Out of Sight - A Text on Mental Image Choreography for Square Dance Callers
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While attending "Al Stevens' Institute For Caller Cevelopment & Leadership" in Germany in October 1991, I was privileged to meet the author of this book, who was the featured CALLERLAB Accredited Caller Coach. Needless to say, I took the opportunity to buy this famous textbook and have it signed by the author.
Other authors I've met
Other authors I've met
Have you ever wondered how square dance callers succeed in getting every dancer back to the original partner and their respective home position after having them dance around seemingly at random for several minutes?
Actually, there are quite a few methods of choreographic management:
• Reading cue cards
• Modules & Equivalents
• Extemporaneous or Sight Calling
• Mental Image
• Snapshot resolution
Don Beck is not the inventor of "Mental Image" but he perfected the system, is its most famous user and, as you can see here, the guy "who wrote the book about it". Believe it or not, dancing to a mental image caller feels totally different from dancing to a sight caller - even when the two of them are of equal competence.
Don's text is highly informative, very structured and - though of the highest intellectual quality - a really entertaining read. In October 1991, I was privileged to attend one of Don's presentations on Mental Image Choreography during a caller school. Don wrote a very nice dedication in my book and on the weekend, I also had the pleasure of dancing to his varied, interesting and always smoothly flowing choreography.
Though I'm not smart enough to use the system fully in my dances, I learned a lot from studying it and - very cautiously - can make the occasional foray into this exciting corner (no pun intended) of calling.
Actually, there are quite a few methods of choreographic management:
• Reading cue cards
• Modules & Equivalents
• Extemporaneous or Sight Calling
• Mental Image
• Snapshot resolution
Don Beck is not the inventor of "Mental Image" but he perfected the system, is its most famous user and, as you can see here, the guy "who wrote the book about it". Believe it or not, dancing to a mental image caller feels totally different from dancing to a sight caller - even when the two of them are of equal competence.
Don's text is highly informative, very structured and - though of the highest intellectual quality - a really entertaining read. In October 1991, I was privileged to attend one of Don's presentations on Mental Image Choreography during a caller school. Don wrote a very nice dedication in my book and on the weekend, I also had the pleasure of dancing to his varied, interesting and always smoothly flowing choreography.
Though I'm not smart enough to use the system fully in my dances, I learned a lot from studying it and - very cautiously - can make the occasional foray into this exciting corner (no pun intended) of calling.
