18 May
2011
18 May
'11
8:47 p.m.
Square dance enthusiasts, those who already love calling squares and those who'd
like to know more about them, will be happy to learn of an extensive set of
Square Dance Resources that has just been made available:
www.cdss.org/squares
Compiled by Nils Fredland and hosted by CDSS, the website provides an extensive
set of links. You'll find a general look at squares, a more detailed look at
square dance styles (including different forms of traditional squares to modern
square dancing ), links to articles about square dance history, information of
particular interest to callers, lists of organizations and callers and groups,
and links to well over 100 specific square dance videos online, all of this in a
well-organized and thoughtful fashion.
While the site has more information on traditional squares, it also includes
some excellent resources on modern western square dance. Indeed, dancers and
callers from either persuasion who are interesting in learning more about the
other form may enjoy reading the two linked essays that can be found in the
"Traditional vs. Modern Western" section on the "What Is Square
Dancing?" page.
Enjoy! (And thanks to Nils for organizing this vast body of material.)
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
8 Jun
8 Jun
9:51 p.m.
New subject: Advice teaching teens
Hi,
At our dance last weekend, 33 young people showed up (ages 12-23) who never
had done any contra dancing (but many have been to barn dances). Up till then
most dancers coming have been in the 50-70 year range.
We had a total of 56 so over half were totally new. I changed my plans to
adapt to and the evening went reasonably well. One dance I chose was a bit
too hard and a third line with only newbies couldn't cope.
After the dance I had time to chat with some of new dancers. They are keen to do
more, and
I offered to teach them. They're all from a rural community just north of CHCH,
and I'll be
going out to them next week and the following for a 2-3 hr session at their
local hall.
So it looks like there is the opportunity to widen the contra dance community
here in CHCH.
The advice I'm seeking is how to bring the young people in. Their enthusiasm
and energy will
give a boost, but they need to learn how to be gentle with the older dancers.
I want to continue developing contra dancer here and not change it into barn
dancing. They
have been used to elbow swings.
These two sessions will be dances where I hope they will
1. Learn how to allemand with a bit of control and sharing weight.
2. Ditto for swing - learning how to finish with lady on man's right - also
learn
how to swing with each other, but how to swing less energetic partner
(i.e. older).
3. Get a feeling of how dances progress.
I will send them youtube links of examples prior to next week.
I've found some examples, but can any of you suggest videos of dancers
in that age range that might help.
Also do you have any dancers in that age range that might like to get in contact
with
them (via facebook, skype etc) where they could show them 'personally.'
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks for you help.
Cheers, Bill
PS - the last dance was a bit unusual. It was Queen's birthday here in NZ and one of
our regular musicians put on a special event for us. Half way thru the dance we had
a Viol Ensemble perform and we were taught to Renaissance dances.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKJ2g5zXZIM
I
11:08 p.m.
New subject: Advice teaching teens
Here's my alltime favorite teaching tip re: swings:
"Swinging is done in ballroom position, which has a shape like an arrowhead:
a round end and a pointy end.
Ladies, it's your right hand (elbow down, hand up) that makes the pointy
end. If you remember this and offer it, the men will automatically take hold
the right way.
At the end of every swing, the caller will say 'face somewhere' - either up,
down, or across.
BEFORE YOU LET GO, point the pointy end the way the caller said,
THEN let go of it and open up like a book.
You and your partner will be side by side, arms around each other, with the
lady on the right, looking for the next people to do things with."
My second alltime favorite teaching tip: with middle school kids, call it
arrowhead position from the get go. Leave the word "ballroom" out of it
entirely...
Wish I could come visit. What an opportunity.
OH! one more! I used this at the FArm and Wilderness camps, 120
thirteen-year-olds at a time every week and nobody around to rebut me:
"It's traditional, when choosing a line to join, to always join the shortest
one. That way everyone gets equal opportunity to be ones. Getting stuck in a
long center line is the worst, because the caller always stops when the
shortest line is done so they don't have to repeat."
(liar liar pants on fire... I said that with a totally straight face at the
first few dances and everyone bought it hook line and sinker... never a
center set syndrome.)
Cheers,
Amy
22 Jun
22 Jun
1:12 a.m.
New subject: Advice teaching teens
Hi David, Amy, Andrea, and Mac,
Thank you all for your helpful tips. We had our first session (7 till 9) last
night at a nice little country hall in Loburn an hour north of CHCH.
28 teens showed up with a few parents. One of our regular experienced dancers
Bev came along to help.
The main goal was for them to have fun. We did 6 dances. I ran most dances
twice. Before doing it again Bev and I would show them one or two things they
could do to make it more fun (i.e. a flourish on the dosido, clap or stomp on the
beat), and then second time with much less prompting.
I started off with an easy mixer. Did 3 contras two of which went
well. I misjudged the difficulty of one and flagged it. After that on, I did
"Waves of Tory"
which a lot of them were keen on, then finished with a scatter type mixer.
Amy's 'arrowhead' teaching tip for swings was great. So we'll do
it
again next
week.
My pay was one jar of clover honey from one of their parent's hives.
Cheers, Bill
4901
days inactive
4935
days old
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
3 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
-
Amy Cann -
David.Millstone＠valley.net -
Liz and Bill