15 Apr
2010
15 Apr
'10
2:32 a.m.
To return to that responsibility issue - I didn't say the caller was
to blame, you know. Taking responsibility is subtly different from
being to blame.
It is also the caller's responsibility to determine how much "chaos"
can be tolerated in the dance. Sometimes you decide that even if the
walkthrough isn't perfectly solid, the music will straighten things
out and even if the first one or two times might be rocky, it will
even out and will be worth getting the hall dancing. With experience
it gets easier to decide when to make that call. In the situation
with a huge hall and hundreds of dancers, even with good teaching and
calling, a breakdown in a line where there is a sudden confluence of
confused people may almost be certain to happen sometime in a night -
the question then becomes whether consistent clear calling will allow
the neighboring dancers to clear out the situation - and often it
does. And occasionally in a huge hall, the decision has to be made
that stopping the dance that is going gangbusters for 90% of the
people, with great energy and great music, and has ground to a halt
for 10%, is no longer a good idea. With luck, in a huge hall, some
of the "defunct" dancers can run to the end of a working line and get
going again.
Now drunken dancers - that's actually more the managers'
responsibility, though a caller may want to alert the managers if
they are unawares. As a manager once I did have to ask a drunken
dancer to "please sit out for a while until you're feeling better",
whereupon he left, which was fine with everyone. That rarely happens
here, thankfully.
I did do a gig from hell where I was hired to call a contra for an
American Airlines sales convention. It was in a large outdoor tent
where they had various "fun" activities for the attendees, including
a rock wall to climb, some county fair arcade type games, loads of
alcohol, and, because one of their associates had suggested it,
contra-dancing. Or at least that's what it was supposed to be. They
put down a small parquet floor about 9 by 9 foot wide - I begged the
people putting it up to add some extra panels, so it ended up 12 by
12. Aside from that the surface was just hard-packed dirt or grass.
Had a nice old-timey band of my friends playing. People enjoyed the
music and that brought them over to the "dance floor". But they kept
getting drunker as the night went on. I would teach some simple
dance, often a square (which fit best on the floor) and start it
going, and suddenly a few more inebriated people would wander into it
and start dancing, grabbing the other people and swinging them
around, and I'd just have to make stuff up to try to accommodate
everyone on the fly. It was sort of like the never-ending running
set. Or maybe the never-ending stumbling set. Gave new meaning to the
term "reel". In retrospect they all seemed to be having a good time,
but I was just trying to keep people from hurling each other off the
floor (or onto it) or smashing into other dancers in their drunken
exuberance. The bartenders nearby came over at the end and told us
how much they enjoyed the music, which was nice of them. It was a
funny gig - I had gotten a call from a woman who said they wanted to
hire a caller and some musicians for this event, but they couldn't
pay more than $700, take it or leave it. So we took it, and I
certainly earned my keep on that one. Can't say that I felt I was to
blame for any of it - but I did continue to be responsible for trying
to call some semblance of a dance.
Martha
On Apr 14, 2010, at 8:57 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Re: Putting Out Fires (Dan Pearl)
2. Re: Putting Out Fires (Leda Shapiro)
3. Re: Not always the caller's fault! (J L Korr)
4. Re: Not always the caller's fault! (Chris Weiler (home))
5. New Dance (Rich Goss)
6. sometimes not the caller's fault! (Lewis Land)
7. Re: sometimes not the caller's fault! (Greg McKenzie)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:04:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dan Pearl <daniel_pearl(a)yahoo.com>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting Out Fires
Message-ID: <975135.90434.qm(a)web65706.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Until very recently, I thought "it is always the caller's fault".
The problem with absolutes like "always" is that a counterexample
jumps up and hits you in the face.
I like (and use) the tactics for putting out fires that others
recommended: Beef up the calling (earlier, more directional, more
complete), NOT calling to the late group, etc. Not mentioned here
yet is the old "manual intervention". I use a wireless mic, and
that allows me to move around, hopefully addressing issues before
they erupt in flames, but also providing an in-your-face hard-to-
ignore knowledgeable guide post.
If you ever read Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, you'll remember that
the science of psychohistory which allowed practitioners to
essentially predict the future of civilizations was compromised by
a random mutation ("The Mule"). I was thinking of that a few
Saturdays ago when I was calling for a challenging dance. I don't
mean challenging to the dancers: I mean challenging to me to call!
It was a regular dance series, and the "regulars" weren't there,
and there were lots of new dancers. That's OK with me; I do that
all the time. I found myself presenting pretty easy stuff, and
astonishingly, I needed to make it easier as the evening went on. I
was running out of easier-than-dead-easy material. That's also OK
-- I know how to write dances on the fly. What I was not prepared
for was a concentration of dancers that needed special handling.
One dancer, an older fellow who had been dancing for some time, was
literally moving in slow motion, and in a time delay so that the
people around him were sucked into his rift in the time-space
continuum. Another dancer, a newcomer who seemed to "get it"
initially, began careening in random directions at high speed, with
a great big smile on her face. Another new gentleman, also after
seemingly "getting it", started to regress to periods of non-
movement. I moved right next to him and said "right hand star",
putting my own hand out to model the action. He just stood there
and repeated "right hand star".
This made me think about, and question, the assumption that the
caller is always at fault. Perhaps that is a fine mental state to
be in (that is, not blaming the dancers), but you know, the conduct
of the evening is not, and cannot be entirely one person's
responsibility. A dance is like a machine with many moving parts,
and they need to be functioning in expected ways for a smooth
experience. Mistakes? They are part of what the machine does. I
have more trouble when communication that has worked before begins
to fail, when lessons learned are forgotten, and when other
unexpected behaviors arise.
So this was one of the least fun, least rewarding gigs in my 30
years of calling. I chalk it up to an unfortunate confluence of
factors likely not to be repeated for another 30 years.
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:36:55 -0700
From: "Leda Shapiro" <ledas(a)pacbell.net>
To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting Out Fires
Message-ID: <F067F11434C849D4A789A63A630B55EA@LEDAXP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Thank you for reminding us that we, after all, are human...and
sometimes
those there does seem to be a random mutation in one evening...and
yes,
have read Asimov's Trilogy -in fact I read all three more than once.
Thankfully there are all those other nights to remember!
One every 30 years ain't bad..
Leda
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Dan Pearl
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 8:04 PM
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting Out Fires
If you ever read Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, you'll remember that the
science of psychohistory which allowed practitioners to essentially
predict
the future of civilizations was compromised by a random mutation ("The
Mule"). I was thinking of that a few Saturdays ago when I was
calling for a
challenging dance. I don't mean challenging to the dancers: I mean
challenging to me to call! It was a regular dance series, and the
"regulars" weren't there, and there were lots of new dancers.
