[Callers] Caller Leadership, (Was: Duties of the Caller Role)

d0nv wrote: As a starting caller (and a dance committee member) I've got a genuine interest. Is there a course or book saying this? Thank you for your posting. I don’t recall the original source, and I don’t want to encourage the authoritarian leanings of this list so I won’t try to find it. For me the principle stands on its own merits. I do recall that many callers stated this principle as: “It’s always the caller’s fault.” This was to emphasize that the caller should assume that any misunderstanding is an error on the caller’s part…not the dancers. It can lower the confidence of many first-timers if they believe that *they* are the reason something went wrong, and that anxiety will make it difficult for those newcomers to follow subsequent instructions. By taking responsibility for any “mistakes” the caller defuses this anxiety reaction somewhat. I think most callers, however, assumed that this principle was an exaggeration intended as a form of humor. This is unfortunate because it is the most useful framing I know of to cultivate leadership in the dance community. Note that this maxim also applies to many other roles where the speaker uses a PA system. Any Master of Ceremonies with experience will also take full responsibility for what happens in the hall. In the case of a dance caller, this individual has the added authority vested in them by the tradition they follow to instruct those in the room regarding their precise physical movements. This is an awesome power which can only be wielded effectively when the speaker also takes responsibility for the hall. Notice that the dance caller: - is at the front of the room, usually on an elevated platform, where they can be seen by anyone in the room. - is able to see anyone in the room from that position. - is using a PA system that effectively makes them the only one in the room who can project their voice clearly to every person in the room. - is the only individual in the room who knows the requirements of the dance, the capabilities of the band, and who also has a pretty good idea of the capabilities of the dancers. (The caller knows all of this simultaneously.) The ideal situation is, of course, when everyone in the hall takes full responsibility for what happens in the hall. In fact, this is the way collective community dance works! But the person at the mike is in a unique position. Given the advantaged position described above it might be well to ask: If the caller is not willing to take responsibility, then why should anyone else? Karen D. quoted, from the list archive, the following comments on what the caller is probably NOT responsible for. Yet these are excellent examples of challenges a caller can address by personally owning the problem. Here are some of my thoughts just off the top of my head. (And these responses must come off the top of your head when any emergency presents itself.) The “wonderful dance community” frame is your best resource in an emergency: I can stop and re-start the band several times, but it's not my "full This is a real problem many of us face. Some musicians are unable to play at higher dance tempos on some tunes. In that case the caller should consider substituting dances that “work” better at the favored tempo. If it is too slow the caller can add excitement through some other means—perhaps with a punchy vocal emphasis. Bottom line: Make sure the musicians feel good about what they do. Make sure they get applause. The owner of the barn we're dancing in decides to make another loop on his The caller: First signals the band to cut off the music mid-tune and says something appropriate on mike, such as, “My apologies. We have an emergency situation with the farmer’s spray drift. Could some of you please quickly close the windows and doors on that side of the hall. Perhaps someone could reposition that fan to get some fresh air into the hall. Thank you all for your understanding. Let’s take a short break until the hall is danceable again.” A crash occurs on the street adjacent to our parking lot dance hall, and Caller: “My apologies. There seems to have been an accident outside. Is there a doctor in the house? Wonderful. Thank you. If there is anyone else with medical training please go with her to check on the situation and let us know if there is any assistance we could offer. Everyone else should probably just wait here. I appreciate your understanding. Thank you all.” The host didn't think to provide cool water, there's no drinking fountain. Caller: “I understand there is no cool water available. I’m sorry about that. Is there someone here who would be willing to drive to a nearby store and purchase some bottled water? Wonderful! Please, if you would like some water, give some money to this man over here. Hopefully we’ll have some water in time for the break.“ PA bleed from a nearby event that's louder and bigger and echo-y. Caller: “My apologies. We seem to be competing with an amplified event nearby. I’m going to ask all of you to pay careful attention and please, do not talk during the walk-through. Thank you all for your understanding and your assistance.” I think you get the idea. The caller should lead by example. Everyone in the hall wants to be proud of their dance community, and the caller can take the lead in making that happen. Remember; it is a wonderful dance community and you should expect them to react to any “situation” with grace and compassion. This is not rocket science. It is certainly easier than memorizing all of your dances. If the caller is either unable, or unwilling to take responsibility then s/he should hand the microphone to someone who will. Speaking of untoward situations in the hall.... I remember once seeing an actual fight break out on a dance floor between two women. This was a full-on altercation with swinging fists and hair pulling. The caller did *not* lead effectively. He did NOT apologize but treated the incident as a distraction from his dance. Luckily there were many dancers nearby who took action. Three of us actually restrained a man who wanted to join the fray. Others separated the combatants, and still others moved in to stand between the belligerent parties. The caller failed to own the problem and, rather, simply tried to get the sets to re-form so he could re-start the dance. Some dancers motioned for the caller to just shut up and everyone, correctly I think, ignored the caller’s instructions so that the situation could be resolved to help put folks at ease. For a more positive example.... I also remember, more recently during a contra dance, when some of us noticed some severe scratches in the newly-refinished floor. A dancer had broken off a heel on his dance shoe and continued dancing without it—thinking that it would do no damage and unaware that there were still nail tips sticking out where the heel had been. It did damage the floor—during the one dance in which he continued dancing—to the tune of hundreds of dollars in floor repair and refinishing. Luckily we had a visiting caller who took ownership of the situation immediately when we showed her the broken heel. I remember the caller standing on stage and holding the broken heel up in the air. She did not try to blame any individual but insisted that we locate the shoe that had lost that heel. She cautioned the dancers that this problem could make us lose access to the hall we were dancing in and she refused to start the next walk-through until she had verified that the dancer with the broken heel had left the hall to change shoes. That caller was Andrea Nettleton of Atlanta Georgia. She is a very good caller. She showed leadership as a caller. It would have been easier to simply assume that this was “not her responsibility.” Taking responsibility makes a difference. It sets an example for everyone. We need more of that from callers, not less. - Greg McKenzie