Re: [Callers] Recruiting new dancers

Luke, While looking through old email messages, I found your query about new dancers and the thread of responses. I'd never read them until now (think I was away then), so forgive me my considerable delay in responding. I attend and call a number of dances in New Hampshire, and a few in Mass. and VT, as well. Some are fairly small, while others are much larger. Here are a few of my observations on this subject of attracting new dancers. 1. I have often asked new dancers how they heard about the dance and came to try it out. At least 95% of the time, the new dancers say that they came with a friend who recommended it to them. Most of the rest were existing dancers visiting or recently moved here from out of state, where they had danced before. 2. I don't know if I have ever head a new dancer say they came because of an ad in a newspaper, a poster in a store or library, or an announcement on the radio. A positive TV report, or front page newspaper report may bring a few, but those reports are usually few and far between. Word of mouth from existing satisfied dancers is really the primary way that new dancers arrive at out dances. 3. Because word of mouth is so important, small dances are already at a disadvantage because there are fewer dancers there who might bring friends. Children (and grandchildren) of existing dancers are sometimes the key to developing a group of younger dancers at a dance. This has often been the case here. 4. The biggest dances here are those that have attracted a lot of younger dancers (high school, college age, 20-somethings). Younger dancers almost always come with friends, or plan to meet them at the dance. Kids who are too young to drive will usually bring their parents or older siblings. Finally younger dancers always add a lot of energy to a dance. They almost always make a dance livelier and more attractive to other and older dances. It seems to be almost always the case that if you can get the younger dancer to come to a dance, others will follow. 5. So, how do you get the younger dancer to come to a dance, and keep them coming back? I think that one key is to help them think that the dance is THEIR dance. Let them join the band and play some of the music. Teach them to call, if they want to do that. Email them flyers to post at school or to give to friends. Ask them to design a flyer for the dance. Lower the price for students and kids, or make it free for those who bring a friend for the first time. Ask them what dances and tunes they prefer, and do those dances. 6. I think that some of our contra dances here are the first place where many teens speak with adults on an equal basis. It's a social situation where they have some control over what they do and what happens, perhaps the first in their lives. That is if the dance organizers allow them that control and also ask for their help in making the dance fun, and a success. If the caller or dance organizers appear more like a teacher or disciplinarian, they may not come back. 7. That said, we must also remind dancers, both young and old to keep things safe for all. Keep time with the music, and watch out for dancers who might be out of place, or a little slower , such as a young child, someone with an injury, or an older dancer. Don't talk down to the younger dances or single them out; simply remind everyone that we are there to have fun, and we must also watch out for the safety of others. That's all that's necessary 99% of the time. Finally, we hope to show how this has happened a number of times at one dance here as part of the retrospective at the Ralph Page Dance Legacy Weekend in January. Watch for a new website for the weekend shortly. Enough for now, Rich Hart. Luke Donev remarked on 4/29/2010 1:47 PM: