I demo everything at least once -- circling, F&B, elbow swings, DSDs -- because there's time between the roars to grab someone. Here's a picture from the most recent dance where I'm in the middle of the circle with a volunteer demo-ing Balance, Box the Gnat, Balance, Swat the Flea, DSD
On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 12:36 PM, David Chandler <[email protected]> wrote: > Your mention of the magic of demonstrating a 2-hand turn led me to wonder > how much you have used demonstration as the core of your teaching in this > situation. I remember an English caller once who taught everything from the > floor, demonstrating what she meant. Grabbing a few of the quicker or more > confident kids to demonstrate figures might make it easier for others to > learn, especially if they are in a big circle where everyone can see even > if they can't hear (or listen). It would of course help if you had a > wireless mic so you could make a noise (a funny-sounding whistle or kazoo?) > to get them to pay attention to learn the next figure. Tough gig! > > David Chandler > > On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> 2-hand turns -- one year I was teaching a dance that had a 2-hand turn >> -- which I discovered was beyond their comprehension. Lots of blank faces >> and a few tried to hold onto each other and turn under their own arches. I >> grabbed a young fellow close by and demonstrated a 2-hand turn and there >> was a huge "ahhhh" from the group. Who'd have thought that was a foreign >> term for 18-year olds. Why don't they teach this stuff in school anymore? >> >> Thanks for asking the gender question. I still use ladies and gents when >> necessary, but I add "those who are pretending to be gents" and "those who >> are pretending to be ladies". They're just kids and no one seems to mind. >> But I've found it's easier to use mostly gender free dances. That's why >> Grease and Glue worked fairly well this year. Don't have to be proper, >> don't have to be improper, just have to have a partner. Same with most >> easy longways dances -- doesn't matter which side of the set you're on. >> >> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 11:51 AM, Linda Leslie <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> I use two hand turns with groups like yours….elbow swings work, too. >>> Since there is more distance between dancers, they don’t seem to have any >>> discomfort with these moves. >>> >>> A question for you, though: if girls are dancing with girls, and boys >>> with boys, how are you approaching the use of language to distinguish >>> positions? >>> >>> thanks! Linda Leslie >>> >>> >>> On Jun 17, 2017, at 12:31 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> That Tony Parkes dance looks good, but I'd never be able to use it with >>> this crowd. In years passed, I tried to teach them swings -- but I guess >>> everybody still has cooties at 18 years -- never worked -- plus, you have a >>> good number of girls dancing with girls and boys dancing with boys and it >>> makes some of them uncomfortable. This is a crowd that, when I tell them, >>> let's make a big circle all around the room, they have trouble with the >>> concept of what a circle looks like. Not to re-mention the acoustics. >>> >>> As a contra dancer, I understand flow from figure to figure, but Swat >>> the Flea into a right shoulder DSD wasn't a problem with this crowd. >>> >>> But thanks for sharing Tony's dance. I don't remember ever seeing it >>> before. >>> >>> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 4:55 AM, John Sweeney via Callers < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Linda, >>>> Re your Box ‘n’ Swat: I have a somewhat similar dance in my >>>> files: >>>> >>>> Circle Mixers Are Fun (by Tony Parkes) >>>> >>>> A1) Into the Middle & Back x 2 >>>> >>>> A2) Partner Right Hand: Balance & Box the Gnat; Partner Dosido >>>> >>>> B1) Partner Left Hand: Balance & Swat the Flea; Partner Seesaw >>>> (Left Shoulder Dosido) 1 & 1/2 to meet your New Partner >>>> >>>> B2) New Partner Balance (OR Gypsy) & Swing >>>> >>>> Note that your sequence of Swat the Flea into Dosido involves >>>> passing by the right when you are holding left hands. Tony’s sequences >>>> above allow much easier flow and connection as you can pull past with the >>>> connected hand. >>>> >>>> Last time I had the challenge of working with a room full of >>>> noisy youngsters (most of whom didn’t speak English) I just led by example, >>>> starting with a Grand March then did: >>>> Sausage (Circle) to the Left/Right (Till I was at the top) >>>> Long Lines Go Forward & Back >>>> Top couple Gallop Down (I just took the person opposite and galloped); >>>> Next Couple; Next Couple; Next Couple >>>> Repeat >>>> >>>> Once they has used up a bit of energy I was able to get them to >>>> quiet down a bit! >>>> >>>> Happy dancing, >>>> John >>>> >>>> John Sweeney, Dancer, England [email protected] 01233 625 362 >>>> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Callers mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> >>> >>> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko* >>> >>> *102 Mitchell Drive* >>> >>> *Temple, Texas 76501* >>> >>> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)* >>> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)* >>> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com/>* >>> >>> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance >>> buttons, t-shirts, & more)* >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Callers mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> >> >> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko* >> >> *102 Mitchell Drive* >> >> *Temple, Texas 76501* >> >> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)* >> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)* >> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>* >> >> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance >> buttons, t-shirts, & more)* >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> >> > -- *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko* *102 Mitchell Drive* *Temple, Texas 76501* *(903) 292-3713 (Cell)* *(903) 603-9955 (Skype)* *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>* *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)*
