A gender neutral guide to twirly skirts for contra dance

[robehickman]

Myself and a friend put together an article on how to find skirts that work well for contra dance (and presumably other kinds of folk dance), it can be read here:

https://robehickman.com/gender-neutral-skirts-contra

[Faldaguy]

Nice, comprehensive, useful guide. May I suggest you edit the last section on Male dancers wearing a skirt as you have set up a negative expectation that is not supported by most of us MIS who have routinely been skirting" in public. Your line: " and anyone with a body that is routinely viewed as male is more likely to attract negative comment." only serves to unnecessarily raise concerns, and is not particularly useful. Most newbies will be well aware of their own qualms -- noting this, even if it were accurate, does not help.

[robehickman]

Nice, comprehensive, useful guide. May I suggest you edit the last section on Male dancers wearing a skirt as you have set up a negative expectation that is not supported by most of us MIS who have routinely been skirting" in public. Your line: " and anyone with a body that is routinely viewed as male is more likely to attract negative comment." only serves to unnecessarily raise concerns, and is not particularly useful. Most newbies will be well aware of their own qualms -- noting this, even if it were accurate, does not help.

Thanks, actually that paragraph was added by my friend and what I had written myself was more utilitarian. I've removed that sentence.

Besides the negative experience I noted in another post, my observation has been that the majority of people don't care if a guy is wearing a skirt.

[Faldaguy]

Nice, comprehensive, useful guide. May I suggest you edit the last section on Male dancers wearing a skirt as you have set up a negative expectation that is not supported by most of us MIS who have routinely been skirting" in public. Your line: " and anyone with a body that is routinely viewed as male is more likely to attract negative comment." only serves to unnecessarily raise concerns, and is not particularly useful. Most newbies will be well aware of their own qualms -- noting this, even if it were accurate, does not help.

Thanks, actually that paragraph was added by my friend and what I had written myself was more utilitarian. I've removed that sentence.

Besides the negative experience I noted in another post, my observation has been that the majority of people don't care if a guy is wearing a skirt.

Yes, I noted your other post, it was a bit jarring given it was mostly outside the experience many of us have had. It does seem typically the few times such things happen it is a group of young males who are showing their own insecurity and trying to prove their their own macho -- the older version of the playground bully; or the younger version of of a current candidate for high office in the US. Indeed, the majority simply do not care; and those that do are more likely to be your S.O. who is worried about your image, or theirs -- so, despite being a negative reaction, it is often borne of caring --even if misplaced. Thanks for sharing your guide, clearly a lot of thought went into it. I only wish I still had the energy to twirl my own more!

[Mouse]

I think there will always be idiots which try to up themselves with putting others down. Alcohol can tend to make certain people bolder with their comments. A group of drunk mates together can also be trouble.

However a lot of these thoughts are in your own head and the truth is that most of the time, nobody cares what you ware.

I took myself to Birmingham to meet a friend at a bizarre market where I wore a short latex skirt with petticoat. http://www.skirtcafe.org/forums/viewtop ... 46#p261746 My friend then took me round three of her favourite pubs in central Birmingham. Now pubs are places I tend to be careful in, alcohol and groups of mates, however I had a great afternoon chatting in pubs in an outfit I felt was close my edge. (no heels, but shiny Mary Janes...)

The other day I found myself in a full latex outfit including orange skirt and orange over black latex legs, http://www.skirtcafe.org/forums/viewtop ... 95#p263795 in a carriage full of football supporters after a match.... nothing happened, nothing was said, nobody cared. (full disclosure, at the time I met the football folk, I had flat short boots on and my fleece)

I think you were unfortunate in your early skirting to meet a loud mouth idiot. I wear skirts everyday and have met only a couple of idiots over quite a few years and even when I don't take care, nothing happens.

My advice is do take care, but don't be put off wearing your skirts.

[Charlie]

An interesting read which deserves more publicity. Perhaps I should print it out and post it on our dance club's notice board.
I always dance in a skirt because its so much more fun and comfortable. At the Bristol contra last week there were four of us guys in skirts - out of a total of 45-ish dancers. Its nice to think that these guys have probably experienced a boost in their self confidence (I did) and might wear skirts when off the dance floor.
Your co-author and I occasionally dance together, and she will generously dance the left-hand (man) role, letting me dance the right-hand (lady) role, which I find to be different and more of a challenge. And it gives more opportunity for twirls and fun.
So I would urge any man to (a) dance in a skirt, and (b) dance the other role. I know some guys don't like to be referred to as 'ladies' (its only a label), so gender-free calling eliminates that problem.
Regarding colour matching, the colour wheel is useful. I was a colour TV engineer in a previous life, so use the colour triangle with the light primaries (red, green & blue). For example, I match a purple (magenta) skirt with a green or turquoise (cyan) top, which are opposites. It seems to work and I like it. However, I match a multi-coloured skirt with a black top.
Charlie

[timemeddler]

So I would urge any man to (a) dance in a skirt, and (b) dance the other role. I know some guys don't like to be referred to as 'ladies' (its only a label), so gender-free calling eliminates that problem.

I should try that at square dancing sometime, the women do it all the time, largely because there's almost always more women than men. I have been offered the opportunity perhaps twice at dances, as it stand's I don't know exactly how to do it, but I'm told it's not that difficult to switch. There have been a few times where it's been the other way around and there's not enough men and I know at least one guy who does both.

[robehickman]

An interesting read which deserves more publicity. Perhaps I should print it out and post it on our dance club's notice board.
I always dance in a skirt because its so much more fun and comfortable. At the Bristol contra last week there were four of us guys in skirts - out of a total of 45-ish dancers. Its nice to think that these guys have probably experienced a boost in their self confidence (I did) and might wear skirts when off the dance floor.
Your co-author and I occasionally dance together, and she will generously dance the left-hand (man) role, letting me dance the right-hand (lady) role, which I find to be different and more of a challenge. And it gives more opportunity for twirls and fun.
So I would urge any man to (a) dance in a skirt, and (b) dance the other role. I know some guys don't like to be referred to as 'ladies' (its only a label), so gender-free calling eliminates that problem.
Regarding colour matching, the colour wheel is useful. I was a colour TV engineer in a previous life, so use the colour triangle with the light primaries (red, green & blue). For example, I match a purple (magenta) skirt with a green or turquoise (cyan) top, which are opposites. It seems to work and I like it. However, I match a multi-coloured skirt with a black top.
Charlie

You are welcome to share it if you find it useful. Anyone should feel free to link to it, printing it (non commercially) is fine with me, just don't copy and republish it on other websites.

if you're talking about Bristol in the UK, I was there wearing a bright red circle and a half skirt. The Bristol contra has a much higher adoption of make skirt wearing than other contra dances I've been to in the UK. It seems to be widely common in the USA, and I'm writing an article to document the history of it, seemingly the first time anyone has done so.

In my experience, most contra dances in the UK use gender-free (larks / robins), or positional calling nowadays. I mostly dance left (traditionally 'man'), though am a pretty new to contra, and am gradually learning the other role. Not remembering to mirror my muscle memory in swings still throws me off.

[Charlie]

I should try that at square dancing sometime, the women do it all the time, largely because there's almost always more women than men. I have been offered the opportunity perhaps twice at dances, as it stand's I don't know exactly how to do it, but I'm told it's not that difficult to switch. There have been a few times where it's been the other way around and there's not enough men and I know at least one guy who does both.

Its a personal gripe of mine that the women have more fun in squares, and work their way around the square while the men always stay in one place and become posts for the women to dance around. There are squares where the men move around, but they are rare. I occasionally get to dance the opposite role but at the risk of confusing everyone else in the square
Robe, the great thing about Bristol (UK) contra is that the younger people don't care which role they dance, and will often ask what role I'd like to dance. After having to dance as a man for the past 20+ years at our local club (too many women, who then argue about who's to be the man ) it probably means more to me to be able to dance the opposite role that the young ones.
Sorry, I'm off on a bit of a rant.
Charlie

[timemeddler]

seems that way, not that there aren't moves where I can get a good swish going, like right and left grand, and circle lefts.