The more ONS dances I call, the easier the program becomes.

Rich

On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 5:14 PM, jdlaufman@comcast.net [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

The question of “contras” being called at ONSs has been raised before, and fairly recently, and several of us chimed in quickly with “WHY?”

Dudley

Dudley & Jacqueline Laufman

Very true.

Though I do find a difference between

a) the usual weddings / parties

b) fundraising dances

c) church socials / harvest suppers

At parties they haven't come to dance, and at weddings they've already had a long day and have wined & dined. Dead simple unless they show they already know a bit. Very varied from keen to like I'm swimming through treacle.

Church socials are usually polite enough that a bunch of them will get up, and when they do get up will look after each other. You don't have to worry about the tinies getting trodden on.

At fundraisers if they have any sense they will have sold tickets to the local dancers, and anyone who comes knows what they are coming to.

So although I start with the same few dances the rest of the programme varies. No Contras, but I like to put in something that will confuse people - and give them the satisfaction of having 'got it'. A dip and dive or a strip the willow perhaps. Dip & dive takes a bit to teach then there's the light-bulb moment. And my version Waves of the Sea carries on till I say 'Swing' - I've seen too many people end up in the wrong place in Waves of Tory to attempt that. The Strip the Willow in Barley Reel can be very forgiving. It is the 1s big moment - they can do what they like as long as they get to the bottom but a STW is one fun option. Similarly the dance that was called Wild Goose Chase in the book I learnt it from (other callers call it Grape Vine Twist) - the figure is the working couple's to do as they will with (I demonstrate the 'official version'), a grand chain can be taught with advice to just keep walking, avoid collisions and get back home, even if you think you are going the wrong way.

I don't usually do more than 1 or 2 of these, sometimes none. But it sometimes brings people onto the floor who have resisted the 'too easy' dances.

Then if it is a mixed age group some slower couple dances like Barn Dance, Gay Gordons, St Bernard. Older couples will get up for these, knowing they can drop out again when they want.

Mo Waddington
http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html