15 May
2019
15 May
'19
12:21 p.m.
I lead dances at a local library for their annual Fairy Tale Ball.
We get a variety of people who participate, but my overall impression of
the event is a room full of knee-high princesses.
I generally start with a no-swing, non-mixer version of Circassian
Circle. The participants have partners, sometimes more than one, but
they stay together and I don't worry about who is on the right or left.
Instead of ladies and gents to the center I say things like, "Everyone
wearing red to the center," or "Everyone with black hair to the center,"
and so on.
I then typically do Galopede and that tends to work OK. After that
I have a variety of dances I like to lead. Chimes of Dunkirk usually
works well and I do a longways, non-mixer version of the Heel and Toe
Polka that usually works OK. If the older kids pair with the younger
ones you could do Cumberland Reel and other similar dances.
Jonathan
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Jonathan Sivier
Caller of Contra, Square, English and Early American Dances
jsivier AT illinois DOT edu
Dance Page: http://www.sivier.me/dance_leader.html
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Q: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
A: It depends on what dance you call!
On 5/15/2019 7:51 AM, Charles Abell via Callers wrote:
I'm sure there is already a thread on this
somewhere, but I'm wondering
what are your favorite dances for those in the 4-10 year old range.
Specifically, dances that are not mixers since many younger dancers
prefer to stay with a particular partner the whole time. I have a number
of good ones already (Alabama Gal, Haste to the Wedding, La Bastringue,
etc), but I'd like to expand my existing collection of dances geared
towards "little ones".
Let 'em rip!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*From:* Callers <callers-bounces(a)lists.sharedweight.net> on behalf of
John Sweeney via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
*Sent:* Tuesday, February 13, 2018 9:58 AM
*To:* callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
*Subject:* Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances
Since so many people enjoy the contrary circling in The Wheel, you might
enjoy this one as well:
Suicide Square
http://www.ceilidhcalling.co.uk/danceviewpage.php?view=1&id=9
It is extremely chaotic! You can reduce the chaos slightly by getting the
band to stop randomly during the circling, at which point everyone grabs a
partner; the band waits a few seconds while everyone finds a partner and
decides whether they are Heads or Sides, then gives two notes and starts the
next Heads Gallop.
I modify it to give a bit more recovery time:
Start in a big square around the room
A1: Head couples take partner in a ballroom hold and gallop eight steps
into the centre and back
A2: Sides gallop eight steps into the centre and back
B1: All the men form an outer circle facing in, while the ladies form an
inner circle facing out. All circle left then find a new partner
B2: Partner Swing - stop early enough to decide whether you are now
Heads or Sides - Heads get ready to gallop
There is also The Muffin Man Jig:
http://www.ceilidhcalling.co.uk/danceviewpage.php?view=1&id=11
Happy dancing,
John
John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)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