[Callers] More substitute terms for the g-word

[Ron Blechner]

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 at 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 at eric-black.com
>
>
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