On thumbs, while I certainly agree it's possible to use your thumbs to grip others uncomfortably, I'd much rather see us teaching people how to dance well and considerately with natural holds than tucking thumbs away.
Jeff On Thu, Jul 18, 2024 at 5:23 AM John Sweeney via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi Harris, > > Julian and others have already given you some great points. > > > > I never talk about weight. I refer to it as connection. See > https://contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#connection for more information. > > > > Thumbs: > > I have often thought of putting a sign on the door saying, “Leave your > thumbs here – you don’t need them for the dance!”. > > Ask the dancers to make a Wrist-Lock Star – tell them to put their thumbs > on top so that they can’t grip. > > Ask the dancers to hold hands in a circle – give them permission to tell > their partners or neighbours if they are gripping with their thumbs. > > > > Swings: > > See https://contrafusion.co.uk/Contra.html#swinging for lots of hints and > tips. > > Tell the dancers to get in a Ballroom-Hold ready for a Swing. Then ask > them to relax! It is amazing how much just this one concept can improve a > Swing. > > Tell the dancers to get in a Ballroom-Hold ready for a Swing. Give them > permission to tell their partner where they are feeling pressure. There > are lots of common faults: ladies pressing on the back. Men gripping too > tightly. Hanging, clamping, gripping, leaning, etc. During a Swing you > never get time to mention it, even if you dared. Most people don’t realise > that they are causing their partner discomfort. Giving them permission to > share information can really help. > > > > Allemandes: > > See https://contrafusion.co.uk/Allemande.html for some great tips and > quotes from the callers on this list. > > The Allemande 1.5 times is the worst-performed move in contra dancing in > my experience. > > Explain to the dancers that, although it may look like arm-wrestling, it > is not! In fact, if your hand moves towards your body you lose! Just > connect. Focus then on moving your feet quickly to get around. Increase > the tension as little as possible to counteract centrifugal force and to > keep the hands exactly half way between you. > > > > Timing: > > Circle three-quarters and Pass Through. The Circle is six steps, leaving > the last two for the Pass Through. Lots of people think they have to use > up all the music in the Circle then Pass Through at the beginning of the > next phrase, arriving late for the next move. > > Down the Hall and Dixie Twirl or California Twirl: You only take four > steps down the hall. > > > > I hope that helps. > > > > Happy dancing, > > John > > > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England [email protected] 01233 625 362 & 07802 > 940 574 > > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > > > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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