3 Jan
2013
3 Jan
'13
11:29 a.m.
[starting a new thread]
On Wed, Jan 02, 2013, Greg McKenzie wrote:
The rule is to avoid eye contact with anyone with whom you are NOT
dancing.
Do you have a cite for this rule? I've never heard it before in my
quarter-century of dancing (folk, square, contra). I have, of course,
heard the opposite of this rule, but P->Q does NOT imply !P->!Q.
It also brings up the question of who am I "not" dancing with? From my
POV, I'm at least potentially interacting with pretty much anyone on the
dance floor (for example, grabbing someone in an adjacent line for a
quick allemande or swing).
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6 http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
3 Jan
3 Jan
11:38 a.m.
New subject: Eye Contact
I think the idea is, anyone you're not directly engaged in a move with. So,
making eye contact with the rest of your hands-4 during a circle makes
perfect sense. Meeting eyes with your neighbor across the set when you're
about to go into a partner swing/gypsy/etc. is strange and distracting.
Obviously, experienced dancers generally aren't too phased by "excess eye
contact" (is there really such a thing??) but new dancers might be very
thrown, as so much of the signaling in contra is done via the eyes. The
rule, then, is to not make eye contact with new dancers in ways that might
prove confusing, so they know who they're dancing with next, am I right?
But, if you grab someone from the other line for a quick allemande, you'd
best make eye contact with them first! And I doubt you'd try to grab them
into a move if you hadn't met their eyes... so it all sort of works itself
out.
Maia
On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 11:29 AM, Aahz Maruch <aahz(a)pobox.com> wrote:
[starting a new thread]
On Wed, Jan 02, 2013, Greg McKenzie wrote:
The rule is to avoid eye contact with anyone with whom you are NOT
dancing.
Do you have a cite for this rule? I've never heard it before in my
quarter-century of dancing (folk, square, contra). I have, of course,
heard the opposite of this rule, but P->Q does NOT imply !P->!Q.
It also brings up the question of who am I "not" dancing with? From my
POV, I'm at least potentially interacting with pretty much anyone on the
dance floor (for example, grabbing someone in an adjacent line for a
quick allemande or swing).
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6
http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
_______________________________________________
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3:20 p.m.
New subject: Eye Contact
I want to second Maia's practical reasons for eye contact.
I'd like to add that I've known a couple of creepy men so obsessed with
dancing with their partner or their neighbor that they mess up an Allemande
/ star promenade / Do-si-do / hey-for-4 because they're too busy trying to
stare at the woman they're hoping to seduce. Seriously, this one guy
(notice the lack of the use of the word gentleman) was Allemanding me and
leaning back and leering at his partner, craning his neck around to keep
eye contact. I felt a need to wash my hands.
-Ron
On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 11:38 AM, Maia McCormick <maia.mcc(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I think the idea is, anyone you're not directly
engaged in a move with. So,
making eye contact with the rest of your hands-4 during a circle makes
perfect sense. Meeting eyes with your neighbor across the set when you're
about to go into a partner swing/gypsy/etc. is strange and distracting.
Obviously, experienced dancers generally aren't too phased by "excess eye
contact" (is there really such a thing??) but new dancers might be very
thrown, as so much of the signaling in contra is done via the eyes. The
rule, then, is to not make eye contact with new dancers in ways that might
prove confusing, so they know who they're dancing with next, am I right?
But, if you grab someone from the other line for a quick allemande, you'd
best make eye contact with them first! And I doubt you'd try to grab them
into a move if you hadn't met their eyes... so it all sort of works itself
out.
Maia
On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 11:29 AM, Aahz Maruch <aahz(a)pobox.com> wrote:
[starting a new thread]
On Wed, Jan 02, 2013, Greg McKenzie wrote:
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The rule is to avoid eye contact with anyone with whom you are NOT
dancing.
Do you have a cite for this rule? I've never heard it before in my
quarter-century of dancing (folk, square, contra). I have, of course,
heard the opposite of this rule, but P->Q does NOT imply !P->!Q.
It also brings up the question of who am I "not" dancing with? From my
POV, I'm at least potentially interacting with pretty much anyone on the
dance floor (for example, grabbing someone in an adjacent line for a
quick allemande or swing).
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6
http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
4 Jan
4 Jan
9:54 a.m.
