Re: [Callers] Japan dance and self intro/update

Dear David, I agree with Lindsay. Contras are hinged to a deep tradition and a well-established ritual. To start from scratch it will take at least a generation to get a "real" contra dance going. I suggest you put out the word through whatever media you can and try to contact other contra dancers in Japan. You may be surprised to learn how many there are. If you can get a crowd with at least 20% dancers with some contra experience you can make it work...provided your calling is very precise. I have organized three contra dance tours of the former Soviet Union. One thing I learned is that you don't need a caller who speaks the native tongue, as long as you have a core of experienced dancers. In fact, calling in English is recommended. The new dancers will learn by watching and dancing with those who have done it before. They won't learn from verbal descriptions in any language. Good Luck, Greg McKenzie -----Original Message-----