Re: [Callers] newcomers' workshops at dance weekends

Katy, Thank you for introducing this subject. One of the greatest ironies of the contra dance "movement" is that, by convention, the most wonderful bands, and callers--because of their notoriety--are most often scheduled at events, camps, festivals, and dances where newcomers seldom attend. Consequently, the first experience, for most of us, with contradance is not the inspiring experience of an exciting event in a hall filled with regular dancers, a hot band, and a caller with the knowledge and experience of integrating newcomers. Thank you for considering alternatives to this convention. Keep in mind that there are many ways to work on integrating newcomers. A separate orientation is certainly not the best and, it could be argued, is not even a good way to accomplish this integration. Personally, I actively encourage newcomers to sign up for camps, festivals, and special events. With a good caller this can be the best introduction to the magic of contra dance. I am interested in other views on this. - Greg *********** At 10:23 AM 8/12/2010, you wrote: