Re: [Callers] ideas for callers about sidelines

Jill asked: This is a great question that gets to the heart of what good contra dance calling is all about! Yes. You need to orient first-timers to the partnering process. In the optional newcomer's orientation do not waste any time teaching figures or moves. In that 15-20 minutes focus on connection (so that first-timers can follow well) and the need to partner with the regulars. The idea of learning primarily from those you partner with, goes against everything most folks "know" about all social dancing. It takes effort to overcome the feeling that they need a separate class to learn, and that they should not partner with regulars until they learn the basics. Tell them how to ask someone to dance. You need to ingrain this idea in them--not just through repetition but by also making sure the implied messages in your actions match your words. But the main principle is that the caller takes full responsibility for everything that happens in the hall. And that includes "sidelined" dancers and gender imbalances. You have to own this problem completely. It is not the responsibility of the regular dancers or the local leadership to take this on. The caller is in the best position to address this situation. It is the caller's job. The caller can address the situation by working to lower what I call the "partnering pressure." Partnering pressure is that feeling that you need to find a "good" partner or any partner quickly for the next dance. Partnering pressure goes up if there is a gender imbalance, if the dance slots are exceptionally long, or if the caller is not clear or precise. Center set syndrome is a symptom of partnering pressure. And high partnering pressure is usually a symptom of poor calling. The strategies I use are subtle. The dancers are unlikely to "notice" what the caller is doing...but these strategies work to reduce the problem. Here is what I do when there is a gender imbalance or lots of sidelined dancers for other reasons: - Call easy dances (this will make sure everyone can succeed and they will not worry about failing because they have an inexperienced partner. This builds confidence in all of the dancers.) - Call dances with more beats of neighbor swinging, and less beats of partner swinging. Consider calling a "no partner swing" dance. (This will create the feeling that the choice of a "partner" is less critical to having a good time.) - Call very clearly and precisely in exact time with the music and using the most effective word order. Give the dancers exactly the information they need at exactly the moment they need it. (This will help all dancers to feel more confident and less likely to worry about failing because of a "poor" partner.) This is basic, good contra dance calling. - Call with short walk-throughs and quit calling soon after beginning. (Increases dancer confidence.) - Cut the dance slots as short as possible. (Short dance slots will create the feeling that there are lots more partnering opportunities to come and more dancers will feel more generous in their partnering decisions. In reality, the caller has to work very hard to allow for even one more dance slot in an evening. But shorter dance slots will encourage a sense of more partnering opportunities nonetheless. The dancers will sense that the danger of being "stuck" with a "bad" partner for a long slot is less of an issue.) - Always remind the dancers to "find a new partner" at the end of each dance...even if "everybody already knows this." That reminder is for first-timers, yes. But it is primarily to remind the regulars that there are first-timers in the hall who may not know that this happens after every dance. Here is what I don't do: - I do not chide the regulars to dance with sidelined dancers. (They already know this so it comes across as guilt-tripping. If I feel a strong need to say anything at all I make sure it is unequivocally positive, as in: "It is great to have so many ladies here tonight. I am glad to see that all of them are getting a chance to dance. This is such a wonderful dance community!") As an organizer: - I point out the problem to the caller and encourage them to call short dance slots to allow for more partnering opportunities so all can join in. That's all....Is this "social engineering?" I hope so. - Greg McKenzie