On 7/23/2012 1:58 PM, [email protected] wrote:
Just checking to see if someone would have a few gender neutral dances to share with me. I will be calling to a large group of non-dancers that will mostly be same-sex couples. I was thinking of calling a few circle mixers, Sicilian circles, Virginia reel type dances and perhaps a few contras.
Many of the dances I do for non-dancer groups of any sort have little or no distinction between the two members of a couple. Most of these are proper and whole-set. You interact with your partner and possibly your neighbor, but there's no need to specify gender roles. Dances like Cumberland Reel and Galopede are always good for this sort of event. If the people are doing well you might try an easy contra such as Jefferson's Reel. The Community Dances Manual is a good source. Here are a few dances you might like to use. They all work with 32 bar tunes.
Jonathan ----- Jonathan Sivier Caller of Contra, English and Early American Dances jsivier AT illinois DOT edu Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html ----- Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? A: It depends on what dance you call! ----- Cumberland Reel Traditional longways for 4 to 6 couples Tune: eponymous tune or AST (any square tune) A1 top 2 couples right hands across star and then left hands across star back to place A2 top couple chasse down the center and back B1 top couple casts off down their own proper sides leading their line to the bottom and back to place B2 all couples, except top couple, make arches, top couple goes to the bottom of the set under the arches Cumberland Square Eight a quadrille, 4 couples in a square Tune: My Love She's But A Lassie Yet or AST A1 Head couples chasse across the set and back, going CCW around the other couple A2 Sides the same B1 Heads right hands across, left hands back B2 Sides the same A1 Heads basket swing in the center A2 Sides the same B1 All circle left B2 Promenade back to place Galopede Traditional proper longways for 8-12 couples Tune: eponymous tune or AST A1 - all forward and back, pass through across, taking partners place A2 - all forward and back, pass through across, returning to original place B - do-si-do partner, two-hand turn with partner C - top couple sashay down the center to the bottom of the set, other couples move up one place Jefferson's Reel Dudley Briggs; adapted from Jefferson and Liberty duple proper Tune: Jefferson and Liberty or AST 1 - circle left 2 - circle right 3 - star right 4 - star left 5 - actives down the outside 6 - return to place 7 - down the hall 4 in line, actives in the center 8 - actives arch joined hands and back up, inactives duck through the arch Sanita Hill Circle Ed Durlacher Sicilian circle 1 - circle left 2 - circle right 3 - do-si-do neighbor 4 - do-si-do partner 5 - star right 6 - star left 7 - forward and back 8 - pass through to next couple
