29 Apr
2010
29 Apr
'10
4:59 p.m.
Lewis wrote:
I know it's sometimes necessary, but I think more
than 2
walk-throughs is not a good strategy. If the group as a whole still
isn't getting it after the second walk through, I prefer to switch
to a simpler dance. My reasoning is that people come to a contra
dance primarily to dance, not listen to the caller's instruction.
I agree that there are often too many walk-throughs and too much
"teaching" by the caller. At that point the most professional thing
to do is to apologize, choose a simple dance, and get people moving
quickly to lively music. Hopefully people will quickly forget your
gaff. (Remember: The caller always takes full responsibility.)
I agree with Lewis that directing any comments to the confused
dancers is counterproductive and unprofessional.
Whenever there are "clumps" of newcomers in the hall this is evidence
that the caller has not succeeded in integrating the newcomers. That
is not an easy task and it requires precise and expert calling in
perfect time and using effective word order. It also requires
proactive set management and an attitude of confidence in the
dancers. Contrary to common wisdom an excellent caller will actually
teach less when there are lots of newcomers in the hall.
How does the caller integrate newcomers? This is at the heart of
good contradance calling.
More specifically:
How can we inspire the regulars to partner with new
people--particularly in the first part of the evening?
The answer to this question would take much more time than a single
post. It involves making it fun to dance with newcomers. (Hint:
Regular contra dancers actually love to dance with newcomers. But
only if they are fully engaged in the process of welcoming and
leading the newcomers at the event. Every enthusiast loves to
introduce newcomers to something they are passionate about. It is
the caller's job to make sure the newcomers are confident and
relaxed, and to allow the experienced regulars to take the lead in
showing the newcomers how it's done.)
Nuff said for now.
Greg McKenzie
*******
I also prefer not to focus on individual dancers, or
small groups of
dancers, even if it's obvious that everyone in the room except that
*one couple* (we all know what that's like) still hasn't gotten it.
I know it's sometimes necessary, but it also makes that one couple,
or one individual, more self-conscious about their dancing skills. I
think it's better, after that second walk-through, to focus on
calling as clearly as possible. For rank novices, I try to include
in the instruction reminders about where they can reconnect with
their partner if they become completely lost. A partner's balance
and swing, for example.
Finally, in the newcomers instruction before the dance, I encourage
the newcomers to dance with other people, not just each other, and I
ask the more experienced dancers to dance with someone they don't
know at least once during the evening. Frankly, this often doesn't
work since those newcomers are grimly determined to dance only with
each other, and the more seasoned dancers often insist in dancing
with their own little cliques they're familiar with, but I keep
trying to hammer that advice home.
-Lewis Land
---- Barbara Groh <barbaragroh(a)bellsouth.net> wrote:
at the end
> Rather than sending everyone home and doing two more walkthroughs, you
> might
> have fixed that one group-- identifying who were the ones and
who were the
twos
and where they should now be-- and doing one more walkthrough from that
spot,
then starting the dance from that next progressed place
This is a good strategy.....it's best to avoid 3 walk-thrus whenever
possible. Another thing you can do is try to keep an eye on the knots of
beginners who are struggling, and make sure they know where to be of each figure AS you are teaching them. Then,
hopefully,
they'll be at the
right place at the end of the 1st walk-thru, and
you can start a 2nd
walk-thru from there if it seems like a lot of the room would benefit from
it.
~Barbara
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