Talk:Promenade (dance move)

Western
Yes I know it's weak on non-western square dance information. I took the definition given on the contredanse page and included it in the text. Otherwise you other dance experts have plenty of room to contribute with your specialized knowledge. Sfdan 15:03, 5 September 2005 (UTC)

I removed the following text from the basic description of a Scatter Promenade:
 * "This also sometimes occasionaly done uncalled when a caller calls a promenade then a couple will leave the square they are in and enter another one and the couple they go infront of has to go to a square with a vacancy."

First, its terrible grammar. Its a run on sentence with no punctuation, words are left out, and its really hard to understand. Even for me, and I know what you're talking about. Take some time, and think about what you're trying to say, pleae. Let's try to keep a bit of quality in the writing.

Second, I don't think this is very relevant in an encyclopedia. Just because something occassionally happens does not mean it needs to go into the article. When talking about people one talks about them having 5 toes on each foot, and it is not necessary to mention that occassionally one has 6 or 4 toes.

Third, in 20 years of square dancing I have never encountered this. And I've done a lot of dancing in those twenty years. Sounds like fun, perhaps disruptive, kind of like switching partners or sex in the middle of a tip, or someone yells out "Now" and everyone spins around... and so what! Is that encyclopedic? Is this at the right level for this article?

In my opinion these articles are written for average people (not square dance afficianados). Let's try to give them something they have a chance to understand, and not dump on them a mass of irrelevant details at a level way beyond what they need to know.

And, by the way, that is also why I removed earlier, and rephrased, your usage of such terms as "heads" and "sides" and "1,2,3,4" in the article where you wrote about designated couples. You and I and some others know these terms, but the average reader does not. If you are going to introduce "technical" terms, please either explain them to the average reader within the article, or find another article space where they can be explained; and then, link to that explanation. Try to find the most appropriate place for the explanation. If it doesn't require a long explanation, perhaps there is already an article with the same name on which you can add a little information. For example, I threw a simple quick explanation for "home" as we understand it on the Home (disambiguation) page, and the same for "set" as we understand it on the Set (disambiguation) page. I am not necessarily advocating this technique as a rule, but it has its place. If you felt compelled to explain heads, sides, 1, 2, 3 and 4, I am sure that you could find the right place for it.

I don't mean to be lecturing here, but I have worked over the past three years to try to get a level of quality in these square dance articles. There was one terrible article three years ago, and now there is a reasonable group of articles, and growing thanks to people like you. Three years ago square dance had no presence in the dance area, and now we do. You have a lot of valuable information and energy and enthusiasm, and I am sure that we will find the way to work together to improve this interest aera.

Please consider my comments as constructive techniques to improve your contributions. SFDan 11:05, September 6, 2005 (UTC)
 * Its actually quite common where I dance so I assumed it would be in other places regularly but if not it is farley irrelivent to discussion in an encyclopedia which is definatly more universal. thanks for your patients though I am sure I will get more acustomed to writting for this. --Shimonnyman 12:09, 6 September 2005 (UTC)
 * Old thread but... pse don't link to dab pages. Link to wiktionary, or create a new article. --kingboyk 19:29, 24 August 2006 (UTC)