That's OK
with me; I do that all the time. I found myself presenting pretty
easy
stuff, and astonishingly, I needed to make it easier as the evening
went on.
I was running out of easier-than-dead-easy material. That's also
OK -- I
know how to write dances on the fly. What I was not prepared for was a
concentration of dancers that needed special handling.
One dancer, an older fellow who had been dancing for some time, was
literally moving in slow motion, and in a time delay so that the
people
around him were sucked into his rift in the time-space continuum.
Another
dancer, a newcomer who seemed to "get it" initially, began
careening in
random directions at high speed, with a great big smile on her face.
Another new gentleman, also after seemingly "getting it", started
to regress
to periods of non-movement. I moved right next to him and said
"right hand
star", putting my own hand out to model the action. He just stood
there and
repeated "right hand star".
This made me think about, and question, the assumption that the
caller is
always at fault. Perhaps that is a fine mental state to be in (that
is, not
blaming the dancers), but you know, the conduct of the evening is
not, and
cannot be entirely one person's responsibility. A dance is like a
machine
with many moving parts, and they need to be functioning in expected
ways for
a smooth experience. Mistakes? They are part of what the machine
does. I
have more trouble when communication that has worked before begins
to fail,
when lessons learned are forgotten, and when other unexpected
behaviors
arise.
So this was one of the least fun, least rewarding gigs in my 30
years of
calling. I chalk it up to an unfortunate confluence of factors
likely not to
be repeated for another 30 years.
_______________________________________________
Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:46:14 -0400
From: J L Korr <jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com>
To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Not always the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <SNT101-W50819A68F3B751180E9C7BC7100(a)phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Sorry, folks, but this conversation is pushing a personal button
about not using words like "always" and "never" unless it's truly
so. I completely agree with Greg, Martha, and others that in
general, the caller does and should bear responsibility for
problems on the dance floor. But I can't agree that this is always
the case. Consider these two scenarios, among others:
1) In a large dance hall at a festival with 500 dancers, one of ten
contra lines begins to break down when pairs of less experienced
dancers happen to meet simultaneously in three different minor sets
and become confused. The rest of the hall is fine. The caller can't
intervene personally by, for example, running out on the floor.
2) During the 12:15 am - 2:00 am set at the Falcon Ridge Folk
Festival, again with hundreds of dancers, the caller calls a
relatively easy dance requiring little thought. Some dancers, who
are in a range of mental states from alcohol, etc., have trouble
staying oriented and coordinated, causing recurring problems in
their sets.
I'd argue that in these contexts, though the dance floor itself is
experiencing a breakdown, the caller hasn't done anything wrong,
nor does s/he have the responsibility of fixing the problem. In the
first scenario, the caller must select dances for and call to the
broadest possible swath of dancers among those present, recognizing
that some minor problems are inevitable. In the second scenario,
the inebriated dancers are entitled to participate in the dance at
that venue, and there's little the caller can do to improve their
mental coordination.
So I'd say the caller almost always has responsibility for problems
that occur in the hall, but in certain scenarios does not, or at
least has limited responsibility relative to most situations. --Jeremy
From: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net>
Oh, yes, and it's always the caller's
responsibility.
> From: Greg McKenzie
<gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
> There are never fires in the hall--only in
your own mind. If there
> is trouble anywhere in the hall it is because you have screwed
> up...somewhere. <snip> The caller should take full
> responsibility for
> the gaff.
_________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 06:31:29 -0400
From: "Chris Weiler (home)" <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Not always the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <4BC59981.7070005(a)weirdtable.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I think there needs to be a distinction between what is really
happening
in the hall and the stance that we take from the microphone. There are
hundreds of variables that are all outside of our control at a
dance. We
pretend to have control, but all we can do is influence. It is our
responsibility to use that influence to try and help everyone have
a lot
of fun. But you're not going to be able to stop some problems from
happening.
That said, there is a lot of power in taking responsibility from the
microphone for problems, even when it's not your fault. Some have been
listed here already. It puts people at ease. They can relax and enjoy
the next dance without being overly focused on what went wrong. It
reinforces your authority when lines falling apart are creating a
feeling of chaos. And sometimes, it really is your fault. ;)
I had this happen at a recent dance. I called a very simple dance, but
it is constructed symmetrically, so sometimes it can be difficult to
know if you're in the As or the Bs. The second time through the
dance, I
called "neighbor" instead of "partner" and half the hall believed
me and
the other half didn't. Everyone was in a different place very quickly.
After seeing that I couldn't get everyone back to the same place to
recover after a couple of attempts, I stopped the music and
immediately
announced "Sorry, folks, my fault completely. Let's try this
again." The
crowd erupted in applause! They lined up and we started again without
any further trouble. People respond to humility and to people who take
responsibility for their actions. It humanizes you in their eyes and
they'll cut you a lot of slack for it.
Chris Weiler
Goffstown, NH
J L Korr wrote:
> Sorry, folks, but this conversation is pushing a personal button
> about not using words like "always" and "never" unless it's
truly
> so. I completely agree with Greg, Martha, and others that in
> general, the caller does and should bear responsibility for
> problems on the dance floor. But I can't agree that this is always
> the case. Consider these two scenarios, among others:
>
> 1) In a large dance hall at a festival with 500 dancers, one of
> ten contra lines begins to break down when pairs of less
> experienced dancers happen to meet simultaneously in three
> different minor sets and become confused. The rest of the hall is
> fine. The caller can't intervene personally by, for example,
> running out on the floor.
>
> 2) During the 12:15 am - 2:00 am set at the Falcon Ridge Folk
> Festival, again with hundreds of dancers, the caller calls a
> relatively easy dance requiring little thought. Some dancers, who
> are in a range of mental states from alcohol, etc., have trouble
> staying oriented and coordinated, causing recurring problems in
> their sets.
>
> I'd argue that in these contexts, though the dance floor itself is
> experiencing a breakdown, the caller hasn't done anything wrong,
> nor does s/he have the responsibility of fixing the problem. In
> the first scenario, the caller must select dances for and call to
> the broadest possible swath of dancers among those present,
> recognizing that some minor problems are inevitable. In the second
> scenario, the inebriated dancers are entitled to participate in
> the dance at that venue, and there's little the caller can do to
> improve their mental coordination.
>
> So I'd say the caller almost always has responsibility for
> problems that occur in the hall, but in certain scenarios does
> not, or at least has limited responsibility relative to most
> situations. --Jeremy
>
>
> From: Martha Wild
<mawild(a)sbcglobal.net>
>>
>
>
> Oh, yes, and it's always the caller's
responsibility.
