Many interesting comments, that caused many reactions when reading.
-Amy, are those musicians dancers as well? And do any of them also call? Your discussion goal may be to discuss the synergy of the band, caller, and dancers, and where trust is needed.
-I have no idea how long any of you have been calling, which can be a big factor in how skilled you are in timing out an evening. I have been calling 10 years. For the first couple years, I watched the top couple go through the line 1 1/2 times. As my cumulative skills as a caller improved, and I moved up the learning spiral, I began asking the band how many tunes they were playing, and learned to keep count of how many times through the band had played. Those two factors are two main points i use in deciding dance length.
-Hooray Ann Fallon! You are the only one here who appears to clearly understand how the band is the caller's best friend, and needs to be acknowledged early and often. Show them the dance card (if you haven't already sent them the program), help them understand the mood of the dance if there's something special, and ask them how many tunes they'll be playing for the particular dance.
And before a dance evening, I greet the band, and tell them: I prefer the tunes be played around 116-120 bpm; I'll ask how many tunes they usually play for a dance; explain hand signals for speeding up and slowing down; and tell them I'll signal them at halfway through, and then at 3, 2, and 1 time to go.
These are the guidelines I use to run a program.
-I estimate the crowd size, several times through the evening, especially if there's a lot of coming and going... If there's around 40 dancers or less, I'll run a dance 13 times through. 45-60 dancers, 15 times through. More than 60, 17 or 19, depending on line length of the lines.
-When the band tells me how many tunes, I'll often verbally confirm how many times each tune will run. I will also know at what point to give my "halfway" signal.
-Exception: if a band gets in a really good groove, I'll let the dance run two extra times through.
-Exception: If there's a large percentage of beginners at the start of a dance, I'll run the first 1 or 2 (easy) dances 2 extra times through.
-Maximum 3 minutes break between dances. 2 minutes is the goal. Any longer and you are giving control away to the crowd.
-Teach the dance 2 times through, 3 minutes or less is the goal.
Other notes:
-I understand the benefits of the stopwatch, but it takes the band significantly, if not completely, out of the equation. With that method you likely won't do much more than tell them "3 times to go". Again, let the band know through lots of communication that you are partners in the success of the dance.
-The number of tunes the band is playing should not affect the dance length. The goal of both band and caller is to bring the dancers maximum joy. You want to give them time to understand the dance, and then melt into it, and the music. In my experience, 13 times through is about the minimum that can do that.
-In a temperature-controlled room, let the dancers decide what their stamina level is. Your job is to make a good dance presentation with your musicians. Shortening dances, thus reducing the chance of a band, and the dancers, getting into a groove, doesn't help. A better way to treat a warmer hall is to give an extra minute between dances. This will, through the night, cut out time for one dance.
Thanks, everyone!
Keith Tuxhorn
Austin, TX