[Callers] Re: Workshop activities for helping dancers improve their skills?
I quite like Alan’s tetherball pole, something I’ll keep in mind. I’ve so rarely found anyone giving too much weight that I’ve thought the objections to the term were theoretical rather than practical, but perhaps I’ve been lucky (or give too much weight myself). It has occurred to me that “taking weight” is perhaps a better term, since that better suggests something you’re offering rather than demanding. When I teach beginners, the very first thing I do is teach giving weight, both because I think it’s so important, and because I then point out moments where you can do it in all* the other figures. For example, in a chain across, I describe the connection that the people crossing have as they take hands and pull past as giving weight, awa a very different giving weight in a well-done courtesy turn. I think calling all of that “giving weight” is a way of getting across that it’s not just one thing, and that it’s really central to the difference between dancing near others and dancing with others. And I’ll tell beginners that if they’re good at giving weight, they can make lots of mistakes and people will think it’s their own fault ‘cause they’ll assume from the good giving weight that they’re dancing with a skilled dancer. *Except wrist-grip star—possible to do it, and if you do you’ll hurt the person whose wrist you’re gripping. The trick I start with for learning it is to have folks in allemande position, and then have them go around really fast while paying close attention to what that feels like in their hand and arm. I’ll then have them do it again, starting out fast and then slowing down (maybe slower than you’d actually dance it) while keeping that same feeling in their hand and arm. But the original question was about _improving_ skills—the specific thing for that would be giving weight in a circle, something that so rarely happens. In my beginners’ classes, I point out that a circle four is a really boring figure, _unless_ everyone is giving weight; then it’s actually a pretty worthwhile figure. (It’s why grapevine step has inveigled it’s way from club squares—it adds something at least a little interesting to a (weightless, poorly done) circle four. I strongly discourage it, since it’s so much harder (albeit not impossible) to give steady weight while grapevining.) Read Weaver Jamaica Plain, MA http://lcfd.org ___ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
[Callers] Re Workshop/activity ideas for improving dancer skill
Hey Folks, Thanks so much to all those who have chimed in on the question I posted. Really neat that people like Richard and Joseph had experienced a similar activity as me. And fascinating discussion about sharing weight John, Joseph and others! I really like the idea that every allemande/swing is a new opportunity for connecting with someone different and figuring out that connection. I think it was Will Mentor that referred to enjoying the little differences in every swing which made me all the more present and noticing what I liked about different people's swings. I'm wondering if there are any other particular fun activities to do with dancers who already know the basics but who want to improve their dancing ability/understanding? :) Emily ___ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
[Callers] Re: Workshop activities for helping dancers improve their skills?
Winston, Alan P. wrote: > Over in English dance land, Bruce Hamilton used to describe the amount of > pulling force as [Stuff deleted] Alan, I particularly like the understandable reference to a tetherball pole. I think it's easy for anyone to comprehend what might happen if one used the same forces on another dancer that one might use to navigate around the pole. I heartily agree, also, with your observation that a negotiation takes place every time one makes (intentional... and choreographed!) contact with another dancer. That period of negotiation might last only for a second. Even less, maybe. And, I think, it will determine the quality of the interaction. Ken Panton Ottawa " > More recently he's been taking that the position that the hand *knows* the > right > amount of pull/connection; you can find out by putting your cupped hand > around a > tetherball post (or some other round pole) and turning around it with an > amount of weight > you find satisfactory. The static post essentially gives you back as much > firmness / > connection as you put into it - and it does it without squeezing your hand or > trapping > your thumb. > > It may also be worth pointing out that every allemande is, and every swing > is, a > negotiation, where you find a mutually comfortable amount of tension and of > speed; you > never know whether the person you've come to has a wrist / shoulder / back/ > hip > problem or a dizziness/vertigo problem or is just too tired to go around that > fast right > now. You're obliged to pay attention to what the other person is giving you > and not > pull them off balance or fling them around, and you should offer only a > degree of > tension/connection you can tolerate. > > -- Alan > > > > ___ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
[Callers] Re: Workshop activities for helping dancers improve their skills?
Thus the perils of all language. Because of my personal ways of thinking (somewhat twisted in physics labs and engineering classes, alas), the words “weight” and “pressure” have precise mechanical meanings. As they have been used in some of these examples, they have helped me and others improve their dancing, as empirically demonstrated on the dance floor. None of my dance partners would accuse me of shoving them about, nor would anyone look at the typical dancer coming out of a George Marshall dance lesson and think they had been ill taught. Even so, others of us have had unwelcome results using these same words on different days with different dancers in different places, because language is fluid and variable across time and culture. To me, pressure and weight are things measured in pounds or newtons. If there is meaningful connection between two objects, such as between the hands of two dancers, then there *will* be measurable pressure and weight between them. To understand what I’m getting at, try an allemande with so little pressure between the hands that a piece of paper would slip out between them. It would be no different from allemanding a weightless ghost. To some, “give weight”, is heard as “maintain the sort of connection through your arms such that your partner can feel that your body is responding as a whole rather than just your arm.” Successful communication. To others, “give weight” is heard as “lean or pull on the other person so they are taking on some of your weight.” Failed communication; time to clarify your words or try different ones altogether. When I said push up or push down, I didn’t mean shove or haul with an intent to move something substantial. I meant, “When you are holding hands there will be some amount of pressure in the physics sense; if there isn’t then you aren’t in physical contact at all. Don’t pull towards yourself like you’re doing curls in the gym, nor push away, nor let them hang loose. Don’t squeeze either. If you maintain solid but gentle palm to palm pressure with your elbows bent, it can put the rest of your upper body, from hand to shoulder to shoulder to hand, in a good amount of gentle physical tension to keep your whole body involved in the dance.” It has worked for me. If sometimes I see that’s not what my dancers are hearing, I’ll try different words. -jeh On Wed, Jan 17, 2024 at 2:28 AM John Sweeney via Contra Callers < contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I am sorry, but I disagree with anything that says to put pressure into > connection. Why would you need to push up or down when holding hands in a > circle? Why would you need to pull in an Allemande? > > > > Hold your hand in space in the correct position for the move and support > it there with your own muscles. Then connect with the other people. > That’s all. You don’t need to pull or push in any direction to feel their > hand and work together. > > > > When you start moving all you need to do is use your muscles to keep the > connection the same. For an Allemande what you are fighting is centrifugal > force, not your partner. As you speed up (by using your feet) then you > apply just enough muscle to keep the W shape of your arms. If your hand > moves towards your body you are leaning away or pulling too hard (which, > sadly, at least 80% of contra dancers do!). If your hand moves away from > your body you need to use your muscles to bring it back centrally. > Unfortunately, as I mentioned, it is probably the other dancer pulling too > hard so that you have no chance of keeping the nice W shape unless you pull > even harder and it ends up as arm-wrestling instead of dancing. :-( > > > > All rotations should be a gentle counter-balance. > > > > Exercise: See how fast you can turn in an Allemande while keeping a > perfect W shape with your arms. Always start with no resistance and only > increase it by the minimum amount to keep the hands central against > centrifugal force. Your key objective should be to get around once and a > half in eight steps since Allemande 1.5 is a common move (too common in my > opinion!) > > > > Alan’s example of using a static post instead of a partner works the same > way. See how fast you can go and only use your muscles to keep your arm > shape unchanged. See how fast you can go with as little muscle as possible. > > > > The same principle applies in a circle. Just use your muscles to keep the > circle perfect. > > > > People talk about needing tension. They very rarely tell you how much > tension! The average dancer assumes that they mean a lot of tension. In > fact you should always go for the minimum tension needed to make the move > work. When I run Swing Variations Workshops I always start by getting > people to take a Ballroom-Hold; then I ask each dancer to tell their > partner about any points of pressure that they are feeling and I ask them > to relax. I often get comments on how useful that is; they didn’t realise >
[Callers] Re: Workshop activities for helping dancers improve their skills?
I am sorry, but I disagree with anything that says to put pressure into connection. Why would you need to push up or down when holding hands in a circle? Why would you need to pull in an Allemande? Hold your hand in space in the correct position for the move and support it there with your own muscles. Then connect with the other people. That’s all. You don’t need to pull or push in any direction to feel their hand and work together. When you start moving all you need to do is use your muscles to keep the connection the same. For an Allemande what you are fighting is centrifugal force, not your partner. As you speed up (by using your feet) then you apply just enough muscle to keep the W shape of your arms. If your hand moves towards your body you are leaning away or pulling too hard (which, sadly, at least 80% of contra dancers do!). If your hand moves away from your body you need to use your muscles to bring it back centrally. Unfortunately, as I mentioned, it is probably the other dancer pulling too hard so that you have no chance of keeping the nice W shape unless you pull even harder and it ends up as arm-wrestling instead of dancing. :-( All rotations should be a gentle counter-balance. Exercise: See how fast you can turn in an Allemande while keeping a perfect W shape with your arms. Always start with no resistance and only increase it by the minimum amount to keep the hands central against centrifugal force. Your key objective should be to get around once and a half in eight steps since Allemande 1.5 is a common move (too common in my opinion!) Alan’s example of using a static post instead of a partner works the same way. See how fast you can go and only use your muscles to keep your arm shape unchanged. See how fast you can go with as little muscle as possible. The same principle applies in a circle. Just use your muscles to keep the circle perfect. People talk about needing tension. They very rarely tell you how much tension! The average dancer assumes that they mean a lot of tension. In fact you should always go for the minimum tension needed to make the move work. When I run Swing Variations Workshops I always start by getting people to take a Ballroom-Hold; then I ask each dancer to tell their partner about any points of pressure that they are feeling and I ask them to relax. I often get comments on how useful that is; they didn’t realise that they were pressing/pulling/hanging/etc. You may find this article useful: Tension Is Your Enemy! http://modernjive.com/history/tension.html Although it is about a different dance genre, the basic principles still apply. It is especially relevant if you want to improve your flourishes, such as the twirls in a Ladies’ Chain. Remember, as one great teacher taught me, “it’s not my job to drag your ass across the floor”. Everyone is responsible for executing the move themselves – connection just helps. An early Circle Mixer in an evening is a great way of letting all the new people experience doing lots of moves with lots of different dancers so that they can feel what is good and what is not. Anyway, that’s what I think! I hope some of it helps. Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England j...@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent ___ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
