hey bev,
i can think of a couple of things from the outset.
on the one hand, anyone who is going to be at the workshop will
be the choir, and thus they're the ones who least need the
preaching, right? so, be aware of that as you're doing your
thing. at the same time, maybe the best use of these folks will
be to spread the meme around a bit -- figure out something to
tell or teach them that they can pass along to other
"experienced" dancers, who may not have come to the workshop for
any of a host of reasons (timing, other priorities, not
interested, didn't feel they needed or wanted the info, etc).
i think the best and simplest thing that an experienced dancer
can do for new folks (and this is something that i don't always
think or remember to do, myself...) is to *ask new people to
dance* -- consciously. if every experienced dancer asked just
one new dancer to dance once per evening, think how much better
new dancers' experience of the dance would be! once the sets
are forming, conversation about simple dance-related things -- a
smile, a question or two and some follow-up encouragement ("how
many times have you been dancing? wow, you're doing great! we
were all new once..."), and a few tips here and there can make
all the difference. not all (or even most) beginners have
enough chutzpah to ask an experienced dancer to dance, and so
this can make someone feel welcomed, included, and wanted.
> Tips for being better partners would definitely involve
> helping the newbies but would also include giving weight,
> handing off your partner at the end of the figure, good
contact
> (i.e. wrist position for allemandes, swing holds,
> to twirl or not to twirl...).
i think these are the most important questions, e.g. it's
amazing to me how few people have had "giving weight" explained
to them in a way that makes sense, and it truly seems to
separate good from not-so-good dancers, IMO.
> Does anyone have any specific exercises that emphasize these
> ideas ?
i don't have any specific ideas. i like the idea of maybe
picking a couple of dances that have a variety of figures or
transitions and breaking them down to show where new folks can
get tripped up. for example, anything in becket, things with a
ladies' chain on a diagonal, or heys, etc. are areas that are
confusing for beginners; and things that can be disorienting and
thus lead to someone's feeling like they're not doing it right.
i think it would also be good to help experienced folks learn to
(gently!) teach flourishes to those who seem to want to learn
them. no forcing twirls, but don't assume that they don't want
to do them, either -- if they see others doing them, they're
likely to be curious and want to give it a try themselves.
i hope it goes well.
melissa
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Bev outlined some excellent strategies for her upcoming workshop, and asked for
additional suggestions.
As a challenge, how about calling a dance with traditional figures and asking
those present to dance it without embellishments? Could be a contra corners
dance (four counts for each turn, leaving no time for extra twirl before the
balance and swing. Could be something with right and left over and back, four
counts to cross and four counts for a courtesy turn-- yes, four for each, does
make you slow down a little, rather than doing an extra twirl around simply
because there's time to do it if you race through the figures. Could be somethng
with ladies chain over and back and a pleasant courtesy turn on both sides.
Could be a dance (older version of Petronella, say) where for nearly 3/4 of the
dance the inactives are truly inactive and need to stay engaged while resisting
the temptation to squeeze in extra swings.
My point? One way the more experienced dancers befuddle the newcomers is by
demontrating every possible embellishment, so that newer dancers don't have an
opportunity to learn the basics. If all you see on down the center four in line
is a California twirl, you don't learn the timing of a courtesy turn to return.
If all you see for balance is Variation #27b with additional syncopated foot
stomps on the afterbeat, you don't learn a simple pas-de-basque or step-kick. If
a swing inevitably ends with an extra twirl-the-lady-under, you don't learn to
get your balance and your orientation for the ensuing ladies chain.
In short, one way experienced dancers can best help new dancers is by dancing
better-- uh oh, there I said it!-- themselves.
David Millstone
Gaaahhhh!
I just realized that I have to teach a beginners workshop tomorrow
night. Having not done this before (except informally as a dancer) I'm
a little nervous. I've seen plenty of them done (both well and poorly)
so I have an idea of what I want to cover and roughly how I want to do
it.
Any hints? How much do you prepare/plan/improvise the workshop?
Thanks!
Chris
I have a somewhat different approach that I take when I do a short beginners'
session at my home dance. I think the most important things folks need to know
are the rules of this alien subculture into which they've stepped--
welcome, nice to see you here, thanks for coming early; we know the dance is in
trouble when we see just the same faces on the dance floor
format of evening: easier dances come first so don't watch
hall logistics: line up near front so I can give you extra help
social norms: experienced dancers whom you don't know will invite you to dance,
your tendency is to apologize and tell them you don't know what you're doing--
they already know that! that's why they've invited you to dance
We all learned through the kindness of strangers.