>>
>
>
> > From: Greg McKenzie
<gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
>>>
>
>
>>> There are never fires in the hall--only in your own mind. If there
>>> is trouble anywhere in the hall it is because you have screwed
>>> up...somewhere. <snip> The caller should take full
>>> responsibility for
>>> the gaff.
>>>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from
> your inbox.
> http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?
> ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_3
> _______________________________________________
> Callers mailing list
> Callers(a)sharedweight.net
> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
>
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:15:21 -0700
From: Rich Goss <richgoss(a)comcast.net>
To: Shared Weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] New Dance
Message-ID: <C7EB1C09.8C6E%richgoss(a)comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Wrote this dance recently in honor of one of our dancers who
recently passed
away, Betty Stewart. Has this one already been written?
Betty?s Night Out ? Rich Goss
Improper, Double Prog
A1: Neighbor Dosido and Swing (end facing down hall)
A2: Down hall 4-in-line, turn as couples; Return, face across
B1: 1/2 Hey, Gents Ricochet Back (Ladies cross rt sh)
Partner swing
B2: Circle Left 3/4
As Couples, zig left, zag right, zig left
Rich, Portland Or
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:15:03 -0600
From: Lewis Land <lewisland(a)windstream.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Cc: J L Korr <jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com>
Subject: [Callers] sometimes not the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <4BC5CDE7.5010309(a)windstream.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Regarding J L Korr's message observing that it's not always the
caller's
fault, he is completely correct. The point Greg and I were trying to
make is that the caller is sort of like the conductor in an orchestra,
the person who is ultimately responsible for making everything go
smoothly and happen on time.
Things don't always go smoothly, of course. Where I call we often
have a
group consisting of more than 50% newcomers, and when I tell them that
any mistakes in the dance are always the caller's fault, it's my
way of
putting the newcomers at ease and making them feel welcome. Some
people
that show up have never done any kind of dancing before, in their
entire
lives (these are usually guys), and the prospect of community dancing
can be quite intimidating. Based on my own experience when I first
started contra dancing, I try to make it clear to the novices that
we're
a very non-judgmental group, so even the most catastrophic missteps on
their part are ultimately my responsibility.
That said, at almost every dance I've called I have found myself
rolling
my eyes at the sight of, for example, some dancer who has been showing
up regularly for /years/, and still has no sense of timing (again,
usually a guy), or the group of young, inexperienced dancers who
insist
on dancing exclusively with each other, disrupting the entire line
because they seem to think contra is somewhat like break dancing.
There
are plenty of times when incompetent dancers screw things up, and
during
post-dance conversations with our other caller I will rant about them
unmercifully. But at the dance the best thing I can do is try to
project
an air of confidence and let people know everything's going to be
fine,
and fun. It's very similar to the attitude I tried to project when
I was
raising teenage children.
One final comment: I sometimes find myself dancing in a venue where
the
caller is very experienced and is obviously experimenting with new and
challenging dances, at a level that is clearly incompatible with the
experience level of most of the dancers in the hall. I think this is
very self-indulgent. We all need to grow as callers, but the best
callers can gauge the experience level of the group and call
appropriately. Some of my best calling experiences have involved
calling
a dance that I've labeled "painfully easy", and afterward having a new
dancer come up to thank me for my calling and tell me what a wonderful
time they've had. That's really what it's all about. -Lewis Land
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:57:15 -0700
From: Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] sometimes not the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <E1O24y1-0007YT-4g(a)elasmtp-junco.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed
Thanks to all who spoke up, for bringing this
issue into more clarity. ?It?s always the
caller?s fault,? is a clever line that is often
misunderstood. Too many callers see it as a
throw-away gesture that has a laudable sentiment, but no real
substance.
It might be more accurate, and more useful to
say: ?The caller always takes full responsibility
for anything that happens in the hall.?
This posture is one with a history that grows out
of the caller?s role as the master of
ceremonies. MCs have always understood the need
for taking responsibility as part of their task
of holding the attention of the hall. This is
how they maintain their position of
leadership. It was with the development of
amplified public address systems that this
responsibility became much more salient and much
more necessary. When speaking with a microphone
the emcee has the awesome power of projecting
their thoughts into the minds of all present,
with little effort. This ability comes with a
great responsibility of leadership, and
professional emcees have learned that their role
is to always speak on behalf of the interests of
everyone in the hall. That means taking full
responsibility for anything that goes wrong.
How can the caller take responsibility for
everything that happens? If the toilet in the
ladies bathroom backs up, is it the caller?s fault?
Actually, it is. More to the point, it is the
caller?s responsibility, as a leader, to deal
with the situation. Here is one possible example:
?Ladies and gentlemen: Please accept my sincere
apologies. I have been informed that there is a
serious problem with the plumbing in the ladies
bathroom. I am sorry about this inconvenience
and ask for your gracious cooperation. The
ladies bathroom will be closed for the rest of
this evening. Julie, our wonderful dance
manager, has made a sign with both a ?Men?s? and
a ?Ladies? side which will be hung on the working
bathroom. Julie will take responsibility for
switching the sign during each dance. We ask
that you use this bathroom only when it is
labeled for your gender. Once again, I am sorry
about this inconvenience. We all appreciate your
cooperation and consideration in dealing with
this problem. Now, please take hands in groups
of four from the top of the hall.?
This announcement could, of course, be made by
the dance manager or some other responsible
party. The caller, however, should apologize, in
any case, for the disruption of the dance
program. In the absence of anyone else stepping
forward it is the caller?s responsibility to
address the problem. The point is to put the
dancers at ease so that they can do their job of
enjoying a wonderful evening of social dance with live music.
Someone brought up the issue of dancers who fail
to integrate into the community and form clumps
of newcomers. Is this the caller?s fault? Yes
it is. The tradition of contra dance includes
learning at a regular dance rather than in
separate lessons. Consequently, integrating
newcomers into the community is the caller?s
responsibility and is one of the most essential
core skills that define an excellent contra dance
caller. Clumps of newcomers in the hall are a
clear symptom of poor calling. Sorry. It?s one
of your primary responsibilities. (Note that if
we relinquish this responsibility it eliminates
any discussion of how the caller can integrate
newcomers, something that really should be addressed.)
There have been some good points made in this
thread. In the final analysis, however, the idea
of the caller taking total responsibility is an
inescapable position. While it may be true that
the caller is not omnipotent I would submit the
following points about the caller?s responsibility for the hall::
* This is not a statement of fact. It is a
statement of policy which defines the professional role of a caller.
* Any alternative policy offers no possible
action that the caller can take to ?put out
fires? or improve the situation. Other positions
offer only excuses for the caller to relinquish leadership.
* By accepting this policy the caller can
provide both leadership and a positive example
for others. If the caller makes excuses others will follow that
example.
If there is any core principle to calling
effectively and with professionalism, this is
it. If the caller is not willing to take
responsibility for everything that happens in the
hall they are simply not doing their job. If
there is a problem with the evening?whether it be
disruptive dancers, a band that plays
inappropriate tunes, or ?incompetent dancers,??an
excellent caller will always ask: ?What could I
do differently next time to better address this
problem?? Without taking full responsibility the
caller will not have the motivation to
improve. There are always excuses to employ. A
professional caller does not make excuses. Most
importantly, this action sets an example for everyone.
Calling is a role of leadership. If the
caller?who has a PA system?is not willing to take
responsibility, why should anyone else?
Greg McKenzie
------------------------------
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End of Callers Digest, Vol 68, Issue 12
*************************************** 
17 Apr
17 Apr
1:19 a.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Martha, that 'gigs from hell story' is hilarious...been there done that... with
stoned rather than drunk folks. I wonder how Greg will subsume that under his "caller
is always to blame' rubric.
--- On Thu, 4/15/10, Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net> wrote:
From: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting out fires
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 12:32 AM
To return to that responsibility issue - I didn't say the caller was to blame, you
know. Taking responsibility is subtly different from being to blame.
It is also the caller's responsibility to determine how much "chaos" can be
tolerated in the dance. Sometimes you decide that even if the walkthrough isn't
perfectly solid, the music will straighten things out and even if the first one or two
times might be rocky, it will even out and will be worth getting the hall dancing. With
experience it gets easier to decide when to make that call. In the situation with a huge
hall and hundreds of dancers, even with good teaching and calling, a breakdown in a line
where there is a sudden confluence of confused people may almost be certain to happen
sometime in a night - the question then becomes whether consistent clear calling will
allow the neighboring dancers to clear out the situation - and often it does. And
occasionally in a huge hall, the decision has to be made that stopping the dance that is
going gangbusters for 90% of the people, with great energy and great music, and has ground
to a halt for 10%, is
no longer a good idea. With luck, in a huge hall, some of the "defunct" dancers
can run to the end of a working line and get going again.
Now drunken dancers - that's actually more the managers' responsibility, though a
caller may want to alert the managers if they are unawares. As a manager once I did have
to ask a drunken dancer to "please sit out for a while until you're feeling
better", whereupon he left, which was fine with everyone. That rarely happens here,
thankfully.
I did do a gig from hell where I was hired to call a contra for an American Airlines sales
convention. It was in a large outdoor tent where they had various "fun"
activities for the attendees, including a rock wall to climb, some county fair arcade type
games, loads of alcohol, and, because one of their associates had suggested it,
contra-dancing. Or at least that's what it was supposed to be. They put down a small
parquet floor about 9 by 9 foot wide - I begged the people putting it up to add some
extra panels, so it ended up 12 by 12. Aside from that the surface was just hard-packed
dirt or grass. Had a nice old-timey band of my friends playing. People enjoyed the music
and that brought them over to the "dance floor". But they kept getting drunker
as the night went on. I would teach some simple dance, often a square (which fit best on
the floor) and start it going, and suddenly a few more inebriated people would wander into
it and start dancing,
grabbing the other people and swinging them around, and I'd just have to make stuff
up to try to accommodate everyone on the fly. It was sort of like the never-ending running
set. Or maybe the never-ending stumbling set. Gave new meaning to the term
"reel". In retrospect they all seemed to be having a good time, but I was just
trying to keep people from hurling each other off the floor (or onto it) or smashing into
other dancers in their drunken exuberance. The bartenders nearby came over at the end and
told us how much they enjoyed the music, which was nice of them. It was a funny gig - I
had gotten a call from a woman who said they wanted to hire a caller and some musicians
for this event, but they couldn't pay more than $700, take it or leave it. So we took
it, and I certainly earned my keep on that one. Can't say that I felt I was to blame
for any of it - but I did continue to be responsible for trying to call some semblance of
a dance.
Martha
On Apr 14, 2010, at 8:57 AM, callers-request(a)sharedweight.net wrote:
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than "Re: Contents of Callers digest..."
Today's Topics:
1. Re: Putting Out Fires (Dan Pearl)
2. Re: Putting Out Fires (Leda Shapiro)
3. Re: Not always the caller's fault! (J L Korr)
4. Re: Not always the caller's fault! (Chris Weiler (home))
5. New Dance (Rich Goss)
6. sometimes not the caller's fault! (Lewis Land)
7. Re: sometimes not the caller's fault! (Greg McKenzie)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:04:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: Dan Pearl <daniel_pearl(a)yahoo.com>
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting Out Fires
Message-ID: <975135.90434.qm(a)web65706.mail.ac4.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Until very recently, I thought "it is always the caller's fault". The
problem with absolutes like "always" is that a counterexample jumps up and hits
you in the face.
I like (and use) the tactics for putting out fires that others recommended: Beef up the
calling (earlier, more directional, more complete), NOT calling to the late group, etc.
Not mentioned here yet is the old "manual intervention". I use a wireless mic,
and that allows me to move around, hopefully addressing issues before they erupt in
flames, but also providing an in-your-face hard-to-ignore knowledgeable guide post.
If you ever read Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, you'll remember that the science of
psychohistory which allowed practitioners to essentially predict the future of
civilizations was compromised by a random mutation ("The Mule"). I was thinking
of that a few Saturdays ago when I was calling for a challenging dance. I don't mean
challenging to the dancers: I mean challenging to me to call! It was a regular dance
series, and the "regulars" weren't there, and there were lots of new
dancers. That's OK with me; I do that all the time. I found myself presenting pretty
easy stuff, and astonishingly, I needed to make it easier as the evening went on. I was
running out of easier-than-dead-easy material. That's also OK -- I know how to write
dances on the fly. What I was not prepared for was a concentration of dancers that needed
special handling.
One dancer, an older fellow who had been dancing for some time, was literally moving in
slow motion, and in a time delay so that the people around him were sucked into his rift
in the time-space continuum. Another dancer, a newcomer who seemed to "get it"
initially, began careening in random directions at high speed, with a great big smile on
her face. Another new gentleman, also after seemingly "getting it", started to
regress to periods of non-movement. I moved right next to him and said "right hand
star", putting my own hand out to model the action. He just stood there and repeated
"right hand star".
This made me think about, and question, the assumption that the caller is always at
fault. Perhaps that is a fine mental state to be in (that is, not blaming the dancers),
but you know, the conduct of the evening is not, and cannot be entirely one person's
responsibility. A dance is like a machine with many moving parts, and they need to be
functioning in expected ways for a smooth experience. Mistakes? They are part of what the
machine does. I have more trouble when communication that has worked before begins to
fail, when lessons learned are forgotten, and when other unexpected behaviors arise.
