24 Jun
2013
24 Jun
'13
2:22 p.m.
Alan wrote:
I totally agree that we need to rely on and empower
experienced dancers to
teach figures. What I'm talking about however is newcomers who seemed to
have learned the figure in the walkthrough losing it after the dance starts
and apparently unable to receive any input from caller or other dancers,
and what can be done about that.
My apologies. I was not being clear in addressing your question. Earlier
Alan wrote:
This is likelier to happen if both partners are new,
and likeliest to
What I was trying to say is that this problem seems to be rooted in the
fact that your hall was not integrated. If all first-timers were paired
with a regular then your situation would be a very different one.
Instead of focusing on tactics to teach multiple couples of paired
first-timers from the mike I am suggesting that we address the root cause
which is the fact that the hall is not integrated.
Obviously, this is more difficult when there are already couples of
first-timers paired with each other. But being pro-active in your efforts
to integrate the hall would solve the root problem for your next gig and
would set a different tone that will allow you to demonstrate to the
regulars that partnering with first-timers is very gratifying and fun.
This is not, by the way, a long-term "problem" that lives in the "local
dance culture." Any caller who can call precisely and clearly using
effective word-order can set a tone that immediately makes it clear that
the regulars have a vital role to play in welcoming and leading newcomers
through the figures. This is what makes contras a "traditional" dance
form. The regulars show the first-timers how it's done...not the caller.
Thank you Donna and JoLaine for your ideas about integration.
JoLaine wrote:
happen if all four in that set are new. But that
couple that's new will
have that problem repeatedly. When I see that I continue to prompt the
figures, maybe with more emphasis - Ladies CHAIN and COURTESY TURN - and
it doesn't seem to make any difference.
I often hear callers tell the newbies to find
experienced dancers. That's
like telling a drowning person to go find a lifeguard!
This is a good point. But there are some subtle factors to keep in mind
when speaking on mike that can make it more effective to speak directly to
the first-timers. If you tell the regulars to pair up with first-timers
you are sending out some subtle implied messages with negative consequences:
- You will be indicating that you feel the regulars either do not know that
there are first-timers in the room...or worse you will be indicating that
you believe the regulars are not inclined to dance with first-timers and
must be told to do so from the mike.
This point will not be lost on the first-timers themselves, who are likely
to assume that the regulars are not fond of dancing with first-timers (why
else would the caller have to tell them to do it?).
I prefer to address the first-timers directly and assume the full support
of the regulars. The regulars already know who the first-timers are. And
the first-timers need to know that it is the custom that regulars will
partner with them. (The regulars already know this.) I begin my evening
by saying:
"If you are new to this kind of dancing please find someone who has danced
for at least one night. I will tell you everything you need to know and
your more experienced partner will show you all of the moves."
This is a subtle point but it has to do with "leading by assumption." If
you assume the support of the regulars you will get more support than by
ordering them from the mike. The "at least one night" phrase authorizes
everyone in the room--except first-timers--to partner with first-timers,
and this makes the task seem much more manageable because there are many
dancers who can help.
Just a thought,
Greg McKenzie
West Coast, USA