The following information is published with ROUNDALAB's permission from the ROUNDALAB Reference Manual compiled by Richard & Jo Ann Lawson, 1987.

Teaching Beginner Round Dancers

(The following article was presented by Dave and Nita Smith of Lubbock, Texas at the 24th National Square Dance Convention - Round Dance Teaching Methods Panel)

1. Recruiting Round Dancers
   The best potential we have for round dancers is of course, square dancers. The best way to recruit square dancers for round dance class is to square dance with them and get to know them personally. Visit and square dance as much as you possibly can in your area. Advertise your round dance class at square dances and through any media available. We use a "pre-registration required" form of flyer. This helps to have all paperwork over before teaching begins and gives you a list of the students, the number you will have, etc. We also set a limit and closing date for pre-registration — you'll not have the problem of "holding the class open" and will be ready to teach and progress the first session. We also send "Welcome" notes to those registered giving them any information necessary about location of building, what to wear, and we ask them to wear their square dance badges.
2. How to Start
   1. Be prepared — Plan ahead. Know what you will do before you get to class,. Make yourself an outline. Have more material prepared than you will need. We used Frank Lehnert's Step-Close-Step as a guide when we started out. You will need to use your own judgment about how fast to go with each particular group. Go through some of your old records and line up the music you want to use with drills — the students get weary of the same music used for everything.
   2. First Night. The first night sets the pace for the entire class. Be enthusiastic, friendly, and confident.
      1. Meet every couple at the door and make them feel welcome. If you have pre-registered your students, you will save a lot of time and confusion the first night. Have stick-on badges available to prepare for those who do not wear their badges.
      2. Have refreshments available for early arrivers.
      3. Start out with a get acquainted mixer. Something very simple; go slow with first teaching; demonstrate thoroughly and make it fun.
      4. Make introductions and announcements during first break when all have arrived. Stress importance of being present for each lesson and on time. We encourage one to come even when the other member must miss a lesson.
      5. Encourage students to ask questions when they do not understand.
3. Suggestions for Teaching Basics
   1. Have lesson plan prepared. (Sample follows) Review each lesson plan immediately prior to the session. This helps you to be confident and makes your session go more smoothly.
   2. For the first several lessons, teach drills in a circle, using identical footwork. This helps those who have problems to get the idea.
   3. Use several mixers in each lesson and keep it fun.
   4. Pay close attention to problem areas and be prepared to use several different techniques to put an idea across. For instance, sometimes, Step, Step, Step, And, Step, Step, Step, And, means more to someone than Step, Close, Step, And ... Or, even Left, Right, Left, ...
   5. Keep changing partners. Most dancers will try harder with another partner.
   6. Teach waltz rhythm early in lessons. It makes it easier for them to comprehend the difference between it and the two-step.
   7. Be sure the dancers understand terminology. We furnish each couple a folder which we have prepared ourselves and reproduced. It describes positions, basic steps, styling tips, abbreviations, etc.
   8. After you have drilled the students thoroughly on certain basics contained in a routine, teach a very simple routine. We usually start with "San Francisco Swing". Be sure the students are very familiar with the basics used before teaching a routine. Do not teach routines until the students know the basics well.
   9. Keep a good rapport between you and the dancers - NEVER lose your temper or patience.
   10. Keep reminding students throughout the lesson of proper positioning, good posture, etc. See to it that they do not develop bad habits which must be corrected later.
   11. Keep it fun.
   12. End each session with something fun and easy.

Sample Lesson Plan for First Night

1. Get acquainted Mixer. Patty Cake Polka (Windsor "Clarinet Capers")
   Heel, Toe; Side, Close, Side; Up & Back. Clap hands and knees. Rt forearm swing 2, 3; Fwd 2, 3; to new partner.
2. Introductions and Announcements
   1. Wear badges
   2. Be present - be prompt
   3. Refreshments
   4. Styling
      1. Small steps - don't look at feet
      2. Dance tall
      3. Gliding steps - on balls of feet
   5. Dress comfortably for lessons
   6. Ask questions
   7. Explain directions (LOD, RLOD, etc.)
3. Do Walking Drill - Record 1 Bye Bye Blues Band 3 - Also Co. Bogey March (S/D Record)
   1. Demonstrate gliding feet - close together - stand tall, eyes up. Show difference in correct and incorrect.
4. Teach another simple mixer - White Silver Sands
   Break
5. In a circle demonstrate side two-step - same footwork. Explain Close and Touch. Music - Whose Sorry Now (Grenn)
6. In a Circle - Forward and Back two-step. Explain and demonstrate. Use same music for drill.
7. Progressive two-step (same footwork). Music: Sweet and Sassy
   1. Using touch
   2. Using hold (explain "And" in Cueing)
   3. Opposite footwork in open
   4. Opposite footwork in SCP
8. Mixer: Hey Look Me Over - Repeat it.
   Break
9. Run and Brush - open LOD (opposite footwork) Music: Peppy
   1. Explain Run - difference between two-step (Remember to change partners)
   2. Demonstrate each way and allow dancers to do until it gets easy.
   3. Add a slow fwd tch & back tch.
   4. Add a double time fwd tch, bk tch, fwd tch, bk tch.
   5. Add a rk fwd rec & rock back rec (Remember to change partners)
   6. Mix it up
   End with Mixer (Patty Cake Polka)

ROUNDALAB Journal, May, 1982