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@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@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent                                         

_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net