30 Sep
2013
30 Sep
'13
7:43 p.m.
On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 2:26 PM, Greg McKenzie <grekenzie(a)gmail.com> wrote:
I think you're broadly right: the dances that require a lot of skill
to call for are low status, the ones that require less skill are
higher status. But there are also some skills you need in order to be
an excellent weekend/festival caller that won't get much practice
calling at dances with lower experience levels.
Jeff
The final step is to be booked at festivals,
usually a weekend or a whole
week.
This is how most people see it in the USA contra dance scene as well. I'm
not sure why. I have seen many of our "top bill" callers struggling at one
of our local dances--where a healthy percentage of those in the hall are
bright and eager first-time contra dancers. Yet, someone who has proven
themselves to be an excellent caller at open, public contra dances is often
more than ready to call a dance weekend.