John, respectfully, I have to disagree with your disagreement. A simple walking swing works just fine  even when the other person is doing a buzz step. 

The HUGE problem that I see with beginner lessons is that people stand around bored while the teacher talks and talks. All the air goes out of the room. Keeping the beginners moving is job number one. 

So, I have them do a right elbow swing, to get the body dynamics right. Then maybe 30 seconds of talking about ballroom position, have them do a walking swing, a moment on how to  balance, and they are good for the night. Especially if they get to practice that with three or four different people during the lesson.

I can move a competent newcomer from walking-swing to buzz-step swing during the dance, just with "look at my feet."

Always appreciate the perspectives on this list though.

On Jun 20, 2015, at 5:16 AM, John Sweeney via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

Dale said, "Don't teach advanced techniques to new dancers.  Forget the buzz

step."

Sorry, but I must disagree most strongly.

In an average evening of contra dancing you will spend nearly thirty minutes

swinging (if the dances are in the Modern Urban Contra Dance style rather

than the older styles).

I think it is incredibly unfair to a newcomer to make them suffer for thirty

minutes rather than teach them how to swing.  They can also cause a lot of

suffering to whomever they are swinging with if they have lousy technique.

I would not agree that it is advanced either. I strongly believe that a

couple of minutes teaching the basics of a buzz step swing will give

everyone a much more enjoyable evening.  Some of them won't get it, but for

those that do it can completely change their experience of the evening.

Happy dancing,

John

John Sweeney, Dancer, England john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362
http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent