Colin:
What do you mean by a buzz-step swing?Swinging involves understanding that the 
right (inner)  foot traverses a smaller circle than the left (outer) foot.   
The way to swing (which for new dancers requires several minutes of practice) 
is to step the right foot along the circle and then move (actually drag)  the 
left foot up to, but not beyond the right.       This becomes a "buzz step" 
swing if the left foot is used to to push the right foot forward--but this 
concept of pushing the right foot forward with the  left seems a bit more 
difficult to master for new dancers (requiring several plus three or four 
minutes).      And most dancers will soon push with the left foot if that 
indeed feels comfortable for them.
Michael Fuerst      802 N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801       217-239-5844

--- On Sun, 3/11/12, Colin Hume <[email protected]> wrote:

From: Colin Hume <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Callers] American with Style
To: "Caller's discussion list" <[email protected]>
List-Post: [email protected]
Date: Sunday, March 11, 2012, 1:42 AM

On 11/03/2012 05:41, Read Weaver wrote:
> I'd like to see the phrase "good contra dancers use a buzz-step swing"
> changed--I'd say really good contra dancers sometimes use a buzz step
> and sometimes use a walking step, depending on the choreography or
> music; medium-good contra dancers use a buzz step for all swings.

Would other people like to comment on that one?

> I'd point out that the wrist-grip (which I believe you're calling
> pack-saddle) star is the one move in contra dance where you should not
> give weight--human wrists neither bend that direction nor have strength
> the other direction, so it's uncomfortable to be pulled by the person
> behind.

I've added the phrase "wrist grip" and the point about not giving weight.

> My understanding is that English are used to doing a particular dance
> fewer times than Americans. You sort of refer to this, but you might
> make more a point of it--we like to get into it to the point of not
> having to think about it. "Appalachian Sufi dancing."

I've added a sentence to that effect.  Thanks for your comments.

Colin Hume

E-mail: [email protected]  Website:  http://www.colinhume.com


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