Re: [Callers] Trouble Getting Gigs

Hi All, Great topic. I've been calling for almost two years with a mix of family dances and small contra dances. I've viewed these venues as a forgiving place to learn and practice, and I am grateful for them. I also help to organize a dance that is mid-sized with a mix of experienced and new dancers that runs once a month. In a good month we get 100 there; in smaller months 65. My "glass ceiling" was calling the dance that I organize. For many of the issues that Greg described, our organizing committee wants to keep the dance lively with consistent performers. However, we are also open to up and coming performers and decided that we would pair new bands with experienced callers and visa versa as a way to encourage and develop new talent. Our summer months are typically smaller dances, so this is a time when our booker feels more freedom to book a range of performers. This summer I've felt that I've been ready to call a whole night where there are more experienced dancers, and therefore at our dance. To get there, I had to meet the expectations of the committee that I was ready. I struggled a bit with this. I felt concern that I would take advantage of my position on the committee to get on stage. My "big break" came two weeks ago when our caller for the August dance cancelled with relatively short notice. Our outreach to other callers failed to come up with anyone who was available and so I got to call the night. As a caller, it was really a new experience to plan for and call a whole night of dances for these dancers. As Tina described, I was able to call dances that were more challenging to call and dance. Nothing too wowing, but for me, they were a stretch beyond what I'd been able to do elsewhere. It was really fun and all went well. I've talked with local musicians who felt this same sort of barrier to getting on stage at another big local dance. They felt that they were put to a higher standard by the bookers just because they were familiar and untested and young performers. I think what Tina is describing isn't atypical. Tina, if you are willing to travel, we'll book you at our dance! Maybe a strategy is to get on the road and call at bigger dances outside of your region. On the strength of that experience, you could reasonably the local organizers to give you a shot. My two cents, Nancy Turner Vermont