17 Jun
2017
17 Jun
'17
12:56 p.m.
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(a)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(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
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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(a)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(a)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(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
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*Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko*
*102 Mitchell Drive*
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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(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
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*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/>*
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