[Callers] Brain Dead - Need Suggestions

[jim saxe]

Linda,

I'll hazard a guess that the request to lead "dances that encourage really paying attention to beat counts" is really a request for dances that keep everyone dancing together in time to the phrasing of the music.  I think that skilled contra/ECD/Scottish/... dancers who dance to the phrase mostly do it by sensing the structure of the music not by explicit mental counting--unless they're forced to resort to counting because the band is getting to improvisational.

It is sometimes stated as conventional wisdom that ONS leaders need to recognize situations where dancing to the phrase isn't going to be the happening thing and learn to let go of the phrasing and let the dancers dance at their own comfortable pace.  Perhaps some previous caller who had your gig either (a) followed this advice or (b) tried to get people to dance on phrase with material where keeping track of the figures and keeping track of the phrasing at the same time was beyond the collective skill level of the crowd.  In either case, your contact's disappointment at the results could be the reason for the request you report.

Turning aside from such speculation, here a few specific ideas, with the disclaimer that I have little experience leading ONS events and that I won't feel insulted if someone more experienced wants to contradict or revise them.

1.  Dancers of a wide age range seem to have any easy time dancing "Sasha!" in time to the music.

2.  In any dance from your ONS repertoire that includes

     forward (4 steps, or 3 steps and close)
     back (same)

, changing it to

     forward two, stamp-stamp-stamp
     back two, stamp-stamp-stamp

might help keep people moving together to the music--or at least help convince your contact that you're trying to teach something--especially if you can select music that seems to fit that action.  (However, I recommend avoiding choreography with foot stamping if you find that the space has a non-resilient floor.)

3.  You might try something like this version of "(Come) Haste to the Wedding" (to the tune of the same name):

     Formation: Sicilian Circle

     A1 (8) Circle L
        (8) Circle R 

     A2 (8) Star R
        (8) Star L 

     B1 (8) Partners do-si-do
        (2) Clap, Clap (i.e, clap own hands together on beats 9 and 10)
        (6) Partners two-hand turn once around

     B2 (8) Neighbors (sometimes called "opposites") do-si-do
        (2) Clap, Clap
        (6) Pass Through (and bow to new neighbors if time allows)

Perhaps other list members who have taught this dance often can share their approaches for teaching dancers to clap on beats 9 and 10 of the B parts, rather than on beats 7 and 8 as some may tend to do.  Of course it will help to have music where the correct beats are played staccato and with emphasis.

I look forward to reading ideas that others may offer.

--Jim

On Aug 16, 2019, at 9:40 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:

> ...
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> Been hired to lead a dance for a music school -- ages 5 and up to teens and their parents and my contact asked if I could lead "dances that encourage really paying attention to beat counts….throw in some music  education in addition to fun."
> 
> ...