We aargh at saying on the left and having to correct it to on the right.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 24, 2014, at 6:49 PM, Michael Fuerst <mjerryfue...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Alan: Since when do we aargh on on right ?
>
> Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217-239-5844
> Links to photos of many of my drawings and paintings are at
> www.ArtComesFuerst.com
>
>
>
> On Monday, February 24, 2014 6:35 PM, Alan Winston
> <wins...@slac.stanford.edu> wrote:
>
> On 2/24/2014 2:48 PM, Alan Winston wrote:
>> If it were me I'd be inclined to do it somewhat differently. (The
>> suggestions that have been made so far
>> are just fine, though.)
>>
>> First night:
>>
>> Circassian Circle Mixer
>>
>> (Or some other super-easy mixer with a swing in it. Teaches listening
>> to the caller, doing things to the phrase, ending swings with the lady
>> on the left,
>
> AARGH. on the right.
>
>> gets them used to changing partners rather than dancing
>> only with the one they came in with. Since it's not a one-night stand
>> dance - that is, they're supposed to learn something - you want them
>> doing a contra-dance swing; this gets the experienced contra dancers
>> into the arms of as many people as possible right away. Swings are
>> easier to do right once you've felt them being done right.) This is a
>> dance that doesn't fail, so they'll feel successful right away. Pretty
>> much immune to tune choice so long as the band is clear about phrasing.
>>
>> Big Circle
>>
>> A1: Forward and back twice
>>
>> A2: Women to center and back to place
>> Men to center and back to woman originally on his left (not partner).
>>
>> B1: They swing
>>
>> B2: Promenade around, open to to big circle.
>>
>> [You might want to just have them swing their first partner and open up
>> facing in, and then tell them that they're done with that person and the
>> next partner is in their other hand]
>>
>>
>> Some kind of Sicilian Circle ideally with a partner swing and a neighbor
>> swing. Gets them used to improper formation but without having to deal
>> with action at the ends of the set. (Although it's not totally ideal, I
>> often use "Soldier's Joy", mostly because it's a Civil War era version
>> and I use it when I'm calling Civil War dances and then I don't have to
>> remember something else when I'm calling contras.) Ladies chain along
>> rather than across the set is unusual but not terribly difficult. I'm
>> certainly open to suggestions for better sicilian circle dances for this
>> purpose. This give some opportunity to discuss giving weight.
>>
>> SOLDIER'S JOY.
>> Sicilian Circle ("As for Spanish Dance") - that means facing the other
>> couple, gent on the left, lady on the right.
>> 32-bar reel. The name tune is the best.
>>
>>
>> A1: 1-4: Forward and back
>> 5-8: Opposites turn two hands (no progression), open facing partner
>>
>> A2: 1-8: Partners balance &swing, face other couple
>>
>> B1: 1-8: Ladies chain over and back (along the line).
>>
>> B2: 1-8: Forward and back, forward and pass through.
>>
>>
>> Then Simplicity Swing (because they already know most of the bits and
>> the bits they don't know are circle, star, and do-si-do, which are
>> things many people think they know how to do even before their first
>> contra dance.)
>>
>> SIMPLICITY SWING
>> (by Becky Hill)
>> Improper contra
>>
>> Figs: NB&S:CL3/4:PS:LLF&B:LC:LHS:NNDSD:
>>
>>
>> A1: Neighbor Balance and Swing
>>
>> A2: Circle left 3/4;
>> partner swing
>>
>> B1: Long lines forward and back;
>> ladies chain
>>
>> B2: left hand star;
>> next neighbor do si do
>>
>>
>> And then you can do the rest of the evening with easy to intermediate
>> longways dances.
>>
>>
>> Repeat this pattern (with different mixer and different Sicilian Circle)
>> the next time to get the brand new dancers swung and sweaty before they
>> have to learn much.
>>
>> -- Alan
>>
>>
>>
>>> On 2/24/2014 8:50 AM, Ben Hornstein wrote:
>>> Greetings fellow callers,
>>>
>>> My graduate school's social dance club is going to be having a Contra
>>> night, which I will be calling. I was hoping to get some advice on how to
>>> structure the evening. Here's what I'm expecting:
>>>
>>> Two 2 hour events, on March 3 and 10
>>> 20-30 people, with maybe 5-8 who have danced contra before at all, 1-3 who
>>> I would consider experts
>>> The second week will most likely have people who did not come the first week
>>> Minimal live band (who I have worked with before)
>>>
>>> Here's what I'm thinking so far:
>>> 1st dance: something simple without any swing to teach a few of the most
>>> basic moves
>>> 2nd dance: teach the swing, do an easy dance
>>> remaining dances: teach one new move before each dance, then do a dance
>>> that incorporates that move
>>>
>>> 2nd week: plan a generally easy program, but review moves as they come up
>>> (for those who missed the first week)
>>>
>>> I'm hoping for suggestions of specific dances that I should use, and ways
>>> to teach and handle a group with very few experienced dancers. How do I
>>> prevent the whole thing from falling apart? In general, I think they'll be
>>> more tolerant towards additional teaching time because it's billed more as
>>> a lesson than a dance. (Last month they had a salsa lesson which went on
>>> for 2 hours before they turned on the music.) I'm hoping that the fact that
>>> these are mostly graduate/medical students who have done other forms of
>>> social dance before will help greatly, but any and all advice is welcome.
>>>
>>> Sincerely,
>>> Ben Hornstein
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Callers mailing list
>>> call...@sharedweight.net
>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
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