What Maia listed is exactly how I teach the courtesy-turn moves. (I wonder if Maia got it from me... I think I stole it as a combination from Peter Stix and Jack Mitchell).
Without a beginner lesson, I teach the courtesy-turn in place, then add the pull-by to the front of it. This also works to quickly teach a chain when the gents role is doing it. ;)
My favorite basic chain-teach dances involve chaining to a neighbor*:
Baby Rose, David Kaynor
A Nice Combination, Gene Hubert
The Missing Piece, Bronwyn Woods (which may also go by another name. Chain to balance, Petronellas)
Simplicity Swing, Becky Hill (only if the this is like, the third dance, since it's a busy dance)
and mine, Mistakes Happen; Have Fun (I put in all of my beginner lesson basic ingredients in it: circle, Alle N, star, chain, 2 swings)
Best,
Ron
* Unless the crowd is 99% experienced and I know new dancers are not dancing with each other, then I may do it with a chain-to-partner.
Real interesting discussion! My two cents on the order of teaching: I've been having good luck lately with teaching in the following order--1) promenade the ring2) turn around to promenade the opposite direction (lady walks forward and gent walks back, i.e. CCW rotation--get everyone used to turning in the right direction)3) promenade across the set ("gents, identify your own left shoulder. Now identify that other gent's left shoulder. That's how you're going to pass each other")4) R/L through with a demo5) ladies chainOn Tue, Aug 23, 2016 at 12:58 PM, Aahz via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net > wrote:On Tue, Aug 23, 2016, George Mercer via Callers wrote:
>
> Just a note: I always teach the right and left through. It is a
> simple move in the grand scheme, but it doesn't make much sense
> for beginners. Saying it is like a ladies chain only both dancers
> are crossing doesn't really help. Right-hand pull by across with
> the dancer directly across, then left-hands on the side and you
> courteously help each other turn via a courtesy turn.
Most of my teaching has been in a square dance context, but I teach Pass
Thru, Courtesy Turn before I teach R&L Thru. And I teach sashayed
Courtesy Turn -- probably wouldn't bother with that in a contra context.
There's a regular argument in the square dance community about whether
it's better to teach the handed version or no-hands version of calls
first (e.g. California Twirl vs Partner Trade). I overall favor the
handed calls first because it's better body flow and the guide makes it
easier to learn the call. However, I switch with R&L Thru because
learning how to take and drop hands while passing is a bit of a tricky
skill for many people (the biggest culprit usually being Square Thru).
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