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2524 discussions

Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers - Decision to ask not to return

by Mark Hillegonds via Callers

Lots of thoughtful discussion and ideas about how to incorporate difficult dancers. Splitting this into another variant of this discussion... So...what happens if all of the attempts to shepherd and coach and "angel" the difficult dancer do not work and their skills and abilities continue to be a significant negative impact when they're dancing. Would you ever (or have you ever) asked someone not to return based on their inability to dance? I realize "inability" is a broad term and I intended it to be so for this question. There are lots of reasons why someone may not be able to know what to do and/or to be able to keep up when dancing and may not even be able to improve. Is there some point at which you as organizers would consider and ultimately such a decision? On Mar 6, 2017 6:46 PM, "Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers" < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: Inspired by Marie's other thread, I wonder what tools callers use when they encounter a dance floor with such a dancer, especially if there is only one who is having so much difficulty but who leaves confused dancers in their wake. Do you call to that dancer? Do you call earlier? Do you adjust your program accordingly? Something else? Thanks, Alex Sent from my iPhone _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] What to do with a really bad new dancer?

by James Saxe via Callers

Mac McKeever wrote: > It has been my experience that dancers with limited skills/ability often do not realize they are different from anyone else. They assume that being lost and confused during a dance is normal. > > Finding a gentle way to bring this to their attention might be a good way to start and Ron Blechner replied: > Mac, suggestions on how? JD Erskine meanwhile offered this comment: > If our ... dancer in question is lumbering, stiff, not moving much, and can/may move, then assisting him in that might help make it easier to direct him more in the normal flow of the dance. > > To do more certainly would be best with permission, awareness of offered assistance. to which Ron similarly replied: > I'd love to hear suggestions on how to approach a dancer like the one in question, and broach the subject. So far I haven't seen anyone respond to Ron's request for suggestions about opening such a potentially delicate conversation. I don't have a fully-developed suggestion either, but I have what may be the germ of an idea: Perhaps the thing to do would be to start by asking the person a question. I'll illustrate with a story. When I was a new square and contra dancer, I was quite mystified about just what to do with my feet during a swing. I remember trying to watch other dancers' feet when they were swinging and I was inactive, and I remember not being able to figure it out--though it seems completely obvious when I watch now. In case anyone's wondering, the local dances where I lived at the time didn't normally include an official new dancers' workshop/lesson/orientation. The visiting caller at my very first trad dance *did* offer some specific instruction on swinging, but I somehow missed out on it for reasons I won't go into now. Anyway, after I'd been going to dances for maybe three or four months and staggering/stumbling/bumbling through all the swings, there was some kind of break at a dance one day, and the partner I'd just danced with took the opportunity to ask me a question that I remember as something like, "Was that a one-step [perhaps she actually said "buzz-step"] or a two-step swing you were doing?" just as if she'd noticed something interesting about my swing and wanted me to teach her what I had been doing. I said that I had no idea what I was supposed to do (which, in retrospect, she must obviously have already known), She offered to teach me. And that was when I first learned to do a buzz-step swing, very bouncily at first, then gradually smoothing out over the next few weeks and months. Years later, after moving across the country, I was back visiting my former city and I saw that same woman at a dance. I asked her about the conversation I've just described. She didn't remember the details, but she agreed with my guess that her question had probably been a ploy to find out whether I was open to instruction. A similar sort of ploy would be to ask someone for ideas on how to teach beginning dancers about such-and-such, naming a topic that the person you're addressing understands only vaguely if at all. Of course, when my friend asked me that ploy question years ago, she couldn't have known for sure that my response would be to admit ignorance and seek instruction. I might, for all she knew, have responded defensively or even confrontationally (but I think she could reasonably have expected my response to be less emotionally charged than if she had bluntly asked something like "Do you realize that your swings are really awkward?"). Or if I were vaguely aware of my lack of skill but also strongly in denial about it, I might have given an evasive answer accompanied by nervous laughter: "Well, we all have our own personal styles, don't we? Heh, heh, heh." --Jim

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller

by April Blum via Callers

Two more suggestions. At some dances I have called, I found that saying "end the swing and face across" a bit early solved the late-for-the-next move issues. And sometimes repeatedly cuing at B1, where the music is often audibly different AND where there is often some noticeable move starting, can also help. On Mar 7, 2017 9:40 AM, Martha Wild via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > As one other caller mentioned - what I do as a caller is avoid looking at that dancer AT ALL. That confuses me, and I will miscall if I get to caught up in what is happening there. What I do is look ASAP for the dancers who are doing the moves smoothly and well, and I call to them, making sure I call clearly at the start of the four beats before each move will start, and not at the two beats before that I might often use, to give a little extra time for the person to react. If there is a four in line down the hall, I will call for the turn also on beat five of the phrase before (just as above, just saying it differently) ensuring that they turn around and head back in time to cast off or do whatever needs to be done in time for the next move. If I call carefully and steadily and clearly at the appropriate time for a few times through the dance to the experienced dancers, I generally find that once I look at the problem area, it has resolved. Also - I don’t vary or shorten my calls, as I might otherwise, and I might say Neighbor balance and swing, or With the next couple star left - telling them who to do it with and what, or face across, right and left through - which way to face etc. especially on any figure that might be confusing. > > >> On Mar 6, 2017, at 3:45 PM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: >> > Inspired by Marie's other thread, I wonder what tools callers use when they encounter a dance floor with such a dancer, especially if there is only one who is having so much difficulty but who leaves confused dancers in their wake. Do you call to that dancer? Do you call earlier? Do you adjust your program accordingly? Something else? > > Thanks, > Alex > > > Sent from my iPhone > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] What to do with a really bad new dancer?

by Linda Leslie via Callers

A while back, we had the same sort of challenge at one of the local dances. About a dozen of us from the dance community got together to problem solve. The group decided that if one of us made sure that the challenged dancer had a partner for each dance, that it would be good for the entire dance. The less-than-satisfying dance experience would only last for 10 minutes or so, but improve the experience for the rest of folks in the set. Our reward: the continuous smile on the challenged dancer’s face more than made up for any perceived loss of “quality” dance time. This gesture made a lot of difference, making the dance more pleasurable for all involved. As for the techniques used to help the dancer be on time: asking directly for permission to help, and how best to help might show the dancer that you care enough about his feelings and experience to ask. Warm wishes for happy problem solving for your dance community, Linda On Mar 6, 2017, at 3:13 PM, Marie-Michèle Fournier via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Hi everyone, > Lately a new dancer has started coming to our dance and he is bad enough that he will often make the set break if the dance is moderately challenging. He seems to have some kind of impairment and walks very stiffly which means he will often not be on time for a figure and also often does not remember what is coming next. > We want to be inclusive but at the same time his presence negatively impacts other dancers in his set and while some of the experienced dancers will take one for the team and dance with him, it is an unpleasant experience to be his partner. Unfortunately, we always have many new dancers and having one couple not be where they should be can really throw them off in some dances so I feel like I have to push and pull him around to be on time, despite the fact that it's a little rude. > A recent caller to our dance called him a "speed bump" which was quite accurate. I'm sure other dances have had experience with similar troubles, does anyone have advice on how to deal with this so that other dancers still have a good time yet we are nice to this problematic dancer? > Thank you > Marie > ContraMontreal > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller

by Mac Mckeever via Callers

I don't have any suggestions. We are fortunate in our community who handle this sort of thing professionally and they jump in to help us when needed. Just sitting down and discussing it in a positive 'we want to help you' way would seem reasonable. Mac From: Ron Blechner <contraron(a)gmail.com> To: Mac Mckeever <macmck(a)ymail.com> Cc: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net>; Martha Wild <mawild(a)sbcglobal.net> Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 3:51 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller Mac, suggestions on how? (Guessing this is more of an organizer, not caller, thing to do.) Ron Blechner On Mar 7, 2017 9:51 AM, "Mac Mckeever via Callers" <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: It has been my experience that dancers with limited skills/ability often do not realize they are different from anyone else. They assume that being lost and confused during a dance is normal. Finding a gentle way to bring this to their attention might be a good way to start Mac McKeeverSTLouis From: Martha Wild via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight. net> To: Caller's discussion list <callers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Tuesday, March 7, 2017 8:40 AM Subject: Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller As one other caller mentioned - what I do as a caller is avoid looking at that dancer AT ALL. That confuses me, and I will miscall if I get to caught up in what is happening there. What I do is look ASAP for the dancers who are doing the moves smoothly and well, and I call to them, making sure I call clearly at the start of the four beats before each move will start, and not at the two beats before that I might often use, to give a little extra time for the person to react. If there is a four in line down the hall, I will call for the turn also on beat five of the phrase before (just as above, just saying it differently) ensuring that they turn around and head back in time to cast off or do whatever needs to be done in time for the next move. If I call carefully and steadily and clearly at the appropriate time for a few times through the dance to the experienced dancers, I generally find that once I look at the problem area, it has resolved. Also - I don’t vary or shorten my calls, as I might otherwise, and I might say Neighbor balance and swing, or With the next couple star left - telling them who to do it with and what, or face across, right and left through - which way to face etc. especially on any figure that might be confusing. On Mar 6, 2017, at 3:45 PM, Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight. net> wrote: Inspired by Marie's other thread, I wonder what tools callers use when they encounter a dance floor with such a dancer, especially if there is only one who is having so much difficulty but who leaves confused dancers in their wake. Do you call to that dancer? Do you call earlier? Do you adjust your program accordingly? Something else? Thanks,Alex Sent from my iPhone______________________________ _________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/ listinfo.cgi/callers- sharedweight.net ______________________________ _________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/ listinfo.cgi/callers- sharedweight.net ______________________________ _________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/ listinfo.cgi/callers- sharedweight.net

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] What to do with a really bad new dancer?

by Claire Baffaut via Callers

John, I like what you said: "To do more certainly would be best with permission, awareness of offered assistance." This might be also be one of the way to give him/her a hint that there is a problem and that we are willing to help solve the said problem. Claire. On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 3:49 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers < callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I'd love to hear suggestions on how to approach a dancer like the one in > question, and broach the subject. > > -Ron Blechner > > On Mar 7, 2017 1:20 PM, "JD Erskine via Callers" < > callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > >> On 2017-03-07 0627, Martha Wild via Callers wrote: >> >>> I’d like to add another point to Neal’s reasoning: >>> >>> As a 5 foot 1 inch woman dancer (and a caller), I can also add that the >>> female of the human species is known to generally be smaller than the >>> male. >>> >> >> major snip >> >> In general, then, it’s a lot >>> easier for a big guy to gently direct a small mixed-up woman in the >>> right direction, than it is for me to change the course of the Titanic >>> once it starts blundering among the icebergs. That is definitely another >>> reason people tend to notice the problem with male dancers more. But we >>> have had at least one large dancing-challenged woman whose size made it >>> equally difficult to direct - I occasionally tried dancing as the man >>> with her, but gave it up because it hurt my arms too much. >>> >> >> Martha >>> >> >> George Marshall was in town in the autumn. A teaching point that stood >> out for me in his pre-dance/inclusivity workshop was, that if someone is >> still/stationary it's more difficult to move them or guide them to where >> they might go. >> >> If someone is dancing (simply in motion of some sort), even if in a place >> other than expected, they may be directed more easily. >> >> (I keep thinking an air-hockey table at work, however I'm from "up here".) >> >> If our male dancer in question is lumbering, stiff, not moving much, and >> can/may move, then assisting him in that might help make it easier to >> direct him more in the normal flow of the dance. >> >> To do more certainly would be best with permission, awareness of offered >> assistance. >> >> Cheers, John >> -- >> J.D. Erskine >> Victoria, BC >> >> Island Dance - Folk & Country >> dance info - site & mail list >> Vancouver Island & BC islands >> >> http://vecds.ca/island.dance/ >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net >> > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > > -- *Claire*

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller

by Kalia Kliban via Callers

On 3/7/2017 1:51 PM, Ron Blechner via Callers wrote: > Mac, suggestions on how? > > (Guessing this is more of an organizer, not caller, thing to do.) > > Ron Blechner > > On Mar 7, 2017 9:51 AM, "Mac Mckeever via Callers" > <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> > wrote: > > It has been my experience that dancers with limited skills/ability > often do not realize they are different from anyone else. They > assume that being lost and confused during a dance is normal. > > Finding a gentle way to bring this to their attention might be a > good way to start > > Mac McKeever > STLouis Ron's comment about this being an organizer thing to do brings up a good point. There are things that the caller can see but not do much about (what with being up on stage and responsible for keeping the whole room moving), and there are things the organizers can do stuff about but might not be able to see or properly address (like teaching issues for individual dancers). Finding time during a dance to communicate about those things can be hard. I don't have a solution to this, but am merely noticing yet one more thing that can make it difficult to solve problem dancers. Kalia

8 years, 1 month

[Callers] Difficult dancers as a caller

by Alexandra Deis-Lauby via Callers

Inspired by Marie's other thread, I wonder what tools callers use when they encounter a dance floor with such a dancer, especially if there is only one who is having so much difficulty but who leaves confused dancers in their wake. Do you call to that dancer? Do you call earlier? Do you adjust your program accordingly? Something else? Thanks, Alex Sent from my iPhone

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] What to do with a really bad new dancer?

by Martha Wild via Callers

I’d like to add another point to Neal’s reasoning: As a 5 foot 1 inch woman dancer (and a caller), I can also add that the female of the human species is known to generally be smaller than the male. This is such a signature difference that on Voyager they included a graven image of the human species, with the woman scientifically proportionately smaller than the man. In general, then, it’s a lot easier for a big guy to gently direct a small mixed-up woman in the right direction, than it is for me to change the course of the Titanic once it starts blundering among the icebergs. That is definitely another reason people tend to notice the problem with male dancers more. But we have had at least one large dancing-challenged woman whose size made it equally difficult to direct - I occasionally tried dancing as the man with her, but gave it up because it hurt my arms too much. And yes, we used to have two terrible male dancers when we first started our series here - one who thought he was great, and wasn’t, and one for whom ladies chain seemed to be a new figure each week. They were so bad that as with other groups mentioned, a bunch of strong female dancers got together and we decided to have one “sacrificial dance” each with them every evening, to prevent them from dancing with newcomers and either destroying the whole set or driving the newbies away. It reinforced the idea of the first guy who thought he was great - women sought him out! And the other guy actually very slowly improved by dancing with good dancers all the time. And I still like to grab newcomers who are having difficulty early in the evening - but I avoid the really big ones - not as strong and unbreakable as I used to be… Martha > On Mar 6, 2017, at 10:39 PM, Neal Schlein via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > > Interesting observation, Alan. > > Yes, I've encountered it with female dancers as a dancer and caller. However...it isn't quite the same. I suspect it is both more apparent and more pronounced with men, AND that once they've braved the waters to come dancing the experience of it may be less likely to cause them to stop dancing than it is with women. > > Here's my reasoning: > > Even though squares and contra are not even close to being true lead/follow dances, the men's role is still imbued with more directional control and responsibility in things like properly positioning swings and managing courtesy turns. A man who persistently fails at those will be more disruptive and obvious than an equally incompetent female counterpart due to simple physics and the nature of contra choreography. There is nothing to tell him that HE is the problem, and if he has never seen or experienced a truly successful set he doesn't know any better. > > There is also a more significant social component. Men tend to be rewarded for acting confident and penalized for seeking outside validation, so much so that we do it even when we don't know what we're doing. Women experience the reverse situation and are likely to be criticized (or feel they will be criticized) for being confident even when they obviously DO know what they are doing. That means a struggling male dancer is more likely to go confidently wrong than a woman, while a skilled male dancer is more willing to confidently "assist" a difficult partner than his equally skilled female counterparts. Conversely, a struggling female dancer is more likely to accept assistance and willingly perceive the problem than a man is. > > There is research which has been done on false confidence, where people who possess highly above-average skill will tend to underestimate their own knowledge and overestimate that of others, while those who persistently fail to learn will tend to do the reverse. This sort of persistent-beginner dancer may actually believe that he is learning at a perfectly fine rate. > > Another piece of research that I think is relevant has to do with the different reactions men and women have to the same act of failure. An assessment was done of failed funding attempts on Kickstarter. What the researchers discovered first was that a repeated effort was more likely to succeed. Then they broke down the behavior by gender. When male entrepreneurs failed to receive backing, they were highly likely to repost the same project until it succeeded. A female entrepreneur, on the other hand, would scrap it and try something completely different--if she tried anything at all. The researchers interpreted this difference as being caused by relative internalization of community commentary. (I haven't read the original papers, and learned of both topics through NPR. I can dig up the citations if anyone is interested in learning more.) > > Anyway, if that conclusion is correct, male versions of these problem dancers may stick around despite repeatedly failing, while the female of the species realizes something is wrong and jumps ship. This is probably especially true if the men are receiving any sort of encouragement or positive feedback at all. > > Just some thoughts. > Neal > > > > Neal Schlein > Youth Services Librarian, Mahomet Public Library > > > Currently reading: The Different Girl by Gordon Dahlquist > Currently learning: How to set up an automated email system. > > On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 7:41 PM, Winston, Alan P. via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: > I've seen some responses on the organizers list and here, and I've thought about the persistent rock-in-the-stream dancer we had in Berkeley (who did, eventually, start modifying the dances so he could get where he needed on time, and who indeed various women would ask to dance or he'd be asking the new young women dancers and confusing them horribly). > > One thing I'm noticing from the similar stories and responses is that all the rocks in the stream I'm hearing about are male, and it's falling on experienced women dancers to save the dance from them. > > Is this just a problem with small sample sizes? Has anyone encountered this kind of dancer, the kind who really structurally can't ever be good at it, spreads confusion, and yet keeps coming back, in female form? > > -- Alan > > > > > On 3/6/2017 5:24 PM, Mary Collins via Callers wrote: >> We have a dancer here in Buffalo that has a hard time hearing and ear-mind process-motor response time is very very slow. (I worry about him driving). We have a loose house rule that the regular good lady dancers pair with this gentleman. Otherwise he will ask newbies to dance, and often is at the end of the line, after the walk through. When you dance with him you have to call to him through the dance and guide him to where he needs to be. This is how we have dealt with our own issue. >> >> In your case, you might want to invite him to your beginner's workshop where you can address some of the issues you have seen him experience (i.e. the 1/2 alemande instead of the 1 1/2 of the call, or a shorter swing. Play up the better never than late thing and talk about flourishes and how they are not really a necessary part of the dance experience. >> >> the others have mentioned other ideas that are really good. >> >> Good luck Marie! >> >> Mary in Buffalo >> >> “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown >> >> On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 3:13 PM, Marie-Michèle Fournier via Callers <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: >> Hi everyone, >> Lately a new dancer has started coming to our dance and he is bad enough that he will often make the set break if the dance is moderately challenging. He seems to have some kind of impairment and walks very stiffly which means he will often not be on time for a figure and also often does not remember what is coming next. >> We want to be inclusive but at the same time his presence negatively impacts other dancers in his set and while some of the experienced dancers will take one for the team and dance with him, it is an unpleasant experience to be his partner. Unfortunately, we always have many new dancers and having one couple not be where they should be can really throw them off in some dances so I feel like I have to push and pull him around to be on time, despite the fact that it's a little rude. >> A recent caller to our dance called him a "speed bump" which was quite accurate. I'm sure other dances have had experience with similar troubles, does anyone have advice on how to deal with this so that other dancers still have a good time yet we are nice to this problematic dancer? >> Thank you >> Marie >> ContraMontreal >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net <http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Callers mailing list >> Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> >> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net <http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net> > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net <http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net> > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Callers] What to do with a really bad new dancer?

by Winston, Alan P. via Callers

I've seen some responses on the organizers list and here, and I've thought about the persistent rock-in-the-stream dancer we had in Berkeley (who did, eventually, start modifying the dances so he could get where he needed on time, and who indeed various women would ask to dance or he'd be asking the new young women dancers and confusing them horribly). One thing I'm noticing from the similar stories and responses is that all the rocks in the stream I'm hearing about are male, and it's falling on experienced women dancers to save the dance from them. Is this just a problem with small sample sizes? Has anyone encountered this kind of dancer, the kind who really structurally can't ever be good at it, spreads confusion, and yet keeps coming back, in female form? -- Alan On 3/6/2017 5:24 PM, Mary Collins via Callers wrote: > We have a dancer here in Buffalo that has a hard time hearing and > ear-mind process-motor response time is very very slow. (I worry about > him driving). We have a loose house rule that the regular good lady > dancers pair with this gentleman. Otherwise he will ask newbies to > dance, and often is at the end of the line, after the walk through. > When you dance with him you have to call to him through the dance and > guide him to where he needs to be. This is how we have dealt with our > own issue. > > In your case, you might want to invite him to your beginner's workshop > where you can address some of the issues you have seen him experience > (i.e. the 1/2 alemande instead of the 1 1/2 of the call, or a shorter > swing. Play up the better never than late thing and talk about > flourishes and how they are not really a necessary part of the dance > experience. > > the others have mentioned other ideas that are really good. > > Good luck Marie! > > Mary in Buffalo > > “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about > learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown > > On Mon, Mar 6, 2017 at 3:13 PM, Marie-Michèle Fournier via Callers > <callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > <mailto:callers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote: > > Hi everyone, > Lately a new dancer has started coming to our dance and he is > bad enough that he will often make the set break if the dance is > moderately challenging. He seems to have some kind of impairment > and walks very stiffly which means he will often not be on time > for a figure and also often does not remember what is coming next. > We want to be inclusive but at the same time his presence > negatively impacts other dancers in his set and while some of the > experienced dancers will take one for the team and dance with him, > it is an unpleasant experience to be his partner. Unfortunately, > we always have many new dancers and having one couple not be where > they should be can really throw them off in some dances so I feel > like I have to push and pull him around to be on time, despite the > fact that it's a little rude. > A recent caller to our dance called him a "speed bump" which > was quite accurate. I'm sure other dances have had experience with > similar troubles, does anyone have advice on how to deal with this > so that other dancers still have a good time yet we are nice to > this problematic dancer? > Thank you > Marie > ContraMontreal > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > <http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

8 years, 1 month

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