Re: [Callers] Mentorship for Choreographers

AACTMAD (Ann Arbor, MI) is doing something similar to what Alan describes below. We're calling it Dance Lab. AACTMAD sponsors the hall rental and we use local aspiring musicians. New callers can get some flight time. More experienced callers can work on dances new to their repertoire. Choreographers can try out new dances. Musicians get practice playing for dances. And the dancers get to try out some new dances. Time is built after each dance to allow discussion of what worked well and what could use some more work. Dance Lab is held monthly. We've held 4 Dance Labs so far and it seems to be getting some buzz in our community. Mark Hillegonds cell: 734-756-8441 email: mhillegonds(a)comcast.net blog: www.defriction.com -----Original Message----- From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Alan Winston Sent: Friday, May 11, 2012 4:55 PM To: Caller's discussion list Subject: Re: [Callers] Mentorship for Choreographers Martha wrote about calling parties. Partly inspired by the Webster Grove calling parties, by the "house dances" and "Potter's Porch" tradition, and partly by the availability of a dance space for $25/night, I've been organizing "Woodshed dances" for the last year and a half. Callers split the rent, everybody else gets in free, and we get to sort out new choreography, puzzle out other people's dances, etc. BACDS adopted the series (which means extending insurance cover and putting the info on the website) this year. http://www.bacds.org/series/woodshed/atherton/ It's very helpful, and trying stuff out there definitely reduces the instance of crashing and burning in front of paying customers. (Challenges sometimes include trying to make a worthwhile evening for the three dancers who happened to show up.) -- Alan _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers