Dance Review - Jan 2004, Ben Rubright

Dance Review - Jan 2004
by Craig Shucker .

Featuring: Ben Rubright |-bio

A-2 Workshop | A-2 dance | C-1 dance | C-2 dance | C-3A dance

Friday C-3A Dance

Ben's material was quite a challenging way to start the new year:

(1) from a static square -- As Couples Circle to a Wave

(2) from a siamese diamond with the points as couples -- Initially Siamese Diamond Chain Thru

(3) from a right-hand ocean wave parallelogram with the overhanging ends facing out -- Parallelogram 1/4 the Deucey

(4) from parallel right-hand waves and from right-hand split phantom columns with all the real dancers as end of the columns -- Split Phantom Columns Triple Play

(5) from a siamese box with the boys as couples facing out and girls in tandem facing in -- Link Up but when the girls meet Reach Out.

Ben also came up with some interesting combinations for the "Own" concept:

(1) from parallel right-hand columns with boys in the center -- Own the boys, Walk Out to a Wave by Peel Off

(2) from parallel right-hand waves with same-sex mini-waves with the end girls facing out -- Own the boys Reach Out by Flip Back

(3) from parallel right-hand waves with same-sex mini-waves with the end boys facing out -- Own the boys Bias Circulate by Stretch Ah So

(4) from parallel right-hand waves with same-sex mini-waves with the end boys facing out -- Own the girls Drift Apart by Spin Chain Thru.

Although he did not present this as a concept, throughout the session he called many calls where he wanted the designated dancers to work a call withing the specified formation-related concept while the other dancers worked the same call within the center real or phantom regular formation: Here are a few examples:

(1) from a tidal two-faced line with boys as the center four -- just the girls work in Triple Lines all Crossfire

(2) from a completed double pass thru with girls as beaus and boys as belles -- just the boys work in Split Phantom Columns, all Checkmate the Column

(3) from parallel right-hand waves with the girls facing out -- just the girls work in Split Phantom Waves, all Follow Thru

(4) from parallel right-hand waves with the boys facing out -- just the boys work Split Phantom Waves, all Follow Your Leader

(5) from parallel left-hand two-faced lines with the boys facing in -- just the boys work Split Phantom Columns, all Vertical Tag the Line

(6) from parallel right-hand waves with the boys facing in -- just the boys work in Split Phantom Waves, Vertical 1/2 Tag (the action is a Partner Trade)

(7) from totally offset left-hand boxes with all the leaders on the main diagonal with the boys in tandem facing out -- just the boys work Split Phantom Columns, all Checkmate the Column.

Saturday A-2 Workshop

Ben didn't present an ordinary workshop concentrating on a few calls or concepts. Instead he provided an excellent explanation and walkthrough of "square breathing", the expansion and contraction of the set to keep the formation in proper alignment. For many in attendance this was the first time they had been exposed to this information and was quite an enlightening experience as to what really occurs while dancing. Ben also taught All Eight Counter Rotate and used an expansion of the definition to review Split Counter Rotate.

Saturday A-2 dance

Ben called a few things that required some review:

(1) from a thar consisting of one right-hand wave and one left-hand wave, All 8 Swing Thru and All 8 Swing & Mix

(2) from a 2x4 formation with centers facing in as centers of lines and the ends facing out as ends of columns, Spin the Windmill In/Out/Right/Left

(3) from inverted lines, Swing & Mix.

He also called quite a few calls from parallel ocean waves that included modifications:

(1) begin with a Cast Off 3/4, Spin the Top

(2) begin with a Cast Off 3/4, Spin Chain the Gears

(3) begin with a Cast Off 3/4, Spin Chain & Exchange the Gears

(4) Relay the Deucey, replace the last Cast Off 3/4 with a Switch to a Diamond

(5) Spin Chain the Gears, replace the last Cast Off 3/4 with a Mix.

Sunday C-1 dance

Ben really mixed it up with a lot of different material utilizing most of the calls and concepts on the list:

(1) from inverted lines, outfacing lines, parallel right- and left-hand two-faced lines -- Tally Ho

(2) from right- or left-hand diamonds -- Step & Fold

(3) from parallel waves -- Stretch Step & Fold, Stretch Split Recycle, and Stretch Split Counter Rotate

(4) from parallel two-faced lines -- Stretch Couples Hinge

(5) from parallel left-hand two-faced lines -- Stretch Turn & Deal

(6) from a tidal wave -- Stretch Ah So

(7) from right-hand parallel waves -- do the first part in Tandem, Relay the Top

(8) from right-hand columns, do the first and third parts in Tandem -- Remake

(9) from a right-hand ocean wave parallelogram with the overhanging ends facing out -- replace the All 8 Circulate with a Triple Box Circulate, Motivate.

Sunday C-2 Dance

The C-2 session was primarily a dance with little review. Only two calls provided major problems:

(1) from a right-hand column parallelogram with the overhang facing in -- Parallelogram Walk Out to a Wave Motivate

(2) from the same formation -- Parallelogram Once Removed Counter Rotate.

PS: Before I sign off for this month, I have a favor to ask. In March, Sandi and I will miss most, if not all, of the Trailblazers weekend because we will be vacationing in Florida. I hate to miss any Trailblazers dance, but this is the first real vacation I have had in years, and this was the only week that could accommodate our plans. In order to include a review of Wayne Alexander's calling, I will need people to take notes for me. Hopefully, I can get a few volunteers for each session. What is required is to write down what was taught and the interesting calls that were used along with their starting formations (diagrams are fine). Please let me know if you are willing to volunteer.

Also, I have been experimenting with various ways to improve the readabilty of these articles. Let me know whether you think the formatting of this issue's review is an improvement.