Wow. I'm really glad to hear that some of you are doing this sort of thing! And yes, it's a bit obsessive to be doing it once a week, but I really hope that more people will try it - start less often if you must, but it's the sort of thing that can be done anywhere, in the middle of tradition-rich New England, or in the middle of just about nowhere.
Our philosophy is that anyone with a thoughtful, convincing idea can be "the expert of the moment," so you don't have to have a world-class caller to guide you if you don't happen to have one handy. Or if one shows up, it's amazing how often their ideas are the most thoughtful and convincing. But there's always the Internet to help you find good ideas - and the books and handouts that have been mentioned in this thread. If you only have four people to dance, try switching the orientation of the set 90 degrees the second time through the dance, and back again the third. You get a new partner and a new neighbor, with the lady conveniently on the right. We call it the Calling Party Progression. You don't need it for English, of course, because the next time through you just switch from being a one to being a two. Part of the reason it works is that we don't mind when only a small handful of people show up. I always prefer having the perfect number, of course - 10 to dance, plus one to call, plus one to start the iPod or sit out - 12 in all, but I always enjoy the conversation even if only one person besides Bob (Green, my husband) shows up. And if no one shows but Bob and me? That only happened once, and even then, the company was excellent. And every once in a while, fifteen people show up, and three of them are musicians who want to play, and isn't that fun? I really love hearing that some of you are using these kinds of events not only for practicing callers, but for aspiring musicians as well. And organizers! (We give each person who participates in the Calling Parties and our once-a-month Callers Choice Dances the opportunity to put together the program, on a rotating basis, and many of us have started showing up early to get the hall ready, take the money, help clean up, etc. So it adds to the pool of talent on lots of fronts.) So, if you think something like this would work where you live, TRY IT! And I hope you have as much fun doing it as we have. M E
