
> I am still planning an ONS (One Night Stand - aka a dance
> for a private
> party of mostly non dancers) - for mostly adults (with some
> kids over 10
> years old). From your experience would Sasha be appropriate
> for such a
> crowd? Also, I would like to do the square dance
> "Cheat or Swing". I
> learned it in Vermont, but no longer remember it and cannot
> seem to find it.
> Does anyone know it?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Rickey Holt,
>
> Fremont, NH
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
Hi all,
I am still planning an ONS (One Night Stand - aka a dance for a private
party of mostly non dancers) - for mostly adults (with some kids over 10
years old). From your experience would Sasha be appropriate for such a
crowd? Also, I would like to do the square dance "Cheat or Swing". I
learned it in Vermont, but no longer remember it and cannot seem to find it.
Does anyone know it?
Thank you,
Rickey Holt,
Fremont, NH
