Dear Karen, I always try to have dancers identify their shadows before I begin teaching the dance. For this particular dance, I believe that your shadow is actually right next to you once the dancers are lined up in Becket formation (this is the only way that the roll away with your shadow and swing your partner can work). So once the dancers are in Becket formation, I would say something like this: "Your partner is next to you on one side; turn away from your partner and find your shadow next to you in line." This helps folks with orientation in the dance once there is the need to find the shadow. Plus, it helps out those who have never been introduced to the term. I have also found that it helps me out a lot, too! I make sure that I understand the dance well before I am ready to call it, and know exactly where to locate shadows. I can also then verify that dancers are "getting" the dance during the walk through.
Have fun on Friday! Cheers, Linda Leslie > A few weeks ago, there was some discussion about Nils Fredland's dance: > "Head > of the Bed" (see below).... I was about to call it a couple of wks ago, and > although I had memorized the dance (thanks, Tom H!)..., on the way driving to > the dance, I realized I wasn't sure when to introduce and identify the shadow > during the walk thru! > > I remember dancing it, and I think I re-call the caller introducing the > shadow > after the N Swg end of A1, which would be on the diagonal? And then, of > course, > since it's Becket, the shadow can be introduced in the beginning: the same > person on the same side one beyond your partner ..... (help!).... > > For those who have called it, how and when do you introduce the shadow > during > your teaching? I hope to call it this Friday nite (Jan 6), so quick comments > appreciated. > > Any additional teaching notes appreciated..... and also pls cfm I got the > dance right! > > Thanks, > Karen Fontana > ***************** > > Head of the Bed by Nils Fredland > Becket Contra > > A1 - Slide Left > Cir Left 3/4 > N Swg > > A2 - w/ N 1/2 Promenade > W Chain > > B1 - 1/2 Hey, W start pass Rt Sh > Shadow Swing > > B2 - LL F&B > Gents roll shadow away > P Swg > > > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > Karen Fontana > www.karenscontracorner.com > [email protected] > (H) 650-691-9663 > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2006 21:12:31 -0800 (PST) > From: Karen Fontana <[email protected]> > Subject: [Callers] Winter or New Year's themes > To: Callers Shared Weight <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Hi Again, > > I'm calling two dances this weekend. Friday nite is an "Beginner - > Intermediate" crowd. Saturday "Beginner". > > Anyone have any suggestions for some good dances with New Year's or Winter > themes? Here's a list Jeremy Korr and I already brainstormed: > > - "Dancing the Winter Away", Jim Kitch > - "Winter Wedding" Steve Zakon - Anderson > - "MY-NY Happy Returns" Carol Ormand > - "Snow Dance" Gene Hubert > > > So, all of you who called or danced to New Year's dances, anything stand > out > worth mentioning? > > thanks, > > Karen Fontana > > > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > Karen Fontana > www.karenscontracorner.com > [email protected] > (H) 650-691-9663 > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Wed, 04 Jan 2006 06:17:01 -0500 > From: Chris Weiler <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [Callers] Head of the Bed - Revisited > To: Callers Shared Weight <[email protected]> > Message-ID: <[email protected]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed > > Hi Karen, > > Some time ago, I contacted Nils about this dance (because I had > collected it without the title). You have the dance right, although when > I did it the A2 was a R&L thru instead of a 1/2 promenade. Nils says > that he calls it both ways, but that the swing to promenade transition > is a favorite of his. > > As far as where their shadow is, here's how I think of it: If you > reverse the last move of the dance, the roll away, their shadow is next > to them both before and after. This is the way that Peter Amidon taught > it and I copied him: "Bow to your partner, bow to your neighbor across > the set, bow to your shadow next to you on the side of the set." It sets > up a nice continuous rotation and identifies the three people you are > going to interact with during the walk-thru. > > Chris > > P.S. Hope to see people at Ralph Page in a couple of weeks! > > > Karen Fontana wrote: > > >Hi folks, > > > > A few weeks ago, there was some discussion about Nils Fredland's dance: > > "Head > of the Bed" (see below).... I was about to call it a couple of wks ago, and > although I had memorized the dance (thanks, Tom H!)..., on the way driving to > the dance, I realized I wasn't sure when to introduce and identify the shadow > during the walk thru! > > > > I remember dancing it, and I think I re-call the caller introducing the > shadow after the N Swg end of A1, which would be on the diagonal? And then, > of > course, since it's Becket, the shadow can be introduced in the beginning: the > same person on the same side one beyond your partner ..... (help!).... > > > > For those who have called it, how and when do you introduce the shadow > > during > your teaching? I hope to call it this Friday nite (Jan 6), so quick comments > appreciated. > > > > Any additional teaching notes appreciated..... and also pls cfm I got the > dance right! > > > > Thanks, > > Karen Fontana > > ***************** > > > > Head of the Bed by Nils Fredland > > Becket Contra > > > > A1 - Slide Left > > Cir Left 3/4 > > N Swg > > > > A2 - w/ N 1/2 Promenade > > W Chain > > > > B1 - 1/2 Hey, W start pass Rt Sh > > Shadow Swing > > > > B2 - LL F&B > > Gents roll shadow away > > P Swg > > > > > > > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > > > > Karen Fontana > >www.karenscontracorner.com > >[email protected] > >(H) 650-691-9663 > > > > <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> > > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > >Callers mailing list > >[email protected] > >http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > End of Callers Digest, Vol 17, Issue 2 > **************************************
