Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

[Donna Hunt via Callers]

 "A picture is worth 1,000 words" is so true.  Most dances are not so large 
that a caller cannot get on the floor (even without a headset) and teach a move 
that's new or teach a style point for an old favorite.  

Pick your "volunteers" carefully and be sure to publicly thank them for 
"volunteering".  

In my opinion, callers don't teach (well) enough and rely on more experienced 
dancers to "instruct" the new dancers as they dance along.  Personally I think 
that's "failing as a caller".  Words and demonstrations are powerful tools for 
teaching and should be used together as well as separately.



Donna Hunt











 Original message  

From: Tom Hinds via Callers   

List-Post: callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Date:06/19/2015 6:04 AM (GMT-06:00)  

To: Michael Fuerst   

Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net, John Sweeney , 
callers-requ...@lists.sharedweight.net  

Subject: Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey  



I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet?  In my mind there are some   
advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing   
both with a wireless mic). 

My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have   
exceptional verbal skills.  Maybe some callers don't value a good   
demonstration.  Or is a demonstration too beneath some of us?  One of   
my calling students told me that I failed as a caller because I   
demonstrated a move. 

My own view is that watching and learning is an integral part of   
being human.  We could make a long list of older skills (like   
hunting) or newer ones like learning to play a musical instrument   
where watching and imitating is the key to learning. 

I recently took an informal workshop on dance history.  The teachers   
pointed out that when people watch something, appropriate synapses   
fire in preparation for performing a task.  This physiological   
response helps the person actually learn a task better. 

T 




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Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

[Amy Wimmer via Callers]

I concur: a demonstration is usually very helpful for my learning
something. I am very visual, and the use of too many words confuses
me. I have many "Ah HA!" moments while seeing a demonstration. Phooey
on those who poo-poo them.
-Amy in Seattle



> On Jun 19, 2015, at 4:04 AM, Tom Hinds via Callers 
>  wrote:
>
> I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet?  In my mind there are some 
> advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing both 
> with a wireless mic).
>
> My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have exceptional 
> verbal skills.  Maybe some callers don't value a good demonstration.  Or is a 
> demonstration too beneath some of us?  One of my calling students told me 
> that I failed as a caller because I demonstrated a move.
>
> My own view is that watching and learning is an integral part of being human. 
>  We could make a long list of older skills (like hunting) or newer ones like 
> learning to play a musical instrument where watching and imitating is the key 
> to learning.
>
> I recently took an informal workshop on dance history.  The teachers pointed 
> out that when people watch something, appropriate synapses fire in 
> preparation for performing a task.  This physiological response helps the 
> person actually learn a task better.
>
> T
>
>
>
>
> ___
> Callers mailing list
> Callers@lists.sharedweight.net
> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

[Kalia Kliban via Callers]

On 6/19/2015 4:04 AM, Tom Hinds via Callers wrote:

I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet?  In my mind there are some
advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing
both with a wireless mic).

My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have
exceptional verbal skills.  Maybe some callers don't value a good
demonstration.  Or is a demonstration too beneath some of us?  One of my
calling students told me that I failed as a caller because I
demonstrated a move.


Why should you be limited to only one way of explaining a move? 
Demonstrations are incredibly powerful teaching tools.  I use demos a 
lot, mostly for moves that are a little out of the ordinary, or when 
there's a particular thing in the move that I want to stress.  And when 
the caller is demonstrating, say, a ricochet hey, they're also 
demonstrating a lot of other things in the process -- good eye contact, 
hand connections, tracking on the other dancers...


Kalia

Re: [Callers] CA - Jersey

[Bob Isaacs via Callers]

Hi All:
 
Inspired by Tom Hinds' amazing dance The Amazing Sarah Wilcox, I introduced the 
following this week:
 
Coast to Coast
Becket-L, 6/8/15
 
A1.  Ladies allemande R 1 1/2, N1 swing
A2.  Down the hall in line/4 - turn alone, up hall and bend line to ring
B1.  Balance, w/N1 Jersey twirl to face out in long lines
   Balance, w/N2 California twirl to face across
B2.  Circle L 3/4, partner swing

In the long lines facing out, I'm not sure of the best way to balance.  I went 
with balance towards N2 first, then towards N1, and that was a good way to set 
up the Cal twirl.  But other ways to balance are possible, and I'd be curious 
how they work if any of you try them.
 
The best part of the dance to me is that both twirls are with a neighbor, as 
that helps teach the moves.  It's rare either twirl is with a neighbor, so to 
get both is a real bonus.
 
Bob
 

  

Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

[Neal Schlein via Callers]

Sure, there are lots of good teaching reasons to demonstrate a move--and we all 
use them during a lesson.  But there are also reasons not to, and that is one 
of the ways a workshop is different from a walk-through.  

Demos are perfect for workshops and OK for beginner lessons.  Workshops are 
usually smaller than a regular dance, with people who came explicitly to learn 
or practice a skill.  The size makes it easier for them all to see what you 
want them to, you are trying to teach specific things, and they don't mind 
being pulled out of formation for a teaching point.  

At a regular dance demos are usually not ideal on those fronts, along with a 
few others.  You can't control who or what people decide to watch and learn, 
and there is the potential for embarrassment of or errors among your 
demonstrating set.  If one of them doesn't know the figure, you will have to 
talk it through to the demonstrators in order to help them not teach the wrong 
thing; if they do know it, they may decide to show off and cause confusion. 

Still, saying it is "failure as a caller" to have used a demo is absurd; 
sometimes that is the best way to communicate complex info, or if people just 
aren't "getting it".  They just need to be used sparingly. 

Neal


Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

 Original message From: Tom Hinds via Callers 
 Date:06/19/2015  6:04 AM  
(GMT-06:00) To: Michael Fuerst  
Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net, John Sweeney 
, callers-requ...@lists.sharedweight.net 
Subject: Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey 
I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet?  In my mind there are some  
advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing  
both with a wireless mic).

My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have  
exceptional verbal skills.  Maybe some callers don't value a good  
demonstration.  Or is a demonstration too beneath some of us?  One of  
my calling students told me that I failed as a caller because I  
demonstrated a move.

My own view is that watching and learning is an integral part of  
being human.  We could make a long list of older skills (like  
hunting) or newer ones like learning to play a musical instrument  
where watching and imitating is the key to learning.

I recently took an informal workshop on dance history.  The teachers  
pointed out that when people watch something, appropriate synapses  
fire in preparation for performing a task.  This physiological  
response helps the person actually learn a task better.

T




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Re: [Callers] How to Describe a Ricochet Hey

[Tom Hinds via Callers]

I'm asking myself why not demo a ricochet?  In my mind there are some  
advantages to demonstrating a move instead of describing it (or doing  
both with a wireless mic).


My experience is most contra callers are highly educated and have  
exceptional verbal skills.  Maybe some callers don't value a good  
demonstration.  Or is a demonstration too beneath some of us?  One of  
my calling students told me that I failed as a caller because I  
demonstrated a move.


My own view is that watching and learning is an integral part of  
being human.  We could make a long list of older skills (like  
hunting) or newer ones like learning to play a musical instrument  
where watching and imitating is the key to learning.


I recently took an informal workshop on dance history.  The teachers  
pointed out that when people watch something, appropriate synapses  
fire in preparation for performing a task.  This physiological  
response helps the person actually learn a task better.


T