Hello,
The following article "On Respectful Communications with Stage Talent" was just published in the Santa Barbara Country Dance Society, Dance Star, Spring 2006 quarterly newsletter. It is well written by Suzanne Duffy and Jeff Spero of Los Angeles, and contains some useful guidelines applicable to most dance communities. Some may wish to print it and make it available at dances.
Enjoy,
Karen Fontana
California
***************************
The pdf version is available for download at:
http://www.sbcds.org/download/
Santa Barbara Country Dance Society
DANCE STAR
Issue Number 67, Spring 2006 News, Articles & Calendar of Events
On Respectful Communications with Stage Talent
Over the many years of dancing, calling, and playing music at contra dances,
we have noticed a dominant thread about our fellow dancers they can be quite
opinionated about their callers, musicians and sound engineers. We appreciate the
passion; however, in recent months there have been incidents in the way these
opinions have been expressed in Santa Barbara that have been unhelpful, even
hurtful and for some, decrease our desire to take the Carrillo Ballroom stage. So we
offer four guidelines that will aid in communicating with onstage talent:
Please hold your comments to the caller or musicians to the break or the end
of the evening. The talent is concentrating hard during the dance to provide the best
experience for the dancers. Comments while the dance is in progress are a major
distraction and almost always degrade the quality of the calling, music or both.
Keep in mind that it is impossible to always please everyone. While we are
very happy to listen your point of view, please consider that we often get very
contradicting suggestions from different dancers. For example, one dancer may
believe the band is playing too fast while another may think the band is playing
too slow (and the caller may think we are playing juuuussst right!).
If you have difficulty hearing the caller, or the volume is uncomfortable to
you, please dont tell the band. They cant do anything about it. Kindly let the sound
engineer (or the caller when he/she is not calling/teaching) know your observations.
Remember that while the callers, musicians and sound engineers try our
hardest to make the dance special, for the most part we are not professionals.
Just like you, this is what we do for fun. We show up early, leave late, and set up
lots of equipment. And though we do get paid, the amount we get barely
compensates us for our time and expenses. Our real compensation is the
appreciation we get from the dancers (so dont be afraid to whoop and holler
we love it!). And we are trying to reach for the stars to create a fresh, exciting
experience for the dancers. Occasionally, what we try might not work. But often it
does work, and when it does the dance benefits accordingly (more whooping and hollering!).
The success of a dance, most would agree, is the effective interaction between
the caller, musicians, and the dancers themselves. (Certainly others also play
key roles sound engineer, volunteers, dance producers but the core is these
three elements.) This is not a performance the talent provides for the dancers,
rather a cooperative effort to provide an exhilarating experience for everyone.
The dancers feed off the energy of the caller and musicians, and that energy then
gets sent back to the caller and musicians who feed off the dancers. The more the
talent feels the respect and appreciation of the dancers, the more they will give
back in return. And thats what we are all after, isnt it?
Suzanne Duffy, Jeffrey Spero
Los Angeles, California
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Karen Fontana
www.karenscontracorner.com
karen_fontana(a)yahoo.com
(H) 650-691-9663
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Wouldn't miss it!
Chris
-----callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net wro= te: -----
To: Shared Weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
From: Seth S= eeger <seth(a)seeger.ws>
Sent by: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.netDate: 02/22/2006 03:58PM
Subject: Re: [Callers] Callers workshop in Ju= ne
Me too!
-Seth
<= br>On Feb 22, 2006, at 3:53 PM, Lisa Sieverts wrote:
> So who's g= oing from this group? I'll be there!
>
> Lisa Sieverts
><= br>> On Feb 22, 2006, at 3:50 PM, Seth Seeger wrote:
>
>>= Just to let you all know... there are still six spaces
available for
&g= t;> the Callers Workshop in June with Lisa Greenleaf and Brad
Foster. &n= bsp;At
>> this point, registrations will be accepted on a first co= me,
first
>> serve
>> basis. More info here:
&g= t;>
>>[1]http://www.= cdss.org/workshop.html
>>
>> -Seth
>>
>= ;>
______________________ 5F ______________________ 5F_
>> Callers mailing list
>> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
>= >[2]http:/= /www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
_____ ______________________ 5F__= _________________
Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net
[3]http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers<= /a>
References
1. 3D"http://www.cdss.org/workshop.html"
2. 3D"http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers"
3. 3D"http://www.sharedweight.net/mail
Just to let you all know... there are still six spaces available for
the Callers Workshop in June with Lisa Greenleaf and Brad Foster. At
this point, registrations will be accepted on a first come, first serve
basis. More info here:
http://www.cdss.org/workshop.html
-Seth
Cynthia asked about highlights of the Ralph Page weekend and anything in
particular that we learned there.
