On busload-of-beginner nights, I inform the dancers that "the lady ends on the right... because... [shamefacedly] the lady is always right." Then I apologize profusely for having said anything that corny (not to mention gendered) and I promise never to do it again, but they always remember.
(Another good one is noting that a swing has a blunt end and a pointy end, and showing them how it'll always end up with the lady on the correct side if you let go of the pointy end.) On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 1:46 AM, Alan Winston At Slac < [email protected]> wrote: > We aargh at saying on the left and having to correct it to on the right. > > Sent from my iPhone > > > On Feb 24, 2014, at 6:49 PM, Michael Fuerst <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > Alan: Since when do we aargh on on right ? > > > > Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 > 217-239-5844 > > Links to photos of many of my drawings and paintings are at > www.ArtComesFuerst.com > > > > > > > > On Monday, February 24, 2014 6:35 PM, Alan Winston < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > On 2/24/2014 2:48 PM, Alan Winston wrote: > >> If it were me I'd be inclined to do it somewhat differently. (The > >> suggestions that have been made so far > >> are just fine, though.) > >> > >> First night: > >> > >> Circassian Circle Mixer > >> > >> (Or some other super-easy mixer with a swing in it. Teaches listening > >> to the caller, doing things to the phrase, ending swings with the lady > >> on the left, > > > > AARGH. on the right. > > > >> gets them used to changing partners rather than dancing > >> only with the one they came in with. Since it's not a one-night stand > >> dance - that is, they're supposed to learn something - you want them > >> doing a contra-dance swing; this gets the experienced contra dancers > >> into the arms of as many people as possible right away. Swings are > >> easier to do right once you've felt them being done right.) This is a > >> dance that doesn't fail, so they'll feel successful right away. Pretty > >> much immune to tune choice so long as the band is clear about phrasing. > >> > >> Big Circle > >> > >> A1: Forward and back twice > >> > >> A2: Women to center and back to place > >> Men to center and back to woman originally on his left (not > partner). > >> > >> B1: They swing > >> > >> B2: Promenade around, open to to big circle. > >> > >> [You might want to just have them swing their first partner and open up > >> facing in, and then tell them that they're done with that person and the > >> next partner is in their other hand] > >> > >> > >> Some kind of Sicilian Circle ideally with a partner swing and a neighbor > >> swing. Gets them used to improper formation but without having to deal > >> with action at the ends of the set. (Although it's not totally ideal, I > >> often use "Soldier's Joy", mostly because it's a Civil War era version > >> and I use it when I'm calling Civil War dances and then I don't have to > >> remember something else when I'm calling contras.) Ladies chain along > >> rather than across the set is unusual but not terribly difficult. I'm > >> certainly open to suggestions for better sicilian circle dances for this > >> purpose. This give some opportunity to discuss giving weight. > >> > >> SOLDIER'S JOY. > >> Sicilian Circle ("As for Spanish Dance") - that means facing the other > >> couple, gent on the left, lady on the right. > >> 32-bar reel. The name tune is the best. > >> > >> > >> A1: 1-4: Forward and back > >> 5-8: Opposites turn two hands (no progression), open facing > partner > >> > >> A2: 1-8: Partners balance &swing, face other couple > >> > >> B1: 1-8: Ladies chain over and back (along the line). > >> > >> B2: 1-8: Forward and back, forward and pass through. > >> > >> > >> Then Simplicity Swing (because they already know most of the bits and > >> the bits they don't know are circle, star, and do-si-do, which are > >> things many people think they know how to do even before their first > >> contra dance.) > >> > >> SIMPLICITY SWING > >> (by Becky Hill) > >> Improper contra > >> > >> Figs: NB&S:CL3/4:PS:LLF&B:LC:LHS:NNDSD: > >> > >> > >> A1: Neighbor Balance and Swing > >> > >> A2: Circle left 3/4; > >> partner swing > >> > >> B1: Long lines forward and back; > >> ladies chain > >> > >> B2: left hand star; > >> next neighbor do si do > >> > >> > >> And then you can do the rest of the evening with easy to intermediate > >> longways dances. > >> > >> > >> Repeat this pattern (with different mixer and different Sicilian Circle) > >> the next time to get the brand new dancers swung and sweaty before they > >> have to learn much. > >> > >> -- Alan > >> > >> > >> > >>> On 2/24/2014 8:50 AM, Ben Hornstein wrote: > >>> Greetings fellow callers, > >>> > >>> My graduate school's social dance club is going to be having a Contra > >>> night, which I will be calling. I was hoping to get some advice on how > to > >>> structure the evening. Here's what I'm expecting: > >>> > >>> Two 2 hour events, on March 3 and 10 > >>> 20-30 people, with maybe 5-8 who have danced contra before at all, 1-3 > who > >>> I would consider experts > >>> The second week will most likely have people who did not come the > first week > >>> Minimal live band (who I have worked with before) > >>> > >>> Here's what I'm thinking so far: > >>> 1st dance: something simple without any swing to teach a few of the > most > >>> basic moves > >>> 2nd dance: teach the swing, do an easy dance > >>> remaining dances: teach one new move before each dance, then do a dance > >>> that incorporates that move > >>> > >>> 2nd week: plan a generally easy program, but review moves as they come > up > >>> (for those who missed the first week) > >>> > >>> I'm hoping for suggestions of specific dances that I should use, and > ways > >>> to teach and handle a group with very few experienced dancers. How do I > >>> prevent the whole thing from falling apart? In general, I think > they'll be > >>> more tolerant towards additional teaching time because it's billed > more as > >>> a lesson than a dance. (Last month they had a salsa lesson which went > on > >>> for 2 hours before they turned on the music.) I'm hoping that the fact > that > >>> these are mostly graduate/medical students who have done other forms of > >>> social dance before will help greatly, but any and all advice is > welcome. > >>> > >>> Sincerely, > >>> Ben Hornstein > >>> _______________________________________________ > >>> Callers mailing list > >>> [email protected] > >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Callers mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >
