Well I find that church gig are easier in that
people are polite - get up when you ask them, look after the little ones
etc.
But if numbers are really small they might be self
conscious about getting up, and you don't want to nag them if they need a
rest.
Make the most of your musicians - let them play
between dances, suggest that people make up their own dance (but they will
probably rest and chat).
Use couple dances like Gay Gordons, Barn Dance, St
Bernard Waltz, Rosza. They have the advantage that people can drop out when
tired, or watch for a bit then join in.
Snowball - you can start with 2 people ( or 2
couples) R hand turn (star), Lh turn(or star), circle L, circle R, swing
Promenade and find another couple (or person).
There are dances for 5 & 7 people -
domino 5, 7 of diamonds
A lot of Community dances are not really fussy
about how many couples. E.g.Galopede, which I do in one long set, or sometimes
wait till they all get up, then divide them at about the middle. Blaydon races,
Circassian circle (can share a partner if odd no.)
So at that kind of do most of my dances are
flexible numbers. E.g. I adapted a square (was called Katy Jane) Katy Jane's
Chicken. Circle l & r, no 1 lady let go no2 man, all keep hold, 2s arch, 1st
lady leads a thread the needle, swing partner, in and out twice. If there are a
lot of children I number people not couples, and everyone has a turn at leading.
It's the dance I fall back on if I asked for squares and 5 or 6 couples get up -
there are times when you can see you need to adapt. (and I hate telling people
to sit down).
Some of the Sicilian circle dances (Balance the
Star) can be done without the progression, or with a random
progression.
Dashing White sergeant 3 people (ring of 3 instead
of 6, the rest is for 3 anyway) or for 6, 9, etc.
Horse & Buggy (which I got from this site and
find useful), 4 people but you can do most of it as a 3, 2, or even alone (I
sometimes get them practising the steps alone)
Search this site for any dances Dudley has put
on.
Good luck (bet there will be plenty there - but no
harm to be prepared)
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2016 3:55
PM
Subject: [trad-dance-callers] ONS with a
*tiny* inexperienced crowd?
I've agreed to an extremely last minute "Hoe Down" gig this Saturday
for a local church, where I'm promised 25-75 people of mixed ages. No dance
experience at all.
I've reset their expectation to a family/barn dance
- no cowboy outfits on the performers, no line dances. They asked for some
squares - ok. If the crowd is really that size, I'm all set. Have the
material, live music with a contra and squares, etc. fiddler & piano
player. Good to go.
My nightmare is there's only 5 people that show,
say: a toddler, a teen, 2 parents and a grandparent. I have a few things we
could do with that small number of inexperienced folks, but not enough to fill
2 (fun) hours.
Any ideas on what you'd do/use in that instance? I'm all
ears!
(and yes, I've taken note of the recent 9-person threads)