I don't like to assign roles in the lesson. 

A lot of good discussion, and a couple points I'll add:

- my lesson teaches the swing as allemande R -> 2 hand turn -> swing, and so the concept of the swing being symmetrical except for handholds is established, and then Left/Right side. (And handhold) being the concept introduced as the difference with role.

- if there's a small number of new dancers, experienced people in my general region will typically help show the ropes in terms of dancing either role.
- for larger groups, I am more likely to specifically have them try both roles

- I do like to tell new dancers that for the first couple dances, they should consider sticking with the role in the lesson. I'll say something like "if you're feeling comfortable, absolutely try dancing the other role, too". 

In dance,
Julian Blechner
He/Him
Western Mass

On Mon, Mar 11, 2024, 6:23 PM Winston, Alan P. via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I don't know whether I was that someone.  If it was, what I talked about, if you have a large enough group to do it (say, 10 or more, which I rarely do), is to have them all circle up [which I always do as part of the implicit dancing-to-the-phrase, things-take-standard-numbers-of-steps, early success because they're responding to a call that means what they think it does portion), and after we've done all that, I squish the circle into a longways set and take hands four from the top.  If they came with someobdy that person is probably in another couple now (unless they're at the top or bottom).  "As you face the other couple, one of you is on the left - you're dancing as a lark; the other is on the right - you're  dancing as a robin.)

You could also circle up, pick someone to start, and have them count off around the ring "robin, lark, robin, lark".

In principle this means roles are arbitrarily assigned.  In practice these new partners might negotiate. I try not to notice.

-- Alan

________________________________________
From: Michael Fuerst via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>
Sent: Sunday, March 10, 2024 8:24 PM
To: contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Re: "Assigning" roles in the beginners' lesson?

Sometime within the past 3 years or so someone posted an excellent procedure in this forum, which I did not copy, and could not find a year or so later when I tried.      maybe someone can find it.
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