[Callers] ONS with a *tiny* inexperienced crowd?

[Don Veino via Callers]

OK, sorry for this much delayed report back on the gig. First, I really
appreciate all the dance suggestions and helpful tips shared both on and
off-list (many). A reminder of just how wonderful this list can be!

At first, it was looking like my worries were founded - with just 5 minutes
to go there were maybe 8 people from the set up crew in the hall, clustered
around the refreshments table... and then the posse of t(w)een girls
paraded out of the powder room where they were all making ready, just in
time for the start. And then the families appeared, etc. By the end of the
early circle -> spiral dance we'd coaxed most out of their chairs and were
close to 70 people on the dance floor. :)

I used a number of the suggested material, plus a bunch of my existing
family dance collection. Modified some dances to suit the theme -- for
instance, there's a "Grumpy March" longways in the NEDM "Sashay the Donut"
book. I asked the dancers "how does a cowboy walk?" and got a bunch of
folks immediately sticking their thumbs in belts and doing a bowlegged
strut, just what I wanted! So we did the A1 of that dance with a Cowboy
Strut instead of the Grump Across in the original, plus some simplification
of the A2/B1.

Virginia (no)Reel type stuff, Sasha, two singing squares, bunch of simple
longways with a lot of shashays. Taught a basic and rotary waltz - I'd
announced a waltz to start the break and then noticed a whole bunch of
folks watching my partner and I intently, trying to follow along as we
danced, so I stopped the band - gracefully - and then we started it up
again after a 5 minute basic lesson (everyone in long lines, leads on one
side - partner across, show hold and basic steps then get into formation
around the hall). Stopped once more and showed the rotary turn, then we did
a second tune. They picked it up pretty darn quickly - last one of the
night they did a great job all on their own.

Big smiles all around and almost everyone danced most of the night. I don't
think more than a few left before the very end (and two tweens begged for
one more dance after the last waltz). The fiddler (Paul Lizotte) and
pianist (Deborah Gerstein) were wonderful and the live music/flexibility
made my job much easier - but I was sure exhausted by the end!

Thanks again,
Don

On Thu, Jan 28, 2016 at 12:07 AM, Don Veino <sharedweight_net at veino.com>
wrote:

> Thanks for all the great input! I've now got quite a few options for the
> tiny crowd scenario offered.
>
> Much appreciated!
> -Don
>
> ps: I've had a chance to meet with the sponsors and see some of the
> all-out decorations they've got going for the hall - including hay bales,
> old time milk cans, saddles on sawhorses, etc. - may need to pull together
> some themed outfit for myself after all. :)
>
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