On 7/24/2018 7:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers wrote:
Hello All,
I am calling a 2 hour Intro to Contra dance ....at an Ontario Canada
Festival. ( more a music focus than a dance focus, at this festival)
I would appreciate hearing from you as to contra dances ( lws proper
& Improper) that you have found successful with very novice dancers
and why you think those dances work for beginners.(I love Larry Jennings
definition of easy vs complicated )
I do plan on doing some non progressive lws as well as a both a circle
and a Sicilian circle in the program mix , to get the concept of
progression.
Lots of really good advice in the replies here.
One contra that has worked well for me with very beginning dancers is
this version of the Washington Quickstep. The big bonus in this one is
that the progression doesn't depend on the propriety of the 1s, so even
if a couple gets confused about which side they should be on, the dance
still works. It does use a R&L through, which can be a challenging move
for the very new.
Washington Quickstep
duple improper (or proper, depending on how you've taught the R&L through)
Star R/L
1s down/back/cast off
R&L thru over/bk
LLFB, 1s sw
Jefferson and Liberty, in its infinite variations, is another good
starter contra. Here's the version I tend to use:
Jefferson and Liberty
duple improper or proper
Star R/L
Circ L/R
Lines of 4 (1s ctr) dn, 1s arch 2s thru, 2s up, 1s follow
1s swing
This one does rely on the dancers being able to remember which role
they're dancing, but it's nice and basic.
Unruly Reunion (Robert Cromartie)
duple improper
Lines of 4 (1s in middle) dn, turn alone, bk, bend
circle L/R
N dos/sw
LLFB, 1s sw
My new favorite mixer, which I learned here on Shared Weight, is The
Wheel by Gene Hubert. Needs a big crowd and a roomy dance space, but
it's loads of fun.
A1 Promenade (CCW)(16), and at the end of A1 gents move the ladies to
the middle, so ladies are facing out and gents facing in (note: this is
a variation from someone here, was it Mac? Somebody on this list. But
it's a really good change).
A2 Join 2 hands with partner and walk 8 steps IN (ladies backing up),
then 8 slightly smaller steps out (gents backing up), and join hands in
2 concentric circles. (Here's where that modification makes the dance
work better. Since men tend to have the longer arms, they're now in the
larger, outer circle.)
B1 All circle LEFT (opposite directions obviously)
B2 *SWING* (nearest person)
There are ALWAYS people who don't find a partner at the start of B2, and
part of the fun is to then dive into the "odd-sock pile" in the center
to find a partner, and rejoin the ring either in the swing or the next
promenade. This dance can relieve a lot of the tension about "doing it
right," since it's a big silly scramble. Also good swing practice.
Kalia in Sebastopol
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