https://www.ceder.net/papers/oldcard_newtrick.php

Old Card New Trick  by Vic Ceder

Introduction

Directional Calling

Directional calling involves using the following techinques:

  1. Descriptive English terms
    (this technique may not work well in other countries)
     
  2. Specifying dancers or positions versus a specific amount

    Phrases such as 'to your partner' or 'to your corner', instead of giving a specific amount or fraction.
    Dancers need to recognize their partner, corner, opposite, or R-H Lady.

     
  3. Cueing higher-level calls

Directionalized Calls:

Easily-Taught Calls:

After a brief teach, the following calls could enhance a dance.

"Concepts":

Blended Calls

A second call is given before the dancers complete the first call. Dancers smoothly blend the two calls together.

Example of Non-Blended vs Blended:

From Facing Couples. Right & Left Thru followed by
  1. Right-Hand Star -- smooth for Square Dancers - why? because they're not expecting it. After Right & Left Thru, turning direction is to the left, so it's natural to want to place the right-hand into the star.
  2. Left-Hand Star -- smooth for Contra Dancers - why? precisely because they are expecting it. After the Right & Left Thru, the Lady knows to walk forward as the Gent dodges to the right to follow her smoothly into a left-hand star. Dancewise, they do a partial Courtesy Turn, having the Lady then step in front of the Gent to form the left-hand star.

Blended Calls - Case 1:
(I like these) For the above examples, if the dancers fully complete the first call, then do the second, an awkward movmement results. However, if the second call is delivered with plenty of time before finishing the first call, dancers can smoothly blend into the second call.

Blended Calls - Case 2:
(I don't like these because the second call is not legal from the ending position of the first call) For the above examples, extra words should be given so that dancers know they are not expected to complete the first call. Use words such as 'but' or '(start a) X but finish with a Y' (e.g., Scoot Back But Finish with a Star Thru).

Orbiting Figures

Two couples move around the outside in single file as the others do a set of calls inside, resulting in a surprise Allemande Left.

An Orbiting Figure is called from Promenade (with partners, in sequence), as follows...
    Promenade, Don't Stop, Don't Slow Down...
    Heads put the Lady in front (Single File), keep moving...
    (pick a figure below)
    (with appropriate timing) Allemande Left.


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