<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Hi, Rich!<div>A couple of thoughts that I have:</div><div>I would make sure that I asked about the wedding couple’s definition of “modern contra”. Their actual definition might help make your programming easier; of course, the opposite is also true! Does this mean no squares, no circle mixers, no sicilian circles?</div><div>I would also ask them about what their goals are for their dance. If it is mostly to please the contra dancers, that is important to know; but if it is to get the non-contra dancing families and friends dancing together, then you have a way in to get permission to do some programming with those desires in mind. </div><div>Do they want gender role-free terminology used? Asking this may encourage them to think about their attendees.</div><div><br></div><div>As for “modern contras” that are a bit easier, I do have a few listed on my webpage. Do Si Three is a great way to get non-dancers used to dancing, as well as progressing. And since it was written not so very long ago, I assume it is defined as a “modern contra” ;-)</div><div><br></div><div>After the concept of progressing, the most challenging part of doing “modern contras” is how to end a swing. So dances in which this is a bit easier to figure out might be helpful to you. An example is the dance below; however, you will need room up and down, since the P swing is across. This dance (like most contras), can be done as a sicilian circle; this formation is a great choice, as aefallon suggested in her note to you. There are also a number of Becket dances that might be considered. I have included one below by Orace Johnson.</div><div><br></div><div>As for floor space: I saved some advice from John Sweeney and Martha Wild, when this question came up a while back. Here is what they each said:</div><div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> We usually plan 1.5 square yards / person. 35 feet x 16</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">feet = 62 sq.yds. so 40 people will be able to dance comfortably. 60</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">people is starting to get tight.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">John Sweeney</div></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">And from Martha (this is a digest of what she shared):</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">20 feet across for two contra lines</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Length of the hall, divided by 4 determines the number of couples in the line.</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">I hope you have a great experience! Do let us know how the event goes!</div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">Linda</div></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br></div><div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);"><b>Que Guapo </b>by Linda Leslie</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Contra/Improper/Beginner</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77); min-height: 11px;">A1 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Circle left</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Circle right</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">A2 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Right hand star</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Left hand star</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">B1 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Partner do si do</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Partner 2 hand Swing (face these neighbors)</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">B2 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Forward and Back</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);">Twos arch, Ones Duck</div></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-size: 11px; font-family: Verdana; color: rgb(81, 81, 77);"><div style="margin: 0px;"><b>Midwest Folklore</b></div><div style="margin: 0px;">by Orace Johnson</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Contra/Becket-CW/Easy</div><div style="margin: 0px; min-height: 11px;"><br></div><div style="margin: 0px;">A1 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Circle left three-quarters</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Neighbor do si do</div><div style="margin: 0px;">A2 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Neighbor Balance and Swing</div><div style="margin: 0px;">B1 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Circle left three-quarters</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Partner Do si do</div><div style="margin: 0px;">B2 -----------</div><div style="margin: 0px;">Partner Balance and Swing</div><div style="margin: 0px;"> (look left and slide left to a new couple)</div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>On Aug 1, 2016, at 9:01 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <<a href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a>> wrote:</div><div><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div>Friends,</div><div><br></div>I have been hire to call a wedding with 145 attendees and 15 known contra dancers. The bride and groom are insisting on modern contras.<div><br><div>I have never thought about floor space, what is the typical requirement for a line of twenty couples?<br><div><br></div><div>Any very easy duple improper dances to recommend? I plan on using "Family Contra" and "Jefferson and Lincoln".</div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Thanls,</div><div>Rich</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>
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