I had a chance to use Larks and Ravens when I called for the Brooklyn contra this summer. I really liked it, better than any of the others I've tried, and got multiple positive comments too. That said, I pulled it off by making a new set of cards (on my iPad) so that I had the correct terms in front of me. Once I got started calling, though, the terms felt really intuitive, both for me and the dancers. I'm so glad that the Brooklyn organizers were willing to give it a try (they had normally used "leads" and "follows", which I feel pretty strongly aren't good options for contra for multiple reasons, both gender related and due to how contra works as a dance form).
J On Sun, Oct 15, 2017 at 1:58 PM Carol Geisler via Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi Angela, Looking forward to hearing about your personal experiences as a > caller and dance organizer with these new terms. > > On Sun, Oct 15, 2017 at 1:33 PM, Mary Collins via Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Angela, ah....I see said the blind person. Now it makes sense. Will not >> work in my home ultra conservative community and I will certainly need to >> practice replacing. It will be interesting to say the least. >> Thanks again! >> >> On Oct 15, 2017 12:21 AM, "Angela DeCarlis" <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Hi Mary! A lot has already been written on the subject elsewhere, but >>> the summary of why Larks and Ravens has become a great set of terms is that >>> they correlate to the (L)eft and (R)ight positions at the end of a swing. >>> The syllable count is the same when compared to Gent and Lady (or Man and >>> Woman, for that matter), and the terms don't conflict with any dance >>> instructions (like how Lead and Follow would, especially if used to call >>> for English or Square Dancing). >>> >>> Another great set of terms are Jets and Rubies, but I've found those >>> labels to be more arbitrary...the main advantage is that the words are >>> phonetically similar to Gents and Ladies...and I'm not sure whether or not >>> that's a good thing! >>> >>> I hope this helps clarify things for you, and I thank you in advance for >>> keeping an open mind about trying these new, genderfree terms soon! In the >>> communities I've danced in, I can't tell you how much of a positive >>> difference these terms have made for individual dancers and for the >>> communities on the balance. But again, more on that can be read elsewhere, >>> and I hope to write in with more about my personal experiences as a caller >>> and dance organizer soon! >>> >>> Angela >>> >>> On Oct 14, 2017 2:09 PM, "Mary Collins" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Ahem Tom...that would be "gender" lol....Seriously, being of the more >>>> mature (and I use that term loosely) set, I find all these new names for >>>> ROLES to be troublesome and tiresome. Who exactly is a Lark & who exactly >>>> are Ravens? Because quite frankly I have mental pictures of both....from >>>> literature and music and they could be as offending as gents & ladies or >>>> women & men....not to try to start anything here. I am just trying to >>>> grasp something that seems to be just a wee bit beyond my reach. Several >>>> of my fellow traveling dance friends (of similar age) do not understand >>>> these terms either. Since I plan to be traveling and hopefully calling in >>>> "your community" sometime, I'd really like to get a handle on this. >>>> >>>> Mary "24" Collins >>>> >>>> >>>> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> >>>> Virus-free. >>>> www.avg.com >>>> <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> >>>> <#m_1583896410128011869_m_-3056614572501621447_m_7204306495091385479_m_-3621280477174631412_DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> >>>> >>>> “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about >>>> learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown >>>> >>>> On Sat, Oct 14, 2017 at 12:15 PM, Tom Hinds <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Thanks Angela. If only we could easily change our gender so we could >>>>> understand what it's like to be the other sex. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Oct 14, 2017, at 11:32 AM, Angela DeCarlis wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Tom, I had this conversation with Sue Rosen this summer. Women who >>>>> belong to the original Feminist generation (like Sue and, presumably, like >>>>> Mary and Martha above) were involved in a cultural movement to abolish the >>>>> word "Lady", along with its restrictive connotations, in favor of "Woman". >>>>> The latter label, I understand, was one which lent more power and >>>>> ownership >>>>> to its wearers, and so was preferable. You could be however you were, >>>>> "ladylike" or not, and still be a Woman. (others, please chime in if I've >>>>> gotten anything wrong or missed anything!) >>>>> >>>>> My generation has an opposite problem: due to the modern-day Gender >>>>> Revolution, wherein we seek to abolish the gender dichotomy, terms like >>>>> "Woman" and "Man" feel too restrictive and denotative. "Lady" and "Gent" >>>>> feel almost more comfortable to some, since they are words that are >>>>> slightly more flexible, in some ways. >>>>> >>>>> One of the biggest problems for both groups, I think, is when the >>>>> terms are used interchangeably. >>>>> >>>>> This is one of my favorite things to think about when it comes to role >>>>> terms in dance today! I *love* our community's intergenerationality, and >>>>> learning about each other through conversations like this! >>>>> >>>>> Eventually I hope to get around to writing in about the changes I've >>>>> seen at BIDA since switching to Larks and Ravens at the beginning of the >>>>> summer. It's been truly remarkable! >>>>> >>>>> 'Til then, >>>>> Angela >>>>> >>>>> On Oct 14, 2017 9:26 AM, "Mary Collins via Callers" < >>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Martha, I dont recall this dance of which you speak. Could you share >>>>>> the true title and calls? Thanks! I also cringe over ladies (I don't fit >>>>>> that tradition) yet it is a good "place holder, ROLE identifer" for my >>>>>> communities. >>>>>> >>>>>> On Oct 14, 2017 9:06 AM, "Tom Hinds via Callers" < >>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I must have fallen asleep during a discussion of "ladies". What's >>>>>>> the issue? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Sent from my iPad >>>>>>> >>>>>>> > On Oct 11, 2017, at 12:13 PM, Martha Wild via Callers < >>>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>> > >>>>>>> > I’ve got a gypsy star dance (I actually call it “Star Wrong” and >>>>>>> not just because of the g-word, but because if you say “gypsy star” >>>>>>> everybody starts to gypsy and NOT star, so I gave up on that confusing >>>>>>> terminology). Haven’t seen another dance like it. The move from mad >>>>>>> robin >>>>>>> into the star wrong actually flows quite well. I use men and women for >>>>>>> roles, not genders. When I first started calling, we considered “lady” >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> be a four letter word - women’s movement and bra burning and all that. I >>>>>>> still find it hard to use the word “lady” and not bristle. Times have >>>>>>> changed, now people bristle at men and women. Go figure. I didn’t >>>>>>> correct >>>>>>> the “g-word” use on this version >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> List Name: Callers mailing list >>>>>>> List Address: [email protected] >>>>>>> Archives: >>>>>>> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> List Name: Callers mailing list >>>>>> List Address: [email protected] >>>>>> Archives: >>>>>> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >> _______________________________________________ >> List Name: Callers mailing list >> List Address: [email protected] >> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> >> > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: [email protected] > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > -- Jack Mitchell Durham, NC
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