So this was one of the least fun, least rewarding gigs in my 30 years of calling. I chalk
it up to an unfortunate confluence of factors likely not to be repeated for another 30
years.
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 20:36:55 -0700
From: "Leda Shapiro" <ledas(a)pacbell.net>
To: "'Caller's discussion list'" <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting Out Fires
Message-ID: <F067F11434C849D4A789A63A630B55EA@LEDAXP>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Thank you for reminding us that we, after all, are human...and sometimes
those there does seem to be a random mutation in one evening...and yes,
have read Asimov's Trilogy -in fact I read all three more than once.
Thankfully there are all those other nights to remember!
One every 30 years ain't bad..
Leda
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Dan Pearl
Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 8:04 PM
To: callers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: Re: [Callers] Putting Out Fires
If you ever read Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, you'll remember that the
science of psychohistory which allowed practitioners to essentially predict
the future of civilizations was compromised by a random mutation ("The
Mule"). I was thinking of that a few Saturdays ago when I was calling for a
challenging dance. I don't mean challenging to the dancers: I mean
challenging to me to call! It was a regular dance series, and the
"regulars" weren't there, and there were lots of new dancers. That's
OK
with me; I do that all the time. I found myself presenting pretty easy
stuff, and astonishingly, I needed to make it easier as the evening went on.
I was running out of easier-than-dead-easy material. That's also OK -- I
know how to write dances on the fly. What I was not prepared for was a
concentration of dancers that needed special handling.
One dancer, an older fellow who had been dancing for some time, was
literally moving in slow motion, and in a time delay so that the people
around him were sucked into his rift in the time-space continuum. Another
dancer, a newcomer who seemed to "get it" initially, began careening in
random directions at high speed, with a great big smile on her face.
Another new gentleman, also after seemingly "getting it", started to regress
to periods of non-movement. I moved right next to him and said "right hand
star", putting my own hand out to model the action. He just stood there and
repeated "right hand star".
This made me think about, and question, the assumption that the caller is
always at fault. Perhaps that is a fine mental state to be in (that is, not
blaming the dancers), but you know, the conduct of the evening is not, and
cannot be entirely one person's responsibility. A dance is like a machine
with many moving parts, and they need to be functioning in expected ways for
a smooth experience. Mistakes? They are part of what the machine does. I
have more trouble when communication that has worked before begins to fail,
when lessons learned are forgotten, and when other unexpected behaviors
arise.
So this was one of the least fun, least rewarding gigs in my 30 years of
calling. I chalk it up to an unfortunate confluence of factors likely not to
be repeated for another 30 years.
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Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:46:14 -0400
From: J L Korr <jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com>
To: <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Not always the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <SNT101-W50819A68F3B751180E9C7BC7100(a)phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
Sorry, folks, but this conversation is pushing a personal button about not using words
like "always" and "never" unless it's truly so. I completely agree
with Greg, Martha, and others that in general, the caller does and should bear
responsibility for problems on the dance floor. But I can't agree that this is always
the case. Consider these two scenarios, among others:
1) In a large dance hall at a festival with 500 dancers, one of ten contra lines begins
to break down when pairs of less experienced dancers happen to meet simultaneously in
three different minor sets and become confused. The rest of the hall is fine. The caller
can't intervene personally by, for example, running out on the floor.
2) During the 12:15 am - 2:00 am set at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, again with
hundreds of dancers, the caller calls a relatively easy dance requiring little thought.
Some dancers, who are in a range of mental states from alcohol, etc., have trouble staying
oriented and coordinated, causing recurring problems in their sets.
I'd argue that in these contexts, though the dance floor itself is experiencing a
breakdown, the caller hasn't done anything wrong, nor does s/he have the
responsibility of fixing the problem. In the first scenario, the caller must select dances
for and call to the broadest possible swath of dancers among those present, recognizing
that some minor problems are inevitable. In the second scenario, the inebriated dancers
are entitled to participate in the dance at that venue, and there's little the caller
can do to improve their mental coordination.
So I'd say the caller almost always has responsibility for problems that occur in the
hall, but in certain scenarios does not, or at least has limited responsibility relative
to most situations. --Jeremy
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From: Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net>
Oh, yes, and it's always the caller's
responsibility.
> From: Greg McKenzie
<gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
> There are never fires in the hall--only in
your own mind. If there
> is trouble anywhere in the hall it is because you have screwed
> up...somewhere. <snip> The caller should take full responsibility for
> the gaff.
_________________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 06:31:29 -0400
From: "Chris Weiler (home)" <chris.weiler(a)weirdtable.org>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] Not always the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <4BC59981.7070005(a)weirdtable.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I think there needs to be a distinction between what is really happening
in the hall and the stance that we take from the microphone. There are
hundreds of variables that are all outside of our control at a dance. We
pretend to have control, but all we can do is influence. It is our
responsibility to use that influence to try and help everyone have a lot
of fun. But you're not going to be able to stop some problems from
happening.
That said, there is a lot of power in taking responsibility from the
microphone for problems, even when it's not your fault. Some have been
listed here already. It puts people at ease. They can relax and enjoy
the next dance without being overly focused on what went wrong. It
reinforces your authority when lines falling apart are creating a
feeling of chaos. And sometimes, it really is your fault. ;)
I had this happen at a recent dance. I called a very simple dance, but
it is constructed symmetrically, so sometimes it can be difficult to
know if you're in the As or the Bs. The second time through the dance, I
called "neighbor" instead of "partner" and half the hall believed me
and
the other half didn't. Everyone was in a different place very quickly.
After seeing that I couldn't get everyone back to the same place to
recover after a couple of attempts, I stopped the music and immediately
announced "Sorry, folks, my fault completely. Let's try this again." The
crowd erupted in applause! They lined up and we started again without
any further trouble. People respond to humility and to people who take
responsibility for their actions. It humanizes you in their eyes and
they'll cut you a lot of slack for it.
Chris Weiler
Goffstown, NH
J L Korr wrote:
> Sorry, folks, but this conversation is pushing a personal button about not using
words like "always" and "never" unless it's truly so. I completely
agree with Greg, Martha, and others that in general, the caller does and should bear
responsibility for problems on the dance floor. But I can't agree that this is always
the case. Consider these two scenarios, among others:
>
> 1) In a large dance hall at a festival with 500 dancers, one of ten contra lines
begins to break down when pairs of less experienced dancers happen to meet simultaneously
in three different minor sets and become confused. The rest of the hall is fine. The
caller can't intervene personally by, for example, running out on the floor.
>
> 2) During the 12:15 am - 2:00 am set at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, again with
hundreds of dancers, the caller calls a relatively easy dance requiring little thought.
Some dancers, who are in a range of mental states from alcohol, etc., have trouble staying
oriented and coordinated, causing recurring problems in their sets.
>
> I'd argue that in these contexts, though the dance floor itself is experiencing a
breakdown, the caller hasn't done anything wrong, nor does s/he have the
responsibility of fixing the problem. In the first scenario, the caller must select dances
for and call to the broadest possible swath of dancers among those present, recognizing
that some minor problems are inevitable. In the second scenario, the inebriated dancers
are entitled to participate in the dance at that venue, and there's little the caller
can do to improve their mental coordination.
>
> So I'd say the caller almost always has responsibility for problems that occur in
the hall, but in certain scenarios does not, or at least has limited responsibility
relative to most situations. --Jeremy
>
>
> From: Martha Wild
<mawild(a)sbcglobal.net>
>>
>
>
> Oh, yes, and it's always the caller's
responsibility.
>>
>
>
> > From: Greg McKenzie
<gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
>>>
>
>
>>> There are never fires in the hall--only in your own mind. If there
>>> is trouble anywhere in the hall it is because you have screwed
>>> up...somewhere. <snip> The caller should take full responsibility for
>>> the gaff.
>>>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> The New Busy is not the old busy. Search, chat and e-mail from your inbox.
>
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>
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:15:21 -0700
From: Rich Goss <richgoss(a)comcast.net>
To: Shared Weight <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Callers] New Dance
Message-ID: <C7EB1C09.8C6E%richgoss(a)comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="ISO-8859-1"
Wrote this dance recently in honor of one of our dancers who recently passed
away, Betty Stewart. Has this one already been written?
Betty?s Night Out ? Rich Goss
Improper, Double Prog
A1: Neighbor Dosido and Swing (end facing down hall)
A2: Down hall 4-in-line, turn as couples; Return, face across
B1: 1/2 Hey, Gents Ricochet Back (Ladies cross rt sh)
Partner swing
B2: Circle Left 3/4
As Couples, zig left, zag right, zig left
Rich, Portland Or
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:15:03 -0600
From: Lewis Land <lewisland(a)windstream.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Cc: J L Korr <jeremykorr(a)hotmail.com>
Subject: [Callers] sometimes not the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <4BC5CDE7.5010309(a)windstream.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Regarding J L Korr's message observing that it's not always the caller's
fault, he is completely correct. The point Greg and I were trying to
make is that the caller is sort of like the conductor in an orchestra,
the person who is ultimately responsible for making everything go
smoothly and happen on time.
Things don't always go smoothly, of course. Where I call we often have a
group consisting of more than 50% newcomers, and when I tell them that
any mistakes in the dance are always the caller's fault, it's my way of
putting the newcomers at ease and making them feel welcome. Some people
that show up have never done any kind of dancing before, in their entire
lives (these are usually guys), and the prospect of community dancing
can be quite intimidating. Based on my own experience when I first
started contra dancing, I try to make it clear to the novices that we're
a very non-judgmental group, so even the most catastrophic missteps on
their part are ultimately my responsibility.
That said, at almost every dance I've called I have found myself rolling
my eyes at the sight of, for example, some dancer who has been showing
up regularly for /years/, and still has no sense of timing (again,
usually a guy), or the group of young, inexperienced dancers who insist
on dancing exclusively with each other, disrupting the entire line
because they seem to think contra is somewhat like break dancing. There
are plenty of times when incompetent dancers screw things up, and during
post-dance conversations with our other caller I will rant about them
unmercifully. But at the dance the best thing I can do is try to project
an air of confidence and let people know everything's going to be fine,
and fun. It's very similar to the attitude I tried to project when I was
raising teenage children.
One final comment: I sometimes find myself dancing in a venue where the
caller is very experienced and is obviously experimenting with new and
challenging dances, at a level that is clearly incompatible with the
experience level of most of the dancers in the hall. I think this is
very self-indulgent. We all need to grow as callers, but the best
callers can gauge the experience level of the group and call
appropriately. Some of my best calling experiences have involved calling
a dance that I've labeled "painfully easy", and afterward having a new
dancer come up to thank me for my calling and tell me what a wonderful
time they've had. That's really what it's all about. -Lewis Land
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2010 08:57:15 -0700
From: Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>
To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>
Subject: Re: [Callers] sometimes not the caller's fault!
Message-ID: <E1O24y1-0007YT-4g(a)elasmtp-junco.atl.sa.earthlink.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed
Thanks to all who spoke up, for bringing this
issue into more clarity. ?It?s always the
caller?s fault,? is a clever line that is often
misunderstood. Too many callers see it as a
throw-away gesture that has a laudable sentiment, but no real substance.
It might be more accurate, and more useful to
say: ?The caller always takes full responsibility
for anything that happens in the hall.?
This posture is one with a history that grows out
of the caller?s role as the master of
ceremonies. MCs have always understood the need
for taking responsibility as part of their task
of holding the attention of the hall. This is
how they maintain their position of
leadership. It was with the development of
amplified public address systems that this
responsibility became much more salient and much
more necessary. When speaking with a microphone
the emcee has the awesome power of projecting
their thoughts into the minds of all present,
with little effort. This ability comes with a
great responsibility of leadership, and
professional emcees have learned that their role
is to always speak on behalf of the interests of
everyone in the hall. That means taking full
responsibility for anything that goes wrong.
How can the caller take responsibility for
everything that happens? If the toilet in the
ladies bathroom backs up, is it the caller?s fault?
Actually, it is. More to the point, it is the
caller?s responsibility, as a leader, to deal
with the situation. Here is one possible example:
?Ladies and gentlemen: Please accept my sincere
apologies. I have been informed that there is a
serious problem with the plumbing in the ladies
bathroom. I am sorry about this inconvenience
and ask for your gracious cooperation. The
ladies bathroom will be closed for the rest of
this evening. Julie, our wonderful dance
manager, has made a sign with both a ?Men?s? and
a ?Ladies? side which will be hung on the working
bathroom. Julie will take responsibility for
switching the sign during each dance. We ask
that you use this bathroom only when it is
labeled for your gender. Once again, I am sorry
about this inconvenience. We all appreciate your
cooperation and consideration in dealing with
this problem. Now, please take hands in groups
of four from the top of the hall.?
This announcement could, of course, be made by
the dance manager or some other responsible
party. The caller, however, should apologize, in
any case, for the disruption of the dance
program. In the absence of anyone else stepping
forward it is the caller?s responsibility to
address the problem. The point is to put the
dancers at ease so that they can do their job of
enjoying a wonderful evening of social dance with live music.
Someone brought up the issue of dancers who fail
to integrate into the community and form clumps
of newcomers. Is this the caller?s fault? Yes
it is. The tradition of contra dance includes
learning at a regular dance rather than in
separate lessons. Consequently, integrating
newcomers into the community is the caller?s
responsibility and is one of the most essential
core skills that define an excellent contra dance
caller. Clumps of newcomers in the hall are a
clear symptom of poor calling. Sorry. It?s one
of your primary responsibilities. (Note that if
we relinquish this responsibility it eliminates
any discussion of how the caller can integrate
newcomers, something that really should be addressed.)
There have been some good points made in this
thread. In the final analysis, however, the idea
of the caller taking total responsibility is an
inescapable position. While it may be true that
the caller is not omnipotent I would submit the
following points about the caller?s responsibility for the hall::
* This is not a statement of fact. It is a
statement of policy which defines the professional role of a caller.
* Any alternative policy offers no possible
action that the caller can take to ?put out
fires? or improve the situation. Other positions
offer only excuses for the caller to relinquish leadership.
* By accepting this policy the caller can
provide both leadership and a positive example
for others. If the caller makes excuses others will follow that example.
If there is any core principle to calling
effectively and with professionalism, this is
it. If the caller is not willing to take
responsibility for everything that happens in the
hall they are simply not doing their job. If
there is a problem with the evening?whether it be
disruptive dancers, a band that plays
inappropriate tunes, or ?incompetent dancers,??an
excellent caller will always ask: ?What could I
do differently next time to better address this
problem?? Without taking full responsibility the
caller will not have the motivation to
improve. There are always excuses to employ. A
professional caller does not make excuses. Most
importantly, this action sets an example for everyone.
Calling is a role of leadership. If the
caller?who has a PA system?is not willing to take
responsibility, why should anyone else?
Greg McKenzie
------------------------------
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End of Callers Digest, Vol 68, Issue 12
*************************************** 
3:04 a.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Hi Jean, Martha, and other responsible callers,
I've enjoyed this discussion. Thanks for everyone comments.
I can relate to Martha's 'gig from hell' story. As contrast however,
you might find the following video clip interesting - it was
a barn dance with everyone absolute beginners, and 5 slightly
(happy) tipsy people just wandered in off the street. But for that
crowd and dance "chaos" was part of the fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=-FKHkP-uILo
Cheers, Bill
11:06 a.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Great video, Bill! Thanks for sharing.
Andrea
Hi Jean, Martha, and other responsible callers,
I've enjoyed this discussion. Thanks for everyone comments.
I can relate to Martha's 'gig from hell' story. As contrast however,
you might find the following video clip interesting - it was a barn
dance with everyone absolute beginners, and 5 slightly (happy) tipsy
people just wandered in off the street. But for that crowd and dance
"chaos" was part of the fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=-FKHkP-uILo
Cheers, Bill
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18 Apr
18 Apr
9:23 a.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Hello to all callers -
I am a public school music teacher, and so am a de facto caller to each of
my classes whenever we dance (which is often). So it is not a self-selected
group in any sense - everyone's there - everyone dances. There are many
children with processing issues - they do literally need to repeat back to
you what you said in order to process it. There are many children who are
spatially challenged - they don't see the BIG PICTURE of the circle, or
lines, or square - and don't know that they are a part of this formation.
And there are the directionally challenged - left? Right? The kids with big
social or emotional issues...... etc etc etc.
These are the reasons I love to teach dance, and feel that it is SO
IMPORTANT. To be IN the circle reinforces the concept of a circle, being
one part of a larger whole where everyone is equal and everyone is important
helps everyone's self-esteem. Moving to music with others helps those who
are depressed and lonely. The structure and "rules" - hands out and smile
at your next partner - teaches social tools and makes it safe for all,
including those students for whom this is the only time in the day when
other students will reach out to them with a smile.
So, yes, there are many "fires" if you think of it that way. But I love to
see their faces when they do finally "get it" and then can do it on their
own, and then start to own it. Of course, I have the luxury of spending a
whole class period on one dance, or teaching it in bits over several
classes, so I know it is a whole other can of worms to call at a public
dance. But please be gentle with the challenged ones. It might very well
be that they have never had to move in a certain direction with a specific
hand with specific strangers within 2 seconds of you telling them to do so.
Not many people even just walk a straight line at 120 beats per minute, let
alone do it in changing formations with others. Patience patience patience.
Now, to get the other dancers to have patience also.....
Nancy Fiske
Hi Jean, Martha, and other responsible callers,
I've enjoyed this discussion. Thanks for everyone comments.
I can relate to Martha's 'gig from hell' story. As contrast however,
you might find the following video clip interesting - it was
a barn dance with everyone absolute beginners, and 5 slightly
(happy) tipsy people just wandered in off the street. But for that
crowd and dance "chaos" was part of the fun.
http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=-FKHkP-uILo
Cheers, Bill
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11:17 a.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Thank you, Nancy, for a wonderful and heartening description of
teaching dance in public schools. For whatever reason, our society
is experiencing an epidemic of autistic syndrome disorders,
depression, asperger's syndrome, bipolar disorders, psychopathology,
and paranoia. When I look out at a hall full of 100 people I have to
assume that these groups are represented to, at least, some
degree. How many of those dancers have considered suicide within the
last year? How many are using antidepressants right now? How many
are going through a divorce or the death of a close family member?
As callers we need to keep this in mind. This is why I always try to
take full responsibility. I know that, at least some in the
audience, are likely to take any negative implications
personally. Almost all of us have been in that state at one time or
another. And all of us have some weakness in our social or
dance-related skills. As a community we need to adapt to the
strengths and weaknesses of everyone, and the caller should set an
example of that. This is how we teach the value of community. This
is why I love contra dancing.
Greg
********
Nancy wrote:
Hello to all callers -
I am a public school music teacher, and so am a de facto caller to each of
my classes whenever we dance (which is often). So it is not a self-selected
group in any sense - everyone's there - everyone dances. There are many
children with processing issues - they do literally need to repeat back to
you what you said in order to process it. There are many children who are
spatially challenged - they don't see the BIG PICTURE of the circle, or
lines, or square - and don't know that they are a part of this formation.
And there are the directionally challenged - left? Right? The kids with big
social or emotional issues...... etc etc etc.
These are the reasons I love to teach dance, and feel that it is SO
IMPORTANT. To be IN the circle reinforces the concept of a circle, being
one part of a larger whole where everyone is equal and everyone is important
helps everyone's self-esteem. Moving to music with others helps those who
are depressed and lonely. The structure and "rules" - hands out and smile
at your next partner - teaches social tools and makes it safe for all,
including those students for whom this is the only time in the day when
other students will reach out to them with a smile.
So, yes, there are many "fires" if you think of it that way. But I love to
see their faces when they do finally "get it" and then can do it on their
own, and then start to own it. Of course, I have the luxury of spending a
whole class period on one dance, or teaching it in bits over several
classes, so I know it is a whole other can of worms to call at a public
dance. But please be gentle with the challenged ones. It might very well
be that they have never had to move in a certain direction with a specific
hand with specific strangers within 2 seconds of you telling them to do so.
Not many people even just walk a straight line at 120 beats per minute, let
alone do it in changing formations with others. Patience patience patience.
Now, to get the other dancers to have patience also.....
Nancy Fiske
11:30 a.m.
New subject: why calling's important (putting out fires)
Greg, that's a very good point. I first started contra dancing in 1988,
shortly after getting divorced and becoming a single father. At the time
I was so busy with my 6 year old son and working and commuting full time
I had no social life at all, and contra dancing became my only social
outlet. I had a really hard time at first, since I'd never done any kind
of structured dancing before, and one thing I still remember is how
welcoming everyone was. The caller can make such a difference in terms
of making newcomers feel relaxed and not judged about their limited
skills. -Lewis Land
On 4/18/2010 9:17 AM, Greg McKenzie wrote:
Thank you, Nancy, for a wonderful and heartening description of
teaching dance in public schools. For whatever reason, our society is
experiencing an epidemic of autistic syndrome disorders, depression,
asperger's syndrome, bipolar disorders, psychopathology, and
paranoia. When I look out at a hall full of 100 people I have to
assume that these groups are represented to, at least, some degree.
How many of those dancers have considered suicide within the last
year? How many are using antidepressants right now? How many are
going through a divorce or the death of a close family member?
As callers we need to keep this in mind. This is why I always try to
take full responsibility. I know that, at least some in the audience,
are likely to take any negative implications personally. Almost all
of us have been in that state at one time or another. And all of us
have some weakness in our social or dance-related skills. As a
community we need to adapt to the strengths and weaknesses of
everyone, and the caller should set an example of that. This is how
we teach the value of community. This is why I love contra dancing.
Greg
********
Nancy wrote:
Hello to all callers -
I am a public school music teacher, and so am a de facto caller to
each of
my classes whenever we dance (which is often). So it is not a
self-selected
group in any sense - everyone's there - everyone dances. There are many
children with processing issues - they do literally need to repeat
back to
you what you said in order to process it. There are many children
who are
spatially challenged - they don't see the BIG PICTURE of the circle, or
lines, or square - and don't know that they are a part of this
formation.
And there are the directionally challenged - left? Right? The kids
with big
social or emotional issues...... etc etc etc.
These are the reasons I love to teach dance, and feel that it is SO
IMPORTANT. To be IN the circle reinforces the concept of a circle,
being
one part of a larger whole where everyone is equal and everyone is
important
helps everyone's self-esteem. Moving to music with others helps
those who
are depressed and lonely. The structure and "rules" - hands out and
smile
at your next partner - teaches social tools and makes it safe for all,
including those students for whom this is the only time in the day when
other students will reach out to them with a smile.
So, yes, there are many "fires" if you think of it that way. But I
love to
see their faces when they do finally "get it" and then can do it on
their
own, and then start to own it. Of course, I have the luxury of
spending a
whole class period on one dance, or teaching it in bits over several
classes, so I know it is a whole other can of worms to call at a public
dance. But please be gentle with the challenged ones. It might very
well
be that they have never had to move in a certain direction with a
specific
hand with specific strangers within 2 seconds of you telling them to
do so.
Not many people even just walk a straight line at 120 beats per
minute, let
alone do it in changing formations with others. Patience patience
patience.
Now, to get the other dancers to have patience also.....
Nancy Fiske
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Callers(a)sharedweight.net
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11:45 a.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Contra dance. The great healing space.
M
E
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>wrote;wrote:
Thank you, Nancy, for a wonderful and heartening description of teaching
dance in public schools. For whatever reason, our society is experiencing
an epidemic of autistic syndrome disorders, depression, asperger's syndrome,
bipolar disorders, psychopathology, and paranoia. When I look out at a hall
full of 100 people I have to assume that these groups are represented to, at
least, some degree. How many of those dancers have considered suicide
within the last year? How many are using antidepressants right now? How
many are going through a divorce or the death of a close family member?
As callers we need to keep this in mind. This is why I always try to take
full responsibility. I know that, at least some in the audience, are likely
to take any negative implications personally. Almost all of us have been in
that state at one time or another. And all of us have some weakness in our
social or dance-related skills. As a community we need to adapt to the
strengths and weaknesses of everyone, and the caller should set an example
of that. This is how we teach the value of community. This is why I love
contra dancing.
Greg
********
Nancy wrote:
Hello to all callers -
--
For the good are always the merry,
Save by an evil chance,
And the merry love the fiddle
And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
I am a public school music teacher, and so am a de facto caller to each of
my classes whenever we dance (which is often). So it is not a
self-selected
group in any sense - everyone's there - everyone dances. There are many
children with processing issues - they do literally need to repeat back to
you what you said in order to process it. There are many children who are
spatially challenged - they don't see the BIG PICTURE of the circle, or
lines, or square - and don't know that they are a part of this formation.
And there are the directionally challenged - left? Right? The kids with
big
social or emotional issues...... etc etc etc.
These are the reasons I love to teach dance, and feel that it is SO
IMPORTANT. To be IN the circle reinforces the concept of a circle, being
one part of a larger whole where everyone is equal and everyone is
important
helps everyone's self-esteem. Moving to music with others helps those who
are depressed and lonely. The structure and "rules" - hands out and smile
at your next partner - teaches social tools and makes it safe for all,
including those students for whom this is the only time in the day when
other students will reach out to them with a smile.
So, yes, there are many "fires" if you think of it that way. But I love
to
see their faces when they do finally "get it" and then can do it on their
own, and then start to own it. Of course, I have the luxury of spending a
whole class period on one dance, or teaching it in bits over several
classes, so I know it is a whole other can of worms to call at a public
dance. But please be gentle with the challenged ones. It might very well
be that they have never had to move in a certain direction with a specific
hand with specific strangers within 2 seconds of you telling them to do
so.
Not many people even just walk a straight line at 120 beats per minute,
let
alone do it in changing formations with others. Patience patience
patience.
Now, to get the other dancers to have patience also.....
Nancy Fiske
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Callers mailing list
Callers(a)sharedweight.net
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12:02 p.m.
New subject: Putting out fires
Nancy,
Thanks for a great post. Here's another link (I've posted it before) about
how dance works as therapy, sometimes.
http://traumatherapy.typepad.com/trauma_attachment_therapy/contradance/
Lisa
5128
days inactive
5131
days old
contracallers@lists.sharedweight.net
8 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
aawoodall -
Greg McKenzie -
jean francis -
Lewis Land -
Lisa Sieverts -
Liz and Bill -
Martha Edwards -
Martha Wild -
Rickey