I’d suggest the bigger problem is explaining how to get into ballroom position using global terminology. (Yes, it could be first diagonals do this, second diagonals do that, but it’s messy.) I think this is probably harder to figure out than where to end the swing. Symmetrical swing is an option, but the Jamaica Plain gender-free contra dance started out with symmetrical swing as the norm and decided after a couple of years that we much preferred ballroom as the norm (many dances are written for it; also because it leads to fewer mistakes about who ends where—but that’s begging the question here). Once you’re in ballroom, ending the swing on the correct side is much more automatic, so solving the ballroom issue solves much of the swing issue. (Though it’s true that knowing “I’m supposed to be on the right” is helpful for correcting those less-frequent mistakes.)
I’m a big fan of global terminology, and would be very happy to see it in contra as well as English, but this specific question is one of the major stumbling blocks. I’d be really happy to hear solutions. Read Weaver Jamaica Plain, MA http://lcfd.org > On Jun 1, 2015, at 12:33 PM, Linda Leslie via Callers > <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > For me, the major challenge with incorporating global language into contra > dances has to do with ending the swing. So many contra dances depend on the > dancers having learned that the lady/lark/barearm/ruby/right file end on the > right. > How do we help completely new dancers learn this? > Do we say “swing your Neighbor and change places”? Swing your Partner and > change places”? > I recognize that experienced dancers will know this instinctively; just as > many dancers line up and automatically form improper lines at many contra > dances. > > But I am curious about how callers out there see us helping the new folks, > without using any role language at all. >
