I've been dancing & calling for almost 40 years, and I lived with Romani and other
travelling peoples in England and Ireland for most of the 1980s. Times change and
meanings change, and it's time to change this. Some people consider this the
equivalent of using the "N" word. Within the community it can be used in certain
contexts even with pride, but use by outsiders to describe a move like this could be
considered highly offensive. AND please note that the name is not the only thing that
could be considered offensive about this move. The offense will not go away until callers
stop instructing people to flirt with each other. "Stare longingly into the
eyes..." of that total stranger? YUCH. Yes, I find the call and the move offensive
on several levels, to the extent that I never call it, and will not join in a dance that I
know includes it.