10 February 2019
Samena Squares Newsletter #20
02/14/2019
Dear Friends,
Another week with class called on account of snow! I hope that you all survived the snow, ice, and melting slush unscathed. I’ve only heard of two injuries. Thank goodness! A square dance friend fell and broke his wrist needing surgery to get some plates and screws. My sister also fell and broke her elbow. Thankfully, she didn’t need surgery. She is finding out how hard it is to not use your right arm when you are right handed.
Mostly it has slowed us down to enjoy the beauty of where we live and rest some more. If you can’t go anywhere, a nap is always in order. It is either that or a couple more chapters in your current book.
How did my experiment go last week? I have no idea since we weren’t able to dance last Thursday. But I’m going to try it again. Below is the second rule. It is a bit harder to grasp so I gave you a step by step how to do it with one call.
I’m also going to include a couple of calls that have some variations. We already know how to do the basic calls so I hope that by reading about the variations, you will be able to dance them with little instruction.
Next Friday is the Samena Squares Tropical Getaway Dance that I have invited you to. You are still invited even though we haven’t quite finished learning all the calls. No one will know except you and me. I’m not telling. I hope you are planning to come.
Have a great rest of your weekend! See you next week!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #20
No moves taught as class was cancelled due to snow.
Ocean Wave Rule
Some calls that are defined to start from FACING COUPLES are also proper starting from a Right-Hand Ocean Wave. Examples include Right And Left Thru and Square Thru. In these cases, the dancers have already stepped forward toward the facing dancer and are ready to complete the remaining action of the directed call.
How does this work? Let’s use the example of Right and Left Thru. Here is a reminder of that definition: From facing couples, give a right hand to the opposite dancer; pull by and join left hands with the one alongside. Finish with a COURTESY TURN to face the couple with which you are working.
The Ocean Wave Rule starts when you are in an ocean wave. You are already holding someone by the right hand, the first part of Right and Left Thru. You only need to step ahead and complete the call with a Courtesy Turn. You will end up as a couple facing the other couple in the original wave. Hint: Your partner is the dancer facing the same way that you are. That’s who you will be doing the Courtesy Turn with.
For those of you who use Taminations, the Ocean Wave Rule is under Basic 2.
Call Variations
We have been dancing Square Thru and Swing Thru for many weeks (since 11/1 and 11/15, respectively). They both start with a RIGHT hand action. But, we have two hands. They can also start with a LEFT hand. In each of these cases, the Caller has to tell you in the command. The Caller will say Left Square Thru or Left Swing Thru and you will respond by using your Left hand first.
30 b. Left Square Thru: Same as SQUARE THRU except start with the left hand. Continue turning into your foursome. LEFT SQUARE THRU – 4 dancers full around – 10 steps.
38 b. Left Swing Thru: Those that can, TURN HALF BY THE LEFT then those that can TURN HALF BY THE RIGHT. LEFT SWING THRU – 6 steps.
There will be future calls where the caller does not have to identify Right or Left. The hand you use will be dictated by the formation.
Another week with class called on account of snow! I hope that you all survived the snow, ice, and melting slush unscathed. I’ve only heard of two injuries. Thank goodness! A square dance friend fell and broke his wrist needing surgery to get some plates and screws. My sister also fell and broke her elbow. Thankfully, she didn’t need surgery. She is finding out how hard it is to not use your right arm when you are right handed.
Mostly it has slowed us down to enjoy the beauty of where we live and rest some more. If you can’t go anywhere, a nap is always in order. It is either that or a couple more chapters in your current book.
How did my experiment go last week? I have no idea since we weren’t able to dance last Thursday. But I’m going to try it again. Below is the second rule. It is a bit harder to grasp so I gave you a step by step how to do it with one call.
I’m also going to include a couple of calls that have some variations. We already know how to do the basic calls so I hope that by reading about the variations, you will be able to dance them with little instruction.
Next Friday is the Samena Squares Tropical Getaway Dance that I have invited you to. You are still invited even though we haven’t quite finished learning all the calls. No one will know except you and me. I’m not telling. I hope you are planning to come.
Have a great rest of your weekend! See you next week!
Happy dancing,
Susan
Week #20
No moves taught as class was cancelled due to snow.
Ocean Wave Rule
Some calls that are defined to start from FACING COUPLES are also proper starting from a Right-Hand Ocean Wave. Examples include Right And Left Thru and Square Thru. In these cases, the dancers have already stepped forward toward the facing dancer and are ready to complete the remaining action of the directed call.
How does this work? Let’s use the example of Right and Left Thru. Here is a reminder of that definition: From facing couples, give a right hand to the opposite dancer; pull by and join left hands with the one alongside. Finish with a COURTESY TURN to face the couple with which you are working.
The Ocean Wave Rule starts when you are in an ocean wave. You are already holding someone by the right hand, the first part of Right and Left Thru. You only need to step ahead and complete the call with a Courtesy Turn. You will end up as a couple facing the other couple in the original wave. Hint: Your partner is the dancer facing the same way that you are. That’s who you will be doing the Courtesy Turn with.
For those of you who use Taminations, the Ocean Wave Rule is under Basic 2.
Call Variations
We have been dancing Square Thru and Swing Thru for many weeks (since 11/1 and 11/15, respectively). They both start with a RIGHT hand action. But, we have two hands. They can also start with a LEFT hand. In each of these cases, the Caller has to tell you in the command. The Caller will say Left Square Thru or Left Swing Thru and you will respond by using your Left hand first.
30 b. Left Square Thru: Same as SQUARE THRU except start with the left hand. Continue turning into your foursome. LEFT SQUARE THRU – 4 dancers full around – 10 steps.
38 b. Left Swing Thru: Those that can, TURN HALF BY THE LEFT then those that can TURN HALF BY THE RIGHT. LEFT SWING THRU – 6 steps.
There will be future calls where the caller does not have to identify Right or Left. The hand you use will be dictated by the formation.