Great opportunity! The separate sessions idea is a very good one; it's hard to get non-dancers through a four-hour dance. Taking this out of order: I think you need to give that idea up immediately. (Depending on how you define "real contra", but if you mean "longways duple minor improper with a partner swing and a neighbor swing", you need to let it go.) What you have here is a one-night-stand party. (Actually, two one-night-stand parties. It's two separate sessions, so even if you build up to longways duple improper in the first half, the people who join up in the second half will be back to not knowing anything.) Your best bet of impressing the estates enough to make it a monthly dance is for the people who are actually there to have a great time. So you need *extremely* accessible dances. Luckily, Ford promoted extremely-accessible dances. Get a copy of "Good Morning". (Ford is sometimes listed as author, but it was Mr. Lovett who wrote it; Ford sponsored publication.) I didn't know until I checked ebay just now that a new edition came out in 2003 - I have the '26 and '48 editions, but I'm at work now and can't lay hands on them. This has really clear instructions for useful material. Ford supported couple dances and square dances. Some of those couple dances are *extremely* accessible, and you should probably do them with the crowd. Don't be confused by the names; the "Minuet" and "Gavotte" that Ford did are not the Baroque dances for which the ballet school people already know footwork. Have the ballet school people learn them and demo them, but some the crowd can do. (I think pretty much anybody can be expected to two-step - but waltzing is challenging, so dance "the Badger" and "Heel and Toe Polka" with the crowd, using the ballet students for demos and as shills (go out and ask people to dance), and have the ballet school perform "Waltz Minuet" and "Highland Schottische". If you have good demo people, "Hungarian Varsovienne ('as danced at Dearborn')" is doable by a newbie crowd. "Rye Waltz" (don't use the music in the Barnes couple dance book - it doesn't line up) has an easy sequence and relatively brief closed waltz. Eg: ====================================================================== THE BADGER (From "Good Morning") Victorian/Edwardian/American Any good four-four march time. Couple dance. Part I - Open Position 1 Couples join nearest hands and walk four steps forward (start outside foot) 2 Two hands: three slides (slips) and one step in LOD 3 Open facing other way, four steps in reverse LOD 4 Two hands: three slips and one step in reverse LOD Part II - Ballroom (waltz) position 4 Eight slow two-steps in LOD. ====================================================================== Waltz Minuet (From "Good Morning") Edwardian/Victorian/American Music: Part 1 is cut time, 8 bars; part 2 is waltz time. couple dance; waltz/minuet. Part I - Open position 1- 2 Starting outside foot, take 3 steps and point toe of free foot forward. 3- 4 Face reverse LOD, changing hands. As above, on new outside foot. 5- 6 Face partner, keep hold of same hands; step onto free foot and point with other foot; step and point the other way. 7- 8 Woman turns under man's left arm into ballroom position. Part II - Ballroom position 1-16 Closed waltz. ====================================================================== I endorse Gay Gordons, a schottische, and the Virginia Reel. Chorus Jig is asking a lot. (As a triple minor, you have to deal with triple minor progression. As a duple minor, the contra corners go outside your minor set and plenty of somewhat-experienced contra dancers are confused by it. The move doesn't sing if people are just confused. I've seen Jim Saxe teach this move quickly and well to a crowd that was about 1/3 beginners, but I know I wouldn't like to try it with all beginners. I *love* Chorus Jig, but I don't think I'd call it under these circumstances. You could do "White Cockade" (early American version) as a duple and use the Chorus Jig tune if you want, but I question the necessity of doing a longways at all. WHITE COCKADE Morrison, key G, common time, longways triple or duple, AABB A1: 1s down the outside and back. A2: 1s down the middle and back, cast off one couple B1: Circle six (or four) around and back. B1: 1s and 2s (above) 4 changes of R&L, no hands. ) Good Morning has some nice, simple, square dances. (It helps if you can carry a tune, but you can also sort of chant instructions. ------------------------------------------- THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME Singing Square. The head cou-ple lead up to the right, and balance there so kindly, and pass right through and balance, too and swing that girl behind you. And right and left through and a-way you go, and on to the next and balance Right hand to partner, grand right and left. Repeat four times. --------------- Directions ----------- Active couple leads to the right and sets; split that couple and each couple faces the other couple; set; and swing the opposite lady; open up facing old partner. (The one you've got now is your new partner.) Right and left through with old partner and new one; repeat twice more until the man gets home. Grand right and left. Repeat with second man active; at the end of all that everybody should have regained their partners. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Other than that, I'd say you want some reasonably straightforward Sicilian circles, like Spanish Waltz or Soldier's Joy, and maybe a free waltz and a free polka for those who know, which'll serve as mini-breaks for those who don't. Hope this helps! -- Alan