Wee Bit 'o Fun 8x32 J
3 comments
Comment from: alan Member
Comment from: martin Member
There are certain words that get repeated very often in a dance description, and I like to keep things short. Abbreviation of such terms should not be a problem (I don’t expect beginners to read dance descriptions).
Glad to see you understood "dosà dos". "Back to back", on the other hand would have been ambiguous (a dance-round-someone figure? or a position as in double triangles?) "Back to back" should be eliminated from all descriptions, imho.
I’ll grant you "hands round", though "circle is pretty clear. I’ll have to ask Lara how to edit the submitted descriptions.
I can’t see what you want to know "at the end of the reels" – bar 16: 1st cp is (are?) facing up ready for 4 hands round.
– bar 24: facing up again ready to give left hands to begin a chain with 3rd cp.
I know 1C, 2M, 3L, etc have become standard abbreviations, but I have to admit, I have never gotten used to reading them. Hence 1st cp, 2nd man, etc, which correspond to what we actually say.
Comment from: lara Member
I agree with you about "circle" being quite clear. I find people often get confused between "hands across" and "hands round," so when I write dance instructions, I usually compromise by saying "circle 6 hands round."
I’m afraid I don’t agree about "back-to-back," however. "Back-to-back" is a standard RSCDS formation that I think anyone who has been dancing for more than a month or two would understand. The current instructions for bars 5-8, where you tried to avoid using either "dos-a-dos" or "back-to-back" are quite confusing. Even as an experienced dancer and a teacher, if I didn’t already know what you were trying to describe here, I am not sure I would be able to figure it out. Even if I did, I would probably slap my forhead and say, "oh, he just means back-to back. Why didn’t he just say so?"
Anyway, all these semantic points are a distraction. It looks like an interesting dance!
I have only lexicographical problems with this, Martin. I believe quite strongly that things should be written in order to make it easy to read them. Using "cp" instead of "couple" requires a mental switch to avoid thinking/saying "First cip circle left". Also pts instead of partners. I can’t see any benefit in this. I also dislike that you use your own names for standard formations. The formation is "Hands round" not "circle". It is "back-to-back" not "dos à dos".
Then there is an understanding question. By "side-by side" reels (NOT tandem, I appreciate that) what do you see the individuals doing at the end of the reels? This needs elaboration. Possibly it is a variant of Duncan Keppie’s "Hand-in-hand" reels - and possibly not.