9 Oct
2013
9 Oct
'13
9:31 p.m.
About that "Yes, the allemande is traditionally 6 beats." Where did
that tradition come from?
When I started dancing in 1980, we learned that an allemande once around
was 8, 6, or 4 beats. To change the timing, simply get closer or
farther from the person with whom you're allemanding i.e. adjust the
circumference of the circle you're navigating, and the weight won't
change much.
In the Tennessee Mixer (which Fred Park says is from Kentucky, and Fried
de Metz Herman seemed to plunder for her waltz dance, the Wood Duck),
the allemandes are 8 beats.
In Hulls Victory, when the ones come together and go twice around, it's
fast, and they better be 4 beats.
In modern dances, like Penn Fix's "Settlement Swing," the once around
allemandes are also 4 beats.
~erik hoffman
oakland, ca
On 10/9/2013 7:01 PM, Ron Blechner wrote:
** Yes, the allemande once around is traditionally 6
beats. Stepping into a
star from a long lines can eat up an extra beat. This dance is intended for
basically two situations: 1. Early in the evening, when newbies will need
more time, especially with a star. 2. This should work well with faster
music, like Old Timey, and that slow allemande is going to feel a-ok. Just
remember to teach it something like: "A nice, easy allemande once around,
until the ladies face in". Similar timing slow-down can be seen in the
delightful dance "Joyride", where a gypsy 1x occupies 8 beats, and a novice
caller can easily forget to remind dancers to take it slow.