Oh how I wish that would work.  I've tried that technique over the years.  They just ignore me.  Shushing works, but I have to repeat the shhhhh into the mic lots of times.  A big part of the challenge is the acoustics -- it's worse than being in a gym.  For instance, I get them quiet and then teach them the first move -- there is a roar -- I get them quiet again -- teach the next move -- there is a roar -- I get them quiet again -- teach the third move -- there is a roar -- ad nauseam.  The musicians crank up their music to the max for the dance, but even I can barely hear it over the din from the dancers.  Short of hiring a person who can do that loud whistle, I'm at a loss.  I've sort of grown used to it, but my temper is short and I really have to watch myself.

On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 7:42 AM, Jeremy Child <jeremy.m.child@gmail.com> wrote:
To quiet a room I use the Girl Guides technique:

I raise my hand, and anyone who sees me knows to stop talking and raise their hand too.  More notice this (other peoples hands up and slightly diminished volume).  This snowballs quite quickly as peer pressure kicks in, and is a very effective technique.  You have to teach it to them first, of course, but they pick it up quite quickly.

Jeremy
www.barndancecaller.net

On 16 June 2017 at 20:10, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I lead an annual dance for 200+ 18-year olds in a hall with terrible acoustics.  Been doing it for 15+ years.  If they all whispered at the same time, it would sound like a roar in that room.  I can only do the most basic stuff most of the time...simple circles, longways with lots of sashaying, an easy folk dance.  But I experiment every now and then, which lead me to come up with the following dances which, for the most part, worked.  Am I stealing them from somebody?  (I like to give credit where credit is due.)

They call their dance "Swat the Flea".  I searched for a long time for a very easy dance that had a Swat the Flea and finally wrote this one --

BOX'NSWAT (Circle)
A1  Women into the middle and back; Gents into the middle & back
A2  All make a quarter turn to the right and walk single file to the right
B1  Women turn back to face partner -- all shake R hands with Partner & Box the Gnat; change hands, Balance & Swat the Flea
B2  DSD Partner; Allemande R w/partner 1-1/2 to progress (women end facing into the center ready to go F&B)


Since contra dances are almost impossible to teach to a loud, boisterous, energetic bunch of 18-year olds who have never heard of or seen a contra dance, I decided to give this a whirl -- and it worked -- mostly!  It would probably be better with a smaller more sedate crowd.

GREASE & GLUE (Contra formation -- Gender free -- all you need is a partner)
A1  Couple 1 split Couple 2, return to places; Couple 1 DSD
A2  Couple 2 split Couple 1, return to places; Couple 2 DSD
B1  Star R; Star L (w/hands)
B2  Couples face each other -- Couples DSD 1-1/2 ending back-to-back, facing next couple


As an aside -- how do you quiet a room with terrible acoustics full of loud people?  Thanks!

--
Looking forward,

Linda S. Mrosko
102 Mitchell Drive
Temple, Texas 76501
(903) 292-3713 (Cell)
www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)

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--
Looking forward,

Linda S. Mrosko
102 Mitchell Drive
Temple, Texas 76501
(903) 292-3713 (Cell)
(903) 603-9955 (Skype)
contradancetx.com
www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* (Dance buttons, t-shirts, & more)