[Callers] Looking for "fun" dances

[Sivier, Jonathan E]

    I lead dances at a local library for their annual Fairy Tale Ball. 
We get a variety of people who participate, but my overall impression of 
the event is a room full of knee-high princesses.

    I generally start with a no-swing, non-mixer version of Circassian 
Circle.  The participants have partners, sometimes more than one, but 
they stay together and I don't worry about who is on the right or left. 
Instead of ladies and gents to the center I say things like, "Everyone 
wearing red to the center," or "Everyone with black hair to the center," 
and so on.

    I then typically do Galopede and that tends to work OK.  After that 
I have a variety of dances I like to lead.  Chimes of Dunkirk usually 
works well and I do a longways, non-mixer version of the Heel and Toe 
Polka that usually works OK.  If the older kids pair with the younger 
ones you could do Cumberland Reel and other similar dances.

Jonathan
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Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
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Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!


On 5/15/2019 7:51 AM, Charles Abell via Callers wrote:
> I'm sure there is already a thread on this somewhere, but I'm wondering 
> what are your favorite dances for those in the 4-10 year old range. 
> Specifically, dances that are not mixers since many younger dancers 
> prefer to stay with a particular partner the whole time. I have a number 
> of good ones already (Alabama Gal, Haste to the Wedding, La Bastringue, 
> etc), but I'd like to expand my existing collection of dances geared 
> towards "little ones".
> 
> Let 'em rip!
> 
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> *From:* Callers <callers-bounces at lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of 
> John Sweeney via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, February 13, 2018 9:58 AM
> *To:* callers at lists.sharedweight.net
> *Subject:* Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances
> Since so many people enjoy the contrary circling in The Wheel, you might
> enjoy this one as well:
> 
> Suicide Square
> http://www.ceilidhcalling.co.uk/danceviewpage.php?view=1&id=9
> 
> It is extremely chaotic!  You can reduce the chaos slightly by getting the
> band to stop randomly during the circling, at which point everyone grabs a
> partner; the band waits a few seconds while everyone finds a partner and
> decides whether they are Heads or Sides, then gives two notes and starts the
> next Heads Gallop.
> 
> I modify it to give a bit more recovery time:
> 
> Start in a big square around the room
> A1:     Head couples take partner in a ballroom hold and gallop eight steps
> into the centre and back
> A2:     Sides gallop eight steps into the centre and back
> B1:     All the men form an outer circle facing in, while the ladies form an
> inner circle facing out. All circle left then find a new partner
> B2:     Partner Swing - stop early enough to decide whether you are now
> Heads or Sides - Heads get ready to gallop
> 
> There is also The Muffin Man Jig:
> http://www.ceilidhcalling.co.uk/danceviewpage.php?view=1&id=11
> 
>              Happy dancing,
>                     John
> 
> John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john at modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802
> 940 574
> http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs
> http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent