This dance is also called "The Fan Dance," and I carry fans around. And, not only kids will do it forever, but adults, too. When we do it we start it out as a waltz, then at some point, switch to a reel/polka. I've seen it done as a Civil War dance, where one line is women, the other men. Thus, when a man is in the middle two women take the side chairs, and vice-versa when a woman takes the center seat. I jokingly call it, "The Original Soul Train..." ~Erik Hoffman Oakland, CA -----Original Message----- From: Martha Wild via Contra Callers <contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Sent: Thursday, January 30, 2020 1:11 PM To: Kalia Kliban <kalia.kliban(a)gmail.com> Cc: contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [Callers] Re: Looking for non-mixer dances for kids (age 4-10) And don’t forget the “Hat Dance” - which out here I do as the “Gorilla Dance” - it’s amazing how long kids will do this dance! Three chairs, two lines perpendicular to either side of the chairs, top person from each line sits in an outside chair, and one person sits in the middle. The middle person, in the original version, has a hat. But when you are dealing with kids - you have to think “head lice”. So no hats. Instead, I do the dance with a fairly large, cute, cuddly, stuffed animal gorilla. Person in the middle has the gorilla, and when the music starts, gives it to one of the other two chair people, then takes the one without the gorilla and sashay/polkas down between the two lines. Person with gorilla moves to center chair, next two sit down, repeat. Music goes on and on, people who’ve danced to end of line join on the ends for another go. I have seen this go 20 minutes until the musicians revolted, and the kids just shouted “Again, again!”. I’ve done it at dance camps and when we are going to dance the next day they run up and yell “The Gorilla Dance!” So it’s really a hit. You may use whatever large stuffed animal you like - it can be the Elephant Dance, the Unicorn dance, the Doggie dance. But it’s fun. I guess this is a mixer dance. Oh well - it’s really good. Martha _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net