Spring Ball & Brunch weekend

[flammifera]

I actually typed up a detailed entry on the Spring Ball & Brunch. But, it's at home on my laptop, and so far, I haven't had a chance to post it while I've been home in the evenings. Also contributing to my disinclination to make that lengthy and general post is my desire instead to highlight a select few occurrences from the weekend, special

Comments

[wayman]

I'm sure the RSCDS will always refuse to print the words "California twirl" in their instructions, but I'm sure they don't force the talk-through person to not say it. It's just convention that prevents that, no? I mean, at least a couple of the talk-through people weren't even certificated... what's the RSCDS going to do, fine tirerim for not tape-delaying-and-censoring their talk-throughs? :-)

Maybe someday the RSCDS will introduce the term "Caledonia twirl"....

[flammifera]

I'm sure they don't force the talk-through person to not say it.

No, they don't, but both the Society and the local branch frown on it, which may make the MC reluctant to say something s/he's 'not supposed to', if that person would prefer (for whatever reason) not to get in trouble with their chapter at that particular time.

[tirerim]

If it were English, I would agree with you completely (especially since it came up last Wednesday), but I do think that it's not quite a California twirl in Scottish, since it's generally somewhat slower, and involves dancing around one's partner (or neighbor) rather than simply pulling past. If it were a standardized term in Scottish, so that the meaning was clear, then it would be fine to have it be different from the contra move of the same name, but it isn't, and it's just as bad to use terms that will be confusing to some and unknown to others (and yes, there are people who just do Scottish, and probably wouldn't know what a California twirl is). The best solution would probably be to say "California twirl" and then describe it anyway, as is commonly done for some of the less common official figures.

[flammifera]

but I do think that it's not quite a California twirl in Scottish, since it's generally somewhat slower, and involves dancing around one's partner (or neighbor) rather than simply pulling past.

Fair enough. I've edited the entry to be a little more precise; what I meant was that the figure was *generally* a California twirl.

The best solution would probably be to say "California twirl" and then describe it anyway, as is commonly done for some of the less common official figures.

I completely agree. And I certainly realize that not every Scottish dancer would know what a 'California twirl' is from a talkthrough. Again, I suppose that I wasn't quite precise; I basically meant that the MC should have the freedom to at least mention, 'like a California twirl', before or after the figure's described. Because there were at least one or two people I know of (say, Cameron, who's familiar with English and contra and Scottish, but perhaps not as experienced with formal Scottish talkthroughs) who were confused by all the words, but would'

[tirerim]

Yeah. It's also not entirely the MCs' fault, though, since they tend to follow what the language of the dance instructions says. (And yes, they can modify it, of course, and are expected to if it says something ridiculous that can be abbreviated to the name of a standard Scottish figure, but they aren't really required to for something like a California twirl.)

[flammifera]

It's also not entirely the MCs' fault, though, since they tend to follow what the language of the dance instructions says.

Oh yes. I am specifically *not* blaming the MCs. ;)

[anonymous]

Ahem. It was a box-the-gnat. (Right hand in right, see?) Both times. (And you end up facing the same direction as your partner, different direction in the set in the Scottish figure, though I'm not as clear that how you face matters in box-the-gnat or swat-the-flea.) But that's beside the point. I could have said "box the gnat", and even fewer of the dancers on the floor would have had a clue than would have recognized "California twirl", which was significantly less than a quarter of the room, I'd lay odds. Just like I can call those funny reels "morris heys" and it would make most people say, "whaaa?". My goal as an emcee is to get the maximum number of dancers through the dance, and using more words is detrimental to that process. (Think "necessary and sufficient

[flammifera]

Since I have no idea what all this 'box the gnat' and 'swat the flea' stuff is, I clearly would have been one of the many people on the floor for which those terms would not have been helpful. ;) Really, what I wish was acceptable is something along the lines of what tirerim and ceciliaregent have elaborated on above -- 'not unlike the contra California twirl, blah blah blah'. I don't think that's *enough* more words to be detrimental to your goal as an emcee.

Oh dear. ::sigh:: Don't even get me started on 51st Travellers. Worst. Disaster. Ever. And sadly, I missed TOJ's re-do of the dance at Swat class!

[chlomar]

I'm with Melissa on this one. The California Twirl/Box the Gnat bothers me a lot less than not using the words "circle," "star," "teapots," and "beckett," in that order. I notice, though, that "circle" is used quite often in the recap by many certificated and uncertificated persons. It seems that it is sort of accepted to use that very common term, even though it's not officially sanctioned.

[tirerim]

Yes, I think that one comes from the tendency of instructions to say "circle six hands round to the left and back", where it's actually the verb - but hands round is the only figure where that verb is ever used, so it makes a convenient shorthand.

[flammifera]

I had no idea that 'circle' wasn't an officially sanctioned term. That's even more ridiculous!

Are you allowed to use it as the verb (e.g., 'circle six hands around') but not as a noun (something like, 'do a circle')?

'Star', 'teapots', 'beckett', etc. are all less of an issue for me -- since English dancing is still new to me, it is actually more jarring for me to hear figures described that way, and it might take an extra second for me to process what I'm being told.

[sonatanator]

I'm in favor of using multiple terms to accomodate multiple modes of knowledge. Gypsy isn't allowed either, but you try to explain it coherently and properly. Star I'll throw in on recaps because recaps aren't really sanctioned either, so I figure I may as well go all out.

[flammifera]

Gypsy isn't allowed either, but you try to explain it coherently and properly.

But descriptions involving 'catch your partner by the eye' are much more amusing than the simple term gypsy... ;)