Just out of curiosity, since I had a gig scheduled while this discussion
was going on, I tried substituting the phrase "right/left shoulders
around" for "gypsy." I had not taught the move in the beginners
session. The first dance this came up in had a neighbors gypsy 1-1/2.
I said "neighbors right shoulders around once and a half," the dancers
all did it, easy peasy. It's not too hard to remember to substitute the
term, and will get easier as it goes along.
I called 2 dances today, the Sebastopol English dance and the Petaluma
contra. I had a few "gypsy halfway" moments at the English but no full
gypsies. Several at the contra and I found the different terminology to
cause not the tiniest ripple on the floor. It was seamless.
Kalia
