[Callers] Connection vs Giving Weight

Thanks John, I really appreciated this article as I am always looking for ways to describe this particular art of connecting in dance, without saying "giving weight". I most recently have been using the term "strong connection" (but I like "good connection" instead, and will use this going forward!)--- and before practicing the allemande in the intro session, I have people join hands in an allemande position, and simply try taking turns rocking gently from side to side- aiming to get to a point where when one person rocks sideways, the other person is moved with them. I also get people to rotate around the circle and try this with at least 3 different people, so if they were unfortunate to be a weakly-connecting person connecting with another weak-connecting person in the first round, they hopefully get to experience something different in the next round. It seems to be producing some success, but not 100 percent success (By which I mean, I'm always jumping in to demo things with different dancers, and I still occasionally encounter someone who has been through the intro session but still takes my hand like a limp noodle). Would love to hear what other folks do in their intro session, to get people to feel this "good connection" in their bodies.  Descriptors help some people, but I think most of you will agree that an exercise that gets people to *feel* it will be most effective! That said, good descriptors *are* part of the recipe, and I loved and noted down the following phrases from your article John, that I plan to make use of going forward: A good connection should allow for: - a shared centre of gravity - shared momentum - moving as a single entity / dancing so that you and your dance-partner(s) move as one unit - moving with a shared flow - hands joined firmly but elastically - arms behave like springs - aim for elasticity, not rigity In summary, always aim to be "well-connected!" Thanks again!! Kat K in Halifax