04 December 2011
Samena Squares Newsletter #12
12/08/2011
Dear Friends,
Good class Thursday night! It was great to see many of you at the dance on Friday too! Good dancing!
We didn’t actually learn TOO many NEW calls this week. We spent a lot of time reviewing and practicing circulates, trades, and run. (I have included their definitions below if you need to review them.)
Larry shared a different way to think of how to circulate: think of bases (as in baseball). When you circulate, you move to the next base.
You have to find the image that works for you. It could be moving to the next base. It could be moving to the next corner of the box. It could be moving to the footsteps of the person in front of you on the circulate path.
As I said in class, there are lots of things that you need to be aware of while you are dancing. When you were first learning to drive, you thought that you would never be able to do it because there was so much to keep track of (gas pedal, brake pedal, watching the road in front of you, the side of the road, behind you, other traffic, and all those mirrors too). But now you drive and all that watching and paying attention to what is happening on the road and with the other cars comes automatically. You learned your driving skills with lots of practice over time. Dancing awareness happens the same way, with lots of practice over time. There is a saying “the more you dance the better you feel.” It is also true to say “the more you dance the better you dance.”
In square dancing you need to know who your (original) partner is; what position you are in the square (1, 2, 3, or 4); who’s your corner; and who’s your opposite. Example: if you are Man #1 – who is the Man in the couple opposite you? The answer is Man #3. That’s before we ever start dancing. Once the dancing starts, you still need to know who your (current) partner is. You don’t need to worry about your corner other than to be able to recognize them when the caller says Allemande Left. You do need to know where you are in the formation (circle, line, wave, star, thar star, column, box). You know that by touching hands after every call and looking. Example: we are in lines facing; if you are holding hands with two people you are in the Center of the line. If you are holding hands with one person you are at the End of the line.
Watch the videos. Pick one person to follow and see who they are partnered with and where they are in the formations. Come to class with questions or places that need clarification.
Quick reminders – Thursday, December 15, will be our last class before Christmas. No class on December 22. There will be a workshop on Thursday, December 29, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Happy dancing,
Susan
PS We missed you at the dance, Susie. Hope you are well!
Week #12
21. e. Split/Box Circulate: The formations divide into two separate boxes; dancers circulate to the next position on the circulating path in their foursome. SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
51. Ferris Wheel: From a Two Faced Line; The couples facing IN step straight forward till the centers can touch adjacent hands (forms a new two-faced line in the center) then they do half of a Couples Trade and Bend The Line to face the adjacent couple. The OUT-FACING couple (with an imaginary adjacent couple) does half of a Couples Trade and the Bends to face the Center of the set. FERRIS WHEEL – 6 steps.
Reminder of Circulates, Trades and Run definitions:
21. Circulate Family:
21. a. Named Dancers Circulate: Named dancers can be boys, girls, centers or ends. The indicated (active) dancers move along the circulate path to the next position. NAMED DANCERS CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. b. Couples Circulate: As a couple move to the next couples place in the square; if you are looking at someone’s back step straight ahead; if you are looking out of the square as a couple move around the corner to the place of the next couple. COUPLES CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. c. All 8 Circulate: As an individual dancer move to the next position on your circulating path. For example, if you are a center in an ocean wave, you remain a center. If you are the end in an ocean wave, you remain an end. ALL 8 CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. d. Single File Circulate: In a column, each dancer moves to the next spot on the circulating path. SINGLE FILE CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. e. Split/Box Circulate: The formations divide into two separate boxes; dancers circulate to the next position on the circulating path in their foursome. (This one needs a picture.) SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE – 4 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.
36 c. Partner: Directed dancers change places with their partner. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. PARTNER – 4 steps;
40 a. Run: Boys, Girls, Ends, Centers: Designated dancers move forward and around another dancer as directed. This always results in a change of facing direction (180 degrees for the runner). The person being run around (runee) slides sideways to the vacated spot of the runner. BOYS, GIRLS, ENDS, CENTERS RUN – 4 steps.
