Beginnings
Counting in is relatively straightforward, find the beat and start dancing, the pieces on the tape have 4 in, that is -
1&a2&a3&a4
Always get the musicians to play some kind of intro, set the speed with some kind of time step, it will need to reflect the time needed to do your most tricky steps. Musicians often have a tendency to speed up, hopefully the "ticking and tocking" will help everyone to keep together, stay in time better and make it easier to gauge if the music has got too fast for comfort. If the music does get too fast knock out the -er-s and the -a-s and go for a simpler style.
Endings
Everyone likes a good ending, this is a very Western attitude but it is true.
Bum diddv bum bum, bum bum.
Find 20 ways to dance this ending • Stop dead • Finish with one leg in the air • Twirl
out of the door and wave • Use hand clapping or hamboning.
Mv favourite ending