New subject: Eye Contact
I don't want to deny the possible creepiness of someone I don't know
(and I know it happens), but it could just be his style to keep an eye
on the destination in a transitional move.
On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 3:20 PM, Ron T Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I'd like to add that I've known a couple of
creepy men so obsessed with
dancing with their partner or their neighbor that they mess up an Allemande
/ star promenade / Do-si-do / hey-for-4 because they're too busy trying to
stare at the woman they're hoping to seduce. Seriously, this one guy
(notice the lack of the use of the word gentleman) was Allemanding me and
leaning back and leering at his partner, craning his neck around to keep
eye contact. I felt a need to wash my hands.
11:47 a.m.
New subject: Eye Contact
Oh, I'm 110% sure that was not the explanation for that one guy's behavior,
though I've encountered what you're describing in others. That's not too
dissimilar from swinging and having my partner be eye-spotting.
On Fri, Jan 4, 2013 at 9:54 AM, Donald Perley <donperley(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I don't want to deny the possible creepiness of
someone I don't know
(and I know it happens), but it could just be his style to keep an eye
on the destination in a transitional move.
On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 3:20 PM, Ron T Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
I'd like to add that I've known a couple
of creepy men so obsessed with
dancing with their partner or their neighbor that they mess up an
Allemande
/ star promenade / Do-si-do / hey-for-4 because
they're too busy trying
to
stare at the woman they're hoping to seduce.
Seriously, this one guy
(notice the lack of the use of the word gentleman) was Allemanding me and
leaning back and leering at his partner, craning his neck around to keep
eye contact. I felt a need to wash my hands.
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
3 Jan
3 Jan
4:26 p.m.
New subject: Eye Contact
Maia wrote:
I think the idea is, anyone you're not directly
engaged in a move with. So,
making eye contact with the rest of your hands-4 during a circle makes
perfect sense. Meeting eyes with your neighbor across the set when you're
about to go into a partner swing/gypsy/etc. is strange and distracting.
Obviously, experienced dancers generally aren't too phased by "excess eye
contact" (is there really such a thing??) but new dancers might be very
thrown, as so much of the signaling in contra is done via the eyes. The
rule, then, is to not make eye contact with new dancers in ways that might
prove confusing, so they know who they're dancing with next, am I right?
Exactly! We need to be conscious that in contra dance, eye contact is a
strong lead. When I reach the end of a line with my partner I have
developed the habit of not turning to look back into the line right
away--particularly if it is a dance that is confusing for newcomers. At
the top I encourage my partner to check out the band. At the bottom I
engage them in conversation. I don't want either of us to give a false
lead to confused dancers by looking at them. (This, by the way, may be
part of the reason that confusion seems to be common at the ends of the
sets. It might not be only that some dancers have just changed
directions. It may also be that dancers are confused by couples out at the
ends who are making eye contact with people they are not dancing with.)
This tactic prevents my partner from being "drawn into" the dance by
confused dancers.
This, of course, is something I don't do if the end couples are not
completely "out" of the dance.
- Greg McKenzie
***********
But, if you grab someone from the other line for a quick allemande, you'd
best make eye contact with them first! And I doubt
you'd try to grab them
into a move if you hadn't met their eyes... so it all sort of works itself
out.
Maia
On Thu, Jan 3, 2013 at 11:29 AM, Aahz Maruch <aahz(a)pobox.com> wrote:
[starting a new thread]
On Wed, Jan 02, 2013, Greg McKenzie wrote:
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
The rule is to avoid eye contact with anyone with whom you are NOT
dancing.
Do you have a cite for this rule? I've never heard it before in my
quarter-century of dancing (folk, square, contra). I have, of course,
heard the opposite of this rule, but P->Q does NOT imply !P->!Q.
It also brings up the question of who am I "not" dancing with? From my
POV, I'm at least potentially interacting with pretty much anyone on the
dance floor (for example, grabbing someone in an adjacent line for a
quick allemande or swing).
--
Hugs and backrubs -- I break Rule 6
http://rule6.info/
<*> <*> <*>
Help a hearing-impaired person: http://rule6.info/hearing.html
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
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5 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
Aahz Maruch -
Donald Perley -
Greg McKenzie -
Maia McCormick -
Ron T Blechner