2 Jul
2013
2 Jul
'13
5:10 a.m.
I agree fully with Erik Hoffman. I can't fathom the no thumb allemande. How the heck
do you get any connection with it? Two flat surfaces and only friction - you might as well
just walk around the other person, it's worse than a noodle arm. The way most people
do get connection is to bend the wrist to provide some contact for shared weight - and
that hurts my wrist horribly. So if someone gives me a no thumb allemande, I comply,
desperately trying not to have my wrist bent, and if it is someone who doesn't bend
the wrist, then there is no connection, no "shared weight" and no chance if
it's a 1 1/2 allemande to get around in time. Erik has always taught the allemande
hold as being a "hook", with the curled fingers providing the connection, and I
have stolen that description from him and use it myself. The thumb is along for the ride
but should not do any squeezing or gripping, in fact, it can even lie flat next to the
curled fingers and not intersect the other thumb, as he mentions in describing the star
hold. Connection without thumb pain. Thanks, Erik.
Martha
On Jul 1, 2013, at 9:00 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: First-time Contra Dancers and similar figures (Read Weaver)
2. Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance (Greg McKenzie)
3. Re: Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance (JohnFreem(a)aol.com)
4. Re: Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance (barb kirchner)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 20:48:26 -0400
From: Read Weaver <rweaver(a)igc.org>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] First-time Contra Dancers and similar figures
Message-ID: <9D058E28-3D5B-46C1-ABA3-F5EE755519E7(a)igc.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Yeah, I don't understand the problem with no thumbs--I go out of my way to teach the
no-thumb hold to beginners, mostly to avoid twisted thumbs from the person who doesn't
let go in time. Is there some thought that it leads to the bent-wrist hold?
On Jun 26, 2013, at 9:37 PM, Jacob Bloom wrote:
As for the no-thumb allemande: Years ago, I
started having a problem with
my left thumb aching for days after a dance, from the allemande lefts.
This started almost 30 years ago, so I can't blame that problem on
advancing age. As far as I'm concerned, doing an allemande without locking
thumbs is an improvement which has been made necessary by the modern
tendency to do an allemande all the way around in four beats instead of six
or eight. I'm always delighted when I run into another dancer who gives me
a no-thumb allemande. Anything that prevents injury is a good thing.
Jacob Bloom
jandnbloom(a)gmail.com
On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 12:00 PM, <callers-request(a)sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 00:03:40 -0700
> From: Erik Hoffman <erik(a)erikhoffman.com>
> To: jean francis <catherineaura(a)yahoo.com>om>, Caller's discussion list
> <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
> Subject:
>
> Re: [Callers] First-time Contra Dancers and similar figures
>
> [1] An aside: many people call this the "wrist grip" form. I encourage
> us all to remove the word "grip" from out teaching lexicon, as gripping
> has led to griping, and that (IMHO) horrid no-thumb allemande... The
> connection is through hooks and surfaces to lean on, not through
> gripping. And, although I don't like the no thumb allemande, when do I
> teach this form of star, I encourage all five fingers, thumb included,
> going over the top of the wrist in front - no grip.
>
> erik hoffman
> ~oakland, ca
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2013 07:55:18 -0700
From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com>
To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance
Message-ID:
<CAFqkWLt0qEFdYC4FFthx-K+8wi6yAGE=3-cKEGpBdOee5k5pWg(a)mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
I just listened to "RadioLab" on NPR
http://www.radiolab.org/
The current show on "Inner Voices" is fascinating and has information about
how the expectations of teachers (or callers) can affect performance. The
impacts of simple word changes in how a task is described can make a
dramatic difference in how people perform that task. The show talks about
research on test performance as well as a study involving the performance
of psychomotor skills (golf).
This research dramatizes how small word choices and attitudes (or framings)
by callers could change the competence of many people in the room enough to
make the caller's job much easier or more difficult. Check it out.
The segment about the specific research begins at about 11 minutes and 15
seconds in. But the entire show is good.
Makes me think about every time I have said: "Now this part of the dance is
a little tricky."
- Greg McKenzie
West Coast, USA
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2013 11:09:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: JohnFreem(a)aol.com
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance
Message-ID: <99c29.775e271b.3f02f5a8(a)aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Great stuff, Greg!
I learned many important things from some of the great callers early in my
career. Larry Edelman taught me to teach about "places, not faces" while
teaching squares. This can also apply to contras. Ted Sanella taught me to
first tell who we were to look for, then what we were to do with them. These two
tips have proven very helpful when working with all dancers.
John B. Freeman, SFTPOCTJ
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2013 15:19:44 +0000
From: barb kirchner <barbkirchner(a)hotmail.com>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance
Message-ID: <BLU177-W7967532EE4DEE44DCFFF1DE710(a)phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
THANKS for bringing up this important teaching technique.
the way you phrase something can make ALL the difference.
instead of "this is a little tricky", i go with "this LOOKS a little bit
different, but you'll be surprised how easy it is!" or "here comes the fun
part!"
if you ACT like you KNOW they'll just be able to do it, well, that's what
they'll do.
barb
From: JohnFreem(a)aol.com
Date: Mon, 1 Jul 2013 11:09:28 -0400
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Caller Expectations and Dancer Performance
Great stuff, Greg!
I learned many important things from some of the great callers early in my
career. Larry Edelman taught me to teach about "places, not faces" while
teaching squares. This can also apply to contras. Ted Sanella taught me to
first tell who we were to look for, then what we were to do with them. These two
tips have proven very helpful when working with all dancers.
John B. Freeman, SFTPOCTJ
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End of Callers Digest, Vol 107, Issue 1
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