[Callers] Favorite dance to teach a ladies chain?

[Bob Green via Callers]

The dance I like for introducing the ladies chain, if I have a band that
will work with me on tempo, is *Carpet Vectors *by Robert Cromartie.  The
tempo has to stay on the slow side so that the circles left and right are
not rushed. The sequence is a circle left and chain to your partner, then
circle right and chain back to your neighbor.
http://dancevideos.childgrove.org/contra/contra-modern/344-carpet-vectors-by-robert-cromarties-duple-improper

Bob Green

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 10:18 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I've been thinking about glossary dances, and building vocabulary for new
> dancers. I'm curious what your favorite dance is for teaching a ladies
> chain for a crowd of mostly new dancers? Or if you don't have a specific
> dance, what do you look for in a dance to make the chain as accessible as
> possible?
>
> Just a chain over? Or a full chain over and back?
> Chain to neighbor? Chain to partner?
> What move best precedes the chain to set it up?
> What move best follows the chain that still helps new dancers succeed?
> Other factors you consider?
>
> I don't have a go-to favorite, but I'll walk through some of the things I
> think about:
>
> I very seldom call a dance with a full chain. Experienced dancers don't
> whoop and holler over them, and for new dancers, I'd worry the confusion
> would snowball.
>
> Programatically, in a hall with a reasonable mix of new and experienced
> dancers, I shoot for the first chain to be to neighbor so that the new
> dancers can feel it with different experienced dancers; rather than new
> dancers (who will partner up and clump, no matter how many helpful  dance
> angels you have) continually chaining to each other. If I were trying to
> teach a chain to ALL new dancers... well, I doubt I'd teach a chain to
> completely new dancers... but if I were, I'd probably go to partner.
>
> For moves, while I love the chain->left hand star transition; I'm not
> convinced it's the best for teaching the chain. It often goes B2
> chain->star, find new neighbor; and the new neighbor from a left hand star
> is non-trivial for new dancers. Possibly a dance where the chain->star
> wasn't followed by the progression would work, but it's such a great
> progression when they're ready for it; I don't see many of those dances.
> chain->star->left allemande maybe? I do like long lines either before or
> after the chain as a set-up; but not on both ends. I'm not sure which side
> of the chain the lines help more. The Trip to ___ dances that end with
> chains and start with women walking in to long wavy lines flow well, but I
> don't know that they're the best for teaching chains, since the long wavy
> line is another new piece.
>
> Anyway, just some of my thoughts (started by the other thread about simple
> glossary dances). I look forward to hearing what others on Shared Weight
> have to say about the dances they use to teach chains (and I certainly
> won't be offended if folks tangent off into gent's chains; just start a new
> thread ;-)
>
> Take care,
>
>
> --
> Luke Donforth
> Luke.Donforth at gmail.com <Luke.Donev at gmail.com>
>
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