26 Sep
2023
26 Sep
'23
11:44 p.m.
Thanks for this thread! My group is tired of me bailing out to a small
collection of trivial contras (Airpants, Midwest Folklore...).
How about the easiest dance *that experienced dancers don't mind dancing*?
I have always disliked the "full washing machine" of circle left, circle
right, star right, star left. Even a half-wash makes my shoulders sag,
inwardly. Of course, I will try to do them with a smile and encourage both
the new dancers and the caller. But, surely we can make it a little more
interesting without losing the newbies. Airpants and Midwest Folklore do,
though they involve swings. Elbow or crossed-hand swings are fine for this
and don't need to be taught outside of a walkthrough. If I'm using these
dances in a workshop, I do tell the experienced dancers not to teach the
ballroom swing, we'll get to that in a minute. Otherwise, they all try.
--jh--
On Mon, Sep 25, 2023 at 7:27 PM Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <
contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Here are a couple more that I wrote, that I called the
other night and
went very well.
(again, I haven't searched to see if they exist already)
these all build on the skills we did in my "very simple contra" in the
sicilian formation, that I outlined in a previous message.
1. "Off they go"
- Circle left
- Circle right
- LLFB
- (still holding hands) - walk 4 steps left then 4 steps right (or call it
a giant oval left then right if you prefer)
- partner do si do
- neighbour left hand turn (allemande)
- partner 2 hand balance twice (I suggest the convention of veering
slightly to the left the first balance, and slightly to the right on the
second, for interest)
- holding inside hands with your partner facing the other couple, veer on
a forward right diagonal to pass the other couple, then on a forward left
diagonal to meet the next couple
2. "first out of place dance" (at a brisk pace)
people found this very fun!!
- circle left
- circle right
- partner do si do
- neighbour 2 hand balance once, and baby turn (ie switch places, by
circling while holding 2 hands in the same direction you would in a 2 hand
turn or swing - can also say - switch places with your neighbour, with the
ravens going on the inside)
- LLFB
- LLF, balance partner by the right one time and pull by (to switch places
w partner)
- LLFB
- LLF, just pull by the right (no balance) - give a little nod and stomp
to your old group, turn to face the new
3. " first down the hall dance"
-1's split the 2's and all walk down the hall in line of 4, turn alone
- come on back, bend line
- circle left
- circle right
- partner left shoulder round
- neighbour right hand turn (allemande)
- all circle left again
- left hand star to new group
4. "first swing (or 2 hand turn) dance"
- N bal and 2 hand turn (or swing, depending on level of dancers), for 16
- LLFB
- Partner left shoulder round
- Neighbour right shoulder round
- circle left
- circle right
- balance the circle one time, 2 hand balance your partner one time, turn
to face new group
There were 2 more dances in my sequence after this, but they wouldn't
qualify as super easy. (though probably still easier than most of you
call!! :) )
- Kat k
in Hfx, NS, CA
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