Latest C2 Class

[bjarvis]

I'm procrastinating at the moment. The only thing I have left on my to-do list for today is my portion of my annual performance evaluation in which I write my what-I-did-this-year report. It's relatively easy since I keep extensive work logs, but it's still a pain. Talking about square dancing is more fun.

kent4str was calling for the DC Lambda Squares last night so cuyahogarvr and I were on our own. C2 last night was much smoother than the prior week: both cuyahogarvr and I were sharper, the floor generally seemed more relaxed (although we were scrounging for a last dancer or two to complete a third square) and even John Marshall seemed to be better rested and clearer of mind.

Review of prior calls took a little longer than usual, but now that we're somewhere above 20 calls, that's not unexpected. A couple of people were having difficulty with swap the wave --it doesn't flow as elegantly as most other calls-- and grand chain eight. I suspect in the latter case, some folks just aren't seeing/waiting for the formation; as well, stepping to a lefty formation by default runs against pre-C2 well-rehearsed habits of taking right hands. In any case, more floor time and practice will iron out the rough spots.

We had three new calls -- perk up, with the flow and alter & circulate-- all of which were absorbed relatively well.

Tonight, I'm heading to Baltimore to call for the Chesapeake Squares, our last calling commitment until mid-December.

Comments

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

For Grand Chain 8, the first part is a Right Pull By, so stepping to lefts follows the alternating hand path. It can be tricky, and the courtesy turn thing seems to cause the most probs. (An alternate definition is step to lefts, left hinge, new lead u-turn back. This is good to know if you ever learn the Mirror concept.)

Will you be done with C2 class by convention?

[canseefour.livejournal.com]

The beauty of Gary's alternate definition is that you can use it, and it still fits the flow of the call so if the person you're working with is trying to courtesy turn, they won't notice anything different. It also works for all positions of the call. Barry uses this definition regularly.

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was finding the left-hinge-new-lead-u-turn-back method more easily. I think most folks were having problems with the form starting with lines facing in: once they've done the right-hand pull-by, the ends especially have to go double-time to find the person they're supposed to meet with a left, breaking the nice hand flow. The feel overall isn't as tidy as with other more compact calls & forms.

Don't know if we'll be done by convention. John indicated the class will run as long as it takes: if we need only a few more months, great, but if we need a year (or more), that's OK too.

[zipperbear]

Grand Chain Eight for the Centers of Facing Lines: Pull By, then Rollaway, using the left handhold as if you were doing a Courtesy Turn. If someone can tell what definition you're using, then you're doing it wrong.

[ann0625.livejournal.com]

Courtesy Turn is a very clumsy move in all circumstances.

Perk Up

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

For Perk Up, the centers do the Hinge, Circ, Trade, or HCT. Jordan taught me it's easier to remember Hung Cute Trick.

Re: Perk Up

[bendoutdoors.livejournal.com]

Oh great. Jordan taught me it was "Hot Cute Trick". Now how will I ever remember? :-)

Re: Perk Up

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Your square is doomed. :-)

Re: Perk Up

[stormecho.livejournal.com]

We didn't have Jordan. It was Here Comes Trouble.

Grand Chain 8: Right Pull By - Move on if nec. - Left touch 1/4, leads turn back. Much better than who turns what.

Re: Moving right along

[fuzzygruf.livejournal.com]

I once heard a student in a C2 class whining on break that he couldn't learn the call because he "didn't know how to 'move on'."

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Grand Chain Eight should be abolished from the face of the earth. ;-)