8 Nov
2010
8 Nov
'10
12:47 p.m.
This sounds like a workable technique with becket dances starting
with these moves, and when the crowd has substantial experience. At
regular open public dances, however, I prefer to walk through dances
exactly as they will be danced and with the exact timing of the
dance. (Good contra dance callers use the walk-through to teach the
timing of the dance as well as the figures and transitions. Too
often the caller will use a different timing during the
walk-through.) This may be helpful for complex moves or transitions
but the caller will benefit by using timed prompts given "up to
speed" by the second walk-through. I also prefer clear prompts in
effective word order over added commentary during a walk-through. If
explanatory comments are needed they can be inserted before, after,
or between walk-throughs.
- Greg
**********
At 08:35 AM 11/8/2010, you wrote:
Halloween weekend, my partner and I attended the Fire
Ant Frolic in
Austin with Nils Fredland calling and Elixer playing. Great dances,
great music, nice people - what a wonderful weekend!
Nils did something on several walkthroughs that I don't think I'd
ever noticed before and I thought it was very clever and effective.
I asked him during a break if he had thought it up or where he had
learned it and he kind of avoided answering the question directly...
but I thought I'd share it here and see what people think.
On Becket dances that begin with a Circle Left 3/4, he did not have
the sets "becketize" themselves before the walk through... he'd say
"hands 4, ones cross over" and begin the walk through with a "Join
Hands Circle Left All the Way" (which is the same a becketizing by
circling left 1/4 and then beginning the walk through with a circle left 3/4).
I often notice that many dancers aren't listening when you ask them
to "becketize" by circling left 1/4, which leads to initial
confusion down the line, so Nils' solution avoids that common
problem. It was obvious (at least to me) that the dances were, in
fact, Becket dances based on how they ended and his description of
the progression, and he'd actually have us begin to the music from
the "backed up" becket formation and Circle 3/4.
I just thought it was a really neat way to do walk throughs for
those Becket dances that start with a Circle Left 3/4. Note that it
won't be correct to use for Becket dances that begin with other moves.
Has anyone else ever seen or used this walk-through technique?
What do you think of it?
I tried it on one dance I called in Cocoa Beach on Saturday and it
worked very well.
/Andy Shore
http://andyshore.com
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