Re: Girl Scout Dance

For a long time now, I have used Red on the Right and ye_LL_ow on the Left as alternatives to gender-named roles.  Even before the current movement toward gender neutrality for adult dances, I found that using gender-neutral roles was useful for youth dances because kids are still developing their comfort level with the opposite gender, as well as developing their own sexual identity, and various levels of maturity bring in all kinds of unintended implications of being partners with someone for a dance.  The truth is, for most of the dances I call for youth events, it doesn't matter who is on the right or left, so the traditional "lady" and "gent" role is irrelevant.  But even something like "ladies (or girls) into the middle and back" and then "gents (or boys) into the middle and back" can get laden with angst, so Reds and Yellows are better names.  (For Gallopede, instead of a girls' line and boys' line, I identify the Red Team and Yellow Team).  Boys are more willing to dance with other boys when no one is labeled as the "girl" and vice-versa.  And then, if by some miracle, the group is really advanced and I want to teach them a simple contra, where you really do have to put the "lady" on the right, Red-on-the-Right has nice alliteration, and the visual cue of the arm bands is very helpful. Since organizers started asking for gender-neutral language for adult dances, I have found that the Reds and Yellows are less confusing for both beginners and experienced dancers than "leads and follows" or any of the other labels that are currently being bandied about. The VISUAL cue of the arm band helps dancers remember which is their role, since the label is not anything anyone naturally identifies with. (Humans are not actually Larks or Ravens, or Jets or Rubies, or whatever, so it's one more step of mental processing to first remember which role is yours, before you can respond to the call and do the next move.  The visual cue helps make this easier and faster). I know the issue of gender language is a hot topic right now, and it's really a separate discussion.  I'm just saying that IF you choose or asked to use gender-neutral language, I think the visual cue makes Reds and Yellows better terms than other options. Obviously, this is different from putting a red band on everyone to help them distinguish their own left and right.  I'm just saying, gender-neutral language is useful for kids, for the reasons described above. I have found that rolls of plastic flagging tape (used for forestry and construction) is cheap and makes good red and yellow ribbons.  No scissors needed -- you can just break off appropriate lengths as needed. Diane Silver Asheville, NC