Hi All,
Thanks so so much for the really helpful reflections on BoxtheGnat.
It's really great to hear how many of you teach it and the little nuances
between styles. :) :) :)
Thank you!!!
I'm looking forward to giving some new wording/demoing a try at my next
dance. :)
Emily
PS: This has me inspired to ask about another figure... will email in the
next week or two!
On Fri, Oct 17, 2025 at 6:32 PM John Sweeney via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi Emily,
Yes, demonstrate!
You’ve had lots of good advice, but no-one has mentioned one
item that I find useful. People can get confused between the two moves as
to whether they should move to the left or the right to pass the other
person. I always tell the men to move their hand away from them.
My full teach would be a demo, then get everyone lined up in
the same orientation.
You raise you joined hands and change places with each other. This is
called multi-taking; as well as raising your hand you have to move your
feet!
You start facing each other and you finish facing each other; it is just
half a turn.
Men: raise your joined hands and move your hand away from you; walk around
the lady while keeping looking at her.
Ladies: raise your joined hands and turn backwards under the arch, turning
away from the man.
Make sure you don’t grip, just roll your fingers around each other’s.
Relax! It is a basic rule of dancing that when your hand is above your
nose your should relax your arm completely.
Don’t worry if your hands are now in the wrong orientation – let that sort
itself out on the next figure.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802
940 574
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
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