This is only marginally relevant, but when demonstrating a move I often will take the newest dancers I can and use them as my demonstrators -- walking them through the move while assuring them they can do it. I also throw in little hints like "You're not going to remember everything, so don't bother," "You don't have to be perfect," and "You'll find you're learning as you go." I also tell new dancers on the floor, "just walk." We make everything too damned complicated. Of course, when I'm dancing, I scream when I make a mistake. It tends to relieve pressure on others. When I'm on the mic, I repeatedly ask experienced dancers to give hints and nods and do a lot of pointing. It doesn't work for every situation, but .... Rely on the other dancers to help and ask them to ensure evryone has a chance on the floor. As I said, it's only tangentially useful.
On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 9:03 PM, April Blum via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Two more suggestions. At some dances I have called, I found that saying > "end the swing and face across" a bit early solved the late-for-the-next > move issues. And sometimes repeatedly cuing at B1, where the music is often > audibly different AND where there is often some noticeable move starting, > can also help. On Mar 7, 2017 9:40 AM, Martha Wild via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > > > As one other caller mentioned - what I do as a caller is avoid looking > at that dancer AT ALL. That confuses me, and I will miscall if I get to > caught up in what is happening there. What I do is look ASAP for the > dancers who are doing the moves smoothly and well, and I call to them, > making sure I call clearly at the start of the four beats before each move > will start, and not at the two beats before that I might often use, to give > a little extra time for the person to react. If there is a four in line > down the hall, I will call for the turn also on beat five of the phrase > before (just as above, just saying it differently) ensuring that they turn > around and head back in time to cast off or do whatever needs to be done in > time for the next move. If I call carefully and steadily and clearly at the > appropriate time for a few times through the dance to the experienced > dancers, I generally find that once I look at the problem area, it has > resolved. Also - I don’t vary or shorten my calls, as I might otherwise, > and I might say Neighbor balance and swing, or With the next couple star > left - telling them who to do it with and what, or face across, right and > left through - which way to face etc. especially on any figure that might > be confusing. > > > > > >> On Mar 6, 2017, at 3:45 PM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> > > Inspired by Marie's other thread, I wonder what tools callers use when > they encounter a dance floor with such a dancer, especially if there is > only one who is having so much difficulty but who leaves confused dancers > in their wake. Do you call to that dancer? Do you call earlier? Do you > adjust your program accordingly? Something else? > > > > Thanks, > > Alex > > > > > > Sent from my iPhone > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >
