A view on "up and down" ladies chains from the UK side of the pond:
Whilst they are rare in the US, in the UK we quite often do Sicilian Circles. Almost any contra can be danced as a Sicilian, and it's interesting to compare how dances feel when the formation is changed. In a Sicilian, the "orientation" in which you perceive the minor set shifts by 90 degrees from contra, with the result that chains up and down the set feel like chains across (and vice versa). It occurs to me that there may be "poor" contra dances that work well as Sicilians, and vice versa. Jeremy www.barndancecaller.net www.genderfreedance.net On 11 April 2017 at 15:47, Ric Goldman - Letsdance via Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi Martha, > > > > Interesting idea about transitions and poise points. I’m working on a > dance with transitions I *think* are interesting, but worry they could be > too jarring (have not tried it on human salt shakers yet). Here’s the > first part: > > > > Start: improper > > A1 1-4 Ladies chain up and down set to neighbor, > courtesy turn (at end releasing right hand, hold on to the left, facing > each other across the set) > > 5-8 Swat the flea > > A2 1-8 (turn up/down the set to) Balance and swing > partner > > > > One possible way to “smooth” the transition from the courtesy turn might > be to release the right hand early and use left hands to turn the lady > under (clockwise, lady turn right) before going into the balance for the > swat, but I resist having it be a forced twirl. Perhaps folks would > “discover” that on their own. > > > > What other transistions or poise points do folks find interesting? > > > > Thanx, Ric Goldman > > [email protected] > > > > *From:* Callers [mailto:[email protected]] *On > Behalf Of *Martha Wild via Callers > *Sent:* Monday, April 10, 2017 11:39 PM > *To:* Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [Callers] Does this dance already exist? > > > > Hi, all. Actually, I think the transition from the petronella to the > ladies chain is a good one. There are certain moves in dancing, that I’ve > heard called “poise points,” where one purposefully switches direction, and > it can be very satisfying. For me, the spin to the right feels like the > winding up of a spring that you then unleash in the other direction. Some > dances that look as if they have good flow end up having so much clockwise > spin that it tires people. > > > > On Apr 10, 2017, at 5:48 PM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > > > > Hi Esther, > > If anyone has not mentioned it, I feel there is a kink in the flow > trying to go from a petronella to a chain. As you spin R, it is the left > hand which feels available as you face the set because your body has been > rotating clockwise, even as it move CCW around the minor set. So there will > be this washing machine action to get into the chain. You might be > counting on the claps to arrest that movement, but I still feel it's not an > especially satisfying entry into the chain. A gents chain, otoh, would be > peachy. > > > > What, to you, is the hook in this dance? What were you going for? > > > > Best, > > Andrea > > > Sent from my external brain > > > On Apr 10, 2017, at 5:24 PM, Esther Fraser via Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Hey folks, > > > > Has anyone seen this dance already? > > > > A1: Balance the ring & petronella > > Ladies Chain > > A2: Full Hey, Ladies pass R (16) > > B1: Ladies Chain > > P Allemande L > > B2: Balance the ring & Petronella > > Balance the ring & California twirl > > > > Also interested in other dances that have a Ladies' Chain to into > Allemande Left (with the one you chain to) combo. I think I might have seen > it somewhere, but I can't remember where. > > > > Thanks, > > Esther Fraser > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >
