strathspey@strathspey.org:27887

Andrew Buxton

Re: Pre-booking

Oct. 15, 2001, 3:12 p.m. (Message 27887, in reply to message 27791)

Has anyone in this debate defined what counts as "pre-booking"?  Does it
mean before the end of the previous dance, or else at what stage of the
"gap" between dances?  When a club is sitting together (as usually seems to
happen) it is a bit embarassing to intrude in their huddle at the beginning
of the "gap" to ask and then have to hang around with no seat - or do you go
back to your own seat until the dance is called?

Perhaps a better time is when people are walking back after the previous
dance, but this conflicts with thanking one's partner and escorting her back
to her seat.  I also like to make sure I've checked Pilling or the crib
sheet before asking anyone for a dance I don't know well. If one waits until
the next dance is announced and is then refused (e.g. because "I'm sitting
this one out" or "I'm only doing Strathspeys") it is often too late to ask
anyone else.

I wonder if seeing men dance together would discourage some women from
arranging to dance together?  I've never seen it (men dancing together) done
outside of classes.

Andrew Buxton
Brighton, UK


Eric Ferguson wrote:
> 
> On 13 Oct 2001, at 11:57, Malcolm Brown wrote:
> 
> > <...>  pre-booking <...> does ensure that the keen dancers get to
 > > dance those dances that they want to dance <...> but <..>  other
> > people <...> get left on the sidelines because everyone else is
> > paired off!
> 
> As all Women are free to choose any partner, at the most one woman
> could be left "unpaired" against her will.   But can any Men divulge
> their strategy on how to avoid being left isolated as the available
> ladies pair off in twos?  I have yet to see any men joining a set as
> a two-man couple !

I have found myself doing that. Most often in class, where, as teacher,
I am always last to be partnered, but it has happened at balls as well.

Alan


---
Andrew Buxton
Information Systems Manager
Institute of Development Studies
University of Sussex
BRIGHTON  BN1 9RE    

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