19 Feb
2012
19 Feb
'12
12:45 a.m.
If there is a "standard" in hey dances, then Flirtation Reel is the gold
standard. It is a perfect blend of aesthetics and ergonomics. It works because the body
WANTS to go in the right direction, and the soul follows.
I have just returned from calling a little community dance of 1/3 experienced dancers and
2/3 beginners, much as Linda described. Of course we danced Flirtation Reel. Committed to
memory for use at a moment's notice, Flirtation Reel is at the top of my list of
dances that are accessible to newcomers, but reward my experienced folks on the floor for
hanging in there. ... Bob
On Feb 18, 2012, at 9:06 PM, Linda Leslie wrote:
Wow! I didn't know that there was a
"standard", either, Beth! I use Flirtation Reel all the time with new dancers
for a bunch of reasons (I am not talking about a ONS; rather a community dance that has a
good mix of newer dancers and those who have danced before). For me, the direction of the
passes has everything to do with the graceful flow of movement written into the dance by
the choreographer. Such flow is what I look for in a dance worth calling. The dancers
certainly get this, too; if not at first, they will pick up on it eventually!
Linda
On Feb 18, 2012, at 2:43 PM, beth(a)hands4.com wrote:
LOL, I once had a caller berate me for using
Flirtation Reel as a dance to teach beginners (this was a beginner's workshop at
NEFFA, they really were beginning something.) He rather emphatically said "how could
you use a non-standard hey as a teaching tool?" Until then I hadn't realized
there was a standard vs. a non-standard hey. Actually I still don't think there is.
I don't remember who the caller was, but I do remember the comment <G>.
I also once had a dance organizer inform me "Do not teach a hey in the first half of
the evening." There are so many other moves that people think are easy that are
actually quite difficult for new folks: right and left through for example. Banning a hey
seems a bit arbitrary, but I assume the dance had a bad experience at some time.
Beth
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Leslie
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 11:24 PM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] Heys for new dancers
On Feb 17, 2012, at 7:55 AM, barb kirchner wrote:
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
i like teaching "the ladies' pattern". ladies walk the same path
(turn left, end on right) for a promenade, right and left through,
ladies chain, and hey. they're kinda used to looping out a little,
because in the first three figures, they're actually walking around a
person - easy enough to get the concept of walking around a ghost from
there.
Certainly useful techinique, if heys you will be using for the evening are right
in the center, left shoulder at the ends. Flirtation Reel is a good example of Left
shoulder in the center, right shoulder at the ends. Most dancers don't have trouble
with this difference, but I have occasionally had dancers be a bit surprised that heys
can and do vary.
Linda