I agree with your assessment. Sometimes calling is "prompting" -- saying what needs to happen next, and saying it early enough to mentally "land" and turn into action. Sometimes calling is repeating a real-time narration, a rhythmic script for the dancer to memorize and then internally recite/follow. It's good to know which one to use, when... :) On 2/28/20, Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > hello - first time posting to this list so i'm sorry if I do it wrong > (looked in archives and couldn't see obvious answer) > > I am going to teach and call my first dance with a hey this Saturday.. (ie > tomorrow) > > our group takes things slow so i'd like to cue every interaction for the > first few times, as our previous caller did.... I don't know how common > this is but our previous caller would actually say-- > > ravens pass right > neighbours pass left > larks pass right > partners left > ravens pass right > neighbours pass left > larks pass right > partner balance and swing > > I'm wondering if someone can clarify for me about delivering the calls for > this hey....normally of course I deliver instructions so the last bit of > instruction ends on the beat prior to the figure starting. > > But in the case of the Hey, if I remember correctly the caller actually > called out the actions *as* they were happening.... > > Am I remembering correctly and if so is this the best approach? > > In essence-- do I start by calling "ravens pass right" *just before* they > do it, or *while* they are doing it? > > thanks muchly :) > > Katherine Kitching in Hfx NS Canada >