This has really been a fun thread. I enjoy dancing mixers and program 
one at almost every dance. Some of my favorites (Ted Sannella's Love 
and Kisses, Bob Dalsemer's January Mixer) have been suggested, but 
many of the ones that have been posted are new to me, and much 
appreciated. A couple of mine are below:

1. John Sweeney's "Two & Four" reminded me of one I put together last 
year and have used a number of times:

Equality Mixer, Mike Clark 2011. Circle of couples, all facing the center.
A1 Ladies to the middle (optional clap on beat 4) and back (8); 
Side-to-side balance and roll away with half sashay (8)
----[Lady rolls from partner's R hand to his L hand, he sashays to the R.]
A2 Gents to the middle (optional clap on beat 4) and back (8); 
Side-to-side balance and roll away with half sashay (8)
----[Gent rolls from partner's R hand to her L hand, she sashays to the R.]
B1 Gypsy same partner once and a half around, on to the next (=new 
partner) and swing.
B2 Promenade (end facing center).

Alternate B1 for longer swing: Pass current partner, on to the next 
(=new partner) and swing.
I ask the band for a tune that is punctuated in the A and smooth in the B.

This mixer was inspired by a fun one composed by John Wheeler of 
Charlottesville VA, the Fraternity Mixer, which has multiple 
side-to-side balances and roll aways, but always with the ladies 
rolling and the gents sashaying.

2. My old faithful:

Oshtemo Promenade, Mike Clark 1995. Circle of couples, partners 
facing each other.
A1 Partner allemande R; same allemande L (end giving partner R hand).
A2 Same partner balance and box the gnat; reset hand hold and balance 
and box gnat again.
B1 Same dosados and swing.
B2 Promenade (end with ladies rolling back over right shoulder to 
begin again with new partner).

This dance is fairly accessible to inexperienced dancers because all 
the moves are with one person, and, except in the promenade, 
orientation doesn't matter. The allemandes don't go any specific 
distance, you don't have to be facing any particular direction in the 
balance-and-box move or dos-a-dos, etc. I've used it successfully at 
wedding receptions and church suppers, sometimes without the partner 
change at the end of B2 (so in that case not a mixer).

For added complexity, you can have the allemandes in A1 be once and a 
half around, so that the dancers interact with three others during 
one round of the dance--allemande R with #1, allemande L with #2, and 
the rest with #3. But experienced dancers seem to enjoy the dance in 
its simple basic version, as well--maybe because of the continuous 
interaction with any given partner?--and that's how I usually do it.

I usually ask for a jig for this. It can be really nice if the tune 
has a bluesy or "slinky" feel (think Joel Mabus's Blue Jig), but it 
works fine with other tune esthetics also.

Some time ago Bob Dalsemer suggested a variation (Oshtemo Grand Right 
and Left) for when you want to introduce the grand R&L figure, which 
I've used quite a few times:
A1 Into the middle and back; partner dosados.
A2 (as above)
B1 Grand R and L, start with current partner (#1) with R hand, swing 
#5 (=new partner).
B2 Promenade.

3. A couple of years ago there was a thread on waltz mixers, and I 
posted one of mine (The Wood Phoenix) then. See the archives for 
October 12, 2010 if you're interested.

Thanks everyone for all the interesting comments and questions on this thread.

Mike

At 09:53 AM 3/5/2012, John Sweeney wrote:
>  .................
>I wrote this one where you get to dance with the 2nd and 4th people as
>you move around the circle.  It is for more experienced dancers.
>Two & Four (by John Sweeney)
>Circle Mixer
>A1: Circle Left
>       Into the middle and back with a Neighbour Roll Away with a Half
>Sashay (Man rolls Lady from Left to Right)
>A2: Into the middle and back with a Neighbour Roll Away with a Half
>Sashay (Man rolls next Lady from Left to Right) - face this one:
>       New Partner Allemande Right 1 & 1/2 to Alamo Wave (Men facing out)
>B1: Balance the Wave (R/L); Rory O'More
>       Balance the Wave (L/R); Rory O'More
>B1: Swing Through (1/2 Allemande R; 1/2 Allemande L)
>       Swing the Next
>  .................

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