West Virginia or Bust: Also, attention folks who are dancing at FootFall this weekend -- we are leading a flourish & style workshop from 4:40-5:40 PM tomorrow (Saturday) in the Gym! To FootFall attendees, come on down! (But right now, we need to go finish packing....)
This week's flourish is a twirly sequence of swings that builds up to a little series that's really neat: it starts with a cuddle-up swing, then into a ripcord twirl, and then a cuddle up/backward swing into a Whipperstomper balance into a double twirl-out. Each time the lead adds a little bit more complexity so the follow will "get" the lead when it gets pulled out. (This strategy is also helpful for other more complex moves -- start small and build your way there, repeating steps as necessary if you have an unfamiliar partner or an unfamiliar flourish.) You, too, can have flourishes featured! Drop us a line!
West Virginia or Bust: Also, attention folks who are dancing at FootFall this weekend -- we are leading a flourish & style workshop from 4:40-5:40 PM tomorrow (Saturday) in the Gym! To FootFall attendees, come on down! (But right now, we need to go finish packing....) This week's flourish is a switch move that can be done while you and a partner are in a star (right- or left-handed). We first saw this one done by Mel Novner (formerly of Glenside, PA's community but now in Boston, MA), but there are a few other dancers we've seen pull this off as well. The important thing is that to do this flourish the way we have pictured, make sure you're in the lead and your partner is behind you (although it is possible to do it the other way, but you have to move to get ahead of your partner). The other heads-up on this is that it tends to confuse brand-new dancers, so use some discretion if you have them in your star. Dancers are Valerie Young, Alex Dennis, Ryan Holman, and Steven Roth (Special thanks to Alex & Valerie!). You, too, can have your flourishes featured! Drop us a line!
Also, for those going to FootFall next weekend (September 7-9): Steve and I will be teaching a flourish workshop from 4:40-5:40 in the Gym on Saturday. We're excited and we hope to see you there! There will also be a techno contra called by Brian Hamshar and spun by dJ improper! Happy Friday, CS This week's flourish is a neat move we borrow from swing dancing. It resembles a roll-away with a half sashay, but both partners end up turning on this variant that we turn into a swing: You, too, can have your flourishes featured! Drop us a line!
ATTENTION MINNEAPOLIS-AREA DANCERS!: There is a techno contra tonight with dJ improper and caller Ted Hodapp at the Tapestry Folkdance Center tonight at 7:30 P.M.! Happy Friday, CS This week's flourish is one that is good for when you've got good connection with your partner, neither of you is feeling super-spinny, and your next neighbors are short enough that you won't clothesline them if you form an arch and let them go under it (possibly twice). It's very simple; when you go to do your do-si-do, keep your partner's hand and have the joined hands go over your neighbors' heads. If you want to be fancy about it (and have a little more control), you can do a variant that a gentleman in Atlanta by the name of Joseph (I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your last name!) suggested to us and switch your own hand so that you can see where you're going on the return trip. :) There is a danger here of potentially clothes-lining the people who are going under the arches; be certain to keep your hand-grip with your partner loose enough that if you miscalculate, you'll let go of your partner's hand rather than beaning someone in the face/back of the head. Dancers this week are Valerie "The Queen" Young, Alex Dennis, Steven Roth, and Ryan Holman. Particular thanks to Alex and Valerie for helping us out! You, too, can have your flourishes featured! Drop us a line!
Also, attention DC-area dancers! Tomorrow night (Sat 8/18) there will be another installment of the Contra Sonic alt contra series, with dJ improper and caller Brian Hamshar! Happy Friday! CS This week's flourish is a move we've seen pulled out from time to time, and generate a lot of centrifugal force -- just make sure that your swing partner isn't having wrist issues before you go for this one full-tilt: You, too, could have your flourish featured! Drop us a line!
Stay tuned for Monday; there is more syncretistic goodness to come! Happy Friday, CS This week's flourish embraces syncretism and borrows a neat move from the boogie woogie dance champions from 1991 (I believe they were from somewhere in continental Europe). Two notes for the follow: maintain contact so there's an axis for the lead to twirl around, and be sure to take that step to the left as the lead spins by. You, too, can have your flourishes featured! Drop us a line (or a link)!
Attention South Carolina readers and dance gypsies! DJ Shel D and caller Brian Hamshar will bring the Technophoria series to Taylors, SC with the iGlow Techno from 8-11 PM at Landmark Hall! Carry on Dancing, CS This week's flourish is a way out of a swing that ensures that both the follow and the lead get a twirl out of the deal. Be careful with which hand you grab on this one -- it's not terribly intuitive the first few times through. This week's flourish is really simple and is really more of a communication vehicle than anything else. What do you do when you go to twirl your partner/neighbor across the set, and she accidentally gets away? It does end up looking a little silly, but this move also lets your partner know that it's safe to keep spinning (and generally they can be stopped by a -- gentle! -- hand to the shoulder such that they stop.
You, too, can have your flourishes featured! Drop us a line! Attention DC-area readers: the Contra Sonic series in Glen Echo Park's Ballroom Annex has moved to third Saturdays for the remainder of 2012 (at least)! This month's installment is this weekend, July 21, at 7:30 PM. dJ improper will be spinning the tunes and Eric Harris will be calling! Happy Friday, CS This week's flourish comes to us via Laurel Boraz, who recently came to the Glen Echo dance community from New England. It's a variant on our very first video, a ripcord twirl. As with a normal ripcord twirl, be sure to follow the natural direction of the arm and pull down before you twirl your partner under, as this will help prevent shoulder injuries. Also be aware that this variant can take up a little more space, so don't pull it out in crowded conditions. This week's flourish is a simple flourish and is one of the very first flourishes that Steve learned. It's a neat and different way to pass the time allotted to a swing; if you like, it can also be used as a switch flourish with a small modification. You, too, can have your flourishes featured! Drop us a line!
Next week there will be more syncretistic goodness as I talk to Ted Hodapp, who called a recent installment of the DC area's Contra Sonic techno contra series. Stay tuned! Carry on Dancing, CS |
This project has concluded as of mid-2013 (with an epilogue posted mid-2016) but we hope to see you soon on a contra dance floor! Meanwhile, head over to our Facebook page for upcoming techno contra events and other items of interest.
The 100+ Friday Flourish videos can still be found on YouTube. AuthorI dance with abandon. I play with glowsticks. I look for music that is conducive to one or both. I play behind cameras. I write about all of the above. I'm based in Glen Echo's contra dance community outside of Washington, D.C., but I'm happy to go dance afield when I can. Lather, rinse, repeat. Always repeat. Archives
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