11 November 2018
Cascade Crossfires Newsletter #7
11/12/2018
Dear Friends,
I hope you have been having a good week as preparations and planning for Thanksgiving get in full swing. It was great to see another good crowd on Monday night.
Monday night we learned two of the longer calls in the Plus program, Tea Cup Chain and Relay the Deucey. Both require teamwork. Both use Basic and Mainstream calls that we have been dancing forever. Both, when danced successfully and in time with the music, are beautiful and fun to dance as one part flows into the next part.
For Tea Cup Chain, the two keys that will make it successful every time is, one, the Ladies starting the call with the correct hand. It is always the Right hand. And, two, the men being alert to which woman is coming toward him and refraining from using a Courtesy Turn until he has his own partner back. Tea Cup Chain takes 32 beats to dance. That is the same as Grand Square. Take the whole time. Like Grand Square, it is frequently rushed. There is no prize for finishing early. It can also take longer than 32 beats due to squares being allowed to get to big.
Relay the Deucey is a series of Trades or half turns, half-circulates, and a couple of Cast 3/4's. The challenge is that everyone is moving at the same time. Each part flows into the next. Those circulating around the outside can time their arrival at the next handhold to flow right into it. I also want to point out that nowhere in the definition does it mention Boys and Girls. There are Ends and Centers parts. If you don’t know which you are at any given moment of time, start paying attention at your Mainstream dances. I added italicized numbers in the Relay the Deucey for the arm turns and casts. Those that are half-circulating on and off the wave down the middle need to time their circulates to be in the correct place for the next part.
This Monday, Stephen Cole will be filling in for me. I have sent him the list of what we know and the list of what’s next on the list to learn. Have fun!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #7
2. Teacup Chain: Starting formation - Static Square, or proceeding from everyone doing a Left Arm Turn with partner.
The caller will specify two ladies to move to the center at the start of the call, e.g., "Head ladies center for a Teacup Chain". Ladies will work with the opposite lady for a series of ARM TURNS (forearm styling like ALLEMANDE LEFT) beginning with the Right arm. Ladies will alternate hands. Ladies will go to each man in promenade order. The call ends with a COURTESY TURN with your original partner to end at home. Men will let the Ladies dictate the arm used.
TEA CUP CHAIN – 32 steps
16. Relay The Deucey: Starting formation - Parallel Ocean Waves.
All Circulates in this definition refer to the Original Circulate path established by the ends of the original ocean waves. No dancer ever stops moving during this call; the pauses written into the definition (i.e., the action described as "half-circulate") are there for clarity of description and for teaching purposes only.
Each end and the adjacent center dancer turn one-half (180º) (1). The new centers of each ocean wave turn three-quarters (270º) (2), while the others half-circulate, forming a six-person wave and two lonesome dancers. The wave of six, working as 3 pairs, turns 1/2 (3), while the others half-circulate. In the wave, the center 4 turn 1/2 (4), while the other four dancers half-circulate. The wave of 6, again working as 3 pairs, turns 1/2 (5), while the others half-circulate. Finally, the center 4 of the wave turn 3/4 (becoming the centers of the new waves) (6), while the outside 4 half-circulate to become the ends of the final waves.
RELAY THE DEUCEY – 20 steps
I hope you have been having a good week as preparations and planning for Thanksgiving get in full swing. It was great to see another good crowd on Monday night.
Monday night we learned two of the longer calls in the Plus program, Tea Cup Chain and Relay the Deucey. Both require teamwork. Both use Basic and Mainstream calls that we have been dancing forever. Both, when danced successfully and in time with the music, are beautiful and fun to dance as one part flows into the next part.
For Tea Cup Chain, the two keys that will make it successful every time is, one, the Ladies starting the call with the correct hand. It is always the Right hand. And, two, the men being alert to which woman is coming toward him and refraining from using a Courtesy Turn until he has his own partner back. Tea Cup Chain takes 32 beats to dance. That is the same as Grand Square. Take the whole time. Like Grand Square, it is frequently rushed. There is no prize for finishing early. It can also take longer than 32 beats due to squares being allowed to get to big.
Relay the Deucey is a series of Trades or half turns, half-circulates, and a couple of Cast 3/4's. The challenge is that everyone is moving at the same time. Each part flows into the next. Those circulating around the outside can time their arrival at the next handhold to flow right into it. I also want to point out that nowhere in the definition does it mention Boys and Girls. There are Ends and Centers parts. If you don’t know which you are at any given moment of time, start paying attention at your Mainstream dances. I added italicized numbers in the Relay the Deucey for the arm turns and casts. Those that are half-circulating on and off the wave down the middle need to time their circulates to be in the correct place for the next part.
This Monday, Stephen Cole will be filling in for me. I have sent him the list of what we know and the list of what’s next on the list to learn. Have fun!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #7
2. Teacup Chain: Starting formation - Static Square, or proceeding from everyone doing a Left Arm Turn with partner.
The caller will specify two ladies to move to the center at the start of the call, e.g., "Head ladies center for a Teacup Chain". Ladies will work with the opposite lady for a series of ARM TURNS (forearm styling like ALLEMANDE LEFT) beginning with the Right arm. Ladies will alternate hands. Ladies will go to each man in promenade order. The call ends with a COURTESY TURN with your original partner to end at home. Men will let the Ladies dictate the arm used.
TEA CUP CHAIN – 32 steps
16. Relay The Deucey: Starting formation - Parallel Ocean Waves.
All Circulates in this definition refer to the Original Circulate path established by the ends of the original ocean waves. No dancer ever stops moving during this call; the pauses written into the definition (i.e., the action described as "half-circulate") are there for clarity of description and for teaching purposes only.
Each end and the adjacent center dancer turn one-half (180º) (1). The new centers of each ocean wave turn three-quarters (270º) (2), while the others half-circulate, forming a six-person wave and two lonesome dancers. The wave of six, working as 3 pairs, turns 1/2 (3), while the others half-circulate. In the wave, the center 4 turn 1/2 (4), while the other four dancers half-circulate. The wave of 6, again working as 3 pairs, turns 1/2 (5), while the others half-circulate. Finally, the center 4 of the wave turn 3/4 (becoming the centers of the new waves) (6), while the outside 4 half-circulate to become the ends of the final waves.
RELAY THE DEUCEY – 20 steps