<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; 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 class="" style=""></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><div class="qtdSeparateBR"><br><br></div><div class="yahoo_quoted" style="display: block;"> <div style="font-family: garamond, new york, times, serif; font-size: 16px;"> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> <div dir="ltr"> <font size="2" face="Arial"> On Wednesday, April 22, 2015 8:59 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote:<br> </font> </div> <br><br> <div class="y_msg_container"><div id="yiv9145554759"><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 clear="none">
<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 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 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 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 clear="none">
> the walkthroughs because as a whole they don't need
them, then just<br clear="none">
> 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 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 clear="none">
> > Callers mailing list<br clear="none">
> > <a 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">
> >
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> ><br clear="none">
> _______________________________________________<br clear="none">
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