Not near my deck right now, but here's an example, as recently posted here:

"Beaumont Boom!
By Claire Takemori (8/26/19)
*Any number in scattered circles
A1 Bal ring 2x, CL
A2 Bal ring 2x, CR

B1. LHS (pile of LH in the middle, keep walking same direction after CR) countdown 3-2-1
B2 Boom! Throw hands up and all twirl out of the star and make new circles.

Can end with one big circle
)
Claire says: I wrote a dance with no Partners that I love for family or parties where you start with a few and folks keep dropping in, but it also works for a large group."

I do it with a RHS for B1 instead, as they're used to reversing direction from the A parts and to break it up a bit more given the longer star.

-Don

On Thu, Jul 24, 2025, 10:13 AM Rich Sbardella <richsbardella@gmail.com> wrote:
Don Veino,
Would you share some of those dances where there is a dancer option to keep or mix partners.  
I can think of Sasha, and Kid's Chaos, but no others.
Thanks,
Rich Sbardella
Stafford, CT

On Thu, Jul 24, 2025 at 10:07 AM Don Veino via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
I often start such events with a mixer but pick one that also works as a keeper and say something to the effect of "this dance is intended to be a mixer but if you want to just happen to find you're with the same person each time, that works too."

On Thu, Jul 24, 2025, 9:58 AM Vicki Morrison via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
My only two-cents worth is that there are too many mixers. Someone complained at a wedding I called a while back that they came with a partner and wanted to dance with that partner. It hadn’t occurred to me that anyone would feel that way but I understand, so now I always keep mixers at a minimum, or call them several dances into the evening. I hope the event goes well!

Vicki



On Thursday, July 24, 2025, 7:43 AM, Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Hi folks, I'd love your 2 cents for a "barn dance" I'm leading tonight.

I'll get (just a little) more complex towards the end, but the first 5-6 dances will be very simple and high energy.  This will be a mixed group of people (many new to dancing, some may have done contras or related things before),  at a large, open, community event (where there may be some drinking, sigh).

My question is: how many times would you run through each dance?

I'm thinking 8-10 times, but would love to hear others' instincts.

I've included 3 examples of the dances I'll be calling below.

1. Simple circle mixer
A part
Circle left
Circle right
Balance the big circle x2
Into the centre all say "Hey"

B part
All "explode" - break hands and wander around the hall
When you meet someone, take right hands, balance once and pull by them
(Do this at least once, but if you are coordinated you may manage 2-3 different times!)
Reform the circle in no particular order, start again.

2. Simple line mixer - dancers start in long lines facing their (temporary) partner - I will divide the lines into shorter sets based on how many times the dance will run through (TBC!)

(Designate each side of the line with a name e.g. Porpoise line and Ostrich line.
Remind them that they must always come back to their home side and never join the other line)

A part
LLFB
With partner left hand allemande
LLFB
With partner right hand allemande

B part (I demo this part with a small group to show people how it goes, prior to the walk through!)

All in the set join hands to make an oval - "oval left"
Oval right
Top Porpoise and bottom Ostrich dance up the middle (i.e. the Porpoise dances down the line, while the Ostrich dances up the line) - Porpoise rejoins their own line at the bottom, Ostrich rejoins their own line at the top.
Lines readjust themselves so that everyone is facing a new partner (I tell everyone to point to their new partner and wave to them, so everyone is clear on who their new partner is-  have done this dance many times before and people have no problem figuring it out) - if additional time, clap along to the music.

Scatter Dance in "floating duples"
Circle left
Bal ring x 2
Circle right
Bal ring x 2

Do si do P
Left allemande neighbour
All bow to each other then skip off with partner to form a new duple

Thank you!

Kat Kitching
Halifax NS
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net
_______________________________________________
Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave@lists.sharedweight.net