I had this happen to me just recently at our monthly contra dance, except it was, perhaps, worse in that the music had already started, and the other dancers were so enthusiastic that they just invited the walk-ups to join in before I even knew what was going on. We were in a public outdoor space. Suffice it to say, it did not work and they dropped out minutes later. And that actually is the worst part - if they had a better introduction, they might not have been turned off.
It's a bit mind boggling to think of people who have never done this dance before assuming they can jump in with no instruction.
I have considered some signage, facing out toward would-be new dancers, with wording such as
- You can join in on the next walkthrough/teaching segment
- Our dance mentors will be happy to partner with you!
- It's easy, but you still need to learn the basics!
- etc.
Also consider whether your regular dancing group is there to dance and would be chagrinned if dances broke down regularly as a result of incorporating too high a percentage of new dancers, or if they're more interested in sharing the dance with others than getting in 6-7 contras for exercise. Sometimes letting it happen, even if it breaks down, can be the best thing for the group.
Some other ideas:
- State a rule that if they're going to join, we'll have to do the walkthrough again, then ask the dancers that already did the walkthrough if they're comfortable doing it again - you don't have to bear the responsibility for the whole group's experience.
- Institute mentor dancers, as has worked well for the local English group, which are identified by some pin, hat, or sash, and insist that people who have never danced before partner with them.
- Get a headset mic and call directly beside them so you can also use arm movements to show them where to go.
Best,
Greg from Winnipeg
P.S. Newbie bombs is such a good word for this phenomenon.
On Tuesday, August 5th, 2025 at 11:07 AM, Gregory Frock via Contra Callers <contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
Dear Colleagues,
Here's the scenario: You are finishing up a new dancers' lesson, and will be starting the dance in a few minutes. In walks a significant number (say 6+) of newbies, all friends who want to dance together. Besides the two most common solutions, lower the difficulty and insist they NOT do the first couple of dances together, does anyone have an additional creative/elegant solution, enhancement actions to make the basics more effective, or important issues for consideration that are commonly missed?
Greg