What's on the Parallelogram and
Offset CD and How to Use It.
What's on the Parallelogram and
Offset CD and How to Use It.
This document is a web version of the users manual that comes with this CD.
This CD contains practice sequences covering parallelograms and offset formations. Why both? Because in reality they’re just two forms of the same thing. For example, if you’re in parallelogram waves and you hinge, the new setup is offset waves, and vice versa. Throughout this discussion, the one term "parallelogram" will often be used to represent both parallelograms and offset setups. No call above the Callerlab C2 list (as of October 1995) has been used.
Shape-changing calls are those calls that change the relative location of dancers on the floor. Recycle and chain reaction are two examples of shape-changing calls. However, note that a call like split counter rotate from waves or columns is not a shape-changer even though the dancers’ facing directions have changed. A shape-changer must change the actual position of dancers on the floor; in this context, the facing direction is irrelevant. In broad terms, shape-changing calls present a degree of difficulty not present in non-shaping ones.
This CD is organized with a separate sequence on each of 47 tracks. The sequences are in groups with an increasing degree of difficulty. That is, sequence number 3 is intended to be somewhat easier than, say, sequence 12 or 38. The groupings are as follows:
Parallelograms are setups which overlap by 50%. Let’s elaborate on this simplification by using an example. From a squared set, have the heads lead right, then circle up 4 to a line. We now have facing lines where each dancer is facing a side wall. Now have each dancer, without turning, slide one position to his right. You now have parallelogram facing lines. Notice that each line has half (or 50%) of its dancers in the same setup in the middle - in this case, in the same box. They can be said to be overlapped, and since half of each setup is overlapped, we say that the overall setup is overlapped by 50%.
Notice too from those parallelogram facing lines that you have what we call a "shear line" running through the center of the set that separates one line from the other. This indicates the axis along which each half of the setup moved from a normal setup to create the parallelogram. This line is important for two reasons.
1. Our recommended way of dancing parallelograms is to adjust the parallelogram or offset setup along this axis to form a "normal" setup, dance the call, then readjust along the same shear line to reform the parallelogram or offset setup. More about this later.2. If a parallelogram or offset call ends with all dancers on this shear line, it is by definition a get out from the parallelogram or offset setup. There’s no readjustment because it’s impossible to reestablish the parallelogram by adjusting only along the shear line. (Remember, the readjustment can only be along the shear line. You must readjust in exactly the opposite direction of the original adjustment.) As an example, from our parallelogram facing lines, the call "parallelogram swing through" ends on this shear line and hence is a get out from the parallelogram. This principle is utilized in many of the CD Workshop sequences.
In our experience, dancers who execute parallelogram calls by adjusting and readjusting the setup as mentioned above are much more successful than those who dance it by trying to maintain the setup throughout the duration of the call. And, the more complex the call, the more essential it becomes to use the adjustment method. Some people believe it’s not necessary on very simple calls like split circulate, and there’s some truth to that contention. However, we find that the eight different people in a given square aren’t always in agreement on what constitutes a "simple" call. For example, most would agree that split circulate is a relatively simple call, but it’s much harder to execute it from parallelogram columns than from parallelogram waves. Hence, in order to become proficient at dancing parallelogram setups, we strongly recommend the adjustment method.
Let’s review the "adjustment method". Here are the steps.
· Adjust the setup to a normal one by moving along the shear line -
remember, no one should ever change facing direction during this adjustment.
This step is sometimes referred to as "removing the distortion".
We strongly recommend you practice these steps rigorously, at least in the beginning. Dancing parallelogram calls is one of the hardest aspects of challenge dancing. While it may appear that good dancers aren’t following these steps, believe us, they are. It’s just that they do it very quickly and smoothly because they’re doing it in their minds.
We just described how we recommend dancing these calls in your workshop, but how about at a live dance? After much practice, we’ve found that it’s possible to make the initial adjustment smoothly as we’re dancing the first part of the call. Similarly, it’s possible to flow smoothly through the readjustment during the last part of the call. This is the ideal situation, but don’t expect to get there immediately. It takes much practice. Let it happen, don’t force it.
The Readjustment
..........or, how in the world does one remember in which direction to make the readjustment? Of course, that’s the $64,000 question with parallelograms. The answer is: It’s hard. The concept of parallelograms is very hard, and, unfortunately no one has yet devised a simple system of remembering how to make the readjustment.
There are basically two types of systems used by dancers, with almost as many variations to the second method as there are dancers.
Mental Image: Take a mental snapshot of the original setup before the adjustment, then recall it after completion of the call. To be useful, the snapshot should be related to some physical object in the room, such as the door to the kitchen or the mirror on the wall.Determine an Offset: In effect, notice that one half of the square is offset in a certain direction - of course the other half is offset in exactly the opposite direction, but that’s superfluous information. Use some method to remember this offset, dance the call, then use your method to readjust the setup.
The Mental Image method is easier to learn and will work fine with simple setups, but its use is limited. We’ve found that it’s very hard to maintain this image with complex calls, especially as you move from one side of the set to the other across the shear line. We suggest you create a method to Determine the Offset, commit to it, and rigorously practice it.
Here’s a suggestion: A great time to practice any aspect of challenge dancing is when you’re dancing lower levels. For example, it’s a great time to practice dancing each call by definition so that information is readily available to your brain when you need it to process some more complex situation at a higher level, such as phantoms. The parallelogram concept is introduced at the C2 level, but seldom at that level is it used with any complexity - and with good reason we might add. When you’re dancing that level, practice your adjustment method even though you’re unlikely to need it.
The calling vocals on CD Workshop—Offsets and Parallelograms were performed by Ben Rubright, a well known California challenge caller and a good personal friend of Bill Heimann and Paul Galburt.
When we approached him with this idea, Ben was immediately enthusiastic about CD Workshop and agreed to perform on the first album even though it meant extra traveling, calling someone else’s material and performing under pressured conditions with unfamiliar music. Thanks Ben, for helping get this show on the road.
E-mail G2 Ideas about CD Workshop Parallelograms.
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