20 May
2013
20 May
'13
9 a.m.
Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct" it for three reasons:
1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will copy
it and it will spread even more.
2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to look
decidedly uncool, perhaps to their embarrassment.
3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid your
spinning.
In fact as well as using lines like, "only teachers do it", I show them
a spinning dosido and tell them that they need their arms for balance so
folding them is not a good idea. They love spinning in dosidos and soon
stop folding their arms.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
20 May
20 May
11:39 a.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
You tell them to not do the optional arm folding so to enable the
optional spinning? Mandatory options?
If they go to a "real" dance they will quickly figure out whether they
want to fold arms.
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 5:00 AM, John Sweeney <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk> wrote:
Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct" it
for three reasons:
1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will copy
it and it will spread even more.
2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to look
decidedly uncool, perhaps to their embarrassment.
3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid your
spinning.
In fact as well as using lines like, "only teachers do it", I show them
a spinning dosido and tell them that they need their arms for balance so
folding them is not a good idea. They love spinning in dosidos and soon
stop folding their arms.
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 &
07802 940 574
http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent
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1:36 p.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
John wrote:
1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing,
then others will copy
it and it will spread even more.
Just a few thoughts:
- The above statement, ironically, was probably said--in some form--by
religious "leaders" in colonial America who devoted much effort to stamping
out social dance altogether as a provocative corruption of the morals of
the common folk. Those "leaders" failed.
- In the art of dance "saying nothing" is often the best tactic. Words are
so cumbersome when teaching psychomotor skills. The words tend to gum up
the work.
- This is, we hope, a free country. If any "leader" tells folks to stop
doing some thing that those folks want to do, it is likely that those folks
will find another "leader" who will allow it. The nay-saying "leader"
is
likely to end up with an empty, or near-empty hall. That is as it should
be.
- Folk arts are, after all, the province of the folks. They are the final
arbitrators of what is "correct." The best "folk leaders" are those
who
recognize this and who have faith in the ability of the folk to evolve
their own tradition.
Greg McKenzie
West Coast, USA
1:57 p.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
I think a bit of context is in order. This topic was originally started in a thread
about teaching young children at school. In this context I agree with Dan Pearl's
post about not correcting it.
My 2 cents.
Rich Goss
At our weekly contra I would discourage it in a tactful way.
On May 20, 2013, at 2:00 AM, "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
wrote:
Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct" it
for three reasons:
1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will copy
it and it will spread even more.
2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to look
decidedly uncool, perhaps to their embarrassment.
3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid your
spinning.
3:30 p.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
For those trying for the first time to spin during a do-si-do, it is
easiest if they place the tip of the index finger of their non-dominant
hand on their nose.
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 8:57 AM, Rich Goss <richgoss(a)comcast.net> wrote:
I think a bit of context is in order. This topic was
originally started
in a thread about teaching young children at school. In this context I
agree with Dan Pearl's post about not correcting it.
My 2 cents.
Rich Goss
At our weekly contra I would discourage it in a tactful way.
On May 20, 2013, at 2:00 AM, "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
wrote:
Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct"
it for three reasons:
1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will copy
it and it will spread even more.
2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to look
decidedly uncool, perhaps to their embarrassment.
3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid your
spinning.
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3:56 p.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
I have nothing against spinning on dosidos. I used to do it regularly. As
I aged I decided it was too much work. Why does anyone feel the need to
teach spinning on a dosido? Those who want to will figure it out. I will
tell dancers that the arm-crossing isn't really a part of the move, but
what is important is getting to where you're supposed to be next. The same
thing applies to the "Petronella clap." I gave up caring about that a long
time ago, but I will tell dancers, beginning and experienced, that the
Petronella twirl/slide is about getting to the next spot on time, not about
clapping. Do it if you want, do it if you must, but do it in the beats
allotted.
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:30 AM, Allen Ortep <ortep.allen(a)gmail.com> wrote:
For those trying for the first time to spin during a
do-si-do, it is
easiest if they place the tip of the index finger of their non-dominant
hand on their nose.
