Re: [Callers] Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation (Was: Head Mikes and Mike Heads)

Greg, I can agree with you to a certain extent.  We have new dancers show up after the workshops and they do reasonably well.  Our experienced dancers are very good about finding new dancers who will benefit from dancing wiht them (unfortunately - we also have some less accomplished but regular dancers who also jump in to 'help') The thing you are missing is it just makes the new dancers more confident.  Even if they don't need the lesson - they think they do.  And it makes them feel better to have a preview of what is going to happen.  This is why some newer dancers actually return to the same workshop for their next several visits.  Some people prefer to learn this way - so we give them that that option - some prefer to jump right in and learn on the fly - so they skip the lesson.  It is hard to make any general statements about new dancers - some almost immediately look like they have been doing it for years and some after years look like they never saw it before and still have to be pointed in the right direction. Locally -  we also encourage the caller to personally conduct the workshop so the new dancers already feel comfortable with him/her when they suddenly appear on stage. I do agree that being positive is a lot better than being negative - I especially don't like callers warning dancers of all the bad things that will happen if they do this or that - let them know how much fun it is to dance safely. Mac Mckeever ________________________________ From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> To: callers(a)sharedweight.net Sent: Thursday, September 1, 2011 9:55 AM Subject: [Callers] Implied Messages in First-Timer's Orientation (Was: Head Mikes and Mike Heads) I meant to post this to the entire list.  Here it is. - Greg ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> Date: Mon, Aug 29, 2011 at 9:50 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Head Mikes and Mike Heads To: Lewis Land <lewisland(a)windstream.net> Lewis wrote: I have to ask, what's the point of newcomers instruction if you're not going to teach a few basic dance figures to the novices? I can testify from much personal experience that some of those newcomers would end up standing frozen, terrified, and immobile after the music starts if they haven't had adequate instruction about the most common dance figures. I can only assume that Greg calls to a much more experienced crowd, where there are more seasoned dancers who can assist the novices. Good question.  The answer is an involved area which can't be addressed here in any depth.  But here are a few things to think about: Whenever a speaker talks to an audience it is the nonverbal component of her speech that has the greatest impact.  Explicit instructions carry little weight compared to the implicit messages in the speaker's demeanor, voice inflection, tone, word choices, and actions.  As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “What you are shouts so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say.” As human beings we always look for hidden or implied messages in what others say.  This is a natural part of how we communicate.  We look for implied messages because they tell us what the speaker is really thinking, rather than what the speaker wants to present as a public persona.  This is how cognitive frames are communicated and learned. You cannot not communicate. I don't want you to think I'm being critical or making too many assumptions.  But it might help to examine some of the implied messages in your own comments.  They are typical of most callers.  Here are some conclusions one can make about the mental frame you have activated concerning first-time contra dancers: - At least some first-timers are likely to be "frozen, terrified, and immobile" at their first contra dance; - First-timers need to have either a "seasoned dancer" to assist them or separate "instruction" in order to avoid embarrassment or public failure: - "Seasoned dancers" are not readily available and/or are not inclined to partner with first-timers. This framing, and these ideas, are common amongst callers. The assumptions are that there will be many first-timers dancing together.  Please put aside, for a moment, your opinion about whether or not these ideas are "true" and focus on the effect of these ideas upon those in the room who are looking for your implied messages.  If you "believe" these ideas then there is no way you can conceal that fact from the dancers.  None of us here is that good at deception.  Your nonverbal and implied meanings will be obvious and almost everyone in the room will pick up on the implied messages and respond accordingly. The frame you have thus evoked in the brains of the dancers is, frankly, a rather dreadful one.  For first-timers it is a frame in which they may very well fail and embarrass themselves in a public dance hall.  Those who could help them are not that inclined to do so and this is why newcomers need separate organized instruction to reduce their chances of failure.  Some of them, nevertheless, will fail. For your regular dancers the frame is also rather bleak.  A small group of "seasoned dancers" are encouraged to partner with first-timers and should view this, not as an enjoyable experience, but rather as a duty.  There is a good possibility that their novice partner will fail, and the "seasoned dancer" will then be a part of that.  If you are not a "seasoned dancer" you should probably avoid partnering with first-timers. This is a self-fulfilling prophesy in action.  Your expectations are being projected into the hall because of the frame you have activated in your own brain.  How can you avoid this situation?  The answer is to change the frame in your own brain to one that will assume the success of everyone in the hall.  Assume that anyone with one night of experience dancing contras is qualified to partner with first-timers and that you will make that an enjoyable and successful experience.  Assume that all of the regulars enjoy partnering with first-timers who are confident and ready to learn.  Assume that all of the first-timers are fully prepared to partner with the regulars without any separate training.  Assume that you will call appropriate dances so precisely and clearly that everyone will be able to dance confidently after only one walk-through. Making these kind of assumptions could be called delusional.  It could also be called leadership.  It depends upon the frame you are activating.  These assumptions are not "true" or "false."  It is about crafting a positive vision of the regular dancers, the first-timers, and the entire evening and projecting that vision into the room.  It is about inspiring confidence in others by assuming your own success.  It is, actually, the only way you will be able to accomplish your goal of calling well. Now, back to your question.  If you are successful at making the above assumptions and if you are successful at adopting that frame about the regular dancers, the first-timers, and your own calling, you will recognize that teaching figures to the first-timers in a separate orientation is not only a wast of time. It also sends negative messages to all of the dancers in the hall.  When you assume that all of the first-timers are going to be partnered with regular dancers, you will know that teaching the figures will take no longer than the time it takes for you to call out the name of each figure.  Actually, it is the regulars who will "teach" the figures--and they will do it much more quickly and effectively than you could in any separate orientation session. Many of the comments and actions of callers are based upon expectations about the dancers that are not positive.  If you think the dancers don't pick up on these implications you will not be able to call well.  All callers need to foster a positive view of the dancers in the hall.  When those assumptions are a part of your framing the situation will change and the implied messages being projected into the hall will also change.  This is a powerful strategy to integrate the dance hall and to make your task as a caller much easier. Just a thought, Greg McKenzie _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers