In my dance community a proper dance won’t help because everyone dances all the roles so training folks to look for certain genders isn’t a good idea (and in my opinion never is). Instead, I’d suggest something with short Allemandes (half, 3/4) or diagonal waves (dr Blums delight).
If the figure is new to your dancers, use a triplet (by David smuckler) or a three facing three (Melanie axel lute wrote one). Contra corners is much easier in that formation. A Sent from my iPhone > On Feb 20, 2019, at 5:06 PM, Ann Fallon via Callers > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi, Hannah > > I like your idea of teaching a proper dance earlier in your program. If you > are going to choose a contra corners dance in which the active couple has to > do a half-figure eight to get proper, you might want to teach the half-figure > eight in an earlier dance, too. > > Here's a triplet which I also find useful for teaching/learning contra > corners. I am the author, but don't mean to be self-promoting here. > > Microchasmic Triplet > > Proper Formation, all facing partner > The middle couple is the "active" couple, so there is no need to get them > into position before starting the contra corners. > > A1 Forward and Back, DSD Partner > A2 Middle couple turn contra corners > B1 ALL balance and swing Partner, end facing up > B2 Top couple lead a cast off to the bottom. When they reach the bottom > they make a two-handed arch and the other two couples go below them and come > through the arch. > > It's a peel the banana, come through the arch figure as in the Virginia > Reel. > Encourage the dancers to come to the top of their set before casting off to > the bottom, or the sets will move too far down the hall. > > Here's a link to a video. > > Good luck! > > Ann > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Hannah Chamb via Callers <[email protected]> > To: callers <[email protected]> > Sent: Wed, Feb 20, 2019 4:38 pm > Subject: [Callers] Building to Contra Corners > > Hi all, first time posting here! > > I'm new-ish to calling and I've yet to call contra corners. I think I'm up > for the challenge and could teach the figure itself, but I still think it's a > tricky one for dancers in all but the most experienced crowds. A few callers > I know have advised me to build up to a challenging figure like contra > corners over the course of an evening by calling dances that echo the skills > the dancers will need later. > > With that in mind, what dances would you call early in the evening in a > mixed-level group that would help "teach" dancers the skills they need to be > successful at contra corners? > > I've been thinking I should include an easy proper-ish dance, and maybe a > dance with allemandes outside the minor set... anything else come to mind? > > Thanks in advance, > Hannah Chamberlain > Westbrook, ME > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: [email protected] > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > _______________________________________________ > List Name: Callers mailing list > List Address: [email protected] > Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
_______________________________________________ List Name: Callers mailing list List Address: [email protected] Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
