Re: [Callers] Arms Folded in Dosidos

For those of us who are used to twirls, spins may make a Do Si Do easier. This idea of the challenge of "back-up" vs "spin" is intriguing. I've never noticed it particularly hard to back up and miss. And occasionally a shoulder might bump. "Nice running into you!" is what I say. And one learns to glance over a shoulder. As far as positional awareness and spinning goes, this takes practice. For the novice this awareness is not automatic -- it can become more so to the seasoned dancer. Many newcomers complain -- in the spinning world of fast-swing and twirling contra dancers -- of dizziness. For them, spinning may be eons away, if they decide to return. And, as I stated in an earlier email, a Do Si Do starts on a spot, facing a direction, and ends on that spot facing that direction. Or it ends "a quarter more" from that spot, or "one and a half" from that spot, facing the direction one started in -- it's a directional move. Often, when people spin, they loose this sense of direction. This is true of many somewhat "experienced" dancers. At a one-night-stand dance, since the Do Si Do is something people actually "know," as the arms cross and the smiles of "knowing" appear, and since that sense of "knowing" brings such joy that I would never "correct" it from this version of "correct!" Again, an arms crossed Do Si Do is not incorrect, it's just gone out of fashion in the contra dance world. And, anyone who comes to a contra dance and returns will quite quickly stop crossing their arms, as it's not the style there. At a contra dance, I teach the directional details of the Do Si Do, and demonstrate the spin that they'll see. I actually object to teaching beginners to spin, as I consider that a modern flourish (that I actually do -- about half the time), and find that adding that flourish confuses more beginners than helps. John Sweeny writes: Hmm, I think this might be a good idea to show this after someone's been coming for a while. Most of the people I know who solo spin were never taught these things, and seem to have successfully learned them. As far as eye contact goes, don't forget that, as many of us over-emphasize the importance of eye to eye in the contra dance world, many newcomers find this a bit too intimate at first, and need to get comfortable with it. I always let people know that they don't have to make all that eye contact if they don't want to. And there are lots of opportunities in just about every contra dance for eye contact, it need not be so ubiquitous... As far as teaching twirls and spins, I'd focus much more on cranking leaders, and strive to teach how it is the leader's invitation, the follower's choice, and the importance of how small the leader's motion actually is: No Cranking!!! This is something many "experienced" dancers need a lesson in. ~erik hoffman oakland, ca On 5/31/2013 12:48 PM, Aahz Maruch wrote: