And if you like thinking about this stuff, note that the book
*Give-and-Take* by Larry Jennings has some deeply thought through
sections on the mathematics of contra with one section devoted to
shadows, including the concepts of near-shadows and far-shadows. I found
it all illuminating and it definitely helped me as a caller.
[Books by Larry Jennings –
NEFFA](https://www.neffa.org/books-by-larry-jennings/)
Lisa Sieverts
603-762-0235
l...@lisasieverts.com
On 6 Dec 2021, at 20:35, Diane Silver via Contra Callers wrote:
It may be more than you want to go into for a walk-through, but it can
be a good opportunity to teach (or remind) dancers that /a shadow is
always a dancer in another set who is in *the same position as your
partner* is in, in your set. /Usually, the shadow with whom you
actually do something is just one set adjacent, so you can ID shadows
at the beginning of the dance by facing your partner across the set
(if it's improper) and looking to the diagonal (either left or right
diag --
you have to predetermine that as the caller and have it in your notes)
and wave at that person on the diagonal. "Note what they're wearing.
You're going to meet them later." Your idea ("your shadow is the
person across and two to the left of you") is the same thing, but just
a little harder to process the words. Seth's method is more immediate,
and therefore probably a bit more effective; it's just not universally
applicable. As you astutely noted, if you're on the end and don't have
a diagonal, then your shadow happens to be your current neighbor. I
would say it that way, rather than "if you don't have anyone in your
left hand"
(If the dance is Becket, then your partner is in the same line as you,
and therefore, your shadow is also in your line, usually in the other
hand (or across the set if on the end).
Also note: you can help dancers find their shadow successfully in
the first walk-through if you break down the allemande. Many dancers
don't REALLY know how far 3/4 is. So I would say, "Robins allemande
right 1/2-way, over to your partner; Partners allemande left *halfway
to change places, then go two steps more* --
the next one along the line is your shadow!" And I would call it that
way as well, the first few times through. I often use "1/2-way and
two steps more" rather than "3/4" (for allemandes) or "3 places and
2 steps more" rather than "7/8" (for circles or stars).
Hope this helps.
--
Diane
~~
Diane Silver
Asheville, NC
da...@diane-silver.com
On Dec 6, 2021, at 4:03 PM, Tepfer, Seth wrote:
Ted,
Great questions. Here's the dance: https://contradb.com/dances/951
1. Finding shadow: Here's what I'd do. "Neighbor swing. Robins
allemande right to in front of your partner. give left hand to
your partner. Everyone freeze. Look over your left shoulder -
there is someone looking at you - wave at them with your right
hand. That's your shadow." Now, with your partner, Allemande
Left
3 places. There's your shadow!"
2. When you are out, your shadow is across the set from you. Your
choices are to either wait out at top until partner swing or
allemande shadow, then slide back to P for swing. Teaching end
effects is always a crap shoot. What percentage of the room will
remember all those words you said after the music starts and
they
have been having fun for 6x through the dance?
3. Yep, standard progression (technically) in the neighbor swing of
A2. Or B2.
Seth Tepfer, MBA, CSM, PMP
Manager of Software Engineering, Oxford College
Schedule an appointment: oxford.emory.edu/SethBooking
770-784-8487
seth.tep...@emory.edu
Use AskIT for fastest response: Oxford.emory.edu/AskIT
Pronouns: he, him, his
*From:* Ted Sims via Contra Callers
*Sent:* Monday, December 6, 2021 2:54 PM
*To:* Shared Weight Contra Callers
*Subject:* [External] [Callers] teaching Naked in California
Hi everyone
This is kind of a newbie question. I've never called Naked In
California [Nils Fredland] before and I'm thinking about how to
teach it. I think I've mostly figured it out, but I welcome your
comments on my thoughts below:
(1) I would like for everyone to identify their shadows straight
away. I think the best way is to have everyone take hands in long
lines then "If you are on the end and your left hand is free, your
shadow is the person in your right hand (introduce yourselves).
Everyone else, your shadow is the person across and two to the left
of you". Is there a better way?
(2) After the partner allemande, if the dancers on the ends have no
one in the right hand, it seems to me that they have to stay put
(there is no wrap around etc.). Is that correct?
(3) It
