2013-01-21 14:51:07.956787+00 by Dan Lyke 9 comments
How do we know the square dancing thing may have gone too far? Just ordered a projector to mount on the ceiling to project animations on to the floor so that we can practice new calls at our own pace...
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comments in descending chronological order (reverse):
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-23 00:22:19.870584+00 by: meuon
Oh.. and I forgot about the voyage into a Zydeco Dance Crewe and scene in Alabama.. I didn't know people could drink that much and still dance.
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-22 23:34:11.284645+00 by: meuon
Yeah, what you are looking for is probably different. The formal square dancing crowd in Chattanooga at Alamande Hall is an older crowd into achieving square dancing perfection and maintaining a facade of conservative old fashioned values while behind the scenes is a soap opera of "who is with who" with all the quirks and foibles of a high school prom. They were very "competitive" in their dancing style, with couples dancing mostly with each other and squares being fairly consistent sets of couples trying to be more perfect than other squares. if you messed a move/step, everyone got miffed.
The contra dances I've danced at, done sound for, spent weekends and weeks at.. attended clinics about, even started to learn how to call.. are a different crowd and social scene and very different interaction levels with people. In many ways, it's the )^( crowd focused on getting together and dancing and having fun together. I've had some great experiences at Contra's, met wonderful people, earned my "Dancy Gypsy" (a person that travels far to attend dances) wings and dated (and more) more than a few women I met at contra's.
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-22 20:11:52.146238+00 by: Dan Lyke
Ah, I suspect that we are seeking different things from our dance groups. I totally enjoy a casual barn dance, but the part of this experience that I'm really grateful to have found an activity with which I can share with Charlene is the more... somewhat martial-arts like elements.
Almost dancing as sparring, and "plus level" is where they metaphorically stop pulling punches.
Hmmm... I like that. Square dancing is my new "push hands"...
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-22 19:25:52.043327+00 by: meuon
What the heck is "Plus Level?"
Get yourself to a large contra dance with experienced dancers and have a great time...
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-22 00:27:25.711416+00 by: Dan Lyke
Once we graduate Plus level we'll have to give it a whirl!
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-22 00:09:03.370124+00 by: meuon [edit history]
"gay" contra dance is assumed. Having danced with both crowds, the contra dance crowd is much more social and liberal. Same moves, same calls, different patterns. In a contra dance, you spend more time dancing with people other than your partner and your corner. I've danced with guys as my partners in Contra's.. never in Squares.. Same for girls. Most dancers call it "left and right" parts. The big difference between the to forms is a Square Dance is done right when everything and everyone is perfectly in sync... a Contra is done right when everyone is having a good time. The energy build in a night of good contra dancing is awesome. Rave like..
Can you tell I'm biased? I even host; Contranooga.org and Chattaboogie.com.
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-21 23:03:07.803037+00 by: Dan Lyke
So to see if Meuon's assertion could possibly be true, I typed "gay square dance" into Google, got 8.79 million reuslts, typed "gay contra dance" and got 5.91. Yeah, that's within the margin for error.
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-21 22:35:42.625273+00 by: Dan Lyke
Maybe, but we're 80 some-odd calls in here, and hoping that we'll be able to hold our own at our first real big dance, the Stumptown Stomp, come May (yes, we've been to a couple of smaller evening dances, but when those 80 some-odd, and some are really odd, calls are coming at full speed and we're dancing with strangers...).
So the the sunk cost is enough to keep us from switching any time soon...
#Comment Re: made: 2013-01-21 19:52:24.148591+00 by: meuon
Contra dancing is more fun than squares....