Hi Lorraine,

              As has been said, if you really want to do contras the you need to have a program which teaches basic concepts and builds on them.

Family Contra is a great dance for teaching the concept of progression:

https://folkdancemusings.blogspot.com/2015/05/family-contra-usa.html

Your next big problem is getting them to do a good buzz-step swing and finish with the man on the left, lady on the right.  With large numbers of beginners there will some who get in wrong every time and break down the dance.  I would practice that in a circle mixer like:

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/TheExchangeSwing.html

or

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/VirginiaReelCircleMixer24.html

You can have lots of fun without swings:

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/CheekboneCity.html

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/Duck.html

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/GrapevineJig.html

Here’s an easy one with a swing:

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/GirlsofOakhill.html

East Litchfield Volunteers is a great dance for beginners:

http://www.biteyourownelbow.com/conndanc.htm

I would agree that Right & Left Through is to be avoided.  It is the most non-intuitive move in contra dancing.  If you really want to use it in some of your dances then I would use something like this to help teach it:

http://contrafusion.co.uk/Dances/ToMoveorNottoMove.html

Flirtation Reel is great and I use this a lot with beginners as well – the Chris Page version:

= = = = = = = = =

Ellen's Green Jig (by Roy Dommett)

Contra; Improper

A1:        Neighbour Dosido; Partner Dosido

A2:        #1s Balance & Swing (Step, Kick) – finish facing down

B1:         Circle Left; Circle Right – keep holding hands in the Circle

B2:         Duck for Oysters: #2s Arch - #1s Peek; #1s Arch - #2s Peek

              #2s Arch over #1s who pass through to New Neighbours

"Duck for the oyster, dive for the clam, duck through the hole in the old tin can."

Alt (Chris Page):

A1:        Dosido Neighbour; Men Dosido

A2:        Ladies Dosido; #1s Swing, end facing down

= = = = = = = = =

              I hope that helps.

            Happy dancing,                         

                   John                                  

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574                         

http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs                               

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent

From: Callers <callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net> On Behalf Of Lorraine Sutton via Callers
Sent: 24 July 2018 15:49
To: Callers@lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Folk Festival - Easy Contra dances to teach Beginners

Hello All,

I am calling a 2 hour Intro to Contra dance ....at an Ontario Canada Festival. ( more a music focus than a dance focus, at this festival)

I would appreciate hearing from you as to contra dances ( lws proper & Improper) that you have found successful with very novice dancers and why you think those dances work for beginners.(I love Larry Jennings definition of easy vs complicated )

I do plan on doing some non progressive lws as well as a both a circle and a Sicilian  circle in the program mix , to get the concept of progression.

Thanks so much.

Lorraine Sutton  ( lorrainesutton7@gmail.com )

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