I am a dancer with almost 35 years of experience. The demo was for the purpose of showing the energy and flourish that we bring to the dance floor not to recruit new dancers. When dancing for that purpose we do not dance like this ... again keep in mind the targed audiance and purpose of the dance. When dancing with new dancers we do not do this either. We stress that a good foundation is required before "cutting up" like we do.
Jeff I have seen you dance several times. I always look forward to it. When you dance people always try to get into your square. Not only are you fun to dance with but everyone in your group have always been nice to everyone you meet. Keep up the good work. It will take people like you to save square dancing. In the 70's there were many of us then in our twenties that danced with many flourishes in demo's we always attracted many new dancers.
I am aware of Callerlab and I am an advocate for what they do. I, like those I am dancing with, like the "flourishes" we have added to our dancing "style". We do not "just go through the motions", which I do not believe Callerlab stands for either. When dancing with new dancers or dancing with strangers we do revert to the traditional arm turns and such, before attempting to "corrupt" those who are up to the task.
First of all you would be amazed about how easy that teacup chain is and the track II is just that with a "flourish". Almost anybody can do those as we do unless chroning pain prevents you from moving that way. That is how we dance because we like the livlyness it brings to the floor. We do not expect everybody to dance like we do but we would like to see more dancing in squaredancing.
Perhaps a few changes and I would also like to see some calls come back (discussion for a different forum). I have been square dancing for almost 35 years and there are too many people that "just go through the motions". We are four couples from three states that first danced together 12 months prior to this video. We get together once a quarter. This is our way of having fun. We do not expect all dancers to dance the way we do; we would like to see more dancing in Square Dancing though.
I am an Australian who would love to dance with your group as I also do some flourish's in my dancing as well but have to pick the dancers and sets accordingly.
Please keep in mind who our audiance was; attendees of the 52nd Wisconsin State Square Dance Convention. The vast majority of the attendees know us personally and have know us for several years. That is how we dance when we get on the dance floor and they have see us do it at convention or at their club dances before. There were other demonstrations that did represent the more "mainstream" dancing.
I have something for you dancers out there. I was in Ennis Montana for a dance that brought in people from all over the place. I did "guest" calling all over the place and had a great time doing it. Picture this. 18 squares on the floor. "Long lines up to the middle and back, pass thru, do the right and left thru......uhoh The entire floor came to a stop. sigh
The kiss method has not worked. There are not as many clubs as there once was and the clubs that do exist are much smaller. kiss square dancing is great exercise for older people. If square dancing is to survive it must be fun to attract new people
You must not have seen I am a caller. 20 years. Since this was at a dance where these people know how to dance already then fine. but if you do that for say as a demo for "Jerry's kids" and also to get people interested then you will probably scare people away. So a demo to get people interested should be easy basic. that comes from my mentors with about 250 years experience between them. A few of them Very well known. One who has passed was one of the legends. They all told me K.I.S.S.
I am a caller with 20 yrs Experience. We know it's not as hard as it looks. People watching don't. We did a Plus demo one time for Jerry's Kids It was also when classes started in Florida. They were curious but when we said it was easy to learn they all said yea right. and walked away. ALL my mentors 250 years of experience between them told me when you do a demo K.I.S.S. then the people watching see how easy it is and then you have more sign up. or in this case more that would be interested.
This Square and the caller did real good. I am a caller so I know what is going on here. I would have kept the demo easy basic because some of the people there would go "That track II looks so hard so does that teacup chain. We can't do that." Otherwise it was a great demo.
They aren't doing the Kicks and all the other "Style" additions as a matter of fact they looked real good. I have 20 years Experience in Square dancing AND calling. Go to the Flashdance video in Seattle and see what I mean. But by the same token if you do it like it is from marching in the service then you loose the fun. The reason that was not good there the people watching would say "That"s to hard. So you lost them. I also would have done easy basic for the demo as well. K.I.S.S. God Bless
