Dodging

    Dodging practice is a very good way of developing and extending the sense of rhythm and also develops bell handling skills. The sense of rhythm is developed as the feel of the speed changes is acquired. Bell handling must be developed so that the learner knows how not to pull too hard if the next stroke is to be quick or to pull harder if the next stroke is to be slow. Also, the learner should be taught to catch the sally in different places and move up and down the tail end.

   Start on 6 bells. Define a method with the place notation xx. This makes all the bells dodge in pairs. When rung by the simulator the "Stop at Rounds" setting must be off otherwise the whole thing will last 2 blows. Get the learner to ring an odd numbered bell to practice "up" dodges and an even numbered bell for "down" dodges. It is worth the learner's time to ring all the bells to get used to the sound of dodging in different places and to get used to dodging with bells of different weights.

   The learner will be amazed at the difference in speed between the handstroke and backstroke. The exercise should be repeated on 8, 10 and 12 bells to show that as the number of bells increases the speed differences decrease.

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