The Cupped-Elbow Forearm Hold is NOT suitable for all moves!
Waves are unquestionably much better with the standard contra Elbows-Down
Palm-to-Palm hand holds. As are Swing Thrus. As Callerlab says, “All hands
are joined in hands-up position, elbows in close. Exert slight pressure to
assist opposite dancer in turning. Arcing turns should be utilized rather than
pull by type of movements and should flow effortlessly from one turn to the
other so that you are in a sense, "weaving" along the line.” (Sadly very few
of the MWSD dancers that I have danced with seem to have understood this; they
do lousy Waves with hand-holds at waist level and Grand Right & Left instead of
Swing Thru!)
I don’t find dis-engagement to be an issue with a Cupped-Elbow Forearm Hold in
the moves that I use it for. But it certainly doesn’t give the ability to spin
out of it. The standard contra Allemande is much better if you want to spin
out of Allemande Left 1.5 or Contra Corners. If only we could find a way to
get people to do it better…
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
From: Folk Dance <[email protected]>
Sent: 21 May 2019 12:12
To: John Sweeney <[email protected]>
Cc: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Hand Turns & Safety
I agree with John's concerns over gripping in the forearm hold, and the
increased security of the elbow cup - provided dancers are reminded that thumbs
do not belong in the soft, vulnerable inside of elbows!
However, I think the full elbow cup grip gives up a certain freedom of
disengagement and if we tried to use it universally would result in some
awkward transitions - balance the wave to swing through for instance would be
clunky with an elbow cup. A well taught hooked or flat hand (properly
vertical and balanced!) hand allemande would be my preference.
I'm not sure I'm clear on the "flat" grip issues - could someone give me a
clear definition of what they consider to be this problematic option?
Bob
On Tue, May 21, 2019 at 10:19 AM John Sweeney via Callers
<[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > wrote:
Hmm… I seem to have stirred up a hornet’s nest! It is great to see discussion
on this important topic.
There are two very different forearm holds.
*** In front of the elbow ***:
This is the MWSD version. Callerlab defines it as:
“Forearm: The arms are held past the wrist but not past the elbow joint. Each
dancer places the hand on the inside of the arm of the person with whom he is
to work. The fingers and thumb are held in close. The center of the turn will
be at the joined arms, so, while turning, each dancer is moving equally around
the other.”
I think this is what Andrea is describing (my apologies if I am wrong).
I don’t like this one. Sorry.
The connection is not as good as it could be.
Good connection can often only be achieved by gripping the other person’s arm.
It provides the opportunity to grip hard.
I often find that, due to different arm lengths, the gap between by thumb and
index finger is pressed against the inside of the other person’s upper arm.
This can be uncomfortable.
The one I do like is:
*** Behind the elbow ***:
Put your thumb beside your fingers. Curve your hand. Place your forearms
together. Place your curved hand behind your partner’s forearm, just above the
elbow. Get close enough so that your upper arm is vertical.
This is a great connection.
There is no need to grip.
You are close together so that you can turn really well.
It is very effective for 1.5 turns.
Thumbs are not involved so the chance of gripping is greatly reduced.
It can be achieved instantaneously.
There is little opportunity to mess it up.
You can see it being used in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_wncJcFPVo
There is a good example 5 seconds in - look at the second couple on the right
(two ladies - one in grey).
We use this hold for all sorts of dances in the UK. It is great for Strip the
Willow and Lock Chain Swings (i.e. Grand Right and Left where you don’t pull
by, instead you turn 1.5 times with each dancer).
I would thoroughly recommend this as an alternative Allemande style.
Try them and see what you think.
(P.S. The really sad thing about that video Is the swings. If only the caller
had told them to take the same forearm hold and join left hands underneath,
then they could have had so much more fun swinging!)
(P.P.S. I love this dance. Nottingham Swing. I spent my first 50 years in
Nottingham, so I have been dancing this dance for nearly 50 years now and I
still love it.)
(P.P.P.S. The dance is actually from Northamptonshire - 50 mile south.)
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England [email protected]
<mailto:[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
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