Once about a year ago when I got home from work I found in my mailbox one of those promotional videos addressed to me about adult ADD. One of my 4 roommates(maybe all of them) thought it was a good joke--sort of. My roommates used to call me ADD girl. Why you may ask am I writing about ADD on the Callers' Blog. OK, so--ADD and calling.
Observation: Calling is to dancers like driving is to car. If I get distracted by one thing--even if that thing was myself--suddenly it's the sound of tires in the gravel. So, there I was staring down the set at some very patient people who suddenly put their trust in me to set them in motion with out crashing them into each other. Can I just say that standing in front of a room of rowdy teenagers is easier than staring down the set at all of you. Maybe it is because you are actually listening. Hmmm....anyway--I felt like a couple of times I was distracted by something around me and I sort of let go of the steering wheel--forgot something or was late. I really have to keep going because-duh Chrystal-the music keeps going. Other wise its tires on the rumble strip for everyone.
Anyway...it was fun times on Tuesday. I was actually quite terrified to give calling a try but now that I have had a go at it I am looking forward to trying again. Feedback? Observations?
I set before you my novice but honest reflections,
~chrystal
An afterthought:
I definitely do not recommend dancing the first time one tries calling.
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5 comments:
That is a great analogy - "Otherwise it's tires on the rumble strip for everyone." I'm still smiling over it.
I am right with you on the feeling that the music seems to want to slip by too quickly when you're trying to remember what to call. When I'm practicing (i.e., talking out loud to myself walking down the street in a quiet suburban neighborhood), I can have just finished a nearly perfect one time through, with nothing left out, and nothing left over, feeling good, when suddenly the music is already into the A2 and I haven't said anything yet! Where does the time go?
Hey Chrystal--that was a fun dance you called. You did great--it's amazing that you were dancing and calling at the same time! Way to go!
So, you gonna call "Chrystal Saylor" at the next ECD? Huh? Oh, wait--not on the 14th, 'cause I won't be there and I want to dance it....
Martha--I know what you mean. If I'm dancing with ghosts while I'm practicing the calling, I usually don't leave things out because my body has to move someplace, but when I'm in the kitchen, or walking, or sitting down, it's SO easy to forget the next move....
The one thing that really struck me was how easy it was to get distracted. It's a part:whole dilema--the big picture so to speak. Can I see the forest when there are so many trees?
You may not believe me I practiced and practiced. It's just so different where there are people! The salt shakers/lemons/playing cards/what-have-you can always read my mind and know just what I am talking about and do exactly what I want them to do even if I fall behind.
I am so pleased that the changes I made worked and that it turned out well. You never know until there are actually real people involved.
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