One big highlight for me--can one have a small highlight?--was the opportunity
to dance again to Tod Whittemore's calling. Within a few minutes of his taking
the stage on Friday night, I was remembering why it was so much fun to dance to
him. He has a great sense of humor and has a lot of fun on stage; that sense of
having a good time spreads throughout the hall.
Tod does not call complex dances-- no heys for four on the left diagonal, or
multiple Petronella twirls. He sticks with simpler material. As he put it in his
callers' workshop: "I'm not Larry Jennings, and I don't think like Larry
Jennings. I'd get lost calling some of the more complicated dances." He sticks
to simple material that he likes, teaches the dances efficiently, and lets the
dancers enjoy the music. He sized up the crowd quickly and called several
no-walkthrough squares.
Between Tod and Lisa Greenleaf, we did a lot of grand square variations in the
course of the weekend, always a crowd pleaser. (Or, stated more specifically,
always a crowd pleaser for the crowd at this particular weekend.)
In his caller's workshop, Tod was encouraging us to think about why we call. He
started by posing five questions:
1. Do you habitually book dances ahead?
2. In a dance hall of six lines across, where would you choose (generally) to
dance?
3. What is your most memorable (positive) dance experience?
4. What is your most memorable (positive) calling experience? (Tod then added,
"...that had an impact on you as a caller?")
5. When you plan a program, what criteria do you focus on? What are your top
three? (Since Tod likes to call singing squares, one of his top three criteria
is to be sure to include them in every program.)
I'm indebted to David Smukler for keeping track of this information for the
syllabus he compiles every year. The syllabus from this year will be posted in
about a year at the UNH website, but you can purchase a paper copy from NEFFA
before then. They're usually available in time for the NEFFA festival. You can
find many more details about Tod's workshop, including many of the answers
shared to these questions. Lisa Greenleaf's workshop focused on calling for one
night stands; amny callers attended, and the syllabus is full of dance
directions for simple dances, in addition to some overall guidelines about
programming such events.
Another highlight, which I happened to capture on videotape, came on Sunday
afternoon, when Tod was calling one of his signature yodeling square dances,
Grandma Slid Down the Mountain. He was joined on the yodeling by Bob McQuillen.
I'll aim to have footage of that available for viewing at the RPDLW table at
NEFFA.
David Millstone
I need to purchase another copy of Tom Hind's new book. Does anyone know
the amount and Tom's address? I've lost the original posting about it.
Thanks
seth
=========================================================================
Seth Tepfer: Director of Administrative Computing & Innovative Technology
Oxford College of Emory University - 770-784-8487 - labst(a)emory.edu
For fast and easy computer help,
try... <http://help.emory.edu>http://help.emory.edu
Jex Raven Eidson Tepfer - Born 6/5/05 00:52! Say hi at:
http://www.jexRaven.com/
=========================================================================
"A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought." -Dorothy
L. Sayers
Lisa Greenleaf and Brad Foster are presenting a workshop-- "Contra Dance
Calling: Beyond the Basics"--for intermediate contra dance callers. The workshop
itself is June 24 in Amherst, MA, but registration is open now and a lottery
will be held next week if there are more callers interested than there are
available slots in the workshop.
Please pass this information along to folks who might be interested in and could
benefit from this opportunity.
David Millstone
------
Full information is available at the Country Dance and Song Society website:
http://www.cdss.org/workshop/index.html
"This small, pilot program has space for up to 25 callers who have previous
calling experience (from at least half an evening of contras through decades of
calling). It's a chance to take classes with master callers Lisa Greenleaf and
Brad Foster. Classes will address topics that are pertinent to callers attending
the event. Topics might include the language of teaching figures, how to get to
the next level, communicating with the band, teaching and calling challenging
contras, etc. You may request other topics on the registration form."
"There will also be time to meet other callers and discover ways you can support
each other in strengthening your calling abilities. One session will offer tools
for giving and receiving feedback. All participants will have the opportunity to
call a dance and receive feedback, either during the day or at a public contra
dance that evening. Live music will be provided by fiddlers Amy Larkin and
Shirley White with Linda Henry on piano."
-------
By the way - I'd love to hear from any of you who DID make it to Ralph Page
this year what you highlight was, anything you learned that you'd like to
pass along to me (and anyone else) who wasn't able to be there.
