17 November 2013
Samena Squares Lesson #10
11/21/2013
Dear Friends,
I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Are you ready for Thanksgiving?
Great dancing Thursday night! We missed you, Denny!
I want to talk a bit about keeping your squares compact. When there is lots of room on the floor it is very easy for squares to get too big. Big squares cause problems. You have to take more steps to complete any move. That can result in your feeling like you are running all night instead of dancing. Or your square can just get behind which frequently results in the square breaking down.
Counter dancing is one way to keep the square a reasonable size. What do I mean by that? Adjusting the size of the square while you are dancing. One of the most obvious examples is when the Heads Promenade Halfway, the Sides step into the middle momentarily to give them room to pass by then the Sides step back again. Another way is when you are promenading. If the Boys make sure that their left shoulders are close together the square stays the right size. The Samenas like to play the game of all the Boys having their left elbows close together when they promenade. As we learn more calls, we will explore this.
Thursday night we talked about our dancing schedule for the next few weeks. The night in question is Thursday, December 26. There are several choices:
Two dates that need to be on your calendar:
Thursday, November 28: NO CLASS. Have another piece of pumpkin pie and relax!
Friday, December 27: Jingle Bell Rock Level Dance at the Samena Squares, squares 8 – 10:30 p.m. Ray Gallagher, calling and John Neverdowski, cueing.
Have a great Thanksgiving! If you are traveling be safe! See you December 5!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #10:
13. Separate Family:
13. Separate: Active couple turn your back on your partner and move away from each other around the set and around as many people as directed by the caller. SEPARATE – 2 + steps, determined by the distance traveled.
13 a. Around 1 or 2 To A Line: Move around the number of dancers indicated by the call and stop to make lines, usually of 4 dancers. AROUND 1 TO A LINE – 8 steps, AROUND 2 TO A LINE – 10 steps.
13 b. Around 1 or 2 Into The Middle: Move around the number of dancers indicated by the caller and step into the middle of the square. AROUND 1 INTO THE MIDDLE – 8 steps; AROUND 2 INTO THE MIDDLE – 12 steps.
14. Split Two: Designated or active dancers go as a couple between the two dancers in front of you and carryout next call. The other dancers or inactive dancers slide apart to let them through and then slide back together. SPLIT TWO – 2 + the next call.
17. Do Paso: Turn partner by the left arm (let go) and corner by the right arm, (let go), COURTESY TURN partner to end at home or promenade. Can end in any other formation with a left arm turn like ALLEMANDE THAR. DO PASO – from start to finish of COURTESY TURN 12 steps.
32. Thar Family
32 a. Allemande Thar: At the end of any left arm turn the centers or designated dancers form a right hand star by joining hands on wrists (fireman’s carry) to form a back-up Star. ALLEMANDE THAR – this is a formation.
32 b. Allemande Left to an Allemande Thar: Go right and left and the four boys Star. After the ALLEMANDE LEFT you give a Right hand to your partner and pull her by, take the next with a Left forearm grip and turning about half the four boys make a Thar Star (boys backing up and girls walking forward). ALLEMANDE THAR – to back up star 12 steps.
34 a. Shoot The Star: The same as ALLEMANDE LEFT using the existing forearm grip. Turn half and on to the next call SHOOT THE STAR – 4 steps.
38 a. Alamo Ring: A circle of 8 dancers forming an OCEAN WAVE. Dancers have alternating facing directions (in, out, in, out, etc.) ALAMO RING – this is a formation.
38 b. Alamo Ring – Balance: In an Alamo Ring step forward a small step then step back. ALAMO RING – BALANCE – 4 steps.
I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Are you ready for Thanksgiving?
Great dancing Thursday night! We missed you, Denny!
I want to talk a bit about keeping your squares compact. When there is lots of room on the floor it is very easy for squares to get too big. Big squares cause problems. You have to take more steps to complete any move. That can result in your feeling like you are running all night instead of dancing. Or your square can just get behind which frequently results in the square breaking down.
Counter dancing is one way to keep the square a reasonable size. What do I mean by that? Adjusting the size of the square while you are dancing. One of the most obvious examples is when the Heads Promenade Halfway, the Sides step into the middle momentarily to give them room to pass by then the Sides step back again. Another way is when you are promenading. If the Boys make sure that their left shoulders are close together the square stays the right size. The Samenas like to play the game of all the Boys having their left elbows close together when they promenade. As we learn more calls, we will explore this.
Thursday night we talked about our dancing schedule for the next few weeks. The night in question is Thursday, December 26. There are several choices:
Two dates that need to be on your calendar:
Thursday, November 28: NO CLASS. Have another piece of pumpkin pie and relax!
Friday, December 27: Jingle Bell Rock Level Dance at the Samena Squares, squares 8 – 10:30 p.m. Ray Gallagher, calling and John Neverdowski, cueing.
Have a great Thanksgiving! If you are traveling be safe! See you December 5!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #10:
13. Separate Family:
13. Separate: Active couple turn your back on your partner and move away from each other around the set and around as many people as directed by the caller. SEPARATE – 2 + steps, determined by the distance traveled.
13 a. Around 1 or 2 To A Line: Move around the number of dancers indicated by the call and stop to make lines, usually of 4 dancers. AROUND 1 TO A LINE – 8 steps, AROUND 2 TO A LINE – 10 steps.
13 b. Around 1 or 2 Into The Middle: Move around the number of dancers indicated by the caller and step into the middle of the square. AROUND 1 INTO THE MIDDLE – 8 steps; AROUND 2 INTO THE MIDDLE – 12 steps.
14. Split Two: Designated or active dancers go as a couple between the two dancers in front of you and carryout next call. The other dancers or inactive dancers slide apart to let them through and then slide back together. SPLIT TWO – 2 + the next call.
17. Do Paso: Turn partner by the left arm (let go) and corner by the right arm, (let go), COURTESY TURN partner to end at home or promenade. Can end in any other formation with a left arm turn like ALLEMANDE THAR. DO PASO – from start to finish of COURTESY TURN 12 steps.
32. Thar Family
32 a. Allemande Thar: At the end of any left arm turn the centers or designated dancers form a right hand star by joining hands on wrists (fireman’s carry) to form a back-up Star. ALLEMANDE THAR – this is a formation.
32 b. Allemande Left to an Allemande Thar: Go right and left and the four boys Star. After the ALLEMANDE LEFT you give a Right hand to your partner and pull her by, take the next with a Left forearm grip and turning about half the four boys make a Thar Star (boys backing up and girls walking forward). ALLEMANDE THAR – to back up star 12 steps.
34 a. Shoot The Star: The same as ALLEMANDE LEFT using the existing forearm grip. Turn half and on to the next call SHOOT THE STAR – 4 steps.
38 a. Alamo Ring: A circle of 8 dancers forming an OCEAN WAVE. Dancers have alternating facing directions (in, out, in, out, etc.) ALAMO RING – this is a formation.
38 b. Alamo Ring – Balance: In an Alamo Ring step forward a small step then step back. ALAMO RING – BALANCE – 4 steps.