This is THE BEST email strain ever. On Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 6:25 PM, Donald Perley via Callers < [email protected]> wrote:
> I think the tags were key. My worst experiences were when gender is > not mentioned, and people have > no reminder of which role they are dancing. > > On Mon, Jul 31, 2017 at 12:59 PM, Amy Wimmer via Callers > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi All, > > > > I recently had the opportunity to call a contra to a group of rank > beginners > > in a difficult situation: outdoors, on sloping concrete, without > > amplification for either myself or the band, to people not expecting a > > dance, with a band mostly unfamiliar with either contra or fiddle tunes, > who > > had no opportunity to practice or choose tunes. It was a staff party > with a > > barnyard theme. Granted, this particular good of people is accustomed to > > being spontaneous and silly at times, most are in their 20's, and it's a > > liberal, accepting group. > > > > The organizers wanted to use the terms "cows" and "chickens" instead of > any > > other usual terms for dancers. When they arrived at the party each person > > chose a name tag with either a cow or a chicken on it. They didn't know > it, > > but this determined which role they'd play in the dance. I arbitrarily > chose > > to "put the chicken on the right, because the chicken is always right." > (I > > keep chickens, and they ARE always right) > > > > There was not time for much of a lesson, either. It'd have been much > easier > > if everyone had joined the dance at the beginning. All said, just about > > everyone had a really great time, myself included. The band was hyped up > to > > try another dance evening later in the week, though that never > materialized. > > > > I never mentioned gender in any way. That part just seemed to not matter. > > They were dancing with their friends. It didn't matter that they weren't > > experts or even very good. > > > > I was heartened and encouraged to try something like this again, perhaps > > with more widely used dancer terms. > > > > -Amy > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > -- Cara V. Sawyer M.M. French Horn ~~
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