I will also report that, as a still relatively new and inexperienced caller,
I had my first meltdown this past weekend that I DIDN'T have to stop the
music but was able to simply give the dancers a heads' up and start calling
a much easier dance that most of them knew and even those who didn't could
easily pick up without a walk-through (Lady of the Lake - Haymaker's Jig to
those of you not from Maine). The result was that at the end, the dancers
felt like we'd accomplished a miracle rather than had a failure. Whew! We
learn, we grow. It was fun.
love,
-cynthia
The Medway Contra Dance series, at Christ Episcopal Church on School
Street in Medway, Massachusetts, will sponsor an Open Mike evening on
Saturday, March 4, 2006, 7:30 - 10:30 pm. This is the third of Medway's
open mike evenings that I have MC'd. These events have introduced several
people to their very first experiences in calling contras for dancers. Now
it's your turn!
Please contact me, by phone or e-mail below, if you'd like to
participate. We'll discuss the dances you'd like to call, and I'll help
answer any questions you may have so that you can feel confident about
enjoying the experience.
Medway is a true community dance where anybody and everybody may show up
to dance - young and old, brand-new and experienced dancers. It is a
relatively small dance venue, although last month over sixty dancers were on
the floor. Your dance choices should be at an easy to moderate dancing skill
level. The band will be White Squall, consisting of Andrew Grover, Ned
Quist, and Alice Pace. Unlike the white squall currently howling outside my
window, they are warm and friendly and looking forward to backing you up
with great music!
The Medway dance organizers are eager to encourage new callers to get on
stage. As Rick Veneski wrote to me: "You can say, "Watch, Rick is going to
call a dance, and he has no idea what he is doing. So, if he can do it,
anyone can." :-)
For more information about the Medway dance, including the full
2005-2006 schedule and directions to the hall, go to:
http://www.contradancelinks.com/medway.html
----------------------------------------------------
Robert Jon Golder
164 Maxfield Street robertgolder(a)comcast.net
New Bedford, MA 02740 (508) 999-2486 voice
Update on Gene Hubert, from Beth Molaro.
*****************
Dear Friends,
More news about Gene Hubert that I wanted to pass on to you all. Some
of you know Gene but all of you have danced his wonderful contra and
square dances. Gene and Jenny were married 5 years ago and have a
little boy who is 4 or so... about 6 months younger than my Rebecca.
Gene and Jenny live in Durham, NC and have not been out and about in
the dance world as much since becoming parents... life is like that...
anyway, Gene has been ill and the Huberts got Gene's diagnosis this
past Tuesday morning. Gene has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. This is a
most difficult time for them and they need our prayers, thinking of you
cards, etc.
Later on, when times are even more accute, Jenny has requested some
help with just doing some of the ordinary things. Your help will be so
needed, as will your presence. Jenny expressed that what she will need
the most will be someone to work right along beside her and be present
to her.
We all wish we knew what to say...send love, send prayers, send
whatever healing energy you can muster, dance Gene's dances with joy
and good thoughts.
Gene and Jenny's address is: 1001 Goodwin Road, Durham, NC 27712
I'll keep you posted as things develop.
Beth Molaro
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Karen Fontana
www.karenscontracorner.com
karen_fontana(a)yahoo.com
(H) 650-691-9663
<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>
Hi callers
I had the opportunity to call in Dover NH at the 1st Thursday night dance
with interesting results. (guest callers are welcome!)
The dance that I chose was Dan Pearls 'The Rendezvous' (see below)
The band had just changed tunes, I turned away from the crowed for the briefest
of moments to acknowledge the band,(by this time I had called the dance 6 times through
and thought it would be safe to cut the dancers loose) when I turned back the dancers were completing the F&B
and I watched as the dance began to break down. New dancers were looking bewildered as to what to do next,
meanwhile several beats of music had elapsed.
After a brief panic, I simply asked the dancers to swing their partners until the music came to the proper phrase. The experienced dancers thought I had lost it, 'cause they swang for a long time! Through ½ A2 and all B1. (but this maneuver put all of us at the same place)
At the proper moment I had them C L into the B2 ... the rest of the dance went without a hitch.
It has taking a while but now I can distinguish the different music phrases and where they relate to the dance being called thus avoiding disaster on the floor.
Thanks
Gale
A1 Swing Below
A2 LL F&B
W DSD 1.5X face Part
B1 All B&S partner
B2 Cir L 1X
Slide L to new Couple Cir L ¾ (to A1)
Thanks Dan for a fun dance!
Dover City Hall
1st Thursday every month 8:00-11:00 PM
Lamprey Rive Band
Guest musicians and callers welcome!
