19 Jul
2010
19 Jul
'10
12:21 p.m.
Wow.
I call mixers because it is the one and only time in an evening when the whole group is
gathered together. Instead of "my little clique" it is "all of us are in
this together" as a dancer and as a caller I enjoy that experience.
I call mixers because I find a whole evening of contra, contra, contra, contra, contra...
boring (as a dancer.) Especially if every dance has a similar piece count, pacing, and two
swings (or at least a partner swing.)
There are probably other reasons as well, but these are my primary thoughts. Any idea of
needing to twist the arm of people to welcome newcomers has not entered into it.
The modern urban contra dance scene is welcoming to people who would fit in anyway.
That's not necessarily a bad thing. It is the nature of hobby activities. Since muc
dancers go to a dance primarily to dance "what they want to dance the way they want
to dance it" then anything outside of their hobby mind-set is anathema.
Beth
-----Original Message-----
<snip>
First, I find that mixers are too often a heavy-handed way to force the
regular dancers to integrate newcomers. This can set a negative tone that is
transferred to the newcomers themselves, creating an attitude that
newcomers should be "tolerated." The "grumbling" Jeff mentions above
is
not easy to miss. It seems obvious that many newcomers will be aware of
this attitude and it will interfere with their motivation, and possibly their
inclination, to integrate into the dance community.
Second, I feel that mixers can actually discourage many regulars from
partnering with newcomers. This happens when mixers are not announced
in advance. Consider the situation when a more experienced dancer takes
the initiative to approach a newcomer and partner with them only to learn
that the dance will be a mixer. This can be discouraging to those who put out
the effort to partner with a newcomer. If you want to call a mixer please
announce it clearly and well in advance of the partnering process.
Third, the decision to call a mixer can send several implied messages to the
regular dancers that have a negative influence. These include:
- The caller assumes that most of the regulars are not partnering with
newcomers.
- The caller assumes that most of the regulars do not enjoy dancing with
newcomers.
- The caller does not have confidence in the regulars to welcome and to
partner with new dancers on their own.
<more snip>