There are many, many different figures that work well. You don’t prompt them, you lead them. Tony and I were leading the Ralph Page grand march you noted below.

This is the hardest issue. You need enough people, but too many makes a serious challenge. The aforementioned Ralph Page march is a) very long and b) rather slow because there are just too many people for the space. I’ve had the honor of leading that grand march several times and the one  you linked to is one of my more successful adaptations to the very crowded environment issue.

Depending on the crowd, you probably need one collaborator to be your partner and perhaps to help with the 2/4/8 columns. If I’m not sure the crowd has done columns, I will talk to the first two couples before sending them off left and right, to be sure they know to make a line of four at the foot. You have a few seconds in which to do this as the rest of the line comes down the center. If Tony is with me, he will scoot to the foot to make sure this goes well.

If you have a lot of people in  a small space you will constantly be working to avoid running into the end of the line. (You can see this in the vid when I waited a long time at the foot for folks to get back in pairs.) There are only a handful of figures that work well in crowded spaces.

Too few people will also cause problems, certain figures just don’t work well (the “ball of yarn” spiral figure, for instance, will fall apart without out enough folks.) You can see the problem in the NE Dancing Maters vid. (Speaking of that, the Royal Canadian Musical Ride performs that on horseback!! You can see it here at 7:00 http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=royal+canadian+musical+ride&FORM=VIRE5#view=detail&mid=538552112873BEBEABB4538552112873BEBEABB4

While on the subject of Ball of Yarn, the secret to having that work well is to get it tight enough when spiraling in. If it is too loose when you make the turn, it will cease to be a spiral before you get back out. Another key is to ask people to “move toward the center” as you come back out. You want it tight in the middle and it wants to spread out.

I’ve not really worked out how to avoid it, but another train wreck can be when a part of the line starts following another part of the line. I can remember a spectacular mess (at Ralph Page, even) where I had the line I was leading and another group around the edges who were in their own loop. I finally just left Tony, ran over, and redirected a couple to the end of my line.)

Not really a train wreck, but if the first two couples (as mentioned above) don’t know to form up in 4s you can end up with them coming down the center again. Not a big deal, just laugh, explain it again and send them back around.

A good walking speed, rather staid by modern contra dance terms, but not too slow. (Great advice there, huh? “not too fast, and not too slow” <G>)

Tony and I almost always end a private party evening with a version of a grand march (without the key 2/4/8 march figure.) We go right into it, without warning just by calling “everyone promenade around the outside of the hall” at the conclusion of the Virginia Reel (which is our last set dance.) Since we begin all our private party dances with a big circle, this provides a nice artistic book-end for the event.

The key “grand march” figure can also be used as a fun way to get people into 8’s for squares and I have done that with some (not many) groups. As people come up the center in 8’s just direct them (not from the mic, by motioning) into “circles.” I would only do this late in an evening when we had already done squares. (One night stands are mostly squares for us)

I would not use a grand march at a “regular” dance. Special weekends, yes.

As I mentioned above, I like transitioning from GM to squares <G>. If you have a large group you can end with the columns and simply have couples face for 4 lines of beckett. You could also break into four face four (Portland Fancy) lines.

Another variation is to start with the columns. Then lead around the lines to make a snake. Ending with ball of yarn and back into a circle. Having everyone in a circle allows for a big, 8 beat, forward and back to end.

I like “open tunnel” – the “arches” figure seen in the New England Dancing Master vid. This is a particularly satisfying figure for a smaller crowd. Don’t do it with an elderly group, and it can be problematic with a group of very mixed heights (though that can be fun, too.)

What are good videos that show the action from above?

Boothbay Region High School has a traditional grand march for their graduating class. Very cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2n5GTOJi5Q

Be warned, that wonderful crossing figure should not be attempted in a crowded hall and is the dickens to get out of. These kids rehearse <G>.

Is it written up anywhere? Or is it one of those learn by doing and stealing things?

Many of the 19th century dancing manuals discuss it. Best learned by doing. If you want to come peruse our library some time, let us know.

What folks have passed me so far:

 

Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend, 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jL7k3vftvDE

 

Thanks for any suggestions you have.

 

I love leading a grand march. Chris is a master.

Beth Parkes