Sorry - I did not mean to hijack this thread with discussion of gypsies - just found it curious that the term 'dance gypsy' was used in the subject line. I have not heard of anyone addressing that usage. Please return to the original discussion
Mac
On Monday, October 7, 2019, 02:46:21 PM CDT, Masha Goodman Crawford <mashagoodman(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
Becky - Excellent answer.
The first time I heard the term "gypsy" for the dance move, I happened to be living among Roma in Europe and was back in the states on a short visit.The part that seemed particularly offensive to me was that the move was taught with the emphasis on gazing flirtatiously into the other dancer's eyes - something that would have been absolutely taboo among the people I had been travelling with. I suppose the name came from someone's mental image of a Flamenco dancer circling, and some idea that Gypsy = Flamenco? who knows. I discovered, much to my dismay, that many of my well-educated American friends thought "Gypsies" were just a fictional group or general term for folks who travel, hence the "dance gypsy" slang. They are a proud and very real ethnic group with a centuries-old language, customs, and a long history of being marginalized and persecuted.In your mind, take any other group with a similar history, and substitute it: Would you teach dancers to do a "Xxx", and tell them that it means to behave a certain way with strangers? (Becky gave one good example, I can think of others as well.)Can we just DROP the term "gypsy" altogether, please?- Masha(dancing and calling since 1978)
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Hi Shared Weight organizers,
A quick email about CDSS resources for organizers!
The Fall 2019 issue of Shop Talk marks the first anniversary of CDSS's free
e-newsletter for organizers of traditional dance, music, and song.
The issue includes highlights from this past year. Check it out here:
https://conta.cc/357h9yI
You can check out past Shop Talk issues and sign up to receive future
issues (FREE) here:
https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers#shop-talk
Also in 2018, we launched an Organizers Resource Portal which contains as
many of the best resources for organizers as we could find. You can check
out the portal here: https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers
We’re currently working on expanding the portal to include resources for
callers, dance musicians, song leaders, and more. We’ll be announcing the
launch of those resources through Shop Talk sometime later this fall or
early winter.
Feel free to pass this information onto other organizers in your area if
you think they might be interested.
Thanks!
Emily Addison
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At our last contra dance this past Saturday (Playing with Fyre &
Charlotte Crittenden)
we had two adult couples who came to the dance because their teen
children had
been attending and their children (and their teen friends) were so
juiced by our contra dance
that their parents chose to check it out. That makes me happy!
For those of you who have transitioned to ungendered dances, was the transition slow or was it abrupt? Was a vote held by the membership or by the dance committee. Did you experience an increase in attendance or a decrease. We’re the changes due to new dancers coming, members returning or leaving. Any information on the transition would be appreciated.
Thank you
Stan Prince
Tampa Friends of Old~Time Dance, Inc.
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Jack makes a good point - not all crooked tunes are crooked in the same way - so unless you can get the tune structure ahead of time and then look for a dance it won't mess up too bad this will be a difficult thing to do
Mac McKeever
On Thursday, June 27, 2019, 10:56:17 AM CDT, Jack Mitchell <jmitchell.nc(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I once worked with a band that had some crooked Quebecois tunes that they wanted to do. One was A-A-B-0.5B -- so the last phrase was half length. I found a dance that had something that didn't move the dancers anywhere -- long lines, circle L 1x, etc -- in the right place and just removed that from the dance. They also had the crooked version of Fleur de Madrigore which has an extra bar at the end of the A2. I did that with a dance that was not written for crooked tunes, but has an extra allemande 1/2 right there that people are always late finishing. With that tune, the dancers were right on time and everything worked. Beyond that, though, if you have a band that wants to do crooked tunes, learn a few visiting couple squares or southern patter squares that don't need to be right on the phrase and have them use those tunes for the squares.
On Thu, Jun 27, 2019 at 7:46 AM Mac Mckeever via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
There are a couple dances out there written for crooked tunes that are crooked in a specific way (often 2 extra bars in the B part). I tried one once and it just did not feel right. Running a swing longer is also awkward because crooked tunes feel (to the dancers) like the phrase will end at the normal time an then it doesn't - so some will try to move on too early.
Explain this to the band - there are so many great old time tunes that are not crooked.
Mac McKeever
On Thursday, June 27, 2019, 05:46:39 AM CDT, Karlsruhe Contra Dance via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Hi List,
first, thanks for all of your good input about my 'swing workshop' brainstorm. Have taken note and will definitely use some of your ideas.
My next question is perhaps less of an organizational question and more of a calling question. I hope it is still appropriate here. Do you know of any callers/bands who will play/call to crooked tunes. I have some old-time musicians who like to play for me but don't seem to understand why I insist on them playing straight tunes... (you would be correct in assuming that they are not dancers). Also, it has started to make me feel like a party pooper because they loooove their crooked tunes and want to play them.
I have stayed firm, but I wonder if there is a way I could humor them. I mean, if the swing corresponds to the crooked part, the swing just goes a bit longer, but eee. As a dancer, I just can't image it working. Or maybe I have danced to crooked tunes without even knowing it... Does anyone do this?
thanks,Rebecca Sass
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Hi List,
first, thanks for all of your good input about my 'swing workshop' brainstorm. Have taken note and will definitely use some of your ideas.
