Yes, thank you for the spelling correction. My French background sometimes complicates my dance spelling! Sent from my iPhone > On Mar 4, 2020, at 10:35 AM, John Sweeney via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Hi Rick, > I am pretty sure that it is not "a la main". The term Allemande has been used as a dance figure for many centuries. Like Dosido and Swing it has many meanings. See https://www.regencydances.org/paper001.php. > > The current use of it to mean a simple hand turn is referenced in the last paragraph of point 4 in that article. > > I believe that "a la main" arose from people who heard the term and had never seen it written. > > Petronella (just before the spin): You should be looking at someone's left ear. > Allemande: It's dancing, nor arm-wrestling; if your hand gets closer to you then you lose. > For callers who use words like "Men" and "Ladies", but want to reassure people that they can dance in either role: It's just a role, nothing to do with your plumbing! > > :-) > > Happy dancing, > John > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 > http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music Ceilidhs > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Hart via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > Sent: 04 March 2020 14:03 > To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Callers] One liners for callers > > I sometimes hear callers use quick one liners to make dancers smile, to keep their attention, and to help them remember a move. Here’s a couple I have heard and use during walkthroughs sometimes. > > 1. For a petronella turn: > > “Take hands in a ring. > Balance the ring. > Look at the person in your right hand. > They don’t know you are looking at them because they are looking at someone else. > You will be standing exactly where they are...... “ > > 2. For an a la main left: > > “Raise your left hand as if you were going to do an a la main left. > Now do an a la main left.....” > > What other similar one liners do others use - if any? > > Rich Hart. > > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net