2011/7/10 David Millstone <David.Millstone(a)valley.net> wrote: I'm stepping ever so cautiously onto a soapbox. Though I'll strive to maintain a civil tone, my biases will certainly become clear in what follows... Thank you David for taking this cautious but bold step onto the squares vs contras soapbox. And thank you for your civil tone. I think you have clarified the issue by asking whether the caller should consider the proclivities of the dancers in programming. This is straying dangerously close to the heart of the matter which is: What is the purpose of the dance event and what role does the caller play in manifesting that purpose? We never discuss that question here. In an effort to add some light (and, hopefully, not too much heat) to this subject I can offer some statistics that may reflect upon the consternation many callers have expressed about contra dancers who are averse to squares. This information comes from a recent survey I did on the dance habits of South San Francisco Bay area dancers. A report on the survey can be found at: http://santacruzdance.org/drupal/node/114 At our area dances 68% of those in the hall are contra dance enthusiasts. (Defined as someone who attends contra dance events six or more times a year.) A subset of those folks (42% of the hall) are contra-only enthusiasts who dance contras 6+ times yearly but either dance at no other dance events or only “dabble” in other dance forms, (less than six time a year). In fact there is a sizeable group at our dances (43% of the hall) who report dancing contras exclusively and do not even “dabble” in any other dance form. In short: About half of those in the hall at our contra dances either attend contra dances exclusively or only rarely dabble in any other dance form! We can choose to lament this fact as evidence of a “limited” or “narrow-minded” attitude. Or we can be grateful that we are able to offer an open community social event with live music and dance to folks who have, apparently, either not ventured into other dance forms or have “settled in” on contras as their chosen dance form. How we “frame” the situation is, perhaps, a defining factor in “the contras vs. squares divide.” Less than 6% of the hall report dancing squares. Half of those (less than 3% of the hall) are square dance enthusiasts who dance squares six or more times a year. Squares were the fifth most often mentioned dance form by that half of the hall who dance at other venues, behind free-form expressive dance, English Country, Waltz, and Salsa, (7% attend salsa, 7% attend waltz events, 9% attend English Country dances, and 21% do some form of “free expressive” dance: which requires no training and follows no structured tradition). Avoiding the soapbox I will go out on a limb and propose that one core purpose we can, perhaps, agree upon is “to fill the hall with happy dancers.” This is a consequence of another core purpose which is “to support live musicians.” These goals do not, necessarily, exclude goals such as: - to preserve an historic dance form - to promote other dance forms - to provide a venue for callers to call square dances But I would venture to point out that, unlike the two “core purposes” I have listed above, these latter three purposes are not necessary for the dance event to be successful. The first two core purposes are,…unless, of course, you are content to rent a smaller hall and not pay the band. I try to be a pragmatist and, as a caller, I think it is pragmatic to be honest and clear in our communication. I think strategically but I don’t use “ploys,” tricks, or “gambits” to get dancers to comply with my own wishes. I find such devices to be deceptive, alienating, and disempowering. I need the trust and support of all the dancers to be successful and consequently I tell the dancers what I am doing and allow them to choose. To do otherwise is to set up an adversarial relationship with the dancers. Callers who “trick” the dancers into joining a dance they would not otherwise join lose the trust of at lease some of the dancers and these callers always suffer for that. The term “contra dance” as an event name seems pretty clear. It implies that contras are the primary and dominant dance form to be done at the event. I think the caller has limited currency of trust and support to convince the dancers to try something else at a contra dance. As the statistics above indicate, most of those in the hall at contra dances in this area did not show up to dance squares. The caller can call one square during the evening but they should expect some dancers to sit out. If they attempt to call more than one square in an evening it is likely that some dancers will vote with their feet and shy away from future events where that caller is booked. Again, this could be considered a sign of “narrow-mindedness” or simply a sign of the times. Many of us who call are, personally, enthusiasts of multiple dance forms. We are excited about learning new dances and new moves. But there is a big segment of the hall at contra dances that do not seem to enjoy such adventures. Not all of us have the perseverance, the inclination, or the time to be enthusiasts of multiple dance forms. To say that these folks “should” be more adventurous is another case of “blaming the dancers” for our own poor programming decisions. What is the purpose of the dance event? That is the question. Folks who attend contras are a diverse group with a wide range of dance habits, skill levels, and inclinations. A third of those in the hall are *not*enthusiasts of any dance form. Perhaps callers should consider applauding this fact and consider it their job to bring the hall together in a joyful celebration of live music and human connection, without insisting that all present “should” be happy to “discover the delight to be found in other dance styles.” Contras have a remarkable ability to sweep in first-timers and integrate a diverse crowd of dancers. This is the quality that makes contra dances so exciting. At a contra dance you can meet, and dance with, a wide range of people and share with them your love of music and dance, regardless of their dance experience. It also provides a venue for recruiting new dancers to other dance forms. These are attractions for enthusiasts of all dance forms, and the statistics show that multiple dance form enthusiasts attend contras as well (more than half of the hall). The marvelous mix of people at contra dances is one of their most attractive features. Now, I understand that for many of you the purpose of the dance may be quite different. This is well and good. I am a strong advocate of social change. I am simply suggesting that if that is the case then your task is not merely facilitation but also involves considerable persuasion. That is a more daunting proposition and I would caution you that the results of your success in gaining acceptance of squares at contra dances may necessarily result in a change of the makeup of the crowd in the hall. This is an inherent part of your goal. Most of that 43% who dance contras exclusively are likely to find another activity to be involved in. Some of the multiple dance enthusiasts attracted to contras for the stimulating mix of new social contacts might also move on. They may go back to their most favored dance form. These are the kind of trade-offs we get with persuasion efforts. Only a segment of the population is persuadable. Now calling contras also involves persuasion. A core task of the caller is to persuade people to do exactly what he or she tells them to do. This is a key component of contras because if just about everyone does not do precisely what the caller tells them to do…the dance will not work. I have studied persuasion for many years. Over the years I have learned that there is only one technique that is *always* successful at getting people to do precisely what you tell them to do. This is a technique that I have used successfully in many tasks at many venues, and for many years. In an effort to help my square dance caller compatriots here I am going to reveal it now. It involves two simple steps: 1. Figure out what is the thing that everyone in the room wants to do. 2. Tell them to do that thing. This is the key, both to persuasion and to excellent contra dance calling. -Greg McKenzie ******************** 2011/7/10 David Millstone <David.Millstone(a)valley.net>