Dear Cheryl,
Here are some dances I've found useful for smaller groups of dancers.
Jacob
For 4: Billingsdale Pattern by Chip Hendrickson or O'Donnell Anew by
Tony Saletan
(Both in Zesty Contras)
For 5: General Dummer's Reel
(http://www.library.unh.edu/special/forms/rpdlw/syllabus2006.pdf
page 38)
For 6: Cornish Six Hand Reel, or any triplet that's suitable for your group
(See Zesty Contras for the triplets Ted's Triplet #3 and
Housewarming.)
Cornish Six Hand Reel - 64 bar dance - Starting formation:
three couples in a line of six facing down the hall
Line of six go down the hall, balance twice 8 bars
Turn alone, come up the hall, balance twice 8 bars
With partner RH turn, LH turn 8 bars
Two hand turn, Dosido 8 bars
Hey for six 16 bars
Take partner in promenade position, face RH wall,
couple at RH end of set leads promenade to LH end of set and
makes an arch,
other couples come under arch, all swing partner in new
position 16 bars
(See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKYLDM1w6NE for a
fascinating variant)
For 7: Shira's Seven
Shira's Seven Jacob Bloom
Starting formation: Longways for 3 couples plus extra dancer
at top of set, in Ocean Wave with RH to partner, LH to next
Suggested music: Westfork Gals
All Balance, those who can Allemande R 4 bars
All Balance, those who can Allemande L 4 bars
Balance & swing partner, while extra dancer dances to foot
of set 8 bars
Extra dancer B&S their choice of the dancers in couple #3,
The dancer left out B&S their choice of the dancers in couple #2
The dancer left out B&S their choice of the dancers in
couple #1 8 bars
All three new couples F&B to new extra dancer at top of
set 4 bars
Dosido partner to an ocean wave 4 bars
For 9: Stars In The Triangle
Stars In The Triangle Jacob
Bloom Starting formation: Triangle of threesomes
Middles swing RH person, LH people Star R, return 8 bars
Middles swing LH person, RH people Star R, return 8 bars
Middles Star R, Star L and go on to new threesome 8 bars
Heys for three with new people 8 bars
For 10: Texas Star (it may have been written as a square, but I think
I've called it for five couple sets at least as often as I've called
it for four couple sets)
(http://www.phantomranch.net/folkdanc/dances/texassta.htm)
Also, there are many whole-set-longways dances which work
for sets of four to six couples.
(http://homepage.ntlworld.com/greenery/BarnDances/ToC.html)
At 12:00 PM 2/2/2013, you wrote:
Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2013 22:10:37 -0600
From: Cheryl Joyal <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Callers] Callers Digest, Vol 102, Issue 1 - Dances for
Smaller groups
THANKS SO MUCH for the spreadsheet - I am a relatively new caller
and appreciate the resource!
I am also looking for dances for a smaller number of dancers which
often "shrinks" to only about 6 - 12 people for second half of the
dance?. Anyone have some easy dances for 4, 5 ,6 people that they like ?
(yes I know I also need to start working on calling squares ! Open
to some easier ones of those as well, and especially breaks to mix things ups!)
THANKS !
