21 Nov
2022
21 Nov
'22
4:01 p.m.
I appreciate the care that goes into option #3, and also really like
Becky's comment about some of the asymmetries that occur on the dancefloor
as a result of the culture (i.e., that robins may encounter more twirling
than larks). Another piece of cultural asymmetry I've encountered is that,
in some communities, dancers are used to the dancer in the left-hand
position carrying more of the weight in the swing — as a small person with
bad joints, I find it more difficult to dance the left-hand role where this
is a factor. Depending on how much time you have, reflecting on these
differences in the roles' physicality seems like a kind and useful addition.
In practice, I think the thing I've done most often more closely resembles
your #1. As we break out of a circle, couples are given roles based
entirely on where they ended up.
On Mon, Nov 21, 2022 at 2:19 PM Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I do #3 and have then try both sides with two people
and then choose a
role for the rest of the lesson
On Nov 21, 2022, at 11:55 AM, Maia McCormick via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hey folks,
Calling the occasional gig again after uh, everything, and I'm finally
inspired to iron out a bit of my beginners' lesson that I've always just
fudged in the past: *when calling gender-neutral, how do you have the
beginners pick roles?*
My spiel is generally, "we have these two roles, they're almost entirely
the same with some small differences, pick one and stick with it for a few
dances just to start and then you can try the other if you want, the most
important thing is knowing which role you are for a given dance."
In my lesson, I alternately:
1. say "whoever's standing on the right of this couple right now,
that's the robin" and then teach the swing in those roles
2. tell folks "decide who's the lark and who's the robin" with no
particular context and they pick arbitrarily
3. teach both sides of the swing and let them choose roles based on
which swing feels more comfortable
But it feels clunky and awkward every time.
I'm curious if others have similar experiences, or things they do in their
lessons that feel effective at getting people into one role (for now) with
a minimum of confusion. Hit me with your wisdom!
*Note: this is NOT an invitation to debate whether contra roles should be
gendered, or which set of role terms we should use, or whether we should
use role terms or positional calling. If you must, please make a separate
thread so I can mute it. If such discussion crops up in this thread, I'd
ask people not to respond, or to take responses to a separate thread.
Thanks.*
--
Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
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