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    I've used the statement, "when did SHUT UP become impolite to say?"<br>
    <br>
    ~erik hoffman<br>
    <br>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/22/2015 7:48 PM, Michael Fuerst
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote
      cite="mid:783245648.3059476.1429757331711.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com"
      type="cite">
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        font-family:garamond, new york, times, serif;font-size:16px">
        <div dir="ltr" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1429757123345_7975" class=""
          style=""><span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1429757123345_7974" class=""
            style="">It's interesting that "shut-up" and "quiet down"
            mean the same.</span></div>
        <div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1429757123345_7976" class="" style=""> </div>
        <div class="" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1429757123345_7977" style="">Michael
          Fuerst      802 N Broadway      Urbana IL 61801      217 239
          5844</div>
        <br>
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          <br>
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        <div class="yahoo_quoted" style="display: block;">
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              <div dir="ltr"> <font face="Arial" size="2"> On
                  Wednesday, April 22, 2015 8:59 PM, Erik Hoffman via
                  Callers <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net"><callers@lists.sharedweight.net></a> wrote:<br>
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              <br>
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                  <div> On the question of paying attention:<br
                      clear="none">
                    <br clear="none">
                    A while back, in one of these e-groups, someone
                    pointed out that we contra dancers keep talking
                    about "community." This post pointed out that we
                    contra dancers go to a dance, and, often forsaking
                    applause (yet another topic...), run off to find our
                    next partner and line up for a dance. This posting
                    compared that to country-western dance, or swing
                    dance, where they would sit around a table and talk,
                    get to know others through chatting, and not dance
                    every dance, but have other social things happen. It
                    got me to thinking:<br clear="none">
                    <br clear="none">
                    Often, after people have lined up, they talk with
                    each other, their partner, their minor set, or other
                    people around them. Often callers strive to get
                    everyone to shut-up so they can start the dance.
                    I've come to believe this time of conversation is
                    the main time we get to know a little about each
                    other and is thus a "community building time." <br
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                    <br clear="none">
                    My practice now is to say into the mic in a regular
                    talking voice, "Are you ready?" If the general
                    banter keeps going on, I wait a couple beats, and
                    say, again, "Are you ready?" After two to four times
                    of asking the question, someone will say, "Yes!"
                    Then another might do a loud, "Shhhh!" When people
                    finally quiet down, I teach the dance. <br
                      clear="none">
                    <br clear="none">
                    ~erik hoffman<br clear="none">
                        oakland, ca<br clear="none">
                    <br clear="none">
                    <div class="yiv9145554759yqt1977969169"
                      id="yiv9145554759yqt03494">
                      <div class="yiv9145554759moz-cite-prefix">On
                        8/4/2014 10:26 AM, barb kirchner via Callers
                        wrote:<br clear="none">
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                        <div dir="ltr">sometimes when dancers aren't
                          paying attention, it's because there are too
                          many other things going on in the hall.
                          <div><br clear="none">
                          </div>
                          <div>sometimes it's the band warming up or
                            sound checking, but i've seen all kinds of
                            things going on - bake sales, people on
                            their mobile devices, a group of beginners
                            coming in who don't yet know dance
                            etiquette, or maybe the dancers are having
                            trouble hearing you.  sometimes musicians
                            talk loudly behind the caller (i'm a
                            musician and a caller) and it's hard to
                            understand the caller because the chatter
                            can be heard through mics or pick-ups.</div>
                          <div><br clear="none">
                          </div>
                          <div>you can't fix some of those things, but
                            you can address retail events in the hall,
                            cell phones, sound system, etc</div>
                          <div><br clear="none">
                          </div>
                          <div>are your experienced dancers modelling
                            good dance etiquette?  <span
                              style="font-size:12pt;">are you teaching
                              efficiently, or are you spending so much
                              time talking that people lose interest?</span></div>
                          <div><br clear="none">
                          </div>
                          <div>sometimes, i just start the walkthru
                            anyway.  as soon as people realize that most
                            people are starting to swing, they get a
                            little more interested :-)<br clear="none">
                            <br clear="none">
                            cheers,</div>
                          <div>barb<br clear="none">
                            <br clear="none">
                            <br clear="none">
                            <div>> Date: Mon, 4 Aug 2014 13:05:57
                              -0400<br clear="none">
                              > To: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                                rel="nofollow" shape="rect"
                                class="yiv9145554759moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
                                ymailto="mailto:maia.mcc@gmail.com"
                                target="_blank"
                                href="mailto:maia.mcc@gmail.com">maia.mcc@gmail.com</a><br
                                clear="none">
                              > CC: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                                rel="nofollow" shape="rect"
                                class="yiv9145554759moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
ymailto="mailto:callers@sharedweight.net" target="_blank"
                                href="mailto:callers@sharedweight.net">callers@sharedweight.net</a><br
                                clear="none">
                              > Subject: Re: [Callers] When the
                              dancers aren't paying attention<br
                                clear="none">
                              > From: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                                rel="nofollow" shape="rect"
                                class="yiv9145554759moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
ymailto="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank"
                                href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net">callers@lists.sharedweight.net</a><br
                                clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > It depends why the dancers aren't
                              paying attention. Are there lots of<br
                                clear="none">
                              > experienced dancers, such that the
                              walkthrough isn't really necessary?<br
                                clear="none">
                              > Are they ignoring walkthroughs the
                              first time through because they<br
                                clear="none">
                              > know there will be a second one? Are
                              they just having a lot of fun<br
                                clear="none">
                              > with their friends and prioritizing
                              that above listening to the<br
                                clear="none">
                              > caller? How does the dance go once it
                              starts?<br clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > A few strategies I might try:<br
                                clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > * Not bother with the walkthroughs
                              entirely. If the crowd is ignoring<br
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                              > the walkthroughs because as a whole
                              they don't need them, then just<br
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                              > call the dance. This means only
                              picking dances that can be called<br
                                clear="none">
                              > no-walkthrough, but there are still a
                              lot to choose from.<br clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > * Give the dancers a bit longer
                              between dances before starting the<br
                                clear="none">
                              > walkthrough. If they're chatting with
                              neighbors and catching up, let<br
                                clear="none">
                              > them do that for a bit. Then once you
                              start the walkthrough go<br clear="none">
                              > quickly.<br clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > * Ask the band for rolling starts,
                              where they play music under the<br
                                clear="none">
                              > walkthrough. This makes it harder for
                              people to talk and feels more<br
                                clear="none">
                              > like dancing. You don't have time to
                              explain complex things, so you<br
                                clear="none">
                              > have to give that up, but it's much
                              more forgiving than straight-up<br
                                clear="none">
                              > no-walkthrough.<br clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > <br clear="none">
                              > On Mon, Aug 4, 2014 at 11:08 AM, Maia
                              McCormick via Callers<br clear="none">
                              > <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                                rel="nofollow" shape="rect"
                                class="yiv9145554759moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
ymailto="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net" target="_blank"
                                href="mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net"><callers@lists.sharedweight.net></a>
                              wrote:<br clear="none">
                              > > At Falcon Ridge this weekend, I
                              saw a couple of different styles of
                              dealing<br clear="none">
                              > > with that frustrating state of
                              affairs when 50%+ of the hall just isn't<br
                                clear="none">
                              > > paying attention to the
                              walk-through. I'm curious if you all have
                              any<br clear="none">
                              > > particular strategies you employ
                              here, thoughts on how to deal with this,<br
                                clear="none">
                              > > how to get the attention of the
                              hall, etc.<br clear="none">
                              > ><br clear="none">
                              > > In dance,<br clear="none">
                              > > Maia<br clear="none">
                              > ><br clear="none">
                              > >
                              _______________________________________________<br
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                              >
                              _______________________________________________<br
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                        <pre>_______________________________________________
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                <div class="yqt1977969169" id="yqt71195">_______________________________________________<br
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