Re: [Callers] Cub Callers

Lewis wrote: There is some truth to this. There is nothing like the experience of a full night of calling to a crowd with vastly different experience levels. On the other hand it is certainly not "the only way to learn...." Dancing to callers--both good and poor--is invaluable. Also sitting out and observing both the dancers and the caller, very carefully, can bring many insights about what excellent callers are doing and where poor callers should make changes. Reading books--when combined with the above--can also be very helpful. Personally, I do not consider a caller's "experience level" to be a primary factor when I consider if I should drive through a stormy night to attend a dance. New callers have some key advantages over many of the old stagers. For one, new callers are less likely to be so full of themselves that they expect the entire hall to hang on their every word. And some of these "walking dance encyclopedias" have many, many words. The older veterans also seem to gain so much confidence that they sometimes begin dropping some of the basics techniques of contra dance calling, such as using effective word order in their prompts. I have attended dances with nationally known callers, of vast experience, who have had a terrible time integrating newcomers into the dance community. Some of this may come from having the leisure to drop effective calling techniques when calling at dance camps, festivals, and other events where few newcomers attend. I enjoy dancing to new callers. They are often much more intent upon doing a good job and they pay attention. They are also more in tune with the experience of newcomers...since they were there themselves more recently. The real factor I look at is the caller's concept of what their main job is. Some callers call to teach. Some call to learn. Some call to be in control. Some call to be seen and to be heard. Some call to be a leader. And some call to facilitate a joyful social event with wonderful live music and a crowd of pleasant, kind, and gracious people. The caller's intention is, in most cases, more important than their years of experience behind the microphone. Just a thought. _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers