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Do you know "Double Double This This"? It can be done as a mixer or keeper.
Concentric circles, partners facing each other
Partners tap 2 fists together at chin's height 2 times: "Double, double"Partners tap 2 hands together, palms together 2 times: "This, this"Partners tap 2 fists together 2 times: "Double, double"Partners tap 2 hands back to back 2 times: "That, that"Partners tap fists 1 time, and open palms 1 time: "Double, this"Partners tap fists 1 time, and backs of hands 1 time: "Double, that'Partners tap 2 fists together 2 times: "Double, double"Partners tap open palms together 1 time and backs of hands 1 time: "This, That!"Repeat the above with same partner (or shift to the next person in the circle if making it a mixer)B Right hand allemande your partner;Do si do partnerLeft hand allemande partnerDo si do partner
At this point you can throw in an elbow swing or a promenade. I've done it with ages 9-10, never tried it with younger.
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Abell via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
To: Callers(a)Lists.Sharedweight.net <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>; John Sweeney <john(a)modernjive.com>
Sent: Wed, May 15, 2019 8:51 am
Subject: Re: [Callers] Looking for "fun" dances
#yiv2122591051 P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;}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
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
_______________________________________________
List Name: Callers mailing list
List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
One resource that Luke didn't mention which I have found very useful is
Thomas Green's barn dance website:
https://barndances.org.uk/
You can sort by formation, level of difficulty, dance name, etc. I've
gotten a lot of goodies here.
A dance that I picked up a few years back (and thought was by Luke but
apparently it isn't) and have gotten a lot of use out of is Circle
Shuffle. I call it Middle Muddle, and now have no idea who wrote it.
Works well for adults too.
A1 (8) Partner Do-si-do
(8) Partner two hand turn
A2 (8) Circle left
(8) Circle right
B1 (8) Into middle/out
(8) Into middle/out
B2 Promenade through the middle of the circle to a new spot.
If your group is on the large side, you may want to change it to
B1 Into the middle and back, then all promenade through the middle to
the other side (the chaos of which will extend all the way through B2).
If your group is a little better at sorting themselves out, then the
extra into the middle and back as written might fit just fine.
On 5/15/2019 6:45 AM, Luke Donforth via Callers wrote:
> Hi Charles,
>
> I'm tweaking the subject line slightly to help the next person find this
> in the archive ;-)
> As Bree Kalb mentioned, Linda Leslie has a wonderful collection.
> <http://lindalesliecaller.contracorner.com/dances/very-easy-dances.html>
>
> There are also a lot of resources available at New England Dancing Masters:
> https://dancingmasters.com/shop/
> a lot of those books are geared at school programs, and I think would
> work well for you.
>
> *Other people's dances:*
>
> Heel Toe Polka:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46K4V6xmOww
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yHDJSpy9H0
> I hadn't seen it with the clapping version, but these were the top hits
> on YouTube.
> You could get rid of the "pass through" and make it go back the other way.
>
> Les Saluts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt31bYsU5BY (note: AAB tune)
>
> Kings & Queens (from the NEDM books, written by Peter Amidon)
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmiKhGl59xM
...
On 5/15/2019 5:51 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!
I don't know how this would with exclusively 4 year olds (really, all I know how to do with exclusively 4-year-olds is a variation on wind-up-the-ball-of-twine where you bring the snake around into a cricle, do into the center and back, circle left and right, and then break the snake off again, repeat until you feel like you're done), but I'd think 8 year olds could handle this fine, and it's just fine if you have talls and smalls mixed up.
UP THE SIDES AND DOWN THE MIDDLE
(I have it from community dances manual, which says it's from the village of Symondsbury)
4 or 5 couple longways (you can maybe do 6 but you'll end up less phrased)
Lines facing, do step-swing balance r-l, r-l.
Drop hands, cross right shoulder with partner and face back in.
Repeat all that to home.
Top couple raise an arch and walk slowly down the middle WHILE
second couple, with the the rest of their line following, cast off briskly down the outside and go under the arch to the top.
