Re: [Callers] Unusual Formations at Open, Public Contra Dances

richgoss(a)comcast.net wrote: You can like unusual formations, but triplets at contras are unusual everywhere I've danced. As in, fewer than one out over every fifty dances is a triplet. People will say things like "triplets/squares are hard for newcomers" because they see newcomers struggling on them and getting frustrated, but that's usually misleading. For the most part unusual formations are harder for *everyone* because they need to pay more attention and not just go as they're used to. The caller won't be as practiced and will use words that aren't as consise and illustrative as they would for a contra. The regular dancers will be less able to help the newcomers by simply getting the dance right the first time, and may make things worse by thinking they have it right when they don't. The newcomers may not know the figure is unusual, but they will be getting less support from the other dancers. Jeff