Samena Squares Newsletter #9
11/10/2011
Dear Friends,
I hope you have all had a good weekend. It didn’t seem to be quite as rainy and blustery as anticipated. That weather will be coming in the next few weeks, I’m sure.
Great dancing Thursday night! It is a pleasure to see your confidence grow and the dancing smooth out.
I want to go over one of the things that I called last week when I called Swing Thru from facing couples. It falls under the following rule.
Facing Couples Rule
A few specific calls that are defined to start from an Ocean Wave are also proper starting from Facing Couples. The timing of the call does not change.
The one that we know at this point is Swing Thru. In this case, dancers first step into a momentary Right- Hand Ocean Wave and complete the call. In a few weeks we will be learning other calls that fall under this rule too. I will be sure to point them out to you.
The other night Larry and I were at a dance and a very experienced dancer started to Swing me when the call was actually Swing Thru. We have lots of calls that have Swing, Stars, and Thru as part of the name of the call. Take that extra second to listen to the whole command and then dance it. Don’t forget to touch hands too!
Also remember to complete one call before going on to the next one. I know that some of you were discussing that on Thursday. Callers often need to stack the calls. That’s where we give you two or three calls in a row without giving you time to complete one before the other. It happens most often in singing calls so we can actually sing some of the words of the song. You have to remember the calls and execute them in order. If you skip one or don’t complete one you will be in the wrong position for the next call. It takes time to get the hang of it but that is why we keep dancing.
I hope some of you were able to go to the Turkey Lurkey dance. I am looking forward to hearing all about it.
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #9
31. Wheel Around: Moving as a couple the left hand dancer backs up and the right hand dancer walks forward to face the opposite direction. WHEEL AROUND – 4 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.
33 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.
41. Pass The Ocean: Facing couples PASS THRU, Face your partner and Step to an OCEAN WAVE. PASS THE OCEAN – 4 steps.
42. Extend: From an OCEAN WAVE across the center of the square, those in the wave step straight ahead and form a new wave with the outside dancers. The centers (those in the original ocean wave) stay centers; those on the outside (ends) stay ends. For smooth dancing all dancers move forward half the distance toward those they are facing. EXTEND – 2 steps.
Next week: Slip the Clutch, Shoot the Star-Full, Box the Gnat, Trades - partner
I hope you have all had a good weekend. It didn’t seem to be quite as rainy and blustery as anticipated. That weather will be coming in the next few weeks, I’m sure.
Great dancing Thursday night! It is a pleasure to see your confidence grow and the dancing smooth out.
I want to go over one of the things that I called last week when I called Swing Thru from facing couples. It falls under the following rule.
Facing Couples Rule
A few specific calls that are defined to start from an Ocean Wave are also proper starting from Facing Couples. The timing of the call does not change.
The one that we know at this point is Swing Thru. In this case, dancers first step into a momentary Right- Hand Ocean Wave and complete the call. In a few weeks we will be learning other calls that fall under this rule too. I will be sure to point them out to you.
The other night Larry and I were at a dance and a very experienced dancer started to Swing me when the call was actually Swing Thru. We have lots of calls that have Swing, Stars, and Thru as part of the name of the call. Take that extra second to listen to the whole command and then dance it. Don’t forget to touch hands too!
Also remember to complete one call before going on to the next one. I know that some of you were discussing that on Thursday. Callers often need to stack the calls. That’s where we give you two or three calls in a row without giving you time to complete one before the other. It happens most often in singing calls so we can actually sing some of the words of the song. You have to remember the calls and execute them in order. If you skip one or don’t complete one you will be in the wrong position for the next call. It takes time to get the hang of it but that is why we keep dancing.
I hope some of you were able to go to the Turkey Lurkey dance. I am looking forward to hearing all about it.
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #9
31. Wheel Around: Moving as a couple the left hand dancer backs up and the right hand dancer walks forward to face the opposite direction. WHEEL AROUND – 4 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.
33 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.
41. Pass The Ocean: Facing couples PASS THRU, Face your partner and Step to an OCEAN WAVE. PASS THE OCEAN – 4 steps.
42. Extend: From an OCEAN WAVE across the center of the square, those in the wave step straight ahead and form a new wave with the outside dancers. The centers (those in the original ocean wave) stay centers; those on the outside (ends) stay ends. For smooth dancing all dancers move forward half the distance toward those they are facing. EXTEND – 2 steps.
Next week: Slip the Clutch, Shoot the Star-Full, Box the Gnat, Trades - partner