Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
Although I basically agree with Yoyo, I state it slightly different: The direction of a balance should always consider what happens after the balance. Note that the direction of movement of an allemande is forward. Then (from physics) the connection of the hands accelerates the forward motion into a circular motion. But recognizing that the initial direction of motion in either a left or right allemande is forward. Thus, following a wave balance with any allemande suggests a forward and back balance. ~Erik Hoffman Oakland, CA From: Callers [mailto:callers-boun...@lists.sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Yoyo Zhou via Callers Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 1:03 PM To: Maia McCormick Cc: callers@lists.sharedweight.net Subject: Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave? For flow, it depends what comes after the balance. If it's followed by an allemande left, you'd be better balancing left. Allemande right: balance right. Walk forward: balance forward and back. Box circulate: right and back. But getting dancers to balance left - except as the second half of a Rory O'More-type figure - is hopeless, in my experience. It's my vote for "hardest move in contra dancing". So I'll say "balance forward and back" in such circumstances. Yoyo Zhou On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 11:07 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential unidiomaticness? Cheers, Maia ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
On 2017-11-11 12:09 PM, Peter Simonyi via Callers wrote: I was in a dance with a similar sequence just last weekend. Please bear in mind I'm piecing together memories from the middle of a dance weekend. The caller was either Mary Wesley or David Eisenstadter and I can't recall enough context to decide who it was. The part of the dance I remember went like this: ladies 4 steps in, balance wave R, L gents in as ladies out, balance wave L, R two gents allemande L half way, swing neighbour Hi Peter! I'm pretty sure that was "Trip to Peterborough" by Rick Mohr: http://rickmohr.net/Contra/Dances.asp#TripToPeterborough (I think it was Mary calling, but I'm not sure.) Note that Rick doesn't specify which way to balance, so people are likely to default to R,L. And in both of the videos on that page, the men indeed balance R,L. I thought that balancing left felt fine. It didn't seem to be too unidiomatic, and it did make the allemande left better. Some parts of the line were a little shakier on the left-first method but overall it worked quite well. I agree. (Though for me, it took a bit more attention than R,L would have.) -Michael ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
I was in a dance with a similar sequence just last weekend. Please bear in mind I'm piecing together memories from the middle of a dance weekend. The caller was either Mary Wesley or David Eisenstadter and I can't recall enough context to decide who it was. The part of the dance I remember went like this: ladies 4 steps in, balance wave R, L gents in as ladies out, balance wave L, R two gents allemande L half way, swing neighbour I'm pretty sure I danced gent for most or all of this. I thought that balancing left felt fine. It didn't seem to be too unidiomatic, and it did make the allemande left better. Some parts of the line were a little shakier on the left-first method but overall it worked quite well. It helped me that the caller pointed out that the balance was toward the gent in your current foursome first -- "you're still working with that neighbour". In your case, it sounds as if the waves are where you meet a new neighbour (or perhaps a shadow), and describing it as your first interaction with that person might help make it feel more idiomatic to balance toward them. (But as others have pointed out, the allemande right before the balance is another wrinkle to consider.) Peter On Wed, 2017-11-08 at 14:07 -0500, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: > Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance > wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the > balance as "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all > that clearly, the dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, > and enough tricky stuff was happening in the dance that I didn't > wanna correct them in flight. > > I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more > sense / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal > preference? In your opinion, does the flow of the balance left > outweigh its potential unidiomaticness? > > Cheers, > Maia > ___ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.ne > t/ ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
In my experience, on Beat 1 a dancer's weight is more likely to land on their right foot. This is why balancing left is inherently a challenge when it flows from other moves. So I also agree that Forward and Back is a nice solution. Erik Erhardt (505)480-4462 StatAcumen.com/dance On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 2:41 PM, Amy Wimmer via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > In my experience the momentum of an allemande right automatically takes > one either to the right or forward. Same goes for an allemande left: > momentum takes you to the left or forward. A balance left just doesn't flow > after am AR, because if you have a good connection with your allemande > you're already pulling to the left a bit. That leaves you nowhere to go, > left-wise. SO! I agree with the multitudes here: make the balance F&B. > > -Amy > > On Nov 8, 2017 11:07 AM, "Maia McCormick via Callers" < > callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance >> wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as >> "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the >> dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff >> was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. >> >> I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense >> / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In >> your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential >> unidiomaticness? >> >> Cheers, >> Maia >> >> ___ >> List Name: Callers mailing list >> List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net >> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ >> >> > ___ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
In my experience the momentum of an allemande right automatically takes one either to the right or forward. Same goes for an allemande left: momentum takes you to the left or forward. A balance left just doesn't flow after am AR, because if you have a good connection with your allemande you're already pulling to the left a bit. That leaves you nowhere to go, left-wise. SO! I agree with the multitudes here: make the balance F&B. -Amy On Nov 8, 2017 11:07 AM, "Maia McCormick via Callers" < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, > allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as > "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the > dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff > was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. > > I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / > flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In > your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential > unidiomaticness? > > Cheers, > Maia > > ___ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
