[Callers] Moving past self-flagellation

[Martha Wild]

And about switching to another dance when there is trouble with one:

Sometimes, this is necessary. Sometimes, you have misjudged the difficulty level of the dance for the dancers, or the dance doesn’t work as written down (oops). Hopefully you notice that before teaching or during, but things happen.  However, one thing I have seen and felt as a dancer is that if a dance just needs one more walkthrough to orient people in the move that is messing them up, and then the dancers can do it (even if it starts rocky), they are so happy at the end that they met the challenge and did it. So if I feel that I can salvage the dance, I don’t toss it for an easier one, because the reward for the dancers is high.

Martha

> On Nov 6, 2017, at 9:27 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers at lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:
> 
> I have learned that owning my mistakes publicly is an important part of moving forward.  Sometimes I use humor to soften the blow.  Another very important thing I have learned is to make the next dance a great dance.  Something fun, with guaranteed success.  Our mistakes bother us more that they bother most dancers.  
> 
> My belief is that we are hired to help the dancers have a good time.  One or two little mistakes will not destroy our efforts, and even a major mistake need not be taken out of the context of an overall successful evening.  (BTW, these are truths that I am still learning)
> 
> Rich Sbardella
> Stafford, CT
> 
> 
> On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 11:10 AM, Maia McCormick via Callers <callers at listssharedweight.net <mailto:callers at lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
> So after a gig, I find myself haunted by one or two missteps from an evening — the rolling start that was a little muddy, the thing I didn’t teach clearly enough so the dancers never quite got it — even though the dancers adjusted and all had a good time, and I still had the hall’s trust and goodwill at the end of the evening.
> 
> Is this a familiar experience for anyone? Assuming you’ve already learned the lesson to be learned there, how do you move past it and stop self-flagellating?Would love to hear some people’s thoughts!
> 
> Cheers,
> Maia
> 
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