Teaching Rights and Lefts (was Modern technology in preparation for the prelim?)

Iain Boyd

Feb. 7, 2006, 3:38 a.m. (Message 44169)

I usually teach 'rights and lefts' to beginners as follows - 
   
  1.     I start by teaching a 'grand chain' with everyone in one
  large circle - to get everyone used to moving in the one direction.
   
  2.     I then shift them into 4-couple longwise sets (it the numbers
  allow it) and walk through a 4-couple grand chain starting with 1C
  and 4C crossing and 3C and 4C changing.
   
  3.     I then drop off 4C and walk through a 3-couple grand chain.
   
  4.     I then drop off 3C and walk through a 2-couple 'grand chain'.
   
  It is only at this point that I tell them that the figure is
  actually called 'rights and lefts'.
   
  5.     I then tidy up the shape and dance the figure with skip change.
   
  Occasionally, one or two will still have problems with direction and
  try to turn back or add a 'courtesy' turn but far, far fewer than
  when I used to teach the figure as 'rights and lefts' from the
  start.
   
   
  Regards,
   
  Iain Boyd
  
 

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