Re: ONS with a *tiny* inexperienced crowd?

One more idea, just in case. Diane wrote: Using just one circle of 4, use basic moves from a Big Mountain "square" dance. (With a normal-sized crowd, a Big Mountain "square" dance has circles of 4, in a big circle, one couple faces in, one couple faces out, both couples slide left to progress to new neighbors. I use a short "menu" of options -- circle left, circle right, star left, star right, DSD N., DSD P, basket swing, duck-for-the-oyster-dive-for-the-clam, etc. The fun is not knowing in what order the calls will come). So, with 4 of 6 dancers, you could have a circle of 4, doing various orders of basic moves, and each time you finish with swing your partner, and then the "odd-folks-out" swap in to get a chance to dance, and someone else stands out once through the tune. With everyone present, you can have all of them make a big circle, (no partners). Go F&B, circle left and right, elbow turn a buddy, then another one, then another one. Rinse & repeat. This uses up everyone who's present, un-velcros anyone who's stuck together, shows them how easy and fun it is. I sometimes use this while late arrivals are getting settled into the room, or while the shy are insisting that they are not able to participate. You could make this go five or seven minutes of your two hours. HTH --Karen D.