Re: [Callers] Gender Swapping w.s. report

Your workshop sounds great, Barbara! Congrats. One tidbit that I might add from my own experience as a gleeful gender-swapper during dances: Barbara Groh said, "There was a little confusion, of course, as folks forgot which side to be on after a swing and were not able to use visual cues of gender to do the dance."  If swapping roles during the partner swing (often an easy time to do so), we've discovered that simply offering the hands differently can serve as an excellent clue. For a balance & sw, the person who will become the lead/male/band holds the offering hands up; the person who will become the follow/female/barearm holds her hands down, ultimately placing them in the waiting hands of the other. If no balance but only swing, the arm placements are similarly offered as clues: if leading, it's the left arm out straightish and right high & around; vv for following. These are tangible visual cues, and even one person remembering to do them can make all the difference. Of course, if necessary one can also default to a muttered "I'm the boy; I'm the boy; I'm the boy."  Tina