[Exi-bay-announce] Fwd: Stanford Quads intro nights

[Kennita Watson]

Hi all --

It's that time of year again -- time for me to evangelize one of
my favorite extropic activities.  The Stanford Quads are hosting a
series of intro nights on Sunday, October 10th, 17th, and 24th
at 7 PM (logistical details below).

So what's it all about?  Stanford Quads is a Palo Alto square dance
club.  Before you tune out with "I don't dance" -- it's not like that.
Come see.

What are some of the ways it's not like that?
1) The caller/instructor, like many of the dancers, is hyperintelligent.
John Sybalsky is a C4-level square dance caller, one of only a few
dozen in the world.
2) There is always something new to learn.
3) There are never long choreographic sequences to learn -- the
longest call takes 32 beats, and most are between 2 and 8.  The
fun is in putting them together, like a puzzle.
4) There is no motion required faster than a walking pace, and no
quick turns.  Actually, one description I've used is "walking in
patterns".  And if even walking is difficult, never fear -- you get
handholds every few steps (they help define and transition between
patterns),
5) John uses little or no standard square dance music (and if you have
some of your own that's at the appropriate pace, he'll consider it).
6) Think of your group of 8 people as being like a Rubik's cube:
you start out arranged, and the caller uses legal transforms to
scramble it, then solves it again.  A lot of use is made of symmetry --
the process is near-magical if you pay attention.
7) There are two parts, a "boy" part and a "girl" part, but you're
welcome to choose either one, and even to switch back and forth
once you've learned both (it's easiest to learn one part or the other
before doing that).
8) If you turn your brain off and go on autopilot, you'll be sorry :-) .
9) It's a noncompetitive, participatory (i.e., non-spectator) team
sport.
10) When you're done with John's class, you'll be one of the best
square dancers around.

There's probably more, but that's what comes to mind.  Come on
out and try it a few times, for free!  What have you got to lose?

Cheers,
Kennita

Here are those logistical details I promised:

I hope to see you at Fairmeadow School, 500 East Meadow Drive at
Cowper in Palo Alto from 7 to 9 PM on Sunday, October 10th and/or
17th and/or 24th.  Continue if you like it, otherwise you can at
least say you've tried it.  Look for Kennita -- I'll be happy to
see you there!

Web site:  http://www.mixed-up.com/quads
Contact:  Kennita Watson, kennita at kennita.com or (408) 749-0915.