06 January 2019
Samena Squares Newsletter #15
01/10/2019
Dear Friends,
It was a good class Thursday night. We eventually got four squares. Once again, we were missing Susanne, who has been on the sick list for a couple of weeks.
I want to mention once again, handholds. We went to the Samena Squares dance on Friday night. As I danced with several different members of the club I was sad to see how many had very strong handholds, used a pulling action on calls like Right and Left Thru, and how many Courtesy Turn handholds felt like handshakes.
Handshake hold: this is used in calls like Right and Left Grand, Wrong Way Grand, Square Thru, and the first part of Right and Left Thru to name a few. There is NO SHAKE involved. There is NO PULLING involved. A dancer’s hand is perpendicular to the floor. They touch palms with the oncoming dancer. They walk by each other and by the time their shoulders are adjacent they have let go in anticipation of the next handhold.
Courtesy Turn: the Left Hand part of this call is the problematic one. The Boy should be extending his left hand palm up. The Girl should be extending her left hand palm down. In essence the boy is offering a platform for the girl’s hand to escort her around to the correct facing direction.
If you have questions about this, please ask on Thursday night. We can review it in person. (If you think this doesn’t apply to you, please reconsider.)
The video of Circle 8 that we watched at the end of the evening is posted on the Samena Squares website. Jim has also posted the application form for the Mainstream weekend that I am calling on the website.
Have a great week! Enjoy the sunshine!
Happy dancing,
Susan
PS I would still like a square of Angels to stay after class for Susanne. Thanks in advance!
Week #15
Basic List
11. Half Sashay Family:
11 a. Half Sashay: Dancer on the right steps to their left; dancer on the left takes a small step backward slides behind the dancer on the right, step forward into the other dancer’s place. Dancers change places without ever changing their facing direction. HALF SASHAY – 4 steps.
17. Do Paso: Turn partner by the left arm (let go) and corner by the right arm, (let go), COURTESY TURN partner to end at home or promenade. Can end in any other formation with a left arm turn like ALLEMANDE THAR. DO PASO – from start to finish of COURTESY TURN 12 steps.
21. Circulate Family:
21. e. Box/Split 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.
Mainstream:
13. Slide Thru: With the dancer you are facing pass thru, Boys turn 1/4 right and Girls turn 1/4 left. ALWAYS! If a Boy is facing a Girl they end up as partners side by side. If a Boy is facing a Boy they end up holding right hands in a mini-wave. If a Girl is facing a Girl they end up holding left hands in a mini-wave. SLIDE THRU (box of 4 dancers) – 4 steps.
It was a good class Thursday night. We eventually got four squares. Once again, we were missing Susanne, who has been on the sick list for a couple of weeks.
I want to mention once again, handholds. We went to the Samena Squares dance on Friday night. As I danced with several different members of the club I was sad to see how many had very strong handholds, used a pulling action on calls like Right and Left Thru, and how many Courtesy Turn handholds felt like handshakes.
Handshake hold: this is used in calls like Right and Left Grand, Wrong Way Grand, Square Thru, and the first part of Right and Left Thru to name a few. There is NO SHAKE involved. There is NO PULLING involved. A dancer’s hand is perpendicular to the floor. They touch palms with the oncoming dancer. They walk by each other and by the time their shoulders are adjacent they have let go in anticipation of the next handhold.
Courtesy Turn: the Left Hand part of this call is the problematic one. The Boy should be extending his left hand palm up. The Girl should be extending her left hand palm down. In essence the boy is offering a platform for the girl’s hand to escort her around to the correct facing direction.
If you have questions about this, please ask on Thursday night. We can review it in person. (If you think this doesn’t apply to you, please reconsider.)
The video of Circle 8 that we watched at the end of the evening is posted on the Samena Squares website. Jim has also posted the application form for the Mainstream weekend that I am calling on the website.
Have a great week! Enjoy the sunshine!
Happy dancing,
Susan
PS I would still like a square of Angels to stay after class for Susanne. Thanks in advance!
Week #15
Basic List
11. Half Sashay Family:
11 a. Half Sashay: Dancer on the right steps to their left; dancer on the left takes a small step backward slides behind the dancer on the right, step forward into the other dancer’s place. Dancers change places without ever changing their facing direction. HALF SASHAY – 4 steps.
17. Do Paso: Turn partner by the left arm (let go) and corner by the right arm, (let go), COURTESY TURN partner to end at home or promenade. Can end in any other formation with a left arm turn like ALLEMANDE THAR. DO PASO – from start to finish of COURTESY TURN 12 steps.
21. Circulate Family:
21. e. Box/Split 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.
Mainstream:
13. Slide Thru: With the dancer you are facing pass thru, Boys turn 1/4 right and Girls turn 1/4 left. ALWAYS! If a Boy is facing a Girl they end up as partners side by side. If a Boy is facing a Boy they end up holding right hands in a mini-wave. If a Girl is facing a Girl they end up holding left hands in a mini-wave. SLIDE THRU (box of 4 dancers) – 4 steps.