Re: [Callers] Announcing Dance Names

--- Joe wrote: I have always felt the majority of the dancers don't care who wrote the dance. --- end of quote --- Agreed. And stretching the point to make a point, there are many dancers-- most, at some series-- who don't care about being on time, either. And there are some dancers who think it's fine to dance roughly, to yank their partner's arm around for a gratituous and unwanted twirl, to swing their partner off the floor, to chatter incessantly during a walkthrough... I believe that being a caller is more than picking a card from a file and timing the calls properly. The caller provides leadership, not just a well-timed reminder of what figures come where. As a leader, the caller helps dancers reach a higher level in their dancing, builds community, respects our traditions and keeps the music and dancing alive for future generations... And yes, announcing the name of a dance and the author, out of respect if for no other reason, is worth doing. Heck, I usually announce titles (and sometimes authors) of the tunes, too. Goes right over the heads of most people on the floor, but I can't tell you how many times someone-- a dancer who is also a musician, typically-- has come up to thank me for dong that. David Millstone Lebanon, NH