Overview of a dance-- you and your partner will go through a series of sinple
figures ** that I will teach carefully ** that involve you and a neighboring
couple; at the end of that, you're with another couple and then you do the same
moves, and so on.
every dance will be taught and walked through, sometimes twice, and I'm up there
calling out the moves so you don't have to remember them
reminder that there will be many helpful dancers on the floor eager to assist
you
demo of handy-dandy fall-back position when you're totally confused: smile, look
around you, and keep both hands extended-- this makes it easier for neighboring
couples to help you
repeat welcome
Maybe add to that a little something about no fancy steps needed, hum Arkansas
Traveler and demonstrate forward and back, and that's about all there's time for
If you have a few minutes left, use it to chat up some experienced dancers in
the hall and ask them to invite in the newcomers for the first few dances.
My 2 cents,
David Millstone
15 minute session.
I would guess 5-10 people.
I might have a fiddler available. I don't know if he'll be set up in
time.<= br>
Chris
-----David.Millstone(a)valley.net (David Mi= llstone) wrote: -----
To: Chris.Weiler(a)weirdtable.org
From: David.Millsto= ne(a)valley.net (David Millstone)
Date: 10/07/2005 01:14PM
Subject: Re:= [Callers] Beginners workshop
Ho= w long a session is it, Chris? How many people can you expect
to be there?<= br>Will you have a musician (esp. a fiddler)
available to assist?
Da= vid
At 01:13 PM 10/7/2005, Chris Weiler wrote:
> I just realized that I have to teach a beginners workshop tomorrow
Take a look here:
http://www.dancerhapsody.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=CallersWorkshops
I have a handout on the beginners workshop. Whether you agree with the
concepts and syllabus included, it should give you some things to think
about, get you started preparing.
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"A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought." -Dorothy
L. Sayers
Hello everyone,
Due to a miscommunication, Marlena Schilke thought that she had booked
me to call the Gorham, NH dance this Saturday. I have already accepted
another gig. Is anyone available to go call this dance? Contact Marlena
at the address on this e-mail.
Thanks,
Chris
Hello everyone!
I am preparing for calling at the Medway, MA dance this Saturday and was
wondering if anyone could tell me something about the experience level
of the dancers there.
The name of the band is Smoke and Mirrors. Has anyone worked with them?
How are they to work with? Any thing I should watch out for?
Thanks!!
Chris
Lisa Sieverts wrote:
"Thus, in a complex algorithm that defies explanation, I'll take a
dance for almost no money if I know the music will be great, or
someone is going to feed and house me nicely, or it's a beautiful
hall and a neat community dance that just needs a nudge to keep
going. Otherwise, I look for a $75 minimum."
Whoof! Around Los Angeles, at almost all of the dozen different contra
series, the caller's take is usually somewhere between $20 and $50, sometimes a
little higher or lower. Big venues are significantly higher, as they are in New
England. I'm curious how different this is for different parts of the country
(excluding large venues) -- I've noticed that when I call in Massachusetts, even
the small venues seem to generally offer substantially higher guarantees to
the caller than the small venues in southern CA.
Lisa adds:
"driving hundreds of miles for dozens of dollars"
I love that saying! I remember hearing Joseph Pimentel say it as "for tens of
dollars." I'll take the dozens.
Best,
Jeremy Korr
Chris started us off by noting "the question has come up about what my minimum
fee is for calling."
Lisa gave a list of many items to consider when deciding whether to select a gig
and what to charge. My rule simplifies that-- I call for love or for money.
A city I want to visit, a dance community I enjoy, musicians I love to be
around, an opportunity to appear in a different part of the country, a good
cause-- all these tip the scale toward the first category. If I end up getting
paid, so much the better, but if I don't, I'll still be happy for these other
reasons. A wedding gig for folks I don't know, in a distant location or nearby
in a fancy location with an upscale caterer... that's a money gig and I charge
enough to pay myself and the musicians well. (After all, they're often the same
people who volunteer their time for the other events!)
In general, I find that when I follow my rule-- and we all know how hard that
is-- I come away content. It's those messy middle areas that cause the
problems.
I came up with the rule many years ago after finding myself dissatisfied with a
common situation-- driving an hour and a half, get to a gig early to set up the
PA, work hard for the evening, take down the PA and haul it back to the car,
wait while the organizers were still talking to people and tallying up the
money, and being handed $40 for the evening.
The complicating factor in your case, Chris, and an issue for other callers in
your situation, is that you want the gigs-- you want to gain experience working
with different crowds, you want an opportunity to try out new material (or to
hone older material.) You also want to become known, to give people in far-flung
locations a chance to get to know you and to see what you can do. And in some
sense, you're willing to subsidize an event-- e.g., by charging less-- in order
to get that exposure.
Bottom line, I think, is that you should ask enough so that, balancing all those
factors, you will come away from the event feeling good about having been there.
David Millstone
