[Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

[Mary Collins]

I just called Rural Felicity at a family reunion (non dancers) they had a
blast

On Tue, Jul 24, 2018, 6:58 PM Martha Wild via Callers <
callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> John already mentioned Family Contra, which is my favorite because the
> progression happens so easily, and it is so obvious that you are facing new
> people. In addition, it has no obvious differences in gender role - doesn’t
> matter who dances on which side, so great with piles of kids and parents
> dancing together, yet it teaches the progression concept.
>
> Next after that I like Ellen’s Green Jig by Roy Dommett. Though it has a
> swing for the 1s, it really doesn’t matter if people open up on the “wrong”
> side, as long as they face their neighbors, all is well.
> A1) Do-si-do neighbor
> Ones do-si-do
> A2) Ones balance and swing (sometimes I have them balance twice because
> swinging is not very comfortable for new people, and sometimes I just have
> them two hand turn after the balance(s).
> B1) Circle left with neighbors
> Circle right back to place (the only time I’ve seen this go wrong was when
> people circled so they ended up doing the next move sideways to the set)
> B2) Duck for the oyster/dig/Dive on through (all keep hands after circle -
> 1s take a little peek under an arch formed by 2s, then back up, 2s do the
> same through 1s, finally 1s pop through to a new couple)
>
> If a whole pile of new people show up at the start of a dance, having
> missed the walkthrough, this is my go to dance to get things started and
> then into the regular program.
>
> Martha
>
>
> On Jul 24, 2018, at 7:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers <
> callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> Hello All,
>
> I am calling a 2 hour Intro to Contra dance ....at an Ontario Canada
> Festival. ( more a music focus than a dance focus, at this festival)
>
> I would appreciate hearing from you as to contra dances ( lws proper
> & Improper) that you have found successful with very novice dancers and why
> you think those dances work for beginners.(I love Larry Jennings definition
> of easy vs complicated )
>
> I do plan on doing some non progressive lws as well as a both a circle and
> a Sicilian  circle in the program mix , to get the concept of progression.
>
> Thanks so much.
>
> Lorraine Sutton  ( lorrainesutton7 at gmail.com )
>
>
> ...
>
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