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A barn dance is one of the most popular events that can be run.
The Famous Potatoes have two experienced barn dance callers within the group and can give you a thoroughly entertaining and exciting evening, even if none of your guests have barn danced before! Our caller will explain the dance first, giving you the chance to walk through the steps and get used to how the dance goes, then will continue to call the steps while you are dancing to the music.
Our usual pattern for the evening is to have a couple of dances, then a short break to allow the dancers to regain their energy (during which we continue the entertainment with songs and tunes) followed by another couple of dances and so on. This is flexible and we will adapt as necessary to suit the circumstances.
We've found from experience that the best time to hold the barn dance is to start at 8 p.m. and finish at 11.30 p.m., with a break in the middle (of half an hour or so) for food. Of course, we will do our best to fit in with any other times or preferences. If you are having a raffle or similar, that can be held either during the second half or in the interval.
During the half-time interval, and before and after the dance, we provide taped (or CDed) music.
We supply our own public address system. For the technically minded, this consists of two large Peavey loudspeakers, four small Bose monitor speakers, a 20-channel Yamaha mixer/amplifier, and a small Fender M-300 amplifier to drive our monitor speakers. We can also bring extra loudspeakers for when we play in really big barns. If you have your own P.A. which you want us to use, please note that as we have a large number of acoustic instruments, we need a minimum of eight microphones.
Our prices include a barn dance caller, travelling expenses and full P.A.
To see where we've played before, and to get some more details about us and our history, check out the About the Band page.
don't worry! We can give you advice about the sort of hall to hire, what sort of food to have (and can recommend suppliers of both if the event is taking place anywhere near our home base of Leigh-on-Sea, south-east Essex) and other suggestions if it's a fund-raising evening. After that, all you need to do is get a hall full of people on the night and we will do the rest.
If it's for a wedding or birthday celebration, etc., we recommend that the guests know they're coming to a barn dance. We do a large number of wedding events and they're very popular with all ages.
"Thank you so much for entertaining us on Saturday evening. Everybody had a fantastic time and the evening was a complete success. Lots of people have been in touch to say thank you for a great evening and how much they enjoyed the band! We had lots of red faces and tired legs at the end of the night due to everyone having a wonderful time." (barn dance for school PTA)
"Just a note to thank you all so much for playing at our wedding reception. We had such a fantastic time and know that our family and friends did too - as they are still talking about it! We hoped a barn dance would suit all our guests and get them up and dancing but never imagined it would be such a hit. It really did provide us with a wedding reception we will never forget. We wouldn't hesitate in recommending you to others."
"Thanks to the band for a great gig. Everyone said it was good, and definitely a first for the area!" (community association party)
"I had so many great comments about the band that I thought I would share them with you. The few that had been to barn dances before were comments in respect to the music sounding softer and more pleasant on the ear to other dances so that everyone was still enjoying the music at the end rather than getting a headache. The dance sequences were just at the right level, i.e. not being too difficult so that even people with two left feet could do it (debatable for a minority!). The other comment that surprised me as a compliment was that the caller was patient; apparently other callers have got quite annoyed when mistakes were being made and it stopped people having a go, this certainly wasn't the case for my party and we thought he was great. Best of all, the fair few that were referring to my party as 'the b***** barn dance' said it was one of the best nights they have ever had and are now converted. Given the feedback I can safely say it was down to you guys so thank you very much and I hope to see you all again." (birthday party)
"You got everyone dancing and having the band really made the night. We had a fantastic time. Thanks!" (wedding)
please e-mail paul.mcdowell@easynet.co.uk or ring (01702) 474255.
Jump Back (devised by Keith Baxter – can’t remember what it’s based on)
Three couple long set – line of 3 people facing partners
A1
Hold one hand with partner and face up the set. March four steps forward
then jump back four steps. Repeat all that.
A2
Centre boy does right elbow swing with bottom girl followed by a left
elbow swing with top girl.
B1
Centre girl does right elbow swing with top boy followed by a left elbow
swing with bottom boy.
B2 All cast out forwards and down own sides. Top couple forming an arch under which other two couples duck and walk forward, ready to start sequence again.
Kon Tiki Square Dance (devised by Keith Baxter)
A1 Ocean wave feature – boys face in, girls face out, all holding hands in ring. everyone steps forward, back, then couples turn 180 degrees. Repeat forward, back, couples turn 180 degrees. Girls do extra turn so all facing in.
A2 Lead couple separate, make their way around outside remaining couples till they get back to their starting gap.
B1 'Birdie in cage' - they go through gap into middle of circle. Remaining couples dance round them circling left then right. Couple in the middle can swing!
B2 All couples wagon wheel -promenade hold with boys making left hand star then couples turn and return with girls making right hand star.
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This page was last updated on 12 November 2009