On 1/27/17 12:08 AM, Jim Hemphill via Callers wrote:
You can teach and call contra dances positionally without hurting
anyones feelings. We are all human beings, I find it objectionable to
be referred to as some form of rock or bird or whatever.
The role a dancer chooses is really defined by which side of their
partnership they choose to start the dance or end a swing on. Working
from that basis just about any contra move can be taught or called
without reference to gender.
I can see that this is at least technically true, but I run into trouble
when I get down to the short prompts.
(I mean, I can do "neighbor balance and swing, ladies chain across and
back" with "neighbor balance and swing; open facing across, still with
an arm around your neighbor. If you have a right hand free, chain
across, give left hand to the person waiting for you over there ..."
and I can teach chaining and courtesyt turns without gender reference.
But prompting is hard; I don't want to use "right" and "left" for much
other than indicating right and left through and which hands to take.)
Can you give me some examples of teaching verbiage and corresponding
short prompts that work for you?
Inicidentally, I've enjoyed several of your dances and call some of them.
-- Alan
