I'd love to hear suggestions on how to approach a dancer like the one in question, and broach the subject.

-Ron Blechner

On Mar 7, 2017 1:20 PM, "JD Erskine via Callers" <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
On 2017-03-07 0627, Martha Wild via Callers wrote:
I’d like to add another point to Neal’s reasoning:

As a 5 foot 1 inch woman dancer (and a caller), I can also add that the
female of the human species is known to generally be smaller than the
male.

major snip

In general, then, it’s a lot
easier for a big guy to gently direct a small mixed-up woman in the
right direction, than it is for me to change the course of the Titanic
once it starts blundering among the icebergs. That is definitely another
reason people tend to notice the problem with male dancers more. But we
have had at least one large dancing-challenged woman whose size made it
equally difficult to direct - I occasionally tried dancing as the man
with her, but gave it up because it hurt my arms too much.

Martha

George Marshall was in town in the autumn. A teaching point that stood out for me in his pre-dance/inclusivity workshop was, that if someone is still/stationary it's more difficult to move them or guide them to where they might go.

If someone is dancing (simply in motion of some sort), even if in a place other than expected, they may be directed more easily.

(I keep thinking an air-hockey table at work, however I'm from "up here".)

If our male dancer in question is lumbering, stiff, not moving much, and can/may move, then assisting him in that might help make it easier to direct him more in the normal flow of the dance.

To do more certainly would be best with permission, awareness of offered assistance.

Cheers, John
--
J.D. Erskine
Victoria, BC

Island Dance - Folk & Country
dance info - site & mail list
Vancouver Island & BC islands

http://vecds.ca/island.dance/
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