Re: [Callers] Favorite dance to teach a ladies chain?

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 8:18 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Definitely for the first introduction to courtesy turn, just one chain ("half chain") and with neighbor. My choice of dance depends on the crowd and what issues they are having, and whether the beginners have enough experienced neighbors to help them. For instance, sometimes they struggle to end a swing or courtesy turn on the correct side. Entering a courtesy turn from a swing (or long lines) is fine even if dancers don't end on the left/right correctly. Going from courtesy turn into a ladies allemande or do si do is also fine if they don't end on the left/right correctly. One thing that occurred to me while pondering left hand stars was: what happens if the courtesy turn doesn't end on time but 4 beats late? How forgiving is the next move? With some figures like forward and back, or ladies allemande, it's easy to see what's going on and skip ahead. With left hand stars, though, it *looks* like it's easy to see what's going on, but there is a temptation to join in the star wherever (disorienting for what follows, usually progression) or dash madly to get into the right place (stressful). Or the whole star is late. And it's not intuitive to many dancers (even experienced) where they need to join into the star; it's less familiar than, say, a circle. And I've also seen dancers struggle with letting go of the star to find the next neighbor. As you've said, I think there are choreographic needs that could be filled here - there is a common sequence that looks like 4. chain to P 5. ladies allemande/do si do 1 6. P swing which it would be great to do with neighbors instead. Here's a suggestion - I'm ready to believe Bob (or another choreographer) has written it already: becket A1: slice left to meet new N; ladies chain to N A2: ladies allemande right 1; N swing B1: down the hall, turn as couples B2: circle left 3/4; P swing Yoyo Zhou