25 Dec
2011
25 Dec
'11
11:30 p.m.
Colin wrote:
Surely the objection to mixers (in The States) is that
you don't get to
swing your original partner every time through the dance. In most mixers
you wouldn't swing the same shadow every time - if you did I'd change the
starting format so that the person you swing is actually the one you asked
to dance.
I suspect that the real objection to unannounced mixers is that they remove
control of the partnering process from the dancers. With a shadow dance
every dancer is assigned a second "partner" in the form of a shadow,
someone they might not want to partner with. That's why some dislike
shadow swings.
I like mixers, in general. But I also think it is very important to
empower the dancers to partner with whomever they wish. This is key to
integrating first-timers as well. When you give control of the partnering
process to the regulars you also give responsibility to the regulars for
integrating newcomers. It is important to maintain the caller-dancer trust
relationship.
- Greg McKenzie