On 4/4/2016 9:10 AM, Darwin Gregory via Callers wrote:
>
> While I am relatively new to contra, and just called my first dance
> this weekend, The Baby Rose... I'll have never considered gypsy a term
> related to a race of people, nor did I know it was applied today to a
> group of people called Romas.
>
> However, my general position on terms that have both discriminatory
> and non-discriminatory meanings is that the meaning needs to be
> derived by context.
>
> Before reading the discussions here, I had only considered the meaning
> of gypsy as related to wandering dancers... Not a particular ethnic
> group. Perhaps my view has been naive.
>
Ok, cool.
>
> While I am sensitive to cultural issues, until someone comes up with a
> term that captures not only the physics of the move, but also the
> flirtatious nature of it, I will probably grimace any time someone
> uses a different term. Orbit, no handed swing, whatever... Until
> something emphasizes the flirtatious eye contact it will fall short in
> my mind. It is more than a figure, it is a figure with an attitude. :)
>
Wait. Why does the word "gypsy" imply flirtatious eye contact?
(I'm not trying to police what words you use or what you do when
calling, but I don't understand your logic here, which seems to be:
"gypsy in dance context harmlessly refers to dance gypsies, not ethnic
Gypsies"
"'gypsy' is the only satisfying term for the figure I've heard because
it implies flirtatious eye contact".
I'm kinda suspecting that the implication of flirtatious eye contact is
because of ideas of ethnic gypsies, gypsy dance, etc, but maybe you have
another reason and I'd like to hear it.
-- Alan
I have been asked to post a link to the Facebook page.
Try this:
https://www.facebook.com/Community-Dance-361393070697776/
On Mon, Apr 4, 2016 at 3:38 PM, Rich Sbardella <richsbardella(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
> Hello folks,
>
> I have set up a "Community Dance" Facebook Page as a place to share family
> friendly community dances with each other. My expectation is that the page
> will be a place to swap dances, and to provide information regarding
> caller/leader training opportunities.
>
> This page is not intended as a discussion group, nor is it intended for
> sharing contra or complicated square dances, but rather for sharing dances
> that children can easily succeed in.
>
> Since I am a visual learner, I hope that users will provide both links to
> videos, and written descriptions of dances whenever possible.
>
> I have reposted a link from a caller gathering this past weekend led by
> Patricia Campbell as the first dance to share.
>
> I am practically computer illiterate, so if any of you gurus want to help
> make the page useful and attractive. please reach out.
>
> Thanks,
> Rich Sbardella
> Stafford, CT
>
Wow sounds great!
Laurie P West MI
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
On Monday, April 4, 2016, 3:59 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hello folks,
I have set up a "Community Dance" Facebook Page as a place to share family friendly community dances with each other. My expectation is that the page will be a place to swap dances, and to provide information regarding caller/leader training opportunities.
This page is not intended as a discussion group, nor is it intended for sharing contra or complicated square dances, but rather for sharing dances that children can easily succeed in.
Since I am a visual learner, I hope that users will provide both links to videos, and written descriptions of dances whenever possible.
I have reposted a link from a caller gathering this past weekend led by Patricia Campbell as the first dance to share.
I am practically computer illiterate, so if any of you gurus want to help make the page useful and attractive. please reach out.
Thanks,Rich SbardellaStafford, CT_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
Hello folks,
I have set up a "Community Dance" Facebook Page as a place to share family
friendly community dances with each other. My expectation is that the page
will be a place to swap dances, and to provide information regarding
caller/leader training opportunities.
This page is not intended as a discussion group, nor is it intended for
sharing contra or complicated square dances, but rather for sharing dances
that children can easily succeed in.
Since I am a visual learner, I hope that users will provide both links to
videos, and written descriptions of dances whenever possible.
I have reposted a link from a caller gathering this past weekend led by
Patricia Campbell as the first dance to share.
I am practically computer illiterate, so if any of you gurus want to help
make the page useful and attractive. please reach out.
Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT
All,
Once again, the gypsy discussion has erupted in personal attacks and discussion that is not friendly or courteous. This topic seems to be a trigger for people, prompting responses that I don’t think you would say if you were face-to-face. Please move on.
Seth & Chris
Unfortunately I can't help with the teaching tips here, but I will offer a
caution: watch your audience for cloverleaf dances. I find the cloverleaf
to be one of the few contra moves which has a higher potential injury to
reward ratio, particularly sensitive shoulders. I've seen some bad behavior
as folks try to fit themselves and others into the formation.
On Mon, Apr 4, 2016 at 1:15 PM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> I have yet to call a dance with a cloverleaf in it because I am not
> comfortable with teaching the walk thru. The Connectrix by Rick Mohr has
> such a cloverleaf.
>
> Any suggestions on good teaching language, and any other dances with such
> a cloverleaf would be welcomed.
>
> Thanks,
> Rich Sbardella
> CT
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
>
>
Good dance - I have called it many times
Down the hall - stop - NO ONE LETS GO OF HANDS! - center 2 turn around turning away from each other and bring arms over. End 2 take hands behind in a cozy line of 4 - up the hall, center 2 duck to allow ends arms to pas over to clover. Walk thru each step slowly until you are sure each line has it right.
The problem with this figure is the 1s and 2s have different parts. going from 1 to 2 is not bad - but when 2s become 1s you often have issues. One solution it to teach both parts to 1s and 2s. Another solution is to just let them figure it out - they usually do after a couple failed attempts
Another dance I call with this figure is Symmetrical Force by Fred Fields (if I remember correctly - it has been a while for that one).
Mac McKeever
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Sent: Monday, April 4, 2016 12:15 PM
Subject: [Callers] Teaching the Cloverleaf?
I have yet to call a dance with a cloverleaf in it because I am not comfortable with teaching the walk thru. The Connectrix by Rick Mohr has such a cloverleaf.
Any suggestions on good teaching language, and any other dances with such a cloverleaf would be welcomed.
Thanks,Rich SbardellaCT
_______________________________________________
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Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
I've been adding Triplets into my programs in certain situations and have
given some thought about the duration to run them. I'm curious what others
have determined - how many times through do *you* run a Triplet? Let's see
if we can get a consensus value via a simple poll:
http://doodle.com/poll/yz9ubdr5e7fs4tuu
It would be helpful to me if you'd focus quantitative responses through the
poll.
Discussion or qualitative responses which inform your poll input are
welcome here in this thread.
Thanks,
Don
A description of how to capture the actual originator (not just the list) sent to Dave off-list.
Thanx, Ric
From: Callers [mailto:callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Dave Casserly via Callers
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2016 6:54 AM
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] here it is - sorry
I also don't want to read any more of Michael's replies, particularly on this issue (but also on others: see the comparing shadow swings to groping, etc). Several people have asked him to stop, but he won't. But I don't think "this list isn't working" just because some of us think one person is rude.
Maybe others disagree, and find his comments helpful. Great! To each their own. But I can't figure out a way to block receiving his emails without also blocking quite a bit of other traffic on this list. Has anybody else been able to do so? Moderators, would this be a feature that could be added?
On Mon, Apr 4, 2016 at 9:43 AM, Ron Blechner via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > wrote:
I'm really tired of personal attacks here on Shared Weight, and a high percentage comes from one person.
I've asked Michael Fuerst to not contact me again. I've already cut down my usage, but if we can't trade ideas without having them called "bizarre" and "absurd", then this list isn't working.
On Apr 4, 2016 1:56 AM, "Michael Fuerst" <mjerryfuerst(a)yahoo.com <mailto:mjerryfuerst@yahoo.com> > wrote:
Ron:
"we're comparing our having fun traveling to various dances to the widespread persecution of an ethnicity (the worst being the Holocaust)."
Maybe you do. No one else uses such bizarre logic.
Conbtradancers as a group are about as left of center and non-discriminatory in their beliefs as any non-political group gets.
Your suggestion is absurd
Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 5844 <tel:217%20239%205844>
On Sunday, April 3, 2016 8:38 PM, Ron Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com <mailto:contraron@gmail.com> > wrote:
That article had a few interesting *new* points, for me.
1. That Roma are in the US, not just Europe, and face continued discrimination.
2. That Roma in the US often don't speak up about their identity out of fear of discrimination.
3. That perhaps the use of "gypsy" as a term isn't as bad as non-Roma self-identitying as "dance gypsies". Roma wander because they are persecuted or can't find work. When we talk about "dance gypsies" beig wandering from place to place, we're comparing our having fun traveling to various dances to the widespread persecution of an ethnicity (the worst being the Holocaust).
On Apr 1, 2016 10:03 AM, "via Callers" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > wrote:
I was thinking that very thing, but didn't have any experiences. Something I read recently pointed out that Romani people in Spain proudly refer to themselves as "Gitano" which translates to Gypsy.
This is issue is not as cut and dry as many of us would like it to be.
Thanks for sharing this story.
******************************************************************************************************
Amy Carroll
amy(a)calleramy.com <mailto:amy@calleramy.com>
206-330-7408
http://www.calleramy.com/
On April 1, 2016 at 9:02 AM Rich Sbardella <richsbardella(a)gmail.com <mailto:richsbardella@gmail.com> > wrote:
There are still at least two sides to this argument. Although I am using the term less and less, I want to relate a recent experience.
I was dancing in one of MA biggest contra venues as a caller walked the a dance with a "two eyed" turn. A dancer in my line became more than a little upset, yelling it "it's a gypsy". Turns out the dancer is Romani, and the term "gypsy" is one he proudly owns.
I do not think the Roma people as a whole have come to a consensus. (For example, The Gypsy Kings proudly use the term as a reference to their heritage.)
Rich Stafford
On Fri, Apr 1, 2016 at 4:56 AM, Michael Fuerst via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > wrote:
Ms Carroll:
Quite frankly a fairly useless article for us.
Ms Raessi is "a Romani/Métis researcher and activist" so it seems logical that she dislikes the term gypsy.
She lists alleged myths stereotypes about Romani people
Every ethnic group has an associated set of myths and stereotypes.
Every ethnic group tries to purge the negative stereotypes and retain the positive aspects of their heritage.
Ms Raessi writes "many people find that using this term is wrong because it perpetuates misinformation about our origins"
This makes little sense. Anyone person bigoted enough to entertain any of her alleged stereotypes has no idea about the origins of Romani people.
Ms Raessi writes "...the term has been used as a racial slur and is loaded with stereotypes ..."
Yes the word gypsy has been used to deprecate Romani people but over the years it evolved to mean a free-spirited or nomadic person.
Other ethnic slurs (such as kike, chink, jap or nigger) have not similarly evolved, and thus their use remains offensive.
This article discusses some English words or idioms that evolved from ethnic slurs:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/offensive-words-_n_4144472.html
The ongoing discussion during the past year of the word gypsy has included claims that some persons of Romani descent embrace gypsy and its positive aspects of current usage, most don't care, and some hate the word. And of course only those who object will speak out.
As long the common usage of gypsy keeps evolving towards a free-spirited or nomadic person, keeping it in the contra lexicon seems appropriate
Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 584
On Thursday, March 31, 2016 11:32 PM, via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > wrote:
http://bellydanceu.net/culture/520/
"What's wrong with the Word 'Gypsy'?"
******************************************************************************************************
Amy Carroll
amy(a)calleramy.com <mailto:amy@calleramy.com>
206-330-7408
http://www.calleramy.com/
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--
David Casserly
(cell) 781 258-2761
I have yet to call a dance with a cloverleaf in it because I am not
comfortable with teaching the walk thru. The Connectrix by Rick Mohr has
such a cloverleaf.
Any suggestions on good teaching language, and any other dances with such a
cloverleaf would be welcomed.
Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
CT
