It's interesting that "shut-up" and "quiet down" mean the same. Michael Fuerst 802 N Broadway Urbana IL 61801 217 239 5844 On Wednesday, April 22, 2015 8:59 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers &lt;callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: On the question of paying attention: A while back, in one of these e-groups, someone pointed out that we contra dancers keep talking about "community." This post pointed out that we contra dancers go to a dance, and, often forsaking applause (yet another topic...), run off to find our next partner and line up for a dance. This posting compared that to country-western dance, or swing dance, where they would sit around a table and talk, get to know others through chatting, and not dance every dance, but have other social things happen. It got me to thinking: Often, after people have lined up, they talk with each other, their partner, their minor set, or other people around them. Often callers strive to get everyone to shut-up so they can start the dance. I've come to believe this time of conversation is the main time we get to know a little about each other and is thus a "community building time." My practice now is to say into the mic in a regular talking voice, "Are you ready?" If the general banter keeps going on, I wait a couple beats, and say, again, "Are you ready?" After two to four times of asking the question, someone will say, "Yes!" Then another might do a loud, "Shhhh!" When people finally quiet down, I teach the dance. ~erik hoffman oakland, ca On 8/4/2014 10:26 AM, barb kirchner via Callers wrote: _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:Callers@lists.sharedweight.net> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net

Good point Erik. Also, if you travel, different groups can have vastly different cultures. Some years ago I was asked to call a zesty contra in another state. I assumed they would want to do a lot of zesty dances and planned accordingly. The food was placed outside the dance floor in a long hall from the start. After the first dance, which seemed to go well, everyone disappeared outside to eat and talk just as I was saying "take partners for the next dance". After a five minutes while I worried that they hadn't liked the dance I'd called, people drifted back and lined up again and about 10 minutes later I did the next dance. Same thing. I finally realized that it was their custom to break after each dance, and relaxed and stopped trying so hard to get them back and lined up. I got through about four dances in the first half and four in the second, where I had expected to do more like 11 or 12 total for the time. At the end of the night, people came up and said, Wow, you really got us through a lot of dances! Martha On Apr 22, 2015, at 6:59 PM, Erik Hoffman via Callers wrote: On the question of paying attention: A while back, in one of these e-groups, someone pointed out that we contra dancers keep talking about "community." This post pointed out that we contra dancers go to a dance, and, often forsaking applause (yet another topic...), run off to find our next partner and line up for a dance. This posting compared that to country-western dance, or swing dance, where they would sit around a table and talk, get to know others through chatting, and not dance every dance, but have other social things happen. It got me to thinking: Often, after people have lined up, they talk with each other, their partner, their minor set, or other people around them. Often callers strive to get everyone to shut-up so they can start the dance. I've come to believe this time of conversation is the main time we get to know a little about each other and is thus a "community building time." My practice now is to say into the mic in a regular talking voice, "Are you ready?" If the general banter keeps going on, I wait a couple beats, and say, again, "Are you ready?" After two to four times of asking the question, someone will say, "Yes!" Then another might do a loud, "Shhhh!" When people finally quiet down, I teach the dance. ~erik hoffman oakland, ca On 8/4/2014 10:26 AM, barb kirchner via Callers wrote: sometimes when dancers aren't paying attention, it's because there are too many other things going on in the hall. sometimes it's the band warming up or sound checking, but i've seen all kinds of things going on - bake sales, people on their mobile devices, a group of beginners coming in who don't yet know dance etiquette, or maybe the dancers are having trouble hearing you. sometimes musicians talk loudly behind the caller (i'm a musician and a caller) and it's hard to understand the caller because the chatter can be heard through mics or pick-ups. you can't fix some of those things, but you can address retail events in the hall, cell phones, sound system, etc are your experienced dancers modelling good dance etiquette? are you teaching efficiently, or are you spending so much time talking that people lose interest? sometimes, i just start the walkthru anyway. as soon as people realize that most people are starting to swing, they get a little more interested :-) cheers, barb dealing this, _______________________________________________ Callers mailing listCallers@lists.sharedweight.nethttp://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

Erik wrote: Often, after people have lined up, they talk with each other, their partner, their minor set, or other people around them. Often callers strive to get everyone to shut-up so they can start the dance. I've come to believe this time of conversation is the main time we get to know a little about each other and is thus a "community building time." I, personally, love hearing dancers talking amongst themselves. To me it's a reflection that they are having fun and that they feel comfortable, relaxed and are "building community". If they aren't talking enough (by my expectation) I'll prompt them early in the evening to say "hi" to their neighbors and introduce themselves and this gets them chatting a bit. Later in the evening I might begin a dance with a Right Allemande and I'll say "Give your right hand to your neighbor and introduce yourself (pause) and Allemande Right. On the other hand I find it rude and detestable