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<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:M0220sr@aol.com">M0220sr@aol.com</a> wrote:<br>
<blockquote cite="mid15b.57084a69.3032cc4c@aol.com" type="cite"><font
face="arial,helvetica"><font ptsize="12" family="SANSSERIF"
face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" lang="0" size="3">Subject: When in Rome<br>
<br>
Our club is in an area of the state we are in where it is known that
clubs in our general area dance "hands up" (waves, etc.) . When our
club dancers visit other clubs in our same area (and when they visit
us...) we know that they dance hands-up and everyone has fun. <br>
<br>
Dancers outside of our general area were taught by their square dance
teachers the fore-arm (and sometimes the handhold) grip for waves,
etc. <br>
<br>
We generally have special dances once a month. Out of town callers and
cuers. People visit from other states as well as from one large city
to our south. From the city to our south, whose dancers primarily use
the forearm grip, dancers come and generally have a pretty good time at
our special dances.<br>
<br>
However, there is just one tiny aggravating thing they do....they want
to force you to use their style of grip instead of adapting to the
hands-up position like we do. They come to you to do an arm turn or a
Swing Thru and will bring your hand down into a forearm grip as much as
saying, "You're doing it wrong and I am more than glad to wrench your
arm into the proper position for us to get through the Swing
Thru....and DON'T DO IT AGAIN!"<br>
<br>
Why is that? <br>
</font></font></blockquote>
Callers are not allowed enough time to properly teach the class, which
should include "the rules of visitation". Allow your caller more class
time to teach these things in the beginning classes and to stress
things other than just the calls.<br>
<blockquote cite="mid15b.57084a69.3032cc4c@aol.com" type="cite"><font
face="arial,helvetica"><font ptsize="12" family="SANSSERIF"
face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" lang="0" size="3"><br>
The visitor is traveling into <u>your</u> area, visiting <u>your</u>
club, dancing with <u>your</u> club members and other visitors from
our area...but they insist on trying to force you to dance their way of
dancing. When my wife and I visit other clubs and/or go to
conventions, etc., we respect other styles of dancing and look for the
way that particular club does certain things when dancing. We don't
force our normal "hands-up" on them, we adapt to their handhold. It
avoids awkward situations and the likelihood of having bad feelings.
That usually results in that you hope that person never gets into the
same square with you again...even though it is never said. Some of the
members in our club want to put a sign on the front door of our hall
announcing to visitors that our club uses a hands-up handhold position
but others feel it is a losing fight and the out-of-town visitors would
ignore it anyway. <br>
<br>
I was also taught that you never force a lady to twirl (like some
aggressive people do) and that if she has her arm down when approaching
you don't twirl and if she has her arm up, that is your signal that she
doesn't mind twirling on a Right and Left Grand. And if you do twirl
you don't release her in such a manner that she loses her balance
and/or goes into orbit or into another square.<br>
<br>
</font></font></blockquote>
<br>
<blockquote cite="mid15b.57084a69.3032cc4c@aol.com" type="cite"><font
face="arial,helvetica"><font ptsize="12" family="SANSSERIF"
face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" lang="0" size="3">To summarize....we live
by the old adage "When in Rome..."<br>
<br>
</font></font></blockquote>
That's the general rule.<br>
<blockquote cite="mid15b.57084a69.3032cc4c@aol.com" type="cite"><font
face="arial,helvetica"><font ptsize="12" family="SANSSERIF"
face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" lang="0" size="3">Richard M.<br>
<br>
</font></font></blockquote>
Mike Gormley<br>
Ohio (Until October)<br>
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