Okay, I need some other perspectives on this. Last year we had a new couple
move to our area, and start attending our local contra dance. They had
danced "somewhere else" for several years, and the gentleman had obviously
been involved in some of the dance organizing duties in their last location
(web site upkeep, etc).
First impressions were positive - he came to the dances for a few months and
offered some worthwhile feedback, while also actually offering to take some
action. He suggested we offer a waltz "lesson" for a few minutes before we
have the first waltz, and he offered to "teach" the waltz, anytime and every
time. So far, we have taken him up on this and it does seem to have
encouraged more people to get up and waltz, which was the point. The
emerging problem (I see..) is that he now wants to insert himself in the
"contra dance lesson" before the dance, which we ask the caller of the
evening to conduct. Several times over the last year, after I have done
"the teach," (where I don't focus on new dancers learning moves, I focus on
making them comfortable and getting them moving to music) Mr. Know It All
has told me that several people "just weren't getting it" and he has
offered
to take them into a separate room to give them "more training" so that they
"don't muck it up for everyone else." (Yes, these were his exact words).
I
have consistently declined his offers, as tactfully as I could. At our last
dance, though, he had obviously made contact with the caller before hand,
as he was taking the microphone during the teach and offering his "two cents
worth" on contra dance set management, formations, etc. I don't think
anyone died in the train wreck, but I see trouble ahead. (Didn't John
Fogerty sing a song about this.??)
My concern is that we have "given someone an inch, and now he wants to take
a mile." This guy, due to his occupation, is used to coming into an
organization and being the new sheriff in town, and I get the distinct
feeling that he sees our dance group as one that he needs to "shape up." I
am personally quite troubled by what I am seeing, but unsure of the best
course of action. (In my view, he is a "bull in a China Shop" and he has
broken quite a bit of china already...) I have seen other dance communities
where a "dancer" does the beginner teach for every one of the dances, and
when people in the community find that they need to make a change, they
don't feel that they can, politically. (How do you "fire" a volunteer??)
Have any of you had a similar experience? Any suggestions? Thanks!