My only two-cents worth is that there are too many mixers. Someone complained at a wedding I called a while back that they came with a partner and wanted to dance with that partner. It hadn’t occurred to me that anyone would feel that way but I understand, so now I always keep mixers at a minimum, or call them several dances into the evening. I hope the event goes well! Vicki Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone <https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&af_sub1=Acquisition&af_sub2=Global_YMktg&af_sub3=&af_sub4=100000604&af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_&af_ios_store_cpp=9d3a686e-218d-4849-8298-b480188dc8ac&af_android_url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.google.com%2Fstore%2Fapps%2Fdetails%3Fid%3Dcom.yahoo.mobile.client.android.mail%26listing%3Demail_signature> On Thursday, July 24, 2025, 7:43 AM, Katherine Kitching via Contra Callers &lt;contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: Hi folks, I'd love your 2 cents for a "barn dance" I'm leading tonight. I'll get (just a little) more complex towards the end, but the first 5-6 dances will be very simple and high energy. This will be a mixed group of people (many new to dancing, some may have done contras or related things before), at a large, open, community event (where there may be some drinking, sigh). My question is: *how many times would you run through each dance?* I'm thinking 8-10 times, but would love to hear others' instincts. I've included 3 examples of the dances I'll be calling below. 1. *Simple circle mixer* *A part* Circle left Circle right Balance the big circle x2 Into the centre all say "Hey" *B part* All "explode" - break hands and wander around the hall When you meet someone, take right hands, balance once and pull by them (Do this at least once, but if you are coordinated you may manage 2-3 different times!) Reform the circle in no particular order, start again. 2. *Simple line mixer* - dancers start in long lines facing their (temporary) partner - I will divide the lines into shorter sets based on how many times the dance will run through (TBC!) (Designate each side of the line with a name e.g. Porpoise line and Ostrich line. Remind them that they must always come back to their home side and never join the other line) *A part* LLFB With partner left hand allemande LLFB With partner right hand allemande *B part* (I demo this part with a small group to show people how it goes, prior to the walk through!) All in the set join hands to make an oval - "oval left" Oval right Top Porpoise and bottom Ostrich dance up the middle (i.e. the Porpoise dances down the line, while the Ostrich dances up the line) - Porpoise rejoins their own line at the bottom, Ostrich rejoins their own line at the top. Lines readjust themselves so that everyone is facing a new partner (I tell everyone to point to their new partner and wave to them, so everyone is clear on who their new partner is- have done this dance many times before and people have no problem figuring it out) - if additional time, clap along to the music. *Scatter Dance in "floating **duples**" * Circle left Bal ring x 2 Circle right Bal ring x 2 Do si do P Left allemande neighbour All bow to each other then skip off with partner to form a new duple Thank you! Kat Kitching Halifax NS _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net _______________________________________________ Contra Callers mailing list -- contracallers(a)lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to contracallers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net