Maia,
(Maia asked me a questions about "gendering" and I thought I'd share it with all. I have expanded on my previous remarks as well. My first couple of responses were from my phone - yuk. I hate doing anything that way and tend to become brief and unclear just because it is difficult for me to respond. I am now at my computer where I can actually type!)
I have to say that most of my "beginner" lessons are with private group experience and they are mostly unaware of any gender issues within the community at large. Saying that, yes they do tend to move toward gendered, Most folks gravitating to their personal preference or life role. These are weddings, private equine groups, corporate things, at dances it is a different thing all together. Recently I have been hired to do a series of weekly contra dance lessons (I know I tried to tell them but...I'll take the money!) for a local senior center; cumulating with a big dance the 5th week with a band etc. So this topic is of great interest. Hopefully this will garner some new dancers for the home dance as well.
When (IMHO) people come to a contra dance it is at the invitation or suggestion of a friend, co-worker, or group affiliation leader and rarely a walk-in situation. That of course does happen but in the community here, rarely. Those that come do not have any gendered expectations. I see typically pairs of women (friends not couples), or mixed gendered couples (m/w) and we hardly ever/never get same gendered, queer or other people attending. (SADLY) When leading the introduction to contra basics (we do not use lesson as we state NO LESSONS REQUIRED) gender is not talked about. Like the others I sometimes use a circle if there are enough to even lead a group. Then I teach: giving weight, circle right/left, La Bastringue and how to swing, I talk about the music and how it "tells" you when to move. We count 8 steps circle, 8 steps do-si-do etc. If there are kids I do either two hand or traditional ball-room style, using the pointer hands and opening up like a book to put people side by side. Then I introduce Lark and Robin. as positions and anyone can dance either - dance with who comes at you and that we all screw up including me and then when I do, I make to sure to tell those beginners "see! I told you I would!" Most couples (m/w) tend to want to dance together and while encouraged to dance with others often will not and in these cases they almost always choose the typical gender role. It has happened on occasion that they will mix it up but that is those rare times that we get younger than 40yo people.
I call all dances Larks & Robins - UNLESS it is a really really traditional group like my trail riding horse group. They are SO traditional...but they seem to love it enough to beg me to do a dance at the "big weekend", it's fun but I have to call Gents/Ladies for them.
I hope this helps.
Mary
Hi Mary,
I’m curious, how do you find that the roles do or don’t break down along gendered lines when you introduce them with this bit of history? I’d assume that the implication that a role is traditionally for (men/women) would bias people into dancing along gendered lines, but I’ll admit I haven’t actually tested that hypothesis.
Cheers,
Maia
--Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
Maia et al,
I struggle with this as well. Typically I've been sharing a wee bit of history i.e. some dances have been around since George Washington's time and were written for Gents & Ladies. So I line up long ways and indicate that historically one line was gents and the other ladies. Talk a wee bit about proper dance. (Keep in mind WEE BIT, not a history lesson, a sentence.) Then I introduce the modern concept of gender free and indicate the Lark line & the Robin line and that it is not a gender but a position. Then I flow into alemande, do-si-do, hands 4, position in the hands four (ones & twos), swing and where to end...now
Introduce improper and where Larks & Robins are now. If at this time people who prefer gendered position, will naturally move to that place. Then I add stars, right & left through, chain. Done.
This sometimes feels awkward and I struggle through it. Mostly it works, sometime really well, sometimes not so much, sometimes I just ignore all of it and just teach a simple dance and do teaching as walk through.
Going to a callers' gathering next (this coming weekend) Saturday and hopefully we can talk about this there.
Love all the sharing.
Hey there, hive mind,
When you're calling larks and robins, during the lesson, how do you
a. explain the roles to the new folks, and
b. put the beginners into roles for the duration of the lesson?
I've seen "try swinging in both roles and see which feels better", I've seen "unless you have a preference, whoever is standing on the right of your partnership is the robin for now", I've seen "pick whichever bird you like better", I've seen "the robin's role is a little easier so do that if you feel less confident"...
I'm curious what folks here do and in what kind of distribution, and how you find it works for you in practice.
(Please please please let's not relitigate gender-free contra or the bird terms in this thread. If you really must, please make a separate thread.)
Swingingly,
Maia
--Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
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