Re: [Callers] Gender Neutral Dance Request

I should add that Longways Set Dances like the VA Reel and Boston Tea Party also usually have the top couple in the line doing a figure where they end up at the end of the line (and there is a new top couple), so there is some downtime for the dancers who are not yet the top couple in the line.  During that time the other people in the line will not be "dancing", and will often clap to the beat (like when the top couple is reeling the line in the VA Reel - that series of left and right allemandes that take the top couple to the bottom of the line).  You can encourage the clapping if they don't just do it themselves. Dave Colestock New Cumberland, PA --- On Mon, 7/23/12, Dave C <contradancerdave(a)yahoo.com> wrote: From: Dave C <contradancerdave(a)yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [Callers] Gender Neutral Dance Request To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Date: Monday, July 23, 2012, 3:21 PM Hi Joe, I would not recommend calling contras if they are not regular contra dancers.  I would do circles, mixers, and longways set dances, similar to the VA Reel - dances like Boston Tea Party or anything from Peter Amidon's series of books (Chimes of Dunkirk, Listen to the Mockingbird,...) - or perhaps some simple squares.  Contras (and their progression) often confuse new dancers, and same sex partners can also make things difficult to teach.  You don't want to spend more time teaching a dance than they actually get to dance it.  Jefferson and Liberty is the only, repeat only, contra dance I have had good success with when calling to a group of non-contra dancers.  Also, do not run the dances as long as a contradance would run - they don't have the stamina to dance continuously for 8-10 mins, and the hot weather is a definite factor.  Jefferson and Liberty, can be done proper or improper A1  Circle Left        Circle Right A2  Right Hand Star        Left Hand Star back to place B1  1's Go down the outside        1's come back up and around their 2's to step between them to form a line of 4 B2  Line of 4 go Down the Hall        Don't turn around - just back up,        1's Make Arch in center of line, 2's go thru the arch to new neighbors. There are no swings, it is an easy foolproof progression, and the dance can be done proper or improper.  Remember to explain the concept of 1's and 2's and that the number changes when they get to the end of the line (waiting out 1 round of the dance).  I don't know the author - I always announce that it is a Traditional American Contra Dance.  There are other versions of this dance where the B1 is changed to something else, but this is my favorite version. Dave Colestock New Cumberland, PA  --- On Mon, 7/23/12, JsphDeP(a)aol.com <JsphDeP(a)aol.com> wrote: From: JsphDeP(a)aol.com <JsphDeP(a)aol.com> Subject: [Callers] Gender Neutral Dance Request To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Date: Monday, July 23, 2012, 2:58 PM Hi All,                   Just checking  to see if someone would have a few gender neutral dances to  share with me.  I will be calling to a large group of non-dancers that  will mostly be same-sex couples.  I was thinking of calling a few  circle mixers, Sicilian circles, Virginia reel type dances and perhaps a  few contras.                  Any  feedback would be greatly appreciated.   Thanks,            Joe  _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers