2-hand turns --  one year I was teaching a dance that had a 2-hand turn -- which I discovered was beyond their comprehension.  Lots of blank faces and a few tried to hold onto each other and turn under their own arches.  I grabbed a young fellow close by and demonstrated a 2-hand turn and there was a huge "ahhhh" from the group.  Who'd have thought that was a foreign term for 18-year olds.  Why don't they teach this stuff in school anymore?

Thanks for asking the gender question.  I still use ladies and gents when necessary, but I add "those who are pretending to be gents" and "those who are pretending to be ladies".  They're just kids and no one seems to mind.  But I've found it's easier to use mostly gender free dances.  That's why Grease and Glue worked fairly well this year.  Don't have to be proper, don't have to be improper, just have to have a partner.  Same with most easy longways dances -- doesn't matter which side of the set you're on.

On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 11:51 AM, Linda Leslie <laleslierjg@comcast.net> wrote:
I use two hand turns with groups like yours….elbow swings work, too. Since there is more distance between dancers, they don’t seem to have any discomfort with these moves.

A question for you, though:  if girls are dancing with girls, and boys with boys, how are you approaching the use of language to distinguish positions?

thanks! Linda Leslie


On Jun 17, 2017, at 12:31 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

That Tony Parkes dance looks good, but I'd never be able to use it with this crowd.  In years passed, I tried to teach them swings -- but I guess everybody still has cooties at 18 years -- never worked -- plus, you have a good number of girls dancing with girls and boys dancing with boys and it makes some of them uncomfortable.  This is a crowd that, when I tell them, let's make a big circle all around the room, they have trouble with the concept of what a circle looks like.  Not to re-mention the acoustics. 

As a contra dancer, I understand flow from figure to figure, but Swat the Flea into a right shoulder DSD wasn't a problem with this crowd.

But thanks for sharing Tony's dance.  I don't remember ever seeing it before.

On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 4:55 AM, John Sweeney via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi Linda,
        Re your Box ‘n’ Swat:  I have a somewhat similar dance in my files:

Circle Mixers Are Fun (by Tony Parkes)

A1)     Into the Middle & Back x 2

A2)     Partner Right Hand: Balance & Box the Gnat; Partner Dosido

B1)     Partner Left Hand: Balance & Swat the Flea; Partner Seesaw (Left Shoulder Dosido) 1 & 1/2 to meet your New Partner

B2)     New Partner Balance (OR Gypsy) & Swing

        Note that your sequence of Swat the Flea into Dosido involves passing by the right when you are holding left hands.  Tony’s sequences above allow much easier flow and connection as you can pull past with the connected hand.

        Last time I had the challenge of working with a room full of noisy youngsters (most of whom didn’t speak English) I just led by example, starting with a Grand March then did:
Sausage (Circle) to the Left/Right (Till I was at the top)
Long Lines Go Forward & Back
Top couple Gallop Down (I just took the person opposite and galloped); Next Couple; Next Couple; Next Couple
Repeat

        Once they has used up a bit of energy I was able to get them to quiet down a bit!

Happy dancing,
John

John Sweeney, Dancer, England john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent


_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers@lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net



--
Looking forward,

Linda S. Mrosko
102 Mitchell Drive
Temple, Texas 76501
(903) 292-3713 (Cell)
www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers@lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net




--
Looking forward,

Linda S. Mrosko
102 Mitchell Drive
Temple, Texas 76501
(903) 292-3713 (Cell)
(903) 603-9955 (Skype)
contradancetx.com
www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)