Possible Clues:

• Let it stand around the former half-dozen parts
• Is that partly half-a-dozen?
• It has parts for male and female to start with
• It's partly half a dozen males and females to start with
• Group, about ten? Less than ten
• A group of six, as of singers
• A couple of trios
• Ice hockey team, e.g.
• Many a jazz band
• That's partly half a dozen