Re: [Callers] THANK YOU LINDA!

Thank you Linda for your comments. When Linda voiced concerns about "civility" Tom wrote: I was not insulted in the least. I understand that callers have strong opinions. (In fact I would venture that one of the first requirements of being a caller is that you need to have strong opinions about what should be happening in the dance hall. It's part of the role.) And I appreciate this list as a place where I can hear those opinions. I want to hear about divergent ideas here because I know we cannot make much progress if all we talk about is how folks have always done it. We need new ideas, and putting forth new ideas is fraught with risk. I would be disappointed if I had to "read between the lines" to figure out if someone disagrees with me but--for the sake of "civility"--buries their feelings under a lot of platitudes and false compliments. I would rather hear your true reaction clearly and concisely. I don't even mind if someone attacks me personally. I appreciate any kind of feedback I can get. It's the only way I can grow as a caller. I don't recommend personal attacks, however. It is much safer and much more useful to criticize the ideas but not the person. I try to maintain a "thick skin" here and not take things too personally. This is good training for my work in the dance community. We need to get over ourselves and trust that we are all working on some shared, core goals. (And that would be another good discussion to have!) - Greg McKenzie West Coast, USA *************** Let's view these discussions as great learning opportunities. They