14 Apr
2010
14 Apr
'10
1:46 a.m.
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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14 Apr
14 Apr
6:31 a.m.
New subject: Not always the caller's fault!
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.
>
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10:15 a.m.
New subject: sometimes not the caller's fault!
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
11:57 a.m.
New subject: sometimes not the caller's fault!
Thanks to all who spoke up, for bringing this
issue into more clarity. Its always the
callers 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 callers 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 callers fault?
Actually, it is. More to the point, it is the
callers 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 Mens 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 callers 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 callers 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 callers
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. Its 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 callers 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 eveningwhether 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
callerwho has a PA systemis not willing to take
responsibility, why should anyone else?
Greg McKenzie
12:03 p.m.
New subject: sometimes not the caller's fault!
Wonderful! Thank you Greg. I wanted to say much the same thing but this
says it much more eloquently than I would have.
Michael Barraclough
www.michaelbarraclough.com
-----Original Message-----
From: callers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net
[mailto:callers-bounces@sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Greg McKenzie
Sent: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 11:57 AM
To: Caller's discussion list
Subject: Re: [Callers] sometimes not the caller's fault!
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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4 comments
5 participants
participants (5)
-
Chris Weiler (home) -
Greg McKenzie -
J L Korr -
Lewis Land -
Michael Barraclough