I'm with Vicki on that point. Too many mixers especially if there are children involved who want to stay with their parents.
Here's one I call a scatter keeper because you mix around but you keep your partner. It's always a hit. *The Barn Keeper* By; Frill Type: Scatter Mixer/keeper Formation: Duple-Improper Level: Beginner-Easy A1 ----------- Ideally 2 couple circles but it works with any number of couples (8) Circle Left 1X (8) Circle Right 1X A2 ----------- (4) Balance the ring (4) Balance the ring (8) Neighbor Do-si-do B1 ----------- (8) Partner Do-si-do (8) Partner swing B2 ----------- (16) Promenade with partner to new couple On Thu, Jul 24, 2025 at 6:58 AM Vicki Morrison via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > My only two-cents worth is that there are too many mixers. Someone > complained at a wedding I called a while back that they came with a partner > and wanted to dance with that partner. It hadn’t occurred to me that anyone > would feel that way but I understand, so now I always keep mixers at a > minimum, or call them several dances into the evening. I hope the event > goes well! > > Vicki > > > Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone > <https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=Global_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100000604&af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_&af_ios_store_cpp=9d3a686e-218d-4849-8298-b480188dc8ac&af_android_url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dcom.yahoo.mobile.client.android.mail%26listing%3Demail_signature> > > On Thursday, July 24, 2025, 7:43 AM, Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi folks, I'd love your 2 cents for a "barn dance" I'm leading tonight. > > I'll get (just a little) more complex towards the end, but the first 5-6 > dances will be very simple and high energy. This will be a mixed group of > people (many new to dancing, some may have done contras or related things > before), at a large, open, community event (where there may be some > drinking, sigh). > > My question is: *how many times would you run through each dance?* > > I'm thinking 8-10 times, but would love to hear others' instincts. > > I've included 3 examples of the dances I'll be calling below. > > 1. *Simple circle mixer* > *A part* > Circle left > Circle right > Balance the big circle x2 > Into the centre all say "Hey" > > *B part* > All "explode" - break hands and wander around the hall > When you meet someone, take right hands, balance once and pull by them > (Do this at least once, but if you are coordinated you may manage 2-3 > different times!) > Reform the circle in no particular order, start again. > > 2. *Simple line mixer* - dancers start in long lines facing their > (temporary) partner - I will divide the lines into shorter sets based on > how many times the dance will run through (TBC!) > > (Designate each side of the line with a name e.g. Porpoise line and > Ostrich line. > Remind them that they must always come back to their home side and never > join the other line) > > *A part* > LLFB > With partner left hand allemande > LLFB > With partner right hand allemande > > *B part* (I demo this part with a small group to show people how it goes, > prior to the walk through!) > > All in the set join hands to make an oval - "oval left" > Oval right > Top Porpoise and bottom Ostrich dance up the middle (i.e. the Porpoise > dances down the line, while the Ostrich dances up the line) - Porpoise > rejoins their own line at the bottom, Ostrich rejoins their own line at the > top. > Lines readjust themselves so that everyone is facing a new partner (I tell > everyone to point to their new partner and wave to them, so everyone is > clear on who their new partner is- have done this dance many times before > and people have no problem figuring it out) - if additional time, clap > along to the music. > > *Scatter Dance in "floating **duples**" * > Circle left > Bal ring x 2 > Circle right > Bal ring x 2 > > Do si do P > Left allemande neighbour > All bow to each other then skip off with partner to form a new duple > > Thank you! > > Kat Kitching > Halifax NS > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > > _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] > -- twirls, Frannie
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