Balancing F/B would be my approach in that scenario. Also a good opportunity to reinforce giving weight, since that particular movement done repetitively could irritate the shoulder joints if dancers are not keeping some tension in the arms. From: Callers on behalf of Mac Mckeever via Callers Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 8:16 PM To: callers@lists.sharedweight.net; Maia McCormick Subject: Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave? sorry - I missed that you said the alle L followed the balance - in that case - I think the first bal should be left. To bal R & then L and then turn by the left just sounds awkward. Mac Mckeevr On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 2:09:46 PM CST, Mac Mckeever wrote: It depends on what will happen after the balance Can we see the rest of the dance? Mac McKeever On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 1:07:46 PM CST, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential unidiomaticness? Cheers, Maia ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
For flow, it depends what comes after the balance. If it's followed by an allemande left, you'd be better balancing left. Allemande right: balance right. Walk forward: balance forward and back. Box circulate: right and back. But getting dancers to balance left - except as the second half of a Rory O'More-type figure - is hopeless, in my experience. It's my vote for "hardest move in contra dancing". So I'll say "balance forward and back" in such circumstances. Yoyo Zhou On Wed, Nov 8, 2017 at 11:07 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, > allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as > "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the > dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff > was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. > > I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / > flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In > your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential > unidiomaticness? > > Cheers, > Maia > > ___ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
[Callers] Balancing left in a wave
Hi Maia, A balance, ideally, is first toward, then away from, the dancer with whom one is about to interact, and even better if it is in, then against, the flow of movement. Even better if the choreography does the work for you by flowing into the balance. In this particular dance, you have the best of all worlds, but I slightly disagree with your preference. The Allemande R has everyone flowing forward. The flow of the Allemande L is also, fundamentally, forward. In my opinion, a balance (gently) forward, and back, is ideal. The choreography helps a little with a left first lean as you reach for the next person's L hand. But in this case, I think the safe teach is for both balances to be forward and back. Noting before you say F&B, that body flow is supported by that choice helps mark it in people's minds. To further get people's minds away from the R balance, I'd not say R after the word balance at all, even if you decide to go for L instead of back.. You want them to only have in their heads words which reinforce the movement you want. Well worth the extra moment to emphasize the gathering of LEFT hands with the next, and letting the body flow of the forward movement of the first Allemande to go into the balance Fwd. if the following move had been, for example, a Rory o More, I would have completely agreed with the L balance, FWIW. Body flow is partly there getting in, and the person you are interacting with and eventually moving past is on the L. Good question. Best, Andrea Sent from my external brain ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
sorry - I missed that you said the alle L followed the balance - in that case - I think the first bal should be left. To bal R & then L and then turn by the left just sounds awkward. Mac Mckeevr On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 2:09:46 PM CST, Mac Mckeever wrote: It depends on what will happen after the balance Can we see the rest of the dance? Mac McKeever On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 1:07:46 PM CST, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential unidiomaticness? Cheers,Maia___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
It depends on what will happen after the balance Can we see the rest of the dance? Mac McKeever On Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 1:07:46 PM CST, Maia McCormick via Callers wrote: Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential unidiomaticness? Cheers,Maia___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
Re: [Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
I've noticed that dancers' natural tendency is to balance towards the hand that touches first in these situations, which is consistent with what you report. Should the rest of the dance be truly worthwhile in fighting that tendency, I would opt for doing a balance forward and back in this situation. Otherwise spin the wheel of dance and pick one that matches custom? On Nov 8, 2017 2:07 PM, "Maia McCormick via Callers" < callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, > allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as > "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the > dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff > was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. > > I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / > flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In > your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential > unidiomaticness? > > Cheers, > Maia > > ___ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/ > > ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
[Callers] Balancing LEFT in a wave?
Recently called a dance with an allemande R into long waves, balance wave, allemande L. Because of personal preference, I taught the balance as "balance left, then right", but cuz I didn't teach it all that clearly, the dancers defaulted back into balancing right first, and enough tricky stuff was happening in the dance that I didn't wanna correct them in flight. I'm just wondering: do others agree that a balance left makes more sense / flows better in this context, or is this a weird personal preference? In your opinion, does the flow of the balance left outweigh its potential unidiomaticness? Cheers, Maia ___ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
