Hi Ric -
I think Sasha didn't go over with the whole crowd in Sebastopol, CA because it is
goofy
fun, and mainly because some folks have very definitive ideas about what is
acceptable at a "contradance" evening. This is particularly ironic
because in earlier days, according to several historians, such an eve would mean both
lines and squares. (The name 'contra' apparently caught on in the 1960s when
hippies were turned off by the idea of 'squares' but 'contra' sounded
groovy.) And a 'square dance' eve, according to
my dad who called in rural California, Oregon, & Nevada in the 1950s, included many
round dances. Interesting, no?
Tina
Here's the dance. (It comes with its own tune, which can be found on the 'net.)
Sasha! Community dance, wild mixer
Dancers find a partner and scatter around the dance floor.
pre) (4) Point to your P as you say “Ras, Dva, Tri”
(means “One, Two, Three” or “Ready, set, go.”)
A1) (8+8) Clapping hands with P: “R,R,R, L,L,L, both, both, both, (own knees)
knee, knee, knee.”
A2) (8) R elbow turn w/P-- 8 beats, singing “La, la la, etc.” When you say “Hey!”
you say it with an upraised fist with your LH
(8) L elbow turn P, “Hey!” raising R fist.
B1/B2 (32) Then you leave your P behind (“Dasvadanya,” Russian for “Goodbye”) and
walk randomly around the dance floor.
At the end of the B music, you face a new partner.
--- On Mon, 7/6/09, Ric Goldman <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org> wrote:
From: Ric Goldman <letsdance(a)rgoldman.org>
Subject: RE: [Callers] Sasha
To: "'Tina Fields'" <tfields8(a)yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, July 6, 2009, 1:23 PM
Hi Tina,
I'm late coming into this thread after a disc crash (catch-up, catch-up, catch-up).
Could you describe Sasha, and a bit of detail
why it didn't go over at your home dance (which is where)? You've definitely
caught my interest on both.
Thanx, Ric Goldman
Palo Alto, Ca
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Tina Fields
Sent: Monday, July 06, 2009 12:21 PM
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Sasha
A band asked me to call Sasha as we prepared for their
monthly barn dance. Seems it was a favorite of that dance
community. So I learned it for them and indeed, everyone was
laughing and whooping it up. But warning: I then thought, how
fun! Let's bring this dance into my home contra community
too, as a spice between the line dances -- and was met with
the hairy eyeball like you would not believe. :-p It was
very interesting to discover the delicate nature of dance
choice for different crowds. I still want to expand the
variety at regular dances, though - albeit somehow more
tactfully in future. Yeah, call Sasha for that ONS for sure!
Tina
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