But, Neal, we handle different neighbors swinging us each cycle just fine. Why is it a big deal if our shadows change? Almost everyone knows that shadows get messed up. A rank newbie might not, but then they also barely understand the concept of a shadow anyway. Surely, if the caller says, "this should be the same person throughout the dance, but sometimes people jump in or swap roles, so it might not be. Dance with who's comin' atcha," it should be no more confusing than a neighbor swing. I don't see anyone proposing that we stop calling neighbor swings.
I get the concerns about Problem Dancers, but that's a different line of argument from the confusingness concern (dealing with that problem in and of itself, beyond the shadow swing question, belongs in its own thread, if we want to pursue it again).
Agreed that there are communities that might welcome shadow swings more than others, like shadow sessions at weekends, or relatively tight communities without a PD present, or certain dance weekends in small/tight communities.
I would be really interested in some data on this one, phrasing it as, speaking only for your own personal interests, if a caller said the next dance had a shadow swing, how would you react? A. Fine, I like swings. B. Mild concern that I'd be stuck with someone I wasn't comfortable with as my shadow. C. Quite concerned, but take no action. D. Check my shadow and possibly move during the walkthrough. E. I would not dance.
--jh--
It is absolutely more disorienting.
The swing is one of very few moves (if not the only one) in which people may or may not change set position based on which role they are dancing/used to dancing and where they started the move from as a standard matter. It is also executed differently based on which role you are dancing, and may or may not be executed differently based on whether you and the other person are physically presenting as male/female/other.
Name me another figure with those variables that happens at a regular dance.
Change the people involved in any swing unexpectedly, and you’re exponentially more likely to get an unexpected result.
Neal Schlein
Librarian, MSLIS
Is it really any more disorienting to have a shadow change in a dance with a shadow swing vs., say, an allemande or another move?
Re: partners swapping during shadow dances and confusing their respective shadows (I think of it as Peter Pan-ing, on account of our shadows coming detached)… I appreciate events where there are designated chaos lines so those who are in the mood for them can indulge to their hearts’ content. I suppose there could be no-shenanigans lines alternatively. Or couples who are likely to swap could give their shadows a heads up during walk-through.
-Joseph
# 2. No problem, but rarely call
As dancer - meh...biggest issue is when there is suddenly a new shadow due to dancers joining late or some other mix. As I age I find I get disoriented when my point of reference suddenly changes. I imagine, for a new dancer who has been told this person, your shadow will/should be the same person every time, it could be confusing as well. IMHO
Mary Collins
WNY/ST (Western New York/Southern Tier)
Prompted by some recent conversations, I’m curious how folks here feel about shadow swings!
1. As a caller, do you:
A) not have an issue with shadow swings, and program them freely
B) not tend to program them just bc they don’t come up in your repertoire, but have no issue with them
C) not program shadow swings as a matter of principle
D) some secret fourth thing (feel free to elaborate!)?
2. How do you feel about shadow swings as a dancer?
Will weigh in with my thoughts later, both to avoid biasing the conversation from the outset, and also because I’m currently in transit 😅
Thanks for participating in the data gathering!
Cheers,
Maia
--Maia McCormick (she/her)
917.279.8194
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