Linda,
I'll hazard a guess that the request to lead "dances that encourage really
paying attention to beat counts" is really a request for dances that keep
everyone dancing together in time to the phrasing of the music. I think that
skilled contra/ECD/Scottish/... dancers who dance to the phrase mostly do it by
sensing the structure of the music not by explicit mental counting--unless
they're forced to resort to counting because the band is getting to
improvisational.
It is sometimes stated as conventional wisdom that ONS leaders need to
recognize situations where dancing to the phrase isn't going to be the
happening thing and learn to let go of the phrasing and let the dancers dance
at their own comfortable pace. Perhaps some previous caller who had your gig
either (a) followed this advice or (b) tried to get people to dance on phrase
with material where keeping track of the figures and keeping track of the
phrasing at the same time was beyond the collective skill level of the crowd.
In either case, your contact's disappointment at the results could be the
reason for the request you report.
Turning aside from such speculation, here a few specific ideas, with the
disclaimer that I have little experience leading ONS events and that I won't
feel insulted if someone more experienced wants to contradict or revise them.
1. Dancers of a wide age range seem to have any easy time dancing "Sasha!" in
time to the music.
2. In any dance from your ONS repertoire that includes
forward (4 steps, or 3 steps and close)
back (same)
, changing it to
forward two, stamp-stamp-stamp
back two, stamp-stamp-stamp
might help keep people moving together to the music--or at least help convince
your contact that you're trying to teach something--especially if you can
select music that seems to fit that action. (However, I recommend avoiding
choreography with foot stamping if you find that the space has a non-resilient
floor.)
3. You might try something like this version of "(Come) Haste to the Wedding"
(to the tune of the same name):
Formation: Sicilian Circle
A1 (8) Circle L
(8) Circle R
A2 (8) Star R
(8) Star L
B1 (8) Partners do-si-do
(2) Clap, Clap (i.e, clap own hands together on beats 9 and 10)
(6) Partners two-hand turn once around
B2 (8) Neighbors (sometimes called "opposites") do-si-do
(2) Clap, Clap
(6) Pass Through (and bow to new neighbors if time allows)
Perhaps other list members who have taught this dance often can share their
approaches for teaching dancers to clap on beats 9 and 10 of the B parts,
rather than on beats 7 and 8 as some may tend to do. Of course it will help to
have music where the correct beats are played staccato and with emphasis.
I look forward to reading ideas that others may offer.
--Jim
On Aug 16, 2019, at 9:40 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers
<[email protected]> wrote:
> ...
>
> Been hired to lead a dance for a music school -- ages 5 and up to teens and
> their parents and my contact asked if I could lead "dances that encourage
> really paying attention to beat counts….throw in some music education in
> addition to fun."
>
> ...
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