[Callers] Workshop ideas ?

Bev outlined some excellent strategies for her upcoming workshop, and asked for additional suggestions. As a challenge, how about calling a dance with traditional figures and asking those present to dance it without embellishments? Could be a contra corners dance (four counts for each turn, leaving no time for extra twirl before the balance and swing. Could be something with right and left over and back, four counts to cross and four counts for a courtesy turn-- yes, four for each, does make you slow down a little, rather than doing an extra twirl around simply because there's time to do it if you race through the figures. Could be somethng with ladies chain over and back and a pleasant courtesy turn on both sides. Could be a dance (older version of Petronella, say) where for nearly 3/4 of the dance the inactives are truly inactive and need to stay engaged while resisting the temptation to squeeze in extra swings. My point? One way the more experienced dancers befuddle the newcomers is by demontrating every possible embellishment, so that newer dancers don't have an opportunity to learn the basics. If all you see on down the center four in line is a California twirl, you don't learn the timing of a courtesy turn to return. If all you see for balance is Variation #27b with additional syncopated foot stomps on the afterbeat, you don't learn a simple pas-de-basque or step-kick. If a swing inevitably ends with an extra twirl-the-lady-under, you don't learn to get your balance and your orientation for the ensuing ladies chain. In short, one way experienced dancers can best help new dancers is by dancing better-- uh oh, there I said it!-- themselves. David Millstone