Monday 11 June 2012

June 21st

We WILL meet on June 21st.
No time for new tunes, we will repeat those we've played before.

Friday 8 June 2012

June meeting

Still no news about the date. We will only meet if we can have June 21st.

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Write a Dance

I was running a workshop at Chester Festival. At the workshop we talked about various aspects of dancing, calling and dance writing. We tried out some fragments of dances and one complete new dance. Here it is 
         
           Reconciliation
Chorus
   A1 Circle left, circle right
  A2 Circle right circle left
Head couples start most figures by facing couple on the right to form diagonal lines. Chains etc. are half way.
Figure 1 (Lady strays)
B1 Ladies chain half way man turns lady enough (three quarters or one and a quarter) to face on the other diagonal. Ladies chain again and face on the original diagonal.
B2  Repeat. (The ladies have visited each man and are back with partner)
Chorus A1 & A2 Circle left, right, right and left.
Figure 2 (Man strays)
B1& B2 Flutter wheel with couple on first diagonal, * finish this with new man facing on the other diagonal.  After 3 more flutter wheels men are home with partner having visited all the ladies.
Chorus A1 & A2 Circle left, right, right and left. Face partner.
Figure 3 (both go their own way)
B1 & B2 Grand chain all the way, when you meet partner in own place there should be time for a quick swing.
Chorus A1 & A2 Circle left, right, right and left.
Figure 4 (reconciliation)
B1 Right and left through on first diagonal, courtesy turn your partner to face on other diagonal, right and left through.
B2 repeat to home place.

Flutter Wheel

A less common American dance term. It is similar to a half ladies chain, but swaps the men instead of swapping the women. Starting from two facing couples the women do a half right hand turn, and then complete the turn after collecting the other man's right hand in their left. The men have to start moving before they get collected so the women can keep moving smoothly to do a full right hand turn.

Saturday 2 June 2012

June causes problems this year too

After much dithering I thought it might be a good idea to meet in June. But the Deaf Centre can not let me know if the room is available till after the Bank Holiday.
Watch this space.