I'd also be careful about what you plan to call.  It's very exciting to call complicated figures, but it may be worth considering doing relatively simpler dances as you develop your self confidence.  Simple doesn't necessarily mean boring, and in fact can leave more time for dancers to enjoy the music and each other than complicated dances do, where you have to keep calling for a longer time to make sure that the dancers can manage without you.

Susan Elberger
Lowell, MA

From: Claire Takemori via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net>
To: callers@sharedweight.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2015 4:10 PM
Subject: [Callers] How to teach various steps to beginners?

Hi.  I just called my first contra dance at camp last week.  I didn't die, so I'm thinking of working with our son's nature class to do some family dances.

In the meantime, I will try to call a contra when I can as a guest at our local dances.

Do you know of a source/s (would you share yours)  that has good clear wording for how to teach things like Hey, Pull-by, California Twirl, Petronella, Rory O'more, etc? 

I will ask good callers if I can record their teachings when I'm at dances with lots of beginners.....

Where else can I learn good, simple wording?  I sure don't want to reinvent it myself......

Thanks! 
claire takemori

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