Mel Wilkerson Notes on Lefty in Mainstream

January 18, 2017

Written by Mel Wilkerson for the Newbie Callers or Callers In Training Facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2222737701/permalink/10154654958642702/

Feeling LEFT OUT in the Mainstream Program

I often hear, or read comments about Basic and Mainstream being boring, not challenging, plain vanilla and various other comparisons. These comments are usually parroted at higher levels with the qualifier

(Plus or above) is getting frustrating because we are not dancing plus. We have to go back and teach mainstream and all the “other positions” because no one teaches or uses them. That is why we started dancing advanced...and the ripple continues.

I have had many conversations with callers dealing with specific movements and indeed, with Barry Wonson (the SARDA NSW Newsletter editor) amongst others about specific focus choreographic pieces.

In this article, rather than just focus on a specific movement I thought I would just submit a few choreographic sequences that are not too difficult. They will however both dancers and many callers, outside of their comfort zones by using left hands more, or setting up differently. These sequences are designed to give a different feel and a change of flow which will challenge the dancers without frustrating them.

Most (but not all) of these are written as singing calls (i.e limited timing phrases of 64 beats). They can also be broken down further into modular zeroes and incorporated into your regular dancing routines.

This submission of slightly different choreography has been written by me, blatantly stolen from other callers at dances, or added to my notes from various sources over the last 30 years. I cannot attribute any specific piece to any specific caller, but I happily acknowledge them all from the first week “Newbie” caller that saw something differently to those that have been calling for more than 50 years, whom I happily and overtly steal material from.

• (H) Square Thru 2, Touch 1/4, Split Circulate, Boys Run, Reverse Flutter Wheel, Dixie Style To A Wave, Girls Circulate, Boys Trade, Left Swing Thru, Recycle Pass Thru, Trade By, R.L.G

(H) Turn Thru, Same 4 Cloverleaf, Others Turn Thru, All Left Turn Thru, Ends Cloverleaf, Centres Turn Thru, Centres Cloverleaf, New Centres Turn Thru, All Spin The Top, Recycle, Slide Thru, CNR

• (H) Lead Right, Circle Left 3/4, Dosado to Wave, Cast Off 3/4, Boys U-Turn Back, all step to Left hand Wave, (Centres Start) Swing Thru, Centres Circulate, Recycle, CNR

(H) square thru 4, swing thru, spin the top, recycle, reverse flutterwheel, dixie style to a wave, boys trade, recycle, veer right, promenade home

• (H)Ladies Chain, (H) Lead Left, Left Dosado, Left Step To A Wave, Left Swing Thru, Single Hinge, Walk And Dodge, Wheel Around, Flutter Wheel, Pass The Ocean, Girls cross fold, Swing & Promenade

(H) Dixie Style To An Ocean Wave, Extend To A Left Hand Wave, Spin The Top, Single Hinge, Zoom (left column), Scoot Back, Girls Run, Right & Left Thru, Pass Thru, Swing & Promenade

• (H) Lead Right, Right & Left Thru, Veer Left, Bend The Line (Go Forward & Back), Left Touch A 1/4, Circulate, Half A Zoom (ocean waves), Boys Trade, Swing Thru, Swing & Promenade

(H) Right Hand Star (find Corner), Left Spin The Top, Left Cast Off 3/4, Zoom (left column), Girls Run, Swing Thru, Scoot Back, Swing & Promenade

• (H) Pass Thru, Separate Around 1 To A Line, Left Touch 1/4, Centres Zoom (left mini column), All 8 Circulate, Zoom (left Column) Boys Run, Pass Thru, Trade By, Box The Gnat, Pass Thru, Swing & Promenade

(H) Left Square Thru 4, Left Touch 1/4, Walk And Dodge, Wheel Around, Dixie Style To An Ocean Wave, (right hand start) Swing Thru, Chain down the line, Slide Thru, Swing Corner & Promenade

• (H) Promenade 1/2, Come Down The Middle, Left Square Thru 4, Left Swing Thru, Girls Run, Ferris Wheel, Centres Wheel Around, Swing & Promenade

(H) Square Thru 4, Dosado, Swing Thru, Boys Run Right, Tag The Line, Face Left, Ferris Wheel, Centres Veer Right, Veer Left, Swing & Promenade

• Head Square Thru 4, Touch ¼, Centres Trade, Swing Thru, Centres Run (BGGB), Bend the Line, Reverse Flutter Wheel (“B-G, in with Left”), Star Thru, Double Pass Thru, 1st couple Left, 2nd couple Left, Promenade

(H) Right & Left Thru, Flutter Wheel, & Backaway, Side Lead Right, Touch 1/4, Girls Run, Reverse Flutter Wheel, Sweep 1/4, Half Sashay, (boys in front), Swing & Promenade

• Head Square Thru 4, Touch ¼, Centres Trade, Swing Thru, Centres Run (BGGB), Bend the Line, Forward & Back, Pass the Ocean (B-G in centre), Scoot Back, Swing and Promenade

(H) Spin The Top, Swing Thru, Extend, Pass To The Centre, Split Circulate ** All 8 Circulate, Scoot Back, Scoot Back Again, Swing & Promenade (NOTE: ** in this figure, the split circulate has the Centres trade and the trailers step forward to make two ocean waves. Walk first.)

• (H) square thru 4, Slide thru, Boy walk girl dodge, Centres girl walk boy dodge, 3x1 walk and dodge, Tag the line, Leaders U- turn back, Swing corner promenade

(H) Slide Thru, on your own track - Dixie style to a wave, All Eight Circulate, Girls Run, Dixie Stlye To An Ocean Wave, All Eight, Circulate, Boys Fold, (All) Face Left, Dixie Style to a wave, Boys U-Turn Back And Promenade Home (NOTE: The last Dixie style after the all 8 circulate can be replaced with : Single Hinge, Walk And Dodge, Partner Trade, Boys Fold, Swing Promenade

• (H) Lead Right, Circle To A Line, Forward & Back, Dixie Style To A Wave, Spin Chain Thru (G), Girls Run, Wheel + Deal, Pass To The Centre, Centres – Pass Thru, A.L.

H/S Promemade ½, Right & Left Thru, Dixie Style To Ow, Extend (To LHow), Spin Chain Thru(G,) Recycle (Left*), Swing Thru, Recycle, Pass To The Centre, Centres – Pass Thru, Allemande Left, Promenade

• (H) Pass The Ocean, Extend, Hinge, Centres Trade, Spin Chain Thru (BBGG), Hinge, Boys Trade, Turn Thru, Swing, Promenade

H/S Lead Right, Make a Wave, Girls Cross Run, Boys Trade, (Left) Spin Chain Thru, Girls Run, Wheel and Deal, Pass Thru, Trade By, Swing, Promenade

• Touch ¼, Boys Run, Left Touch ¼, Scoot Back, Girls Run, Pass The Ocean, Swing Thru, Recycle, Swing, Promenade

(H) Left Square Thru, Left Touch ¼, Left Scoot Back, Girls Run, Square Thru 3, Swing, Promenade

• H) Right And Left Thru, Dixie Style To A Wave, Extend (Left Hand Wave), Girls Circulate, Boys Trade, (Left) Scoot Back, Girls Run, Promenade

(Same Sex Slide thru)

• (H) Promenade ½, Slide Thru, Turn Thru, Slide Thru, Ends Fold, Centres Square Thru 3, Slide Thru, Partner Trade, Pass Thru, Swing, Promenade

(Same Sex Slide thru)

• (H) ½ Sashay, Touch ¼, Girls Run, Slide Thru, Ends Cross Fold, Centres Left Turn Thru, Touch ¼, Scoot Back, Swing, Promenade

(Same Sex Slide thru)

• (H) Promenade ½, Slide Thru, Turn Thru, Slide Thru, Ends Cross Fold, Centres Turn Thru, Slide Thru, Square Thru 3, Swing, Promenade

(Same Sex Slide thru)

• 4 Ladies Chain ¾, (H) Right & Left Thru, (H) Ladies Chain ¾, (Side men courtesy turn them), Same Ladies Rollaway, Forward & Back, Slide Thru, **Swing Corner, Promenade (NOTE: ** use allemande left and promenade rather than swing for middle break)

(Same Sex Slide thru)

• H/S Square Thru, Others ½ Sashay, Same sex Slide Thru, Cast Off ¾, Ends Fold, Centres Square Thru 3, Swing, Promenade

Category: Mel Wilkerson