Here is a link with a square dance using the forearm allemande at 30 seconds in. As a dancer and caller in both worlds, I prefer the contra allemande over the forearm allemande. It is easier ti give weight and I would suspect it is faster going 1-1/2.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2Y-NdyZtKM On Mon, May 20, 2019 at 6:58 PM Richard Fischer via Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > Andrea, could you describe the forearm allemande? I don't think I've seen > it and can't quite picture it. Or maybe send a link to a video that shows > it? > > Of possible interest to some, one of the scenes portrayed on the Shield of > Achilles in the Iliad shows youths and maidens dancing, "holding their > hands on one another's wrists." > > With best wishes, > > Richard Fischer > Princeton, NJ > > On May 18, 2019, at 12:14 PM, Andrea Nettleton via Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > > Hi all, > I’m going to add a controversial note. I also loathe the many poor > allemandes I get, unweighted, awkward handed, arm pulled in like a chicken > wing, what have you. As a MWSD, I have come to love the forearm allemande > for arm turns. Callerlab made the switch some years ago, and at first I > was like, wut??? But it’s a position which save everyone’s hands and > wrists, and even shoulders, is intrinsically very stable, and makes the > chicken wing almost impossible. I started using it for dances with > revolving doors, as a dancer, because those turns are so brief and > necessarily tight and need a quick strong connection. I was so pleased I > began using them elsewhere. People generally go along with it. I have > been wishing Contra could just switch to this for all allemandes. I know > it would be an uphill struggle to get everyone on board. But I had to put > it out there. > > Currently I still teach an old fashioned allemande. I demonstrate and > emphasize meaty parts of the thumb together, fingers curled around the base > of the opposite’s thumb, flat wrist. And I always add that the thumb > itself is an injurious device which lands at a tender spot if depressed, so > leave it loose. Then I demonstrate how to produce enough connection to > make a 2 person unit that turns on a post. I’m sure everyone on this list > has similar teaches. > If teaching this allemande was ever going to work, it would have by now. > I suspect it’s failure as a hold is why callerlab opted for the forearm > hold instead. > My 2c, > Andrea N > Arlington VA > > Sent from my iPhone > > On May 17, 2019, at 6:01 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: > > John Sweeny below hoped we callers would teach more about hand turns and > the like. > > I’ve been thinking on this for quite a while. Years ago I had a discussion > with Brad Foster. We both lamented the loss of the allemande with mildly > interlocking thumbs to the modern overprotective thumb against the side of > the palm allemande. At that time I think I was still in Santa Barbara, thus > it must have been pre 1994. I wrote an article for our dance rag called, > “If Allemande Left, Where’d Allemande Go?” > > I talked about what I do when someone grips my hand—and I think all of us > should remove that word, “grip” from our caller’s vocabulary… > > But the most important thing I discussed is: > > - Our Wrist is Strongest When It’s Straight > - Our Fingers are Strongest When Curved > - Thus, however one does an allemande, it should be a hook, with > curved fingers and a straight wrist. > > > Lately I’ve seen teachers promote the straight fingers, bent wrist, and > flat palm method. The almost always makes one person’s wrist uncomfortable. > Not as bad as when someone draws the others hand into that > almost-Aikido-put-them-on-the-ground position, but usually quite > uncomfortable. > > Thus I hope most of us learn the curved fingers, straight wrist, no grip, > and, no thumb clamping allemande, ECD hand turn, two hand turn type hand > connections. > > ~Erik Hoffman, > Oakland, CA > > *From:* Callers <[email protected]> *On Behalf Of *John > Sweeney via Callers > *Sent:* Friday, May 17, 2019 2:09 PM > *To:* 'Caller's discussion list' <[email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: [Callers] Name that Dance > > Hi Rich, > I would just call it a “Big Set Mixer”. It is a slight > variation of the one in the Community Dances Manual. Callers just make up > a 32 bar sequence that works for their dancers. > > While it is a good example of all ages having fun together, > I really wish callers would teach the dancers just a tiny bit about how to > do better hand/arm turns and swings :-) > > Happy dancing, > John > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England [email protected] 01233 625 362 & 07802 > 940 574 > http://contrafusion.co.uk/KentCeilidhs.html for Live Music > Ceilidhs > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > > http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive DVDs > > > _______________________________________________ > 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]/
