I'd love if you could include the dance notes here, for a few of the most favourite!

I know one can always google such things, but it's always so nice to get handpicked ones written out here :)

(Whenever I am asked to call a "contra dance" at a wedding or community event, I usually use ceilidh-inspired dances but using more typical contra figures - lots of allemandes and balances-- for the fun centripetal and pushme-pullyou forces that my dancers enjoy at our monthly dances and likely inspires them to ask for contras at their wedding or community event).

Sep 17, 2023 11:34:48 AM Dave Casserly via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net>:

My band frequently requests that callers do this when we play, at least once or twice in a night.  We'll be doing that this coming Friday at Glen Echo, with Greg Frock calling.  Gives us a chance to play our hornpipe / 48-bar-jig / slip jig, or whatever, sets.  If you'd like, I'd be happy to put you in touch with some of the callers who have accommodated that practice.  Some contra dancers complain if it's more than a dance or two in a night, but most of them enjoy it, particularly if you don't tell them it's not a contra dance.  They're certainly not any more liable to complain about a ceilidh mixer than about any other mixer.

On Sun, Sep 17, 2023 at 10:27 AM Rich Goss via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Does anyone slip in a ceilidh style dance at a contra?   Some of the mixers work well at contra dances.   Also, it’s an opportunity to give new dancers brains a break.   I suspect this practice is more common in the UK.   Colin, feel free to chime in.

Rich
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David Casserly
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