Original tops finish at bottom, original seconds at top.
Whenever you get to thtat spot, swing partner until the end of B2.
(This was collected with a very specific tune that changes meter for the lead down. When I have a band I tell them "bouncy reels, jigs, or polka" but when I have to do this with recorded music I like "Sandy Boys" (or, specifically, a "Sandy Boys"/"Kitchen Girl" medley by Pig's Eye Landing.)
-- Alan
And the image didn't come through...
Sorry, it's online at
http://www.uvm.edu/~ldonfort/slalom.jpg
On Wed, May 15, 2019 at 1:26 PM Luke Donforth <luke.donev(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> I got some off-list questions about Green Mountain Ski Wedding, and I
> figured I'd answer them for everyone, since the description isn't
> completely clear.
>
> Someone asked about the DSD in A1, but not in B1. You could put a long
> lines there. This dance doesn't really stay square to the music. So while I
> have a whole group oval in A1 with a DSD, B1 is just a whole group oval.
> It's a very "squishy" dance.
>
> Someone asked why the A2 slalom is up the set rather than down:
> It's up because the top couple is at the bottom at the beginning of A2.
> The path they take moves through some number of couples, such as:
>
> [image: image.png]
> (Please excuse the drawing in MS Paint, let me know if it doesn't come
> through.)
>
> When working with young kids, I'll tell the couples standing on the sides
> to pretend to be trees, and have the skiing couple dodge and weave through
> them.
>
>
>
> Green Mountain Ski Wedding
>> Longways/Proper/Beginner
>>
>> A1 -----------
>> Whole Group Oval Left until across from partner again
>> Partner Do-si-do
>> A2 -----------
>> Bottom (was top) couple slalom (weave) back and forth up the set (cutting
>> through lines)
>> B1 -----------
>> Whole group oval right until across from partner again
>> B2 -----------
>> Partner allemande Left
>> Partner allemande Right
>>
>
>
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
Luke,
Could you re-send image a different way? Not seeing it.
Thanks!
Delia
> On May 15, 2019, at 1:26 PM, Luke Donforth via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
>
> I got some off-list questions about Green Mountain Ski Wedding, and I figured I'd answer them for everyone, since the description isn't completely clear.
>
> Someone asked about the DSD in A1, but not in B1. You could put a long lines there. This dance doesn't really stay square to the music. So while I have a whole group oval in A1 with a DSD, B1 is just a whole group oval. It's a very "squishy" dance.
>
> Someone asked why the A2 slalom is up the set rather than down:
> It's up because the top couple is at the bottom at the beginning of A2.
> The path they take moves through some number of couples, such as:
>
>
> (Please excuse the drawing in MS Paint, let me know if it doesn't come through.)
>
> When working with young kids, I'll tell the couples standing on the sides to pretend to be trees, and have the skiing couple dodge and weave through them.
>
>
>
> Green Mountain Ski Wedding
> Longways/Proper/Beginner
>
> A1 -----------
> Whole Group Oval Left until across from partner again
> Partner Do-si-do
> A2 -----------
> Bottom (was top) couple slalom (weave) back and forth up the set (cutting through lines)
> B1 -----------
> Whole group oval right until across from partner again
> B2 -----------
> Partner allemande Left
> Partner allemande Right
>
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Delia Clark
PO Box 45
Taftsville, VT 05073
Office/mobile: +1-802-457-2075
deliaclark8(a)gmail.com
www.deliaclarkconfluence.com
I got some off-list questions about Green Mountain Ski Wedding, and I
figured I'd answer them for everyone, since the description isn't
completely clear.
Someone asked about the DSD in A1, but not in B1. You could put a long
lines there. This dance doesn't really stay square to the music. So while I
have a whole group oval in A1 with a DSD, B1 is just a whole group oval.
It's a very "squishy" dance.
Someone asked why the A2 slalom is up the set rather than down:
It's up because the top couple is at the bottom at the beginning of A2.
