I've got to say that while I respect the traditional dances and don't mind the occasional actives-preferential dance (as long as the contra lines aren't too long to begin with!), I really like the newer dances that I've seen recently where ones and twos alternate being active. I don't know the names of these dances (maybe someone can help me out?), but I know there's at least one where the ones and twos trade off being the couple who does contra corners and then swings in the middle, and I'm a big fan of that. Contra corners into a swing in the middle is one of my favorite moves if the set is working together well.
I definitely agree with Barbara, though, that it's really disappointing to not have a partner swing at all. And I think there's a responsibility as a caller to make sure that if you do call a dance where only the ones swing, the lines are short enough and the dance runs long enough that everyone gets to be a one for a decent amount of time! - Koren On 1/28/08, Barbara Groh <[email protected]> wrote: > > I occasionally call dances with a shadow swing, but I would NEVER call a > dance with no partner swing. Many times in my 35 years of dancing, I have > had an evening where I FINALLY got to dance with some special partner, > only > to have the disappointment of doing a dance with no partner swing. What a > letdown! > > Any caller in my area who calls dances without partner swings is either > going to hear about it from one or more dancers, or at least be grumbled > about behind their backs. It's probably not a big deal in a roomful of > beginners, but I think that most experienced dancers feel cheated if they > don't get to swing their partner. > > In fact, there has been much discussion in our dance community (really, > all > over the Southeast) as to whether "unequal" dances (where only the 1's > swing) are "acceptable," given that there are so many great "equal" dances > available. Of course, this would knock out a whole bunch of the old, > traditional contras... > > Have I opened a huge can of worms here? > ~Barbara > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Greg McKenzie" <[email protected]> > To: "Caller's discussion list" <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 2:09 AM > Subject: Re: [Callers] Shadow swings and Irrational Hypocrisy > > > > > > Friends, > > > > It seems that having folks who really dislike swinging together at a > > community dance is bad news...with, or without shadow swings. I know > > it happens, but callers can work to create a more gracious and > > generous atmosphere. It would feel odd to plan an evening program > > while considering the needs of people who wish to avoid contact at a > > social dance. > > > > Chris, I wonder; how would you feel about a dance with a shadow > > swing, and a neighbor swing, but with NO partner swing? I suspect > > that many of us call a dance or two each night with no partner > > swing. Would you protest more if there were one partner-swing-free > > dance with a shadow swing? (And would that be "rational hypocrisy?) > > > > Also, how many dances a night do you call that have no partner swing? > > > > Just wondering, > > > > Greg > > > > ********* > > > > At 02:35 PM 1/24/2008, Chris wrote: > >>I currently don't have any dances with shadow swings in my > >>repertoire, by choice. > >> > >>Part of that is to avoid the situation where you're forcing two > >>people to swing together who Really Don't Want To Swing > >>Over and Over. And they'll let you know it, whether it's a > >>breakup, or one person's someone that they don't want to > >>dance with. (In my first community I went to, there was > >>one person like this. It would drive which lines people went > >>into, people would refuse sometimes to neighbor swing > >>with said person, and it really corrupted the whole partner- > >>asking dynamic of the dance. So I'm shaped by an extreme.) > >> > >>There's the secondary reason that it's not as interesting as > >>it's the same person over and over and over. And you've > >>already got your partner over and over and over, with the > >>partner swing I need to pander to. So that cuts out still more > >>neighbor interaction. It's why I strongly prefer neighbor grand > >>right and lefts to shadow grand right and lefts, for instance. > >> > >>A shadow can be a convenient marker to create the effect > >>of a lose-and-find partner sequence, so they do have their > >>uses. > >> > >> > >> > >>Yet I call a dance with a shadow swing about one night > >>of every three. They're the four-face-fours where you swing > >>your corner. So I fully admit to irrational hypocrisy. > >> > >>-Chris Page > >>San Diego > >>_______________________________________________ > >>Callers mailing list > >>[email protected] > >>http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers >