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 8:57 AM, Rich Goss <richgoss(a)comcast.net> wrote:
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I think a bit of context is in order. This
topic was originally started
in a thread about teaching young children at school. In this context I
agree with Dan Pearl's post about not correcting it.
My 2 cents.
Rich Goss
At our weekly contra I would discourage it in a tactful way.
On May 20, 2013, at 2:00 AM, "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
wrote:
> Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct" it for three reasons:
>
> 1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will
copy
> it and it will spread even more.
>
> 2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to
look
> decidedly uncool, perhaps to their
embarrassment.
>
> 3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
> easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid
your
spinning.
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9:44 p.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
When teaching beginners, I try to sprinkle in a few moments on style vs.
substance. I'll point out an example or two such as do-si-do spins,
courtesy turn twirls, etc. My teaching points are:
- You'll see some people doing these embellishments to the basic moves, but
they are not required (nor forbidden). They are style.
- As a beginner you should focus on the substance for now. Just be in the
right place at the right time.
- As you gain experience you will develop a sense for when the stylish
moves will fit into the dance.
- You can communicate withother to make it clear whether you wish to
indulge in twirls etc. Saying this also serves as a reminder to the old
hands present, that they need to be mindful of their dancing partners'
needs.
If I think it's warranted during the course of the evening, I might also
say something like, "This is a busy passage, you might not have time for
twirls." This is as often for overenthusiastic old hands as it is for the
newbies.
- joseph
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 8:56 AM, George Mercer <geopmercer(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I have nothing against spinning on dosidos. I used to
do it regularly. As
I aged I decided it was too much work. Why does anyone feel the need to
teach spinning on a dosido? Those who want to will figure it out. I will
tell dancers that the arm-crossing isn't really a part of the move, but
what is important is getting to where you're supposed to be next. The same
thing applies to the "Petronella clap." I gave up caring about that a long
time ago, but I will tell dancers, beginning and experienced, that the
Petronella twirl/slide is about getting to the next spot on time, not about
clapping. Do it if you want, do it if you must, but do it in the beats
allotted.
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 11:30 AM, Allen Ortep <ortep.allen(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
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For those trying for the first time to spin
during a do-si-do, it is
easiest if they place the tip of the index finger of their non-dominant
hand on their nose.
On Mon, May 20, 2013 at 8:57 AM, Rich Goss <richgoss(a)comcast.net> wrote:
> I think a bit of context is in order. This topic was originally
started
> in a thread about teaching young children at
school. In this context
I
agree
with Dan Pearl's post about not correcting it.
My 2 cents.
Rich Goss
At our weekly contra I would discourage it in a tactful way.
On May 20, 2013, at 2:00 AM, "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
wrote:
> Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct" it for three reasons:
>
> 1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will
copy
> it and it will spread even more.
>
> 2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to
look
> decidedly uncool, perhaps to their
embarrassment.
>
> 3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
> easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid
your
spinning.
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10:19 p.m.
New subject: Arms Folded in Dosidos
I posed this question to some 4th graders at my school today. They came up with different,
and nuanced answers, distinguising between, for example, "is it for one
time?"--Don't correct me!--or "is it for a performance?"--Correct me!
RAF
On May 20, 2013, at 9:57 AM, Rich Goss wrote:
I think a bit of context is in order. This topic was
originally started in a thread about teaching young children at school. In this context
I agree with Dan Pearl's post about not correcting it.
My 2 cents.
Rich Goss
At our weekly contra I would discourage it in a tactful way.
On May 20, 2013, at 2:00 AM, "John Sweeney" <info(a)contrafusion.co.uk>
wrote:
Arms folded in dosidos? I DO "correct"
it for three reasons:
1) If you implicitly condone it by saying nothing, then others will copy
it and it will spread even more.
2) If these people then ever go to a contra dance they are going to look
decidedly uncool, perhaps to their embarrassment.
3) If they ever want to add spins to their dosidos, then it is MUCH
easier without arms folded - your arms help you balance and can aid your
spinning.
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7 comments
8 participants
participants (8)
-
Allen Ortep -
Donald Perley -
George Mercer -
Greg McKenzie -
John Sweeney -
Joseph Erhard-Hudson -
Rich Goss -
Richard Fischer