Good class Thursday night! It was great to see many of you at the dance on Friday too! Good dancing!
We didn’t actually learn TOO many NEW calls this week. We spent a lot of time reviewing and practicing circulates, trades, and run. (I have included their definitions below if you need to review them.)
Larry shared a different way to think of how to circulate: think of bases (as in baseball). When you circulate, you move to the next base.
You have to find the image that works for you. It could be moving to the next base. It could be moving to the next corner of the box. It could be moving to the footsteps of the person in front of you on the circulate path.
As I said in class, there are lots of things that you need to be aware of while you are dancing. When you were first learning to drive, you thought that you would never be able to do it because there was so much to keep track of (gas pedal, brake pedal, watching the road in front of you, the side of the road, behind you, other traffic, and all those mirrors too). But now you drive and all that watching and paying attention to what is happening on the road and with the other cars comes automatically. You learned your driving skills with lots of practice over time. Dancing awareness happens the same way, with lots of practice over time. There is a saying “the more you dance the better you feel.” It is also true to say “the more you dance the better you dance.”
In square dancing you need to know who your (original) partner is; what position you are in the square (1, 2, 3, or 4); who’s your corner; and who’s your opposite. Example: if you are Man #1 – who is the Man in the couple opposite you? The answer is Man #3. That’s before we ever start dancing. Once the dancing starts, you still need to know who your (current) partner is. You don’t need to worry about your corner other than to be able to recognize them when the caller says Allemande Left. You do need to know where you are in the formation (circle, line, wave, star, thar star, column, box). You know that by touching hands after every call and looking. Example: we are in lines facing; if you are holding hands with two people you are in the Center of the line. If you are holding hands with one person you are at the End of the line.
Watch the videos. Pick one person to follow and see who they are partnered with and where they are in the formations. Come to class with questions or places that need clarification.
Quick reminders – Thursday, December 15, will be our last class before Christmas. No class on December 22. There will be a workshop on Thursday, December 29, 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Happy dancing,
Susan
PS We missed you at the dance, Susie. Hope you are well!
Week #12
21. e. Split/Box Circulate: The formations divide into two separate boxes; dancers circulate to the next position on the circulating path in their foursome. SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
51. Ferris Wheel: From a Two Faced Line; The couples facing IN step straight forward till the centers can touch adjacent hands (forms a new two-faced line in the center) then they do half of a Couples Trade and Bend The Line to face the adjacent couple. The OUT-FACING couple (with an imaginary adjacent couple) does half of a Couples Trade and the Bends to face the Center of the set. FERRIS WHEEL – 6 steps.
Reminder of Circulates, Trades and Run definitions:
21. Circulate Family:
21. a. Named Dancers Circulate: Named dancers can be boys, girls, centers or ends. The indicated (active) dancers move along the circulate path to the next position. NAMED DANCERS CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. b. Couples Circulate: As a couple move to the next couples place in the square; if you are looking at someone’s back step straight ahead; if you are looking out of the square as a couple move around the corner to the place of the next couple. COUPLES CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. c. All 8 Circulate: As an individual dancer move to the next position on your circulating path. For example, if you are a center in an ocean wave, you remain a center. If you are the end in an ocean wave, you remain an end. ALL 8 CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. d. Single File Circulate: In a column, each dancer moves to the next spot on the circulating path. SINGLE FILE CIRCULATE – 4 steps.
21. e. Split/Box Circulate: The formations divide into two separate boxes; dancers circulate to the next position on the circulating path in their foursome. (This one needs a picture.) SPLIT/BOX CIRCULATE – 4 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.
36 c. Partner: Directed dancers change places with their partner. Every TRADE includes a reversal of facing direction. PARTNER – 4 steps;
40 a. Run: Boys, Girls, Ends, Centers: Designated dancers move forward and around another dancer as directed. This always results in a change of facing direction (180 degrees for the runner). The person being run around (runee) slides sideways to the vacated spot of the runner. BOYS, GIRLS, ENDS, CENTERS RUN – 4 steps.