Re: [Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

Beginners are often confused by contra dances in which they focus on their partner across the set and progress sideways. For a first contra, I recommend that you start with a dance where the progression is "Pass through to the next" or "Duck through to the next couple", so that the dancers are focusing their attention up and down the set. In fact, you can start by having them do a Sicilian Circle, then stop, change the sets into lines, and have them continue with the same dance. Haste to the Wedding is a good choice, or here's a dance of mine which has been successful with beginners. Jacob's Polka Contra by Jacob Bloom Duple Improper Music: polka or polka-like reel Requires extra room up and down the line Give both hands to the next, or take ballroom position With the outside foot, heel, toe, two slides out, with inside foot heel, toe, two slides in Heel, toe, two slides out, Heel, toe, two slides in Dosido below All dosido partner Allemande left below, All swing partner Circle left with same couple Pass through, bow to next On Tue, Jul 24, 2018 at 10:48 AM, Lorraine Sutton via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: -- jandnbloom(a)gmail.com http://jacobbloom.net/ View my Arlington Food Pantry fundraiser at https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657