Brussels sprouts and calculus are good things that everyone should be into that have nothing at all to do with contra dancing. Unlike swinging and other moves and, yes, touching people of the same gender, which is an integral part of the dance. I'm not going to shy away from moves simply because of others' homophobia.
As to Janet's point, yes, I agree that it can be awkward when you don't know who wants to do which part of the swing. So I'm not against specifying a default hold for those situations-- I just don't like the Galway hold in particular. I'm ok with some other neutral swings (like, right hand on the other dancer's shoulder blade, left hand grasped together in the middle, above the heads of the two dancers, whatever that's called). On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 1:58 PM, Aaron Redfern <aaron.redf...@gmail.com>wrote: > And while you're at it, you might disallow the eating of Brussels sprouts > altogether, since some people dislike the taste. > > > On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 1:55 PM, Donald Perley <donper...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > While you're at it you can make them eat Brussels sprouts and bring a > white > > board so you can give a calculus lesson. Both good things that everyone > > should be into. > > > > > > On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 1:33 PM, Dave Casserly > > <david.j.casse...@gmail.com>wrote: > > > > > If men in the UK are so uncomfortable touching another man that they > > don't > > > want to swing (which is, in its essence, simply placing one hand on the > > > man's back and one on a hand, not exactly an intimate embrace), that is > > > unacceptably homophobic. I know there are some on this list who don't > > > agree that callers have any part in "social engineering" or letting our > > > calling reflect our values as humans, but personally, if I were asked > to > > > call a dance where the men were that afraid of touching each other, I > > would > > > have no problem with challenging their perceptions by asking them to > > swing > > > with each other (obviously there are some people afraid of touching > other > > > people for other reasons, but in that case, their fear isn't gendered). > > In > > > that situation, a little "stress" is appropriate; I have no problem > with > > > causing homophobic people some minor stress when it's their own awful > > views > > > that lead to their stress. > > > > > > I'm not a big fan of Galway swings. I like to standard, > > ballroom-position > > > contra swing, which is quite easily learned from either position once > you > > > know how to share weight and buzz-step. Galway swings seem to tend > > towards > > > people trying to swing as fast as possible, rather than form a real > > > connection and dance with their partner. > > > > > > -Dave > > > > > > > > > On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 10:25 AM, John Sweeney < > i...@contrafusion.co.uk > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > There have been suggestions that same-gender interaction can be > > > > stressful. In my experience this is especially true with men in the > > UK. > > > > > > > > Someone said "My impression is that most urban contra environments > have > > > > at least a few people who swap genders". This may be true in the > USA, > > > > and lots of ladies in the UK do take the man's role where numbers are > > > > not balanced. But very few UK men take the lady's role on a regular > > > > basis. > > > > > > > > When I do I often find that other men appear to be uncomfortable > with a > > > > close-hold swing. I normally now go for a Galway Swing when I meet > > > > another man for a swing: Start with an Allemande Right hold, hook > your > > > > left fingers around the other man's right elbow and buzz-step - makes > > > > for a great symmetrical swing. > > > > > > > > Here is a dance that uses it to give same-gender swings without > stress: > > > > > > > > Galway Swing (by John Sweeney) > > > > Contra; Improper > > > > > > > > A1: Men Galway Swing > > > > Partner Gypsy to an Ocean Wave (Men in the middle with Left > > > > hands) > > > > A2: Balance the Wave (R/L); Slide to the Right (Rory O'More) > > > > Ladies Galway Swing > > > > B1: Neighbour Gypsy Meltdown into a Swing > > > > A2: Long Lines Go Forward & Back > > > > A2: Half Hey (Ladies start Right Shoulder) - Men look for a new > Man > > > > after passing Right Shoulders with the old Man > > > > > > > > The main challenge is stopping your swing at the right point so you > can > > > > flow into the gypsy - plan ahead! > > > > > > > > > > > > Happy dancing, > > > > John > > > > > > > > John Sweeney, Dancer, England j...@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 > > > > http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > Callers mailing list > > > > call...@sharedweight.net > > > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > David Casserly > > > (cell) 781 258-2761 > > > _______________________________________________ > > > Callers mailing list > > > call...@sharedweight.net > > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > call...@sharedweight.net > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > call...@sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761
