dances for kids and seniors
Warren Pollans
would be appropriate for young people or senior citizens. I'm
thinking about groups that would not come to a contradance -
perhaps at a camp or a senior citizen facility (recreation center)
where the people have no feel for the pleasure of the dances.
I am aware of the need to minimize turning and spinning moves for
seniors. A friend has mentioned that kids seem to like the
Virginia Reel (yuch!) as it gives them an opportunity to watch each
other.
I'm interested in dances that you have tried or witnessed that
seemed to have "worked".
Thanks,
Warren
Jonathan Sivier
My list is at home, but I have a set of dances which are suitable for
groups such as this. It includes simple contras, squares, triplets, circles
and whole-set dances. Here are a few I can recall off the top of my head.
contras:
Jefferson's Reel
One For The Money - Ted Sannella
Reading Reel - Ted Sannella
Broken Sixpence - Don Armstrong (I danced this one at the first dance I ever
attended, a wedding reception where none of
us knew what we were doing)
squares:
Sheehan's Reel - Roger Knox
whole-set:
Virginia Reel
Thady You Gander - (like VR, but for only 4 couples, 80 count tune)
Good luck.
Jonathan
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Jim Fownes
jsi...@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (Jonathan Sivier ) writes:
>poll...@cse.fau.edu (Warren Pollans) writes:
>
>>I would like to find some dances (contras, circles, squares) that
>>would be appropriate for young people or senior citizens. I'm
>>thinking about groups that would not come to a contradance -
>>perhaps at a camp or a senior citizen facility (recreation center)
>>where the people have no feel for the pleasure of the dances.
>
.Deleting Jonathan's excellent list.
I would add that a great source for this kind of material
is "Chimes of Dunkirk". The dances therein are great for
any sort of one-time stand, not just kids. The tape has
good music too, so go ahead and get it. I like just listening
to it. The other book in the series "Jump Jim Joe" is good
for singing games, but probably is better suited to kids than
other crowds. The tape for that one is indispensible, since
the tunes may not be as well known, or the feeling conveyed
by musical notation.
Our favorite, never-fail icebreaker for weddings, birthday
parties, church socials, elementary schools, you name it...
is Galopede (actually a country dance not a contra per se).
A1 Everybody forward & back (8); pass through (8)
A2 repeat A1
B Dosido (8) swing (8)
C Top couple sashay to bottom (16)
The A's are so simple it's easy to get 'em going; most people
have only partly suppressed the memory of dosido from gym
class; you can let 'em elbow swing to keep it simple, or teach
the walking/buzzstep swing here; and people enjoy clapping
and urging the top couple as they sashay down and stay there,
a progression even the PhD's usually get right. Especially
if you use the elbow swing (or let people do what they want),
sex roles don't matter either, although you can line them
up proper to set the pace for later dancing if you want.
When I said "never-fail", I was including the time someone
fell and broke her hip (make sure your seniors are wearing
appropriate footwear; you may want to mention getting out
of the way of the sashaying couple; I don't like to tell
dancers *how* to dance too much, but for a seniors group I
might say something about not rushing or helping to hold up
your partner). It was a bummer, but after the ambulence
left we resumed the dance and ultimately regained good
spirits all around.
Happy dancing,
Jim
Nancy Mamlin
Warren Pollans <poll...@cse.fau.edu> wrote:
>I would like to find some dances (contras, circles, squares) that
>would be appropriate for young people or senior citizens. I'm
>thinking about groups that would not come to a contradance -
These dances are my favorite to call! At one night stands there are no
pre-conceived notions by the dancers as to how the evening is to go...
They are there to have a good time and you are there to make it happen.
(Actually that's true of regular series, too, but you have the added
problem of *reminding* the dancers that they are there to have fun.)
>seniors. A friend has mentioned that kids seem to like the
>Virginia Reel (yuch!) as it gives them an opportunity to watch each
>other.
Two very important points here: First of all, don't let your lack of
enthusiasm for a particular dance come through when you call it. Every
dance should be presented as a whole lotta fun about to happen.
Second, you don't need to make these folks into contra dancers.
Inactivity is fine, and indeed preferable for folks not used to dancing
like we do. Do dances without swings if you like - *they* don't know that
all dances are "supposed" to have a swing.
Finally (I guess this is my third of the two points), I personally always
call the Virginia Reel. I introduce it (where appropriate) with the
question "How many of you have ever been to the fourth grade?" Anyone who
has, at least in the southeast, learned this dance. (I think it was part
of the VA curriculum when I was in elementary school). In other words,
make everything you do entirely accessible.
I used to say "all you need to be able to do is walk", but that was before
I called an evening for senior citizens in wheelchairs.
Nancy Mamlin
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MajorMomma
contradance), Ellen's Green Jig (In Zesty Contras I think), and, after
Galopede, try OXO. Lots of folks enjoy squares....Cheat'em& swing in some
version or an English Country Dance(?) 9 pins Quadrille (monkey in the
middle kind of thing.). I think its important to avoid swinging and rights
and lefts. But to do dances in all sorts of forms. Oh, what about soem
simple circle mixers: La Bastringe or Atlantic mixer.
Kiran Wagle
>(Actually that's true of regular series, too, but you have the added
>problem of *reminding* the dancers that they are there to have fun.)
"We're not here to have fun, we're here to Get it Right!" --First Rule
of an unnamed (and non-net) Glen Echo regular with tongue FIRMLY in cheek.
The other rule, which I invoked today for the first time ever, in five
years of dancing, is "If you get mixed up, blame the other couple!"
New dancers are so much fun.
>Two very important points here: First of all, don't let your lack of
>enthusiasm for a particular dance come through when you call it. Every
>dance should be presented as a whole lotta fun about to happen.
Should you even be calling a dance if you're not enthusiastic for it?
~ Kiran, off to the Scout House again. Bring yer stompin shoes!
Fred Wersan
over the years I always felt that Dudley Laufman had a distinctly different
set of dances that he would call (not to mention a distinctly different style.)
So people interested in this subject might want to track him down and get his
thoughts on the subject.
-----------------------------------
Fred Wersan
Bull HN Information Systems
MA30/807
300 Concord Rd.
Billerica, Mass. 01821
508-294-2322
wer...@zeus.ma30.bull.com
____________________________________
Warren Pollans
I used to say "all you need to be able to do is walk", but that was
before
I called an evening for senior citizens in wheelchairs.
Nancy Mamlin
*******************************************************
I'd be interested in learning what dances you called and how they
were received.
Nancy Mamlin
Thanks. First of all, they were recieved fine. The event was the
National something-or-another for Nursing Home Reform. The folks at the
dance were both Nursing Home residents as well as folks who worked in
nursing homes, served on boards of directors, etc. So, some dancers were
ambulatory. I should also say that all the dancers in chairs had pushers.
Still, what could be done was limited...
I did pretty much all Big Set dances. That is, circle up four, do a
figure, go to the next. I never had partner changes, though folks did
swing their corner. I can't remember exactly, but I think a chair user
would generally partner with someone who could walk. Actually, some of the
folks who could walk were *more* of a problem, since they didn't have a
"navigator".
Some figures I'm pretty sure I called, or could have:
stars
right and left through
pass through
dosido
swing (two hand or elbow)
birdie in the cage
"take a little peek"
duck for the oyster
All dances started and ended in a big circle, as Big Sets are wont to do.
The major accomodation I made was timing. As I usually do when I call Big
Sets, I watched the dancers to see when to call the next figure. However,
I am used to moves taking an approximately standard amount of time. In
this case, it was about twice as long. And, _no_ I did not have the band
play slower. I wanted them to be dancing to music rather than a fiddle
excersise.
Additionally, and this is common with one-night stands, there were more
breaks. The musicians sang some songs, or played a waltz or polka. I'd
probably call two dances and then take a break for three to five minutes,
then come back for two more, etc.
Nancy "not planning quite that pace for Charlottesville tomorrow night" Mamlin