Note: This is going out to multiple lists, so apologies to anyone who gets multiple copies. Hello All-- A number of exciting calling related opportunities are coming up in 2010, and I know that some of you need more notice than others to be able to attend, so I'm trying to get ahead of the game. If you are interested in any of these, or if you are interested in helping with logistics for any of these please let me know. Right now, the "Callers Collective" has been mostly a one person show. I'd really like to get more folks involved in the organization and hopefully get to where we're having some sort of gathering at least quarterly. So without further ado: *2010 Callers Workshops* What: Callers' Workshop with Cis Hinkle, in conjunction with the FoolWind Weekend When: April 3, 2010 from 10:00 AM - Noon Where: Balanced Movement Studio, Carrboro Cost: Around $10 Topics: TBD What: Full weekend callers workshop with Lisa Greenleaf covering a wide variety of topics related to calling -- prompting, teaching, programming, matching dances to music, and much more The workshop will run Friday evening, Saturday all day, and have a Sunday wrap up session Saturday evening will be a dance at which workshop participants will be the callers Where: Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, NC -- specific location to be determined Cost: Around $50, scholarships available In order to attend the course you must: -Be familiar with the AABB structure of contra dance music -Know the difference between a jig and a reel -Know how to cue the first figure off of four potatoes -Know how and when to signal the band to go out -Have called at least 3 contras in a real dance setting (individual dances, not evenings). Some dances sponsor open mics or new callers nights, and some callers are willing to allow new callers to call one dance during an evening. Or you can get a bunch of friends together and host a dance party, but it needs to be to live music. -Have a repertoire of at least 3 dances you know and feel comfortable teaching and calling. -Attend contra dances regularly so that you are familiar with the moves, the culture and the music. -Be prepared to receive and incorporate feedback, even if you have a lot of calling experience. To help folks get their "at least 3 contras in a real dance setting" requirement, I'm planning to host one or two open calling dances over the time between now and then. Details on them to come, but in general: Late 2009/Early 2010, dates to be determined one or two open calling dances at the Down Yonder Farm Music Building (about 4 miles north of Pleasant Green, near Hillsborough, NC) These dances will be a chance for new and developing and experienced callers to call a dance or two (depending on how many callers we have) hey will likely be held on a Sunday afternoon/early evening. If you might be interested in calling for one of these, please let me know. I hope to have at least one scheduled in the next week or two. Jack