This past weekend I attended the Dance Trance weekend in Lexington KY, with Sue Rosen calling.She managed to teach all the dances using basic terms to describe all the "odd calls"As long as an odd call is explained, a caller can announce a term (even if somewhat standardized) to be used for the duration of the dance.It might be helpful to accumulate a list "odd calls" that are becoming common, so that callers can ponder them and consider their own more basic ways to describe them. To me one of the more challenging to describe succinctly is "ricochet heys"      Michael Fuerst      802 N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801      217 239 5844 On Monday, June 15, 2015 11:26 AM, susanelberger via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: It seems that we have already gone pretty far down that path.  Every time I look at dance with odd calls, "slice and dice" being one recently posted, along with the various place name twirls, it troubles me deeply.  I have to remember that one of the joys of contra dancing compared to MWSD is that, at least theoretically, anyone can walk in off the street and dance.  The more we create esoteric names for calls the less possible that becomes. Susan ElbergerLowell, MA From: Neal Schlein via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Sent: Sunday, June 14, 2015 12:03 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Box - Swat - CA - Jersey/Nevada Sorry!  I finished that email in a hurry and meant to say what Aahz noted: slide thru is not actually gender neutral; it simply can be done by two people dancing the same role, with the results of a curlique. I really wouldn't encourage folks to use all of the square dance figures and terms, tough.  Down that path lies CallerLab.  While I enjoy MWSD myself, it is too complex to be readily accessible and I am afraid contra is heading that way already.NealSent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

Hi All: Inspired by Tom Hinds' amazing dance The Amazing Sarah Wilcox, I introduced the following this week: Coast to Coast Becket-L, 6/8/15 A1. Ladies allemande R 1 1/2, N1 swing A2. Down the hall in line/4 - turn alone, up hall and bend line to ring B1. Balance, w/N1 Jersey twirl to face out in long lines Balance, w/N2 California twirl to face across B2. Circle L 3/4, partner swing In the long lines facing out, I'm not sure of the best way to balance. I went with balance towards N2 first, then towards N1, and that was a good way to set up the Cal twirl. But other ways to balance are possible, and I'd be curious how they work if any of you try them. The best part of the dance to me is that both twirls are with a neighbor, as that helps teach the moves. It's rare either twirl is with a neighbor, so to get both is a real bonus. Bob