My next question is perhaps less of an organizational question and more of a calling question. I hope it is still appropriate here. Do you know of any callers/bands who will play/call to crooked tunes. I have some old-time musicians who like to play for me but don't seem to understand why I insist on them playing straight tunes... (you would be correct in assuming that they are not dancers). Also, it has started to make me feel like a party pooper because they loooove their crooked tunes and want to play them.
I have stayed firm, but I wonder if there is a way I could humor them. I mean, if the swing corresponds to the crooked part, the swing just goes a bit longer, but eee. As a dancer, I just can't image it working. Or maybe I have danced to crooked tunes without even knowing it... Does anyone do this?
thanks,
Rebecca Sass
Hi All,
I am enjoying this dialogue. And here is a note about the side slipping step:A while ago, I attempted to show an elderly dancer the "correct" footwork, i.e walking *forward* during swing,
rather than the awkward side-slip-backwards kind of thing she was doing.She kindly let me know that her way does not aggravate her hip.Not sure how, but it's her body and she knows it better than I do.
Just reminding people that when teaching, be careful to add -
"if it hurts someone else OR YOURSELF, it is probably not a good thing for you to be doing,even if I say it is the *right* way. "
Bob Fabinski
-----Original Message-----
From: Read Weaver via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sun, Jun 23, 2019 8:48 pm
Subject: Re: [Organizers] Tips for a swing workshop
I think this is quite good, though I’d add that it’s useful to specify some things not to do, because I’ve danced with experienced dancers who clearly think you should give weight by clamping your partner’s arm, or that you should lean your torso back or to the side. And since they probably think they don’t have to listen, it may require emphasizing “even some experienced dancers do this, but…”.
Also, it’s tempting when showing what not to do to exaggerate it, so people can see what you’re talking about. But when you do that, people think you mean “don’t do it in this exaggerated way” rather than “don’t do it at all."
Slightly more advanced (because not necessary, though easy) is to show people that you can walk in a swing just as well as buzzstep. And I think it’s likely worth talking about how to decline a twirl, and that it’s always fine for either partner to do so.
Consider discussing buzzstep vs slipping step, depending on what you’re seeing on the floor—there’s a local dance where there are several experienced dancers who do a slipping step, because no one at that dance has made a point to teach otherwise. It’s pretty easy to never change it, if you’re never taught otherwise, since it’s in the same double-step rhythm as a buzzstep (and why wouldn’t you lead with your left foot if you’re going clockwise? easy enough to see how the mistake happens).
Read WeaverJamaica Plain, MAhttp://lcfd.org
On Jun 19, 2019, at 1:59 PM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I’d suggest taking a moment in the evening dance after the 4th dance to go over swing technique. Explain where we want both flat hands (on correct shoulder blades as heights allow), squarish torsos, toes pointed in the direction you wish to walk, lots of connection on the rounded end (no gaps between those arms), rounded frames with space between the two people. Encourage and demonstrate feedback. “Higher hand please, I’d like less/more weight please,” “ask for what you need to make the swing feel good for you” Have them try the swing from both sides so they understand how symmetrical the connection is. No one role is responsible for all the weight. They age equally responsible.
Good luck!
A
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 19, 2019, at 2:20 AM, Karlsruhe Contra Dance via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
HI Larry,
By "proper" I mean something more focused than a beginner workshop. Something you would not do during a normal weekly dance. But might have time to offer during a special weekend, for example. I do teach the swing in my beginner workshop, but just to help them get by in the dance. And to be honest, it's not the true beginners I am needing to help. If they have only experienced my teaching of the swing, they generally do fine. I have a number of dancers who have come from another dance group and have never been taught how to swing well, but don't consider themselves beginners - and they aren't. They also generally come after the beginner workshop. They know figures. They are experienced at what they do. They have just never learned the importance of, and how to really share a swing.
I don't want to be condescending to them, that's why I was thinking of trying to sell it as a workshop to improve your swing or be more creative with your swing.
Hope that helps.
From: Organizers <organizers-bounces+karlsruhecontradance=hotmail.com(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2019 11:39:24 PM
To: Larry Koplik; organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Organizers] Tips for a swing workshop What is a “proper” workshop? A beginner workshop?
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 18, 2019, at 5:31 PM, Larry Koplik via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Here's a video that Princeton Country Dancers created
about the buzz step swing that might be helpful.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaVSVtPRwlA
Larry Koplik
On 6/18/2019 4:01 PM, Karlsruhe Contra Dance via Organizers wrote:
HI all,
I know, we learn to swing by swinging with other experienced dancers. But my problem is a lack of experienced dancers.
I would love to help my dancers get a bit more out of their swings the next time I have the chance to offer a proper workshop (other than "the basics") There is potential there.
I was thinking of possibly selling it as "swings and swing flourishes" - but based on the level, the flourishes won't have to be terribly creative.
I have never participated in a workshop of this type. Can any of you point me to some resources or tell me about experiences that you have had? Or other ideas?
Thanks!
Rebecca in Karlsruhe, D.
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HI all,
I know, we learn to swing by swinging with other experienced dancers. But my problem is a lack of experienced dancers.
I would love to help my dancers get a bit more out of their swings the next time I have the chance to offer a proper workshop (other than "the basics") There is potential there.
I was thinking of possibly selling it as "swings and swing flourishes" - but based on the level, the flourishes won't have to be terribly creative.
I have never participated in a workshop of this type. Can any of you point me to some resources or tell me about experiences that you have had? Or other ideas?
Thanks!
Rebecca in Karlsruhe, D.
