One night, when I arrived at our dance a few minutes before 8:00 , Robert
Cromartie
was calling a mixer. I don't recall what prevented the usual new comers
workshop, but I was told the mixer was in place of one. It
worked quite well and it was easy for people to jump in as they arrived.
A couple of years later I was in New Bern, NC. There was a problem with
sound set up, so we weren't ready to go until 8:20. I had a room full of
impatient dancers and anxious newcomers expecting a lesson. I started with a
very very simple mixer and it was thrilling to see everyone's face light up
and the mood shift to joy for the rest of the night.
Since then, I've thought of an easy mixer, as the first dance, as a
good way for new people to acclimate to moving in time to the music,
shifting
from one move to another, interacting with (and touching!) lots of
strangers, and letting go of the partner they came with. In spite of that, I
don't start with a mixer unless the dance is more than 50% beginners -- I
think it would feel strange to the regular crowd.
I often enjoy the discussions here; thanks for all the interesting opinions
and all the good dances I've harvested from this list. Here are mixers I
like for the 3rd slot:
Ames Amble George Lowrey
A1 In the center and back 2 times.
A2 Ptr dosido; Neighbor dosido,
B1 Promenade with ptr; Women turn back to the gent behind and Allmd Rt; Ptr
Allmd Left
B2 Swing new partner (the one you allmanded Rt)
A simpler version is: B1 promenade; B2 Women turn back to the gent behind
and swing.
Getting To Know You Robt Cromartie
A1 circle L; circle R
A2 Ptr dosido; Neighbor seesaw
B1 Ptr B&Swg
B2 Into the ctr and back, Neighbor swing
January Mixer Bob Dalsemer
A1 Promenade with ptr
A2 Men continue single file; women turn back single file (8)
Everyone turn back, pass your ptr
B1 with the next allmd L; allmd R
B2 Dosido and swg
