Thank you to everyone who chimed in; fun to hear about all the versions and folks preferences.
I, personally, am glad my (digital) box is big enough for all of the variations. I can see instances where I'd use any of them. With predominately new dancers on the first duple improper of the evening, I think the ladies on their own for an allemande would fare better than the "help" gents can give on the courtesy turn of a chain. I agree with Jack that chain->face new neighbor can be a tough transition. But Troxler's is straightforward enough that you could use it to focus on teaching a chain to new dancers; with a forgiving squishy entry into the DSD. And I haven't broken a hundred times yet with Nice Combination, but I'm sure I will. Thanks again. This discussion has even got me thinking about another thing I'd like to discuss on shared weight. On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 4:56 AM, Bob Isaacs <isaacs...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hi All: > > > While I appreciate Jack's comments about the chain/B&S progression, that > is more of a teaching issue than a choreographic one. More important is > how much assistance those in the ladies role can get from their partner in > B2b. In a chain they can get that from the joined hands in the long > lines. But for the allemande L they need to let go from their partner and > are on their own. That help would occur if Luke's dance finished with a > ladies allemande R 1 1/2, but that would not flow as well into the next > neighbor dosido. So I'll stick with Nice Combo/Troxler's on the > Loose/Forgotten Treasure - > > > Bob > > > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Callers <callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of > Jack Mitchell via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > *Sent:* Sunday, August 21, 2016 10:27 PM > *To:* Linda Leslie; Luke Donforth > *Cc:* Callers@Lists.Sharedweight.net > *Subject:* Re: [Callers] Surely this already exists? > > Though I know that there are lots of traditional dances with a ladies > chain (turn away) new N...., I am really not crazy about them. Ok....I'll > admit it, I actively dislike them. Particularly for new dancers, and > particularly going to a discrete move like a balance. It requires the lady > to extricate themselves from a previous neighbor (who *should certainly > not* twirl and forget, but frequently does), and requires the (polite) > gent to turn away from their direction of progression to get new ladies > pointed in the right direction at the end of the courtesy turn before the > gent can progress (and for that matter, requires the courtesy turn to be > either done more quickly, or otherwise to be cut short to get everyone > going in the right direction. (don't even get me started on dances that > have a butterfly whirl -> turn away to a new neighbor). (There are dances > -- like Punctuated Raindrops -- that have that progression, that I will > still call a) because they're great dances other than that and b) because > the timing of the progression isn't discrete -- if you're late to start the > allemande L, it's ok, the timing will work out in the wash.) </rant> > > The ladies allemande L progression, 1) puts the ladies in a bit more > control, 2) allows the caller to point out where they're going, and who > they're going to and 3) leaves a free hand available to reach out to the > new neighbor. Even with similarities in the rest of the dance, I think > that is really enough to make it a distinct (and a more accessible) dance > from the ones mentioned. > > Jack > > On Sun, Aug 21, 2016 at 9:53 PM Linda Leslie via Callers < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> This dance is virtually the same as Troxler’s on the Loose, by Chris >> Ricciotti. The only difference in Chris’ dance is that the final move is a >> ladies chain. >> Beth Parkes also wrote a dance that is mostly the same: Forgotten >> treasure. She begins the dance with a N B&S, and ends it with a chain as >> well. >> Linda >> >> On Aug 21, 2016, at 9:10 PM, Luke Donforth via Callers < >> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> > Hello all, >> > >> > I was trying to find an easy and accessible dance, a real glossary >> basic contra. >> > >> > I feel like this must already exist, but I'm not finding it in my >> notes. Someone got a prior? >> > >> > Type: Contra >> > Formation: Duple-Improper >> > >> > A1 ----------- >> > (8) Neighbor Do-si-do >> > (8) Neighbor swing, end facing down the hall >> > A2 ----------- >> > (8) Down the hall, four in line (turn as couples) >> > (8) Return and Bend the line >> > B1 ----------- >> > (6) Circle Left 3/4 >> > (10) Partner swing >> > B2 ----------- >> > (8) Long lines, forward and back >> > (8) Women allemande Left 1-1/2 >> > >> > The B2 could be W DSD 1.5, although I like the allemande for the >> connection for brand new dancers. I specifically chose the left hand to >> leave the women facing towards their new neighbor. >> > >> > I know it's really close to a bunch of other stuff. B2 could be C L >> 3/4, balance and pass through; or chain to left hand star à la The Nice >> Combination; etc. >> > >> > Barring it already having been named by someone else, I'm going to call >> it "Having Fun with PAM" to keep track of it in my box; since I just got >> back from the fabulous PAMFest (Peacham Acoustic Music Festival). >> > >> > Thanks. >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Callers mailing list >> > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net >> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers@lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> > -- > Jack Mitchell > Durham, NC > -- Luke Donforth luke.donfo...@gmail.com <luke.do...@gmail.com>
