My instructor was otterpop58 and yes, he definitely used the formation names. I would argue that at lower levels, you don't have to know that it's a right-hand wave because all you know are waves and callers very rarely make them left-handed. So we see in Adv class that when you get to Pass the Sea, most of the newbies can't do it because they've never had to do a left-hand wave without being cued to death with it.
In fact, the only times the names and their definitions become important become important is when you're dancing to a new caller (rare for newbies) or when you're trying to dance TNP or DBD. We don't teach those. I'm in the tiny minority of people who believe that it's worth teaching DBD from day 1 (or maybe from month 3) so that you can have meaningful discussions as you move up the level ladder.
I like when the caller helps. Often the square will not find its own way. Sometimes the sound goes out and only half the square hears the full call, so cueing is important at some level.
I think the critical clue-mass is inversely proportional to the number of clueless dancers. If you have one clueless dancer, you need four or five confident dancers to help strengthen the square. Two clueless dancers means the rest must be confident. More clueless dancers in one square means you have to get out the bat.
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Date: 2007-11-06 07:43 pm (UTC)In fact, the only times the names and their definitions become important become important is when you're dancing to a new caller (rare for newbies) or when you're trying to dance TNP or DBD. We don't teach those. I'm in the tiny minority of people who believe that it's worth teaching DBD from day 1 (or maybe from month 3) so that you can have meaningful discussions as you move up the level ladder.
I like when the caller helps. Often the square will not find its own way. Sometimes the sound goes out and only half the square hears the full call, so cueing is important at some level.
I think the critical clue-mass is inversely proportional to the number of clueless dancers. If you have one clueless dancer, you need four or five confident dancers to help strengthen the square. Two clueless dancers means the rest must be confident. More clueless dancers in one square means you have to get out the bat.