Happy Hoppers Newsletter #6
10/17/2011
From Steve and Susan:
Great dancing Monday night! We covered lots of material.
This week I want to talk a little bit about counter dancing or what to do if you are not one of the active couples. One of the first weeks of class, Steve and I called “Heads Promenade Half Way” which made the Heads the active couple. The Sides, as the inactive couples, had to move to the center of the square in order to give the Heads room to promenade halfway around. The Sides were doing counter dancing.
Monday night Steve introduced Separate and Separate Around 1 Into The Middle. This is another move where the inactive (the ones not doing the call) couple needs to do some counter dancing. If the Heads are doing the call, the Side couples need to slide apart and let the Heads into the middle of the square. Then the Sides need to slide back together. Think: walking into the grocery store – the door slides open, you walk in, the door slides closed behind you.
When you are not the active dancer you need to be awake and alert and listening because the active dancers are going to be coming to you in just a few seconds. The caller will say something and you will need to respond. An example is Sides Square Thru 4. The Heads are therefore inactive. However, in just 10 steps or about 5 seconds the Sides will be standing in front of you ready to do the next call whatever it is, Star Thru, for example.
Upcoming Student Level Dances:
Friday, October 28: Super Heroes and Villains Student Level Dance, Calls 1-30, Samena Squares, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., Susan Morris, calling; Juanita Community Club, 13027 100th Ave NE, Kirkland. Costumes encouraged but not required.
Sunday, October 30: Happy Halloween Level Dance, Freewheelers, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., Dennis Webb, calling, Janolyn Keller, cueing; Lake City Community Club, 12531 28th Ave NE, Seattle. Costume contest and recycled clothing sale.
Friday, November 4: First Friday Fun Fest, Whirlybirds, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., Dave Harry, calling; The Hayloft, 15320 35th Ave W, Lynnwood. This dance happens the first Friday of every month through June.
Saturday, November 5: Limited Edition Dance**, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., Dave Harry, calling; The Hayloft, 15320 35th Ave W, Lynnwood. This dance happens the first Saturday of every month through June.
**The Limited Edition Dance is a specific list of calls. It will be the same list every month. Steve and I are planning our lessons so that you will be able to go to the November dance. We will let you know for sure on Monday, October 31.
Happy dancing,
Susan and Steve
PS Don’t forget that if you miss a class, have questions, or would just like to have another walk through, come early next week. We are set up and ready to go by 6:45 p.m.
Week #6:
7. Arm Turns: Turn designated dancer by the indicated arm to next call; let go. The turn is 180 to 360 degrees. ARM TURNS – same as ALLEMANDE LEFT.
12. Turn Back Family:
12 b. Backtrack: Designated dancers roll out (away from center) and walk around the set in opposite direction until next call; the others continue in the direction they were going. BACKTRACK – 2 steps.
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 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.
16. Ladies Chain Family:
16 b. Two & Four Ladies Chain 3/4: Same as above except the turn is 3/4. Can be called with other fractions. TWO & FOUR LADIES CHAIN 3/4 – 10 steps.
28 a. Square Thru, 1-4: Starting position is any two couples (BG, GB, GG, BB) facing each other; start with right hand walk by and turn one quarter in (toward center of foursome); left hand walk by and turn one quarter in; continue the given number of hands until the last one; last hand walk straight ahead; there is no turn. SQUARE THRU, 1-4 – 4 dancers full around – 10 steps.
36. Trade Family:
36 a. Trades: Boys, Girls, Ends, Centers: Directed dancers change places with the identified person. The person you are trading with may be next to you or somewhere in your line. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. If you meet someone pass right shoulders. BOYS, GIRLS, ENDS, CENTERS – 4 steps;
36 b. Couples: Directed couples change places with the other couple. You may be facing opposite directions or you may be facing the same direction. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. COUPLES – 6 steps.
Great dancing Monday night! We covered lots of material.
This week I want to talk a little bit about counter dancing or what to do if you are not one of the active couples. One of the first weeks of class, Steve and I called “Heads Promenade Half Way” which made the Heads the active couple. The Sides, as the inactive couples, had to move to the center of the square in order to give the Heads room to promenade halfway around. The Sides were doing counter dancing.
Monday night Steve introduced Separate and Separate Around 1 Into The Middle. This is another move where the inactive (the ones not doing the call) couple needs to do some counter dancing. If the Heads are doing the call, the Side couples need to slide apart and let the Heads into the middle of the square. Then the Sides need to slide back together. Think: walking into the grocery store – the door slides open, you walk in, the door slides closed behind you.
When you are not the active dancer you need to be awake and alert and listening because the active dancers are going to be coming to you in just a few seconds. The caller will say something and you will need to respond. An example is Sides Square Thru 4. The Heads are therefore inactive. However, in just 10 steps or about 5 seconds the Sides will be standing in front of you ready to do the next call whatever it is, Star Thru, for example.
Upcoming Student Level Dances:
Friday, October 28: Super Heroes and Villains Student Level Dance, Calls 1-30, Samena Squares, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., Susan Morris, calling; Juanita Community Club, 13027 100th Ave NE, Kirkland. Costumes encouraged but not required.
Sunday, October 30: Happy Halloween Level Dance, Freewheelers, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m., Dennis Webb, calling, Janolyn Keller, cueing; Lake City Community Club, 12531 28th Ave NE, Seattle. Costume contest and recycled clothing sale.
Friday, November 4: First Friday Fun Fest, Whirlybirds, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., Dave Harry, calling; The Hayloft, 15320 35th Ave W, Lynnwood. This dance happens the first Friday of every month through June.
Saturday, November 5: Limited Edition Dance**, 7:30 – 10:30 p.m., Dave Harry, calling; The Hayloft, 15320 35th Ave W, Lynnwood. This dance happens the first Saturday of every month through June.
**The Limited Edition Dance is a specific list of calls. It will be the same list every month. Steve and I are planning our lessons so that you will be able to go to the November dance. We will let you know for sure on Monday, October 31.
Happy dancing,
Susan and Steve
PS Don’t forget that if you miss a class, have questions, or would just like to have another walk through, come early next week. We are set up and ready to go by 6:45 p.m.
Week #6:
7. Arm Turns: Turn designated dancer by the indicated arm to next call; let go. The turn is 180 to 360 degrees. ARM TURNS – same as ALLEMANDE LEFT.
12. Turn Back Family:
12 b. Backtrack: Designated dancers roll out (away from center) and walk around the set in opposite direction until next call; the others continue in the direction they were going. BACKTRACK – 2 steps.
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 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.
16. Ladies Chain Family:
16 b. Two & Four Ladies Chain 3/4: Same as above except the turn is 3/4. Can be called with other fractions. TWO & FOUR LADIES CHAIN 3/4 – 10 steps.
28 a. Square Thru, 1-4: Starting position is any two couples (BG, GB, GG, BB) facing each other; start with right hand walk by and turn one quarter in (toward center of foursome); left hand walk by and turn one quarter in; continue the given number of hands until the last one; last hand walk straight ahead; there is no turn. SQUARE THRU, 1-4 – 4 dancers full around – 10 steps.
36. Trade Family:
36 a. Trades: Boys, Girls, Ends, Centers: Directed dancers change places with the identified person. The person you are trading with may be next to you or somewhere in your line. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. If you meet someone pass right shoulders. BOYS, GIRLS, ENDS, CENTERS – 4 steps;
36 b. Couples: Directed couples change places with the other couple. You may be facing opposite directions or you may be facing the same direction. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. COUPLES – 6 steps.