How bad would it have been to have the board basically put its foot down and, after one of the not-very-great evenings, suggest that the next time that person is asked to call, they prepare just half a night, or a third of a night? I'm curious - how did you "bring along" the new callers? Was there a teacher/student relationship, or more of a peer-to-peer setup? I ask because we have a bunch of cubs - I'm one of them - and it's always been peer-to-peer, with input from experienced callers only from time to time. To a certain extent, we critique each other. When one of us manages to screw up, we have a friendly enough atmosphere at our Calling Parties that we can admit it, figure out what to do better, and move on. We've been at it for almost two years, and are only slowly moving into the rotation, mostly at shared caller nights until someone is "ready", and even then, not as often as the regular callers. So far, it seems to be working. I hope that we don't develop a situation such as the one you described! We should remain on our toes, just in case. Interestingly, we previously had a couple of regular callers whose dances broke down often enough that it was becoming noticeable, but after the cub callers started calling, it happened less often! I'd like to think that the improvement was less from the competition than from the fact that more people were paying attention to the callers' art, and so what had become somewhat routine took on renewed energy. M E On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 9:48 AM, Lindsay Morris <lindsay(a)tsmworks.com to dance > was plagued with inexperienced and not-very-great calling for years. > > Sorry to offer problems without solutions, but this well-intentioned > debacle > has stayed on my mind. Seem like this is the place to share the > "cub-callers" problem. > > > Lindsay Morris > Principal > TSMworks > Tel. 1-859-539-9900 > lindsay(a)tsmworks.com > > > On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM, Delia Clark <delia_clark(a)comcast.net > > > > David, > > Let's do one of these for VT/NH! Aren't you just the guy to organize > it!! > > ;-) OK, I would help -- how about you put me in charge of organizing > > supplies for the schmoozing part! > > Delia > > > > On Dec 15, 2009, at 9:25 PM, Katy Heine wrote: > > > > Hi, David-- > >> > >> Ever since the "Ted's Triplets" marathon eight years ago, we in Central Millstone workshop with They're With includes Assuming a to -- 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 _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

From: Lindsay Morris &lt;lindsay(a)tsmworks.com&gt; Subject: Re: [Callers] Cub Callers To: "Caller's discussion list" &lt;callers(a)sharedweight.net&gt; Date: Wednesday, December 16, 2009, 2:13 PM Could be that we just put the cubs into the rotation too early. Sad to trash the democratic freewheeling nature of some groups, but maybe we need a vetting committee - or some less formal bar to people getting up on stage. Lindsay Morris Principal TSMworks Tel. 1-859-539-9900 lindsay(a)tsmworks.com On Wed, Dec 16, 2009 at 2:06 PM, Martha Edwards &lt;meedwards(a)westendweb.com&gt;wrote;wrote: put its foot down that the next time night, or a third of callers? Was there a peer-to-peer setup? I ask always been from time to time. us manages to screw Calling Parties that we can We've been at it for rotation, mostly at even then, not as often develop a situation toes, just in case. callers whose dances noticeable, but after the cub like to think that the the fact that more so what had become half-a-dozen "cub callers" a few weekly dance, they never the new callers only got got any better.  The calling for years. this well-intentioned place to share the &lt;delia_clark(a)comcast.net Aren't you just the guy to organize put me in charge of organizing wrote: eight years ago, we in gathering on different themes. These repertoire than for older, more less experienced callers--so about, but maybe of interest dances in unusual formations; small numbers of people); the callers; and calling for The next one (March 6) will be from Larry Jennings' first book. have not actually mined it for opportunity for the community of share, and enjoy each other's to give it a try! On Behalf Of David PM spring to lead a day-long perhaps 10-12 people, with a years of active calling while folks who are comfortable know each other already. methods. any topics that are near and an entire day on a soapbox. group-- rather than, say, the this Shared Weight group the spectrum. like to see in a workshop? programming an evening, teaching fashion, what skills would be useful _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ <>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<>:<> _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers

What happens when the cubs don't think they're cubs any more, but are? I think that was possibly the problem that Lindsay brought up.

In other words, what is the proper way for the dance leadership to get callers to continue to practice and learn? I'm guessing the very best callers do that anyway, and the newish callers do it because they have to, but what can we do to get people who have become comfortable with their skill level but are not actually doing the kind of job we want, to get excited again about "continuous improvement"?