Alan: Since when do we aargh on on right ? Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844 Links to photos of many of my drawings and paintings are at www.ArtComesFuerst.com
On Monday, February 24, 2014 6:35 PM, Alan Winston <[email protected]> wrote: On 2/24/2014 2:48 PM, Alan Winston wrote: > If it were me I'd be inclined to do it somewhat differently. (The > suggestions that have been made so far > are just fine, though.) > > First night: > > Circassian Circle Mixer > > (Or some other super-easy mixer with a swing in it. Teaches listening > to the caller, doing things to the phrase, ending swings with the lady > on the left, AARGH. on the right. > gets them used to changing partners rather than dancing > only with the one they came in with. Since it's not a one-night stand > dance - that is, they're supposed to learn something - you want them > doing a contra-dance swing; this gets the experienced contra dancers > into the arms of as many people as possible right away. Swings are > easier to do right once you've felt them being done right.) This is a > dance that doesn't fail, so they'll feel successful right away. Pretty > much immune to tune choice so long as the band is clear about phrasing. > > Big Circle > > A1: Forward and back twice > > A2: Women to center and back to place > Men to center and back to woman originally on his left (not partner). > > B1: They swing > > B2: Promenade around, open to to big circle. > > [You might want to just have them swing their first partner and open up > facing in, and then tell them that they're done with that person and the > next partner is in their other hand] > > > Some kind of Sicilian Circle ideally with a partner swing and a neighbor > swing. Gets them used to improper formation but without having to deal > with action at the ends of the set. (Although it's not totally ideal, I > often use "Soldier's Joy", mostly because it's a Civil War era version > and I use it when I'm calling Civil War dances and then I don't have to > remember something else when I'm calling contras.) Ladies chain along > rather than across the set is unusual but not terribly difficult. I'm > certainly open to suggestions for better sicilian circle dances for this > purpose. This give some opportunity to discuss giving weight. > > SOLDIER'S JOY. > Sicilian Circle ("As for Spanish Dance") - that means facing the other > couple, gent on the left, lady on the right. > 32-bar reel. The name tune is the best. > > > A1: 1-4: Forward and back > 5-8: Opposites turn two hands (no progression), open facing partner > > A2: 1-8: Partners balance &swing, face other couple > > B1: 1-8: Ladies chain over and back (along the line). > > B2: 1-8: Forward and back, forward and pass through. > > > Then Simplicity Swing (because they already know most of the bits and > the bits they don't know are circle, star, and do-si-do, which are > things many people think they know how to do even before their first > contra dance.) > > SIMPLICITY SWING > (by Becky Hill) > Improper contra > > Figs: NB&S:CL3/4:PS:LLF&B:LC:LHS:NNDSD: > > > A1: Neighbor Balance and Swing > > A2: Circle left 3/4; > partner swing > > B1: Long lines forward and back; > ladies chain > > B2: left hand star; > next neighbor do si do > > > And then you can do the rest of the evening with easy to intermediate > longways dances. > > > Repeat this pattern (with different mixer and different Sicilian Circle) > the next time to get the brand new dancers swung and sweaty before they > have to learn much. > > -- Alan > > > > On 2/24/2014 8:50 AM, Ben Hornstein wrote: >> Greetings fellow callers, >> >> My graduate school's social dance club is going to be having a Contra >> night, which I will be calling. I was hoping to get some advice on how to >> structure the evening. Here's what I'm expecting: >> >> Two 2 hour events, on March 3 and 10 >> 20-30 people, with maybe 5-8 who have danced contra before at all, 1-3 who >> I would consider experts >> The second week will most likely have people who did not come the first week >> Minimal live band (who I have worked with before) >> >> Here's what I'm thinking so far: >> 1st dance: something simple without any swing to teach a few of the most >> basic moves >> 2nd dance: teach the swing, do an easy dance >> remaining dances: teach one new move before each dance, then do a dance >> that incorporates that move >> >> 2nd week: plan a generally easy program, but review moves as they come up >> (for those who missed the first week) >> >> I'm hoping for suggestions of specific dances that I should use, and ways >> to teach and handle a group with very few experienced dancers. How do I >> prevent the whole thing from falling apart? In general, I think they'll be >> more tolerant towards additional teaching time because it's billed more as >> a lesson than a dance. (Last month they had a salsa lesson which went on >> for 2 hours before they turned on the music.) I'm hoping that the fact that >> these are mostly graduate/medical students who have done other forms of >> social dance before will help greatly, but any and all advice is welcome. >> >> Sincerely, >> Ben Hornstein >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> [email protected] >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list [email protected] http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
