I have also found that simple circle mixers can be great for "dance
education." 1) They get to swing with lots of different folks 2) if
a few couples are late, they get swept up in the next move 3) the
circle left/right and in to the center and promenade figures get them
listening to the music since, if they miss when the next figure
should start, once again, the group will "help them along". I also
try to ask for a tune or set with nice clear phrases to make it
easier for the dancers to match movements to music.
Jack
At 03:50 PM 12/14/2007, you wrote:
Many experiences with enthusiastic teens dancing for the first time
has taught me the importance of training them to listen for each
successive call. They can lapse into autopilot on any figure--I've
had teens who take forever to get a star rotating, then just keep
going to indulge their success through two or even three subsequent calls.
Starting out with longways dances (such as the many variants of the
Virginia Reel) with several 8-count figures ending in long lines
facing across can establish good listening behavior especially if
you insist they wait for each call before launching into the next
figure. I try to get them to really notice how dynamic it is when
the whole set of dancers moves together so they are thinking more
about the big picture. I also tell them if they realize they're
really late on a figure, skip it if they can and wait for the next
call (and I try to pick dances that tolerate that well).
As far as contras go, dances with 16-count swings actually have
worked better for me because the dancers usually wear themselves out
more quickly and settle down into a more energy-conserving mode. But
in the walkthrough and while the dance is in progress, I almost
always insert a warning such as "end the swing and face across" (or
whatever) before I give the call for the next figure.
Chip Hedler
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