Hi,
I am wondering if you have any dances for low numbers of dancers (perhaps 6
or less), when most or all of the dancers are beginners and adults. I am
also wondering if you have any dances (presumably different dances), that do
not require choosing a partner and are good openers for beginner adults.
Thanks as always to all,
Rickey Holt.
I can only speak with reference to calling at NEFFA, as I have never applied to DownEast. As some of you may know that Linda Leslie is NEFFA's program chair, I will note that the program chair does not select performers for contra sessions.
Regarding NEFFA 2007, the following notice is now posted at http://neffa.org/perf_app.html - The Program Committee is not prepared to take your application at this time, since it is too late to apply for this year's NEFFA Festival. Please note that the application to perform is always available during the month of September, with a deadline in October. If you'd like to get an e-mail notice of application availability, send a blank e-mail to NEFFA_Performers-subscribe(a)yahoogroups.com
So you can note on your calendar that September is a good time to check the NEFFA web site, and also arrange for a notice to pop up in your e-mail.
The NEFFA application invites you to come up with a briefly-described theme for your session, with a title of 20 characters or less. IMO, use your own judgment as to how important the theme is. If you are offering a concept that's really meaningful to you, don't be afraid to describe it. If what you really want to do is just call some hot contras, then IMO I wouldn't go overboard on the theme.
Unlike Northwest Folklife, callers and bands apply SEPARATELY to the New England Folk Festival. And I believe that this is a very good thing for beginning callers who hope to have a chance at getting onstage. This mix-and-match policy gives a fresh perspective for experienced performers, and can be an eye-opening experience for newcomers who may get to work with seasoned veterans. I will never forget calling at NEFFA with Northern Spy, a band that has worked with caller David Millstone for 25 years. And where was David during this session? Out on the floor, happily dancing to the music of his own band. NEFFA's selection process made that wonderful hour possible for me.
For what it's worth, the first year I successfully applied I asked for a "Festival Orchestra" slot, which means that instead of calling a themed, hour-long session I called two dances in the Main Hall with the assembled orchestra and then got off the stage as the next Festival Orchestra caller had a turn. IMO, the key here (as well as in submitting a session proposal) is to choose dances that you know by heart, can teach well, fully believe in, and love to share with a crowd. You don't want to have second thoughts as you approach the microphone.
If you're wondering why performer applications are required so far in advance of a festival, note that NEFFA may have 1700 performers, many of whom perform in multiple sessions (perhaps performing alone, and with a participatory dance group, and also with a concert performance group!). You can't doublebook a performer (or larger groups to which she may belong), you have to give her time to move from one venue to another, plus a bunch of other scheduling etceteras that would drive me loony to contemplate further. How scheduling was done in the days before computers is beyond me.
--
Robert Jon Golder
164 Maxfield St
New Bedford, MA 02740
(508) 999-2486
Great ideas guys, I'll check out the CDSS information, most of this is stuff
we've heard before and holding a dance on campus is a bit more than we can
handle. the sites are great and so are the suggestions, but I really am
looking for a "hook" on a poster...like Michale Ludgate's "Support Live
Music, Go Contra Dancing"...but I'm not sure that will work either. I've
seen "turn off the TV...dance!" A night of aerobics... and some other
things, that's really what I'm looking for. Trying to hold dances on campus
is great, but you need to have a person or group on campus that will sponsor
the dance etc, and that's almost like starting a whole new dance series
(dont' really have time or resources to do this), our dance is readily
excessible to almost all the campuses that have dorms, most of the colleges
are "comuter" colleges with day campuses and some of them (mostly in the
city or what is considered the city) have campus housing. All are on bus
routes and our dance is in the heart of the "cool" section of town. Most
young adults know about our area and the shops restaurants and bars.
So, as you see, it's not so much getting individuals to view contra dancing
or host a dance but just to get the option out there, visible, so that some
might try it and help spread the word.
And then, I need an artist to create the poster.....
Thanks again guys!
Mary Collins
QCCD
Hi all,
As much as I've enjoyed the recent "marketing-to-college-students" thread on the SW Callers list, I would have much preferred to see it happening on the SW Organizers list instead. It's not necessarily* relevant for people who are callers, but it's definitely relevant to organizers, and folks on the SW organizers list might themselves enjoy the brainstorming/solutions offered by this particular thread. (*Meaning, yes, some callers are involved in organizing, but not all of us are.)
I acknowledge that many of us wear multiple hats in the traditional dance world - caller/organizer/musician/sound/webmaster/dancer - but since we have these thoughtfully-created separate lists for each little hat we wear, I'm requesting that my fellow posters please consider which lists are appropriate for their topic of concern, and post on that list instead.
If people on SW Callers list want it to be something less-defined, then I guess that's a separate question, but it seems to me it would make each list more useful if the content was specific to the name of the list.
So, can you please post only caller concerns here?
Thanks!
Chrissy Fowler
P.S. Unless anyone objects, I'm going to cut/paste these most recent organizer-related exchanges, sans contact info/addresses, and send to the SW organizer list. You can email me directly (ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com) to voice your objection.)
Dear Mary,
I'll just add that I don't think the poster is what will bring students to an
unfamiliar activity off campus. Ultimately, it's people who bring other people
to a dance, friends bringing friends.
When some dance organizers have surveyed newcomers to find out what brought them
to the dance, the overwhelming reason was, "A friend brought me."
One of the points made somewhere-- sorry, can't find the source-- is that when
trying to attract young people in particular, you do best to think in terms of
groups rather than individuals. Broad generalization: they'll go if others are
going. So, the effort needs to be to get a group.
Case in point: our monthly dance is a mile from a good-sized college, 4,000 undergraduates
and 2,000 more grad students. That mile is a vast distance. In fact, business
located three blocks from the edge of the campus have folded because students
are reluctant to go that far.
We have a handful of regular dancers from among the college population. Several
times a year that number grows dramatically when someone from the Outing Club
organizes a trip, complete with van, to bring students over, in a group.
In November, we're expecting 30+ grad students coming to the dance. (One of our
regular dancers spoke with another student who happens to chair the grad student
social committee; she in turn got excited by the idea and is promoting it.) Again,
they're coming as a group.
Setting aside the regular younger dancers at our event, most of whom have grown
up in the music/dance community, when high school students come to the dance they
come as a group. Or perhaps "pack" is a more accurate word. ;-)
Posters are great reminders that something is happening, and jog the memory of
those who are already thinking of coming. But just think of all the posters you've
passed by for some event and they didn't get you to go.
My 2 cents... let us know what you end up trying and with what degree of success.
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
Howdy,
I am going to be calling one of my first gigged contra dances in a week! I
have a half-hour to introduce newbies on what's what in the dance prior and
I am wondering what do other callers find has been the most effective use of
that half hour?
I imagine going over improper formation [ladies on the right etc.], and a
few of the base moves are good. But I'd like to see if anyone else has some
good hints I can work with!
Thanks,
Davey
I know that there have been threads regarding this but I do need some help
so forgive the revisit. I'm looking for ideas for posters that will "grab"
the interest of college students and get them to come to our dance. We are
in Buffalo NY that has an incredible number of colleges and universities
either in Buffalo or in the immediate outlying areas. Our college age
attendance is pretty small and mostly the net result of one initial college
age dancer. (we love her!) I'd like to get some posters up at the local
campuses and wondered what had worked for others, and what did not. Thanks
in advance!
Mary Collins
QCCD.org
You might look at a series of articles on the CDSS website addressing the question
of how to attract young people to dances:
http://www.cdss.org/recruit-young-people.html
David Millstone
Lebanon, NH
Think you're ready to call dance weekends around the country? Here's your
chance to get noticed.
Announcing Catapult! The National Contra Showcase. A dance weekend like
you've never seen before. Six up and coming callers. Six emerging bands. 24
hours of contra dancing. One weekend. One place. And we need you.
Callers (and musicians), see if you fit the bill and apply now.
Dancers and organizers, save the date and sign up for registration
notifications.
All, spread the word far and wide and recommend your favorite rising bands
and callers.
Atlanta. Memorial Day Weekend 2012 (May 25-28). Get all the details you need
at www.catapultshowcase.com.
Grab your card box and the mic, and maybe we'll see you on the Catapult
stage in May.
ciao,
rah
Rob Harper
(404) 307-3444
rah(a)mindspring.com
I don't recognize it, but it looks interesting- a new creation?
Sarah VanNorstrand
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Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2011 12:00 PM
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Today's Topics:
1. checking choreography (Luke Donforth)
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:21:56 -0400
From: Luke Donforth <luke.donev(a)gmail.com>
To: "Caller's discussion list" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] checking choreography
Message-ID:
<CAFrKOZbTbmX+M7NeGPJ3=pxmcM3RCv3D+9W2tPmiLUwGxZPdtA(a)mail.gmail.com>
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Hello all,
I was calling at a friends' wedding, and I wanted a straightforward Becket
dance. I'm not sure if I wrote this one, or just called it up from my
subconscious where someone else had planted it. Anyone recognize it?
Becket
A1
Star Left 1x
Star Right 1x
A2
Partner Do-Si-Do
Partner Swing
B1
Circle Left 3/4
Neighbor Swing
B2
Ladies Chain across
Long Lines yearn to the left
Thanks
--
Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth(a)gmail.com <Luke.Donev(a)gmail.com>
www.lukedonev.com
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