29 Sep
2019
29 Sep
'19
11:57 p.m.
One thing I included in beginner sessions was an explanation that (for example)
"allemande right one time" could have two different meanings. I'd demo it
once, beginning facing the dancer I was turning with, and ending exactly in that same
position. I'd have everyone try that. Then I'd explain that often allemande (or
dosido) once was used to interact with a person but return to another person. I'd demo
that, and they'd try it. It didn't take long, the participants seemed to
appreciate it, and I promised I'd remember to tell them which "one time" we
were doing during the dances. The same is true for "once and a half" of course.
The wonderful mixer Nervous Breakdown starts with four "once and a half" figures
that each send you on to a new person. It could be a good lesson on momentum, flow and
timing.
Richard Fischer
Princeton, NJ
On Sep 29, 2019, at 7:41 PM, K Panton via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I think that whole "momentum" topic is very useful and, in my experience, aside
from the occasional reference in a walk-through it is typically left for the dancer to
connect the dots on their own.
It goes hand in hand with awareness of transitions (i.e. the connecting tissue, that we
don't often teach, between the figures, that we do teach), I think. (I sometimes think
- not really - I'm the only one who can enjoy a lovely transition as much as a lovely
figure)
Not sure how one can incorporate yet another teaching point into a beginner session