The path they take moves through some number of couples, such as:
[image: image.png]
(Please excuse the drawing in MS Paint, let me know if it doesn't come
through.)
When working with young kids, I'll tell the couples standing on the sides
to pretend to be trees, and have the skiing couple dodge and weave through
them.
Green Mountain Ski Wedding
> Longways/Proper/Beginner
>
> A1 -----------
> Whole Group Oval Left until across from partner again
> Partner Do-si-do
> A2 -----------
> Bottom (was top) couple slalom (weave) back and forth up the set (cutting
> through lines)
> B1 -----------
> Whole group oval right until across from partner again
> B2 -----------
> Partner allemande Left
> Partner allemande Right
>
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
-----
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
-----
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
Hi Charles,
I'm tweaking the subject line slightly to help the next person find this in
the archive ;-)
As Bree Kalb mentioned, Linda Leslie has a wonderful collection.
<http://lindalesliecaller.contracorner.com/dances/very-easy-dances.html>
There are also a lot of resources available at New England Dancing Masters:
https://dancingmasters.com/shop/
a lot of those books are geared at school programs, and I think would work
well for you.
*Other people's dances:*
Heel Toe Polka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46K4V6xmOwwhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yHDJSpy9H0
I hadn't seen it with the clapping version, but these were the top hits on
YouTube.
You could get rid of the "pass through" and make it go back the other way.
Les Saluts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt31bYsU5BY (note: AAB tune)
Kings & Queens (from the NEDM books, written by Peter Amidon)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmiKhGl59xM
*Dances I've composed for this contingent: *
Charge and Drag
by Luke Donforth
Longways/Other/Beginner
A1 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Partner Do-si-do
A2 -----------
(16) Partner balance and swing (or two hand turn), end facing up the set
and separate
B1 -----------
(16) Top & Bottom couple make arches
Top couple go down over left line; Bottom couple go up over right line
B2 -----------
(8) bottom & top couples charge (sashay) the middle of the set, meet in the
middle
(8) couple below drag couple above to bottom of the set
Animal Parade
Longways/Other/Beginner
A1 -----------
(8) Long lines, forward and back
(8) Partner allemande Left
A2 -----------
(8) Partner allemande Right
(8) Partner two hand swing or DSD
B1 -----------
“top” couple walk to bottom, miming the animal of their choice
Come back to top
B2 -----------
Top couple peels off to outside, everyone follows
Top couple makes an arch at bottom, rest come though with partner
Green Mountain Ski Wedding
Longways/Proper/Beginner
A1 -----------
Whole Group Oval Left until across from partner again
Partner Do-si-do
A2 -----------
Bottom (was top) couple slalom (weave) back and forth up the set (cutting
through lines)
B1 -----------
Whole group oval right until across from partner again
B2 -----------
Partner allemande Left
Partner allemande Right
Pousset scatter (mix or keeper)
Scatter/Beginner
starts in groups of four, with a partner and a neighbor couple
A1 -----------
(8) Right hand Star
(8) Left hand Star
A2 -----------
(8) Partner allemande Left 1x
(8) Partner Do-si-do 1.5x end back to back
B1 -----------
Dancers count out loud:
un, du, two, and cry Pousset, butt-push your partner
SCATTER: find a new partner and swing
KEEPER: chase your partner around and swing
B2 -----------
(16) Promenade around
Find another couple
On Wed, May 15, 2019 at 8:51 AM Charles Abell via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> 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!
>
>
>
Linda Leslie wrote some really good ones. Do Si Three is always a big
hit when I call it for kids and parents (as well as at weddings and other
parties where most people have never danced.) She has many more.
http://lindalesliecaller.contracorner.com/dances/very-easy-dances.html
On Wed, May 15, 2019 at 8:51 AM Charles Abell via Callers <
callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> 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
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
> _______________________________________________
> List Name: Callers mailing list
> List Address: Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net
> Archives: https://www.mail-archive.com/callers@lists.sharedweight.net/
>
