Program for a Community Dance

Sample Dance Program

This program seems to work with beginners groups of all ages. It probably seems Mickey Mouse to experienced dancers. So what? Here is some of the reasoning that went into it:

With a group of up to 99% beginners, you cannot do anything complicated. dancers are learning on many levels:

Keeping time with the music;
That left/right thing;
Listening to the caller;
Having another person within their "personal space" ;

We avoid anything that involves partner progression for several dances, again to lessen confusion.
We avoid a swing for several dances, since the partner swing can make the novice really dizzy.
We aim for some variety in styles and history.


DANCE           TUNES						TOTAL Time


Grand March:    March of St Timothy, Bonaparte Crossing			10 min

Alabama Gal:    Alabama Gal						12 min
			Head Couple Sashey down and back
			Partners turn by the right
			Partners turn by the left
			Head Couple cast off, down to bottom of set, make arch
			Others follow, through arc, back to top. 

Gay Gordon:     Scotland the Brave					20 min
			Fwd 3, turn, Backwd 4   (twice)
			Balance in, out, roll lady away
			Balance in, out, roll lady behind
			Fwd 3, turn, Backwd 4   

Circle Mixer:   Johnny don't get Drunk, Over the Waterfall		20 min
			Neal made up. Simple, but Progresses in wrong direction.
			Circle left
			Left Allemand Neighbor once.
			Gypsy Partner.
			DoSiDo Neighbor.
			Swing Neighbor (have progressed, but wrong direction)
		After running mixer for a while, caller breaks in and 
		does a free form mountain big circle with stuff like:
			spiral
			arches
			rip and snort
			roll it over.

Alternate:	La Bastringue, (tune and dance)  
			All join hands, forward and back (2x)
			Circle left; Circle Right
			Partner Swing for 16
			Promenade

Sicillian Circle:  							20 min
		Haste to the Wedding
			Circle Left; Circle Right
			Star Left; Star Right
			Partner DSD; Clap Twice; Partner turn
			Corner DSD; Clap Twice; Pass Thru

Waltz Mixer:	Southwind						14 min
			Step in, bring arms up, Step out arms down. (2x)
			Turn Partner by right, take full 12 steps.
			Turning Waltz Partner, take 12 steps,
			Switch to next lady, Balance in & out, 
				Gents turn back to circle

New England Style Contra Dance (simpler Variant of Jefferson & Liberty)
		Red Wing
			Circle Left; Circle Right
			Star Left; Star Right
			One's swing, end facing down the hall
			All four go down the hall, One's Arch, pop 2's through

Free Waltz