Your mention of the magic of demonstrating a 2-hand turn led me to wonder how much you have used demonstration as the core of your teaching in this situation. I remember an English caller once who taught everything from the floor, demonstrating what she meant. Grabbing a few of the quicker or more confident kids to demonstrate figures might make it easier for others to learn, especially if they are in a big circle where everyone can see even if they can't hear (or listen). It would of course help if you had a wireless mic so you could make a noise (a funny-sounding whistle or kazoo?) to get them to pay attention to learn the next figure. Tough gig!
David Chandler On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 1:07 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > 2-hand turns -- one year I was teaching a dance that had a 2-hand turn -- > which I discovered was beyond their comprehension. Lots of blank faces and > a few tried to hold onto each other and turn under their own arches. I > grabbed a young fellow close by and demonstrated a 2-hand turn and there > was a huge "ahhhh" from the group. Who'd have thought that was a foreign > term for 18-year olds. Why don't they teach this stuff in school anymore? > > Thanks for asking the gender question. I still use ladies and gents when > necessary, but I add "those who are pretending to be gents" and "those who > are pretending to be ladies". They're just kids and no one seems to mind. > But I've found it's easier to use mostly gender free dances. That's why > Grease and Glue worked fairly well this year. Don't have to be proper, > don't have to be improper, just have to have a partner. Same with most > easy longways dances -- doesn't matter which side of the set you're on. > > On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 11:51 AM, Linda Leslie <laleslie...@comcast.net> > wrote: > >> I use two hand turns with groups like yours….elbow swings work, too. >> Since there is more distance between dancers, they don’t seem to have any >> discomfort with these moves. >> >> A question for you, though: if girls are dancing with girls, and boys >> with boys, how are you approaching the use of language to distinguish >> positions? >> >> thanks! Linda Leslie >> >> >> On Jun 17, 2017, at 12:31 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers < >> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >> That Tony Parkes dance looks good, but I'd never be able to use it with >> this crowd. In years passed, I tried to teach them swings -- but I guess >> everybody still has cooties at 18 years -- never worked -- plus, you have a >> good number of girls dancing with girls and boys dancing with boys and it >> makes some of them uncomfortable. This is a crowd that, when I tell them, >> let's make a big circle all around the room, they have trouble with the >> concept of what a circle looks like. Not to re-mention the acoustics. >> >> As a contra dancer, I understand flow from figure to figure, but Swat the >> Flea into a right shoulder DSD wasn't a problem with this crowd. >> >> But thanks for sharing Tony's dance. I don't remember ever seeing it >> before. >> >> On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 4:55 AM, John Sweeney via Callers < >> callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> >>> Hi Linda, >>> Re your Box ‘n’ Swat: I have a somewhat similar dance in my >>> files: >>> >>> Circle Mixers Are Fun (by Tony Parkes) >>> >>> A1) Into the Middle & Back x 2 >>> >>> A2) Partner Right Hand: Balance & Box the Gnat; Partner Dosido >>> >>> B1) Partner Left Hand: Balance & Swat the Flea; Partner Seesaw (Left >>> Shoulder Dosido) 1 & 1/2 to meet your New Partner >>> >>> B2) New Partner Balance (OR Gypsy) & Swing >>> >>> Note that your sequence of Swat the Flea into Dosido involves >>> passing by the right when you are holding left hands. Tony’s sequences >>> above allow much easier flow and connection as you can pull past with the >>> connected hand. >>> >>> Last time I had the challenge of working with a room full of >>> noisy youngsters (most of whom didn’t speak English) I just led by example, >>> starting with a Grand March then did: >>> Sausage (Circle) to the Left/Right (Till I was at the top) >>> Long Lines Go Forward & Back >>> Top couple Gallop Down (I just took the person opposite and galloped); >>> Next Couple; Next Couple; Next Couple >>> Repeat >>> >>> Once they has used up a bit of energy I was able to get them to >>> quiet down a bit! >>> >>> 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 >>> Callers@lists.sharedweight.net >>> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> >> >> *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko* >> >> *102 Mitchell Drive* >> >> *Temple, Texas 76501* >> >> *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)* >> *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)* >> *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com/>* >> >> *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance >> buttons, t-shirts, & more)* >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers@lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> >> >> > > > -- > > > > *Looking forward,Linda S. Mrosko* > > *102 Mitchell Drive* > > *Temple, Texas 76501* > > *(903) 292-3713 <(903)%20292-3713> (Cell)* > *(903) 603-9955 <(903)%20603-9955> (Skype)* > *contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com>* > > *www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance > buttons, t-shirts, & more)* > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > >