There are lots of other thoughts on this thread about your other questions, but I will jump in on this specific one. Bear in mind here that you are talking about two different things (1) what move the dancers have to start at the top of the phrase, and (2) where they have to end up when they are done with that move. Those two pieces of information do not have to be presented in the same call, and in fact it may be easier for newer dancers to sort things out if you separate the two. For example:

5 NEW

6 NEIGH-bor

7 LEFT

8 alle-MANDE

1 go ONCE and a

2 HALF to

3 TRADE

4 PLA-ces

5 ROB-ins

6 to the MIDdle

7 for a RIGHT-hand

8 CHAIN

1 do a COURTesy

2 TURN and

3 FACE

4 acROSS

etc.

Now, I am sometimes more pattery in my calling and use more words than others might. Put in whatever words work for you, and obviously you can reduce the number of calls as the dancers become more comfortable with the figure. But the point is that there is no need to tell the dancers how many times they have to allemande before they start. They need to know where to go and what move to start doing. You have time to add the additional information later.

David