I usually lead a Grand March by myself, either by having a partner and positioning us as the first couple, or without a partner and having the first couple follow me.  Having a partner is easier if you are just going to do figures that involve everyone following the person in front of them, such as leading the line of march in patterns around the room, and an Arbor March (tunneling through arches.)  If you are going to have the couples come up by battalions (2,4,8,16) then you need to have someone at the front of the room waving the couples to one side or the other, so I find it easier if I do not have a partner.  I recruit the first two couples in line as collaborators on the fly, quickly explaining what I want them to do when they reach the foot of the hall.

The most common problem I've run into has come when doing an arbor march - sometimes people go through the arches, turn around, make an arch, and stand still, causing a line of stationary arches to grow.  If there isn't enough room for the line of stationary arches to keep growing, things can get cramped until everyone has gone through the arches, at which point the arches become willing to move again.  This can be avoided if you have a wireless mike and are very clear when starting the arbor march that the arches should keep walking - if the first several arches are holding one hand and moving, the rest will follow along.  Watch out for the second or third couple making a two-handed arch, since that will probably bring them to a full stop.

As for other ways to end a Grand March: You can bring people up eight by eight, stop the music, divide the lines of eight in the middle in to two sets of foursomes, have every other foursome turn around, and teach a four-facing-four dance.  Or you can bring them up four by four and divide them into longways sets for a contra.  Or you can lead them back into a circle of couples, have every other couple turn around, and do a Sicilian Circle.

Jacob Bloom


On Thu, Jul 3, 2014 at 9:08 AM, Beth Parkes via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
  • moves that work well, and how to prompt them

There are many, many different figures that work well. You don’t prompt them, you lead them. Tony and I were leading the Ralph Page grand march you noted below.

  • how to gauge space and timing

This is the hardest issue. You need enough people, but too many makes a serious challenge. The aforementioned Ralph Page march is a) very long and b) rather slow because there are just too many people for the space. I’ve had the honor of leading that grand march several times and the one  you linked to is one of my more successful adaptations to the very crowded environment issue.

  • how to best enroll collaborators (must they be planned ahead, what can you do on the fly)

Depending on the crowd, you probably need one collaborator to be your partner and perhaps to help with the 2/4/8 columns. If I’m not sure the crowd has done columns, I will talk to the first two couples before sending them off left and right, to be sure they know to make a line of four at the foot. You have a few seconds in which to do this as the rest of the line comes down the center. If Tony is with me, he will scoot to the foot to make sure this goes well.

  • Train wrecks to avoid

If you have a lot of people in  a small space you will constantly be working to avoid running into the end of the line. (You can see this in the vid when I waited a long time at the foot for folks to get back in pairs.) There are only a handful of figures that work well in crowded spaces.

Too few people will also cause problems, certain figures just don’t work well (the “ball of yarn” spiral figure, for instance, will fall apart without out enough folks.) You can see the problem in the NE Dancing Maters vid. (Speaking of that, the Royal Canadian Musical Ride performs that on horseback!! You can see it here at 7:00 http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=royal+canadian+musical+ride&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=538552112873BEBEABB4538552112873BEBEABB4

While on the subject of Ball of Yarn, the secret to having that work well is to get it tight enough when spiraling in. If it is too loose when you make the turn, it will cease to be a spiral before you get back out. Another key is to ask people to “move toward the center” as you come back out. You want it tight in the middle and it wants to spread out.

I’ve not really worked out how to avoid it, but another train wreck can be when a part of the line starts following another part of the line. I can remember a spectacular mess (at Ralph Page, even) where I had the line I was leading and another group around the edges who were in their own loop. I finally just left Tony, ran over, and redirected a couple to the end of my line.)

Not really a train wreck, but if the first two couples (as mentioned above) don’t know to form up in 4s you can end up with them coming down the center again. Not a big deal, just laugh, explain it again and send them back around.

  • Tempos for the band

A good walking speed, rather staid by modern contra dance terms, but not too slow. (Great advice there, huh? “not too fast, and not too slow” <G>)

  • suitable crowds (weddings? regular dances? special weekends?)

Tony and I almost always end a private party evening with a version of a grand march (without the key 2/4/8 march figure.) We go right into it, without warning just by calling “everyone promenade around the outside of the hall” at the conclusion of the Virginia Reel (which is our last set dance.) Since we begin all our private party dances with a big circle, this provides a nice artistic book-end for the event.

The key “grand march” figure can also be used as a fun way to get people into 8’s for squares and I have done that with some (not many) groups. As people come up the center in 8’s just direct them (not from the mic, by motioning) into “circles.” I would only do this late in an evening when we had already done squares. (One night stands are mostly squares for us)

I would not use a grand march at a “regular” dance. Special weekends, yes.

  • Transitioning from G.M. straight in to longways sets

As I mentioned above, I like transitioning from GM to squares <G>. If you have a large group you can end with the columns and simply have couples face for 4 lines of beckett. You could also break into four face four (Portland Fancy) lines.

  • Endings for G.M. besides the crowd and clap

Another variation is to start with the columns. Then lead around the lines to make a snake. Ending with ball of yarn and back into a circle. Having everyone in a circle allows for a big, 8 beat, forward and back to end.

  • Other fun things to incorporate

I like “open tunnel” – the “arches” figure seen in the New England Dancing Master vid. This is a particularly satisfying figure for a smaller crowd. Don’t do it with an elderly group, and it can be problematic with a group of very mixed heights (though that can be fun, too.)

What are good videos that show the action from above?

Boothbay Region High School has a traditional grand march for their graduating class. Very cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2n5GTOJi5Q

Be warned, that wonderful crossing figure should not be attempted in a crowded hall and is the dickens to get out of. These kids rehearse <G>.

Is it written up anywhere? Or is it one of those learn by doing and stealing things?

Many of the 19th century dancing manuals discuss it. Best learned by doing. If you want to come peruse our library some time, let us know.

What folks have passed me so far:

 

Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL7k3vftvDE

 

Thanks for any suggestions you have.

 

I love leading a grand march. Chris is a master.

Beth Parkes


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