I just wanted to report in that I used “look-see” today with a group of K-8 elementary
students and I thought it worked fabulously! They really understood the point of the move
much better than the random g-word, and it was so cute to watch them intently and
playfully gazing at each other as they went around. One of the band members particularly
called out that she noticed my new language and thought it was brilliant and a big
improvement.
Obviously this is a group with little to no prior associations or names for the move, so
no baggage. It was just a great name that worked, at least with that younger crowd and
their parents/teachers.
I mentioned the problem to the band that someone on this list raised about not offending
blind dancers with words referring to eyes and seeing, but they pointed out that we say
“right hand turn” which would be equally unfair to a dancer missing an arm, and they felt
that wasn’t a reason not to use it, as there are many ways of “seeing”.
On Mar 16, 2018, at 1:00 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers
<callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I also use "face-to-face", which I learned from Eric. I've heard Steve Z-A
and Lisa G switch to these terms, at least where I've heard them call.
I also use "right shoulder round" when it's a multi-caller event and
that's what people like. We agreed to this for Flurry Festival last month, and it
worked well all weekend with thousands of dancers.
I want to also echo that anything that sounds too much like g*psy is going to rub at
least some people the wrong way. I also thought jets/rubies was a winner, and I've
acknowledged that too many people think jet is a problem.
In dance,
Ron Blechner
On Thu, Mar 15, 2018, 12:00 AM Eric Black via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
I’m still bemused and befuddled that not so many years ago, this dance move was decried
because of perceived forced invasion of personal space. People did not want to be told
that they had to make eye contact when they were not comfortable with it, that they did
not like being told to flirt with people they did not choose. Some of us callers told
dancers that the eye contact was optional, that the essential part of the move was that it
was a face-to-face do-si-do, no spins or twirls, just moving around each other.
Now the argument against the name of the move has completely lost all ground on that
front.
For some years I’ve used “face-to-face”, teaching it with the memorable description
“imagine a short gold chain joining the rings in your noses”. Eye contact is optional,
and not directed; dancers will or will not make eye contact as they choose. In private
communication with a young caller who is very vocal in various discussion fora I said
there was no need to attribute the term to me. Maybe I should have insisted.
I’ve tried “right [left] shoulder round” with favorable reception.
ANYway, if we’ve been making progress in removing real or perceived invasions of personal
space, and gender issues, why regress in order to change the name of a dance move to make
progress in removing real or perceived ethnic slurs?
And no, “spiral” is out of the question. It’s a different move that includes changing the
distance between the dancers, whereas the move under discussion does not. English dancers
know the difference.
Eric Black
eric(a)eric-black.com <mailto:eric@eric-black.com>
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
<mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Archives:
https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
<https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/>
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives:
https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
Office/mobile: +1-802-457-2075
deliaclark8(a)gmail.com