Real interesting discussion! My two cents on the order of teaching: I've
been having good luck lately with teaching in the following order--
1) promenade the ring
2) turn around to promenade the opposite direction (lady walks forward and
gent walks back, i.e. CCW rotation--get everyone used to turning in the
right direction)
3) promenade across the set ("gents, identify your own left shoulder. Now
identify that other gent's left shoulder. That's how you're going to pass
each other")
4) R/L through *with a demo*
5) ladies chain
On Tue, Aug 23, 2016 at 12:58 PM, Aahz via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
  On Tue, Aug 23, 2016, George Mercer via Callers
wrote:
 
 Just a note: I always teach the right and left through. It is a
 simple move in the grand scheme, but it doesn't make much sense
 for beginners. Saying it is like a ladies chain only both dancers
 are crossing doesn't really help. Right-hand pull by across with
 the dancer directly across, then left-hands on the side and you
 courteously help each other turn via a courtesy turn. 
 Most of my teaching has been in a square dance context, but I teach Pass
 Thru, Courtesy Turn before I teach R&L Thru.  And I teach sashayed
 Courtesy Turn -- probably wouldn't bother with that in a contra context.
 There's a regular argument in the square dance community about whether
 it's better to teach the handed version or no-hands version of calls
 first (e.g. California Twirl vs Partner Trade).  I overall favor the
 handed calls first because it's better body flow and the guide makes it
 easier to learn the call.  However, I switch with R&L Thru because
 learning how to take and drop hands while passing is a bit of a tricky
 skill for many people (the biggest culprit usually being Square Thru).
 --
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