[Callers] Calling at Free Folk Festival

[Claire Takemori via Callers]

Hi everyone. 
I’m looking for advice.  I’m calling a FFF next Sat and live in SF Bay Area, where the average person has never heard of contra dance.  I got advice from Alan Winston, who called the contra dance a couple years ago when it was a 2 day event and the contra was Sunday evening.  Now it’s a 1 day festival and the contra is Sat 630-10pm.    The other dance that evening is Blues/Fusion, which I expect will have a HUGE crowd.   There is also a contra dance about 30 minutes South of the venue and a waltz evening 30 minutes East, so I’m not confident that a bunch of experienced contra dancers will show up. I’m sure some will, as many are also musicians who will be volunteering that day. 

I have several very easy contras  (low piece count, connected, easy single progression, stays in minor set, etc) and plan to slip in brief reminders during each walk through (since new dancers can join at any time in the 3.5 hours).  I’m sharing the contra calling with one person, and there is a caller for a couple squares, and a caller of 3/4 time contras.  I don’t know how the eve will be broken down yet, but I’m likely to call 2-3 contras in each half.  

It’s in a high school gym, so I know to keep calls short and clear due to acoustics.  
I’m wondering about offering a 20 minute lesson before the dance??? 

Thanks for any advice about free folk festivals (assuming there won’t be a lot of experienced dancer ringers).  I’m just back from FolkLife and NEFFA and they are full of experienced contra dancers…… 

Claire Takemori (SF Bay Area)