I like Andrea's approach. Remember - these are social events - let them socialize a bit - there is no race to see how fast you can start the next dance. Mention they need to take hands 4 a time or two while the lines are forming.  If (when) that doesn't happen, it looks like most of the dancers are lined up and the caller feels it is time - here is what I do.  I don't go quite as far as Andrea and give a fake figure.  I usually just say something like - 'face your neighbor' - that usually gets everyone's attention. It might be really impressive if everyone just lined up and automatically got organized - but it may be more important to the caller than to most of the dancers - so let it go.  I don't like a lot of regimentation - we are there for the dancers - not the other way around. A few dancers will get annoyed - but the caller needs to be aware and get thing moving at a time that keeps that to a minimum without being pushy. Mac. ________________________________ From: Donald Perley <donperley(a)gmail.com> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2012 7:41 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Taking hands four I haven't seen it in our dance, but sometimes folks downstream of the break wave 4 fingers to urge/shame the foursome in question to get on the ball. That also makes it clear to the caller that the process hasn't reached the far end. On Tue, Nov 13, 2012 at 8:10 AM, Andrea Nettleton <twirly-girl(a)bellsouth.net > I like to think of it as meaning the dancers are happy, because they are > chatting instead of fussing.  I say hands four, as you line up, consult the > band re tunes, say it again.  If they still appear disorganized, I'll pick > a random move like N Allemande L , or Cir L all the way.  They think I'm > teaching the dance, so scramble to get hands four.  Then I can say, OK, now > that you have hands 4, here's what you really do.  Usually they are a > little quicker after that.  Will they ever just take hands four > automatically?  I seriously doubt it.  Not in this country.  The Danes are > rumored to line themselves up silently.  We are more unruly in general. > Best luck > Andrea > Sent from my iPhone > > On Nov 12, 2012, at 8:38 PM, Kalia Kliban <kalia(a)sbcglobal.net> > > This may have been discussed before, but why does the idea that they > should take hands four seem to come as a complete surprise to at least half > the dancers, every single freakin' time? > > > > It's not hard.  You can do it while you're talking.  It's a complete and > total no-brainer for contemporary contras.  And yet... > > > > Anyone have successful strategies for helping this process along that > doesn't involve specially-trained dogs? > > > > Kalia > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

Risky in itself.. often they will then make that circle with the other couple they lined up with, and be out of sync with sets of 4 from the top. That false calibration then propagates downstream and has to be fixed later. On Thu, Nov 15, 2012 at 1:07 PM, <95sg23(a)comcast.net> wrote: