When I first discovered traditional "eastern" squares" in New
England, north of CT, into Mass and southern VT. all the dances were
8:00PM
till Midnight. Typically 5 tips, consisting of three dances each,
until the 10 o'clock 1/2 hr break, followed by three tips after.
Organizers
of ONSs frequently also assume folks - novice dancers at best - will
want longer periods of time - fill up an evening.
Not so! A
good first session, hour or less - break - followed by a shorter session
for the diehards is what they want; even if they do not
know
it. This I take care to explain. I also suggest the publicity states a
"begins at" time...but not a dance ending time - each floor has
it's own life. A contract might give the starting time, continuing for as long as feasible, not to exceed a shut down time.
My experience haven't seen requests for extra time during events but a good return on call-backs.
Once those traditional dancers of yore started aging out the dancing time dropped and someone would complain. "We haven't done
"so & so " yet." Gotta get them all in. When we schedule now it's 7-10.
Two questions to ask on ONSs if you are going into unfamilier territory. Are there happenings competing for the dancer's time?
Alcohol involved?
Bob Livingston
Middletown, CT