{"items": [{"author": "Daniel", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/106627634005073412802", "anchor": "gp-1313759271842", "service": "gp", "text": "Rockin' Robin?", "timestamp": 1313759271}, {"author": "Lisa", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/100889104013874738334", "anchor": "gp-1313760879826", "service": "gp", "text": "My comment, and it's a general comment for callers who are working with newer dancers, is why do a hey at all? There are plenty of great dances that don't include a hey for four. What's to be gained by having a bunch of confused, unhappy dancers, when you could choose another dance and have successful, happy dancers?", "timestamp": 1313760879}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1313761394985", "service": "gp", "text": "@Daniel\n yes", "timestamp": 1313761394}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1313761643512", "service": "gp", "text": "@Lisa\n I generally agree. Confused unhappy dancers is bad. In this case, though, the dancers were not confused or unhappy, because the overall experience level of the crowd was enough to support them in this new figure.", "timestamp": 1313761643}, {"author": "Jerome", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=266727640006985", "anchor": "fb-266727640006985", "service": "fb", "text": "Interesting, and glad it worked out. This brings up a good point about learning figures like the hey -- in my limited contra experience contra dancing in this area, it seems like there's seldom any explicit teaching of figures like the hey. (I'm personally a big fan of the sort of impromptu pedagogical demonstrations Scott Higgs often does when he calls, but I've not seen callers here do that.) Do you think that people, particularly beginners, generally succeed in just picking up figures like this? Not to provoke a pointless debate on the merits of different styles of folk dancing here, but one argument I've heard from Scottish dancers is that the explicit teaching is more beginner-friendly -- a good basic class will spend a lot of time practicing reels in all their variations from all positions.", "timestamp": "1313767076"}, {"author": "John", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=266731350006614", "anchor": "fb-266731350006614", "service": "fb", "text": "I am in favor of callers giving mini-lessons. We encourage this at the JP gender free dances. Some callers do to much talking and not enough demonstrating. It is really important for the health of a dance series that beginners have a good time because they return. At the BIDA dance there is a formal teaching session before the dance. We've tried this at JP in the past, but too many beginners come late.", "timestamp": "1313767640"}, {"author": "Ben", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=266755823337500", "anchor": "fb-266755823337500", "service": "fb", "text": "The danger of relying on experienced dancers to teach a figure is that you may have a minor set with all newcomers. In a small enough crowd you may be able to evaluate this risk, but I think it would be hard with a big group.", "timestamp": "1313771236"}, {"author": "Tamar", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=266881179991631", "anchor": "fb-266881179991631", "service": "fb", "text": "I agree with Ben, but in theory, I think this is a GREAT idea. A lot of folks get frustrated when the caller tries to teach something. Either they already know it or think they do. This gets a lot more people involved and perhaps people in an experienced 4-some could look around and see if there's a group of all beginners nearby that they could help.", "timestamp": "1313788157"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=266887499990999", "anchor": "fb-266887499990999", "service": "fb", "text": "@Ben: I did look over the crowd first, and while there was one hands four I wasn't sure about, I figured I could step in and help them if they needed that, which they turned out not to.", "timestamp": "1313788734"}, {"author": "Jeff Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=266888903324192", "anchor": "fb-266888903324192", "service": "fb", "text": "@Jerome: \"Do you think that people, particularly beginners, generally succeed in just picking up figures like this?\"
Yes. When you have a high enough fraction of experienced dancers, the beginners can just be swept along. BIDA does a teaching session for people who want that, but lots of beginners arrive too late for that and still do fine because people are kind and attentive.", "timestamp": "1313788842"}, {"author": "Mac", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/266671510012598?comment_id=267021429977606", "anchor": "fb-267021429977606", "service": "fb", "text": "Re: Newbies get confused and frustrated with hard to learn sequences -- like the Hey. Where would one draw the line about teaching entertaining, but harder steps? C'mon. Bringing newbies on and making them want to come back means being nice and helpful to them, not dumbing down the whole experience.", "timestamp": "1313809355"}]}