[Noho] Last Class / Graduation Dance

Mon May 29 23:36:56 EDT 2006

Hi Everyone,

Yeah! The last official class is upon us!!

Don't forget about our class graduation dance on this coming Saturday,
June 3rd. The official information is that it is from 7:30 - 10 pm at
our normal location. Plus level dancing with some round dancing (here's
a chance to see what round dancing is). Tech Squares and Boston
Uncommons (two groups from the Boston area) are planning on joining us
for the evening and I suspect and hope that a number of dancers from
local groups will be joining us as well.

Dress is informal. :)

If you plan to be at the dance on Saturday, it's really important that
you come Tuesday night so that you know all the moves on Saturday. The
definitions from calls we learned last week are below as well as a few
we'll probably cover this week.

Ken will be doing review at 6:30 on Tuesday, so come early and join us
if you can.

We are hoping to dance through June at the hall - though we don't know
who will be around. Please drop me a line if you'd like to dance through
June so we can figure out if it's feasible, number wise.

See you Tuesday!

Bethany

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FOLLOW YOUR NEIGHBOR: Starting formation – box circulate. Dancers facing
in step straight forward, join adjacent forearms with the one they meet,
and turn three-quarters (270°) to become centers of a new wave. At the
same time, the dancers facing out follow their “neighbor” by moving
forward in a three-quarter looping turn (270°), turning towards their
“neighbor” to finish as the ends of the new ocean wave.

PEEL THE TOP: Starting formation – box circulate or Z. The lead dancers
peel off as the trailing dancers step straight forward and take adjacent
hands; everyone then does a fan the top. (ANYTHING) AND SPREAD: Starting
formation – various. If only some dancers are active (e.g., heads star
thru and spread), they slide apart sideways to become ends, as the
inactive dancers step forward between them. If the (anything) call
finishes in lines or waves, (e.g., follow your neighbor) the centers
slide apart sideways to become the new ends, while the original ends
move into the nearest center position. If the (anything) call finishes
in tandem couples (e.g., wheel and deal from a line of four), the lead
dancers slide apart sideways, while the trailing dancers step forward
between them.

SPIN CHAIN THRU: Starting formation – parallel waves. Each end and the
adjacent center dancer turn one half. The new centers of each ocean wave
turn three quarters to make a new ocean wave across the set. The two
centers of this wave turn one half to reform the wave across the set.
The two outside pairs of dancers of the center wave now turn three
quarters to join the waiting ends and form parallel ocean waves.

(ANYTHING) AND SPREAD: Starting formation – various. If only some
dancers are active (e.g., heads star thru and spread), they slide apart
sideways to become ends, as the inactive dancers step forward between
them. If the (anything) call finishes in lines or waves, (e.g., follow
your neighbor) the centers slide apart sideways to become the new ends,
while the original ends move into the nearest center position. If the
(anything) call finishes in tandem couples (e.g., wheel and deal from a
line of four), the lead dancers slide apart sideways, while the trailing
dancers step forward between them.

We haven't fully covered these ones yet, but I thought I'd include them
so you could read up on them. :)

SPIN CHAIN THE GEARS: Starting formation – parallel ocean waves. Each
end and the adjacent center dancer turn one-half (180°). The new centers
of each ocean wave turn three-quarters (270°) to form a new ocean wave
across the set, as the other four dancers do a U turn back (turning in
toward the center). The centers of the wave trade and then release hands
with each other. Four dancers on each side of the square now form a
four-hand star and turn the star three-quarters, forming a new wave
across the set. Centers of this wave trade, momentarily reforming the
wave across the set. The two outside pairs of dancers of the center wave
now turn three-quarters (270°) as the other four dancers turn back
(turning away from the center).

SPIN CHAIN AND EXCHANGE THE GEARS: Starting formation – parallel ocean
waves. Start like a spin chain the gears—ends and adjacent centers turn
1/2, new centers turn 3/4, while the ends U turn back, and the very two
centers of the wave trade. All form two stars (but before turning them,
the out-facing point should raise a hand, indicating “follow me”—they
will be the leaders of the exchange) and turn the stars 3/4. The leaders
of the exchange (now the very centers) lead the star out around the
outside of the other star, like an S pattern. When the star has advanced
3/4 of the way into the position of the other star, the first (the
leader of the exchange) and third dancers in the star U turn back toward
the center of the star to become centers of a wave. The other dancers
advance one more star position to become ends of a wave.

TEACUP CHAIN: Starting formation – square. During a teacup chain, all
four ladies will move to each of the men in the square in turn,
progressing in promenade direction. The call ends when they return to
the man where they started. All ladies start with the right hand and
alternate hands thereafter. Men use whatever hand is necessary so that
the women can alternate hands. The caller will designate the position
from which the ladies move to the center, e.g., “Head ladies center for
a teacup chain.” Whenever a lady reaches that position, she will move to
the center, arm turn with her opposite lady 3/4 or 1 1/4 as necessary to
reach the next man in sequence, and then arm turn with that man. The
ladies in the other position (at the side position in the example above)
move around the perimeter of the square to the next man and arm turn
with him. This action repeats for a total of four times, with each lady
alternating parts, i.e., alternating between arm turning with her
opposite lady in the center and moving around the perimeter. The last
arm turn, which would be by the left with partner, is replaced by a
courtesy turn to end in a squared up set.