Tonight's C2 Class

[bjarvis]

The warm-up for tonight's class was infinitely better than our warm-up last week. Last Monday's first tip brought shame up on all square dancers: this week, we were actually pretty good.

The new call for tonight was "sets in order setts in motion." At first, it seemed utterly insane. Later on, we collectively agreed that it was written by someone on crack but dances pretty well at full speed nonetheless.

John then wheeled out the centerpiece of the evening: expanding offset lines/waves to include shape-changing calls and therefore changes in offset and sheer lines.

Suddenly, "sets in order sets in motion" looked pretty tame. Oy.

In general, I see it but I need several seconds to translate the theory into practice on the floor. This too will come with time but it's going to be an uphill battle, possibly the steepest I've had in square dancing. As John reminded us, that's why they call it 'challenge.'

Comments

[billeyler.livejournal.com]

Yup...he's working those C2 concepts pretty hard.

[lggriffiths.livejournal.com]

Aren't offset waves and lines lovely? :) Don't worry if it takes a while to see the new footprints, particularly since you conceptually "get it". On most C2 floors, a caller doing a shape changer from offset waves or lines a) knows this will be difficult for many of the dancers and b) is therefore often prepared to hint at the final formation. More experienced dancers also often end up guiding the square into the right footprints.

Be careful, though - there is no change in the offset or sheer. For example, from 50% clockwise side sheer offset waves, Recycle gives a 50% clockwise side sheer offset eight chain thru formation. It feels different because your orientation has changed, but it's not.

If you don't have Vic Ceder's C1/C2 book, I'd recommend you get it - the appendix on shape changers from offsets is very well-written.

And I assume you mean "Sets in Motion" rather than "Sets in Order"? It is a bit bizarre, but it dances beautifully and is one of the most popular calls in C2, it seems to me.

[rfrench.livejournal.com]

Yea, usually "sets in order" means "everyone get off your chairs and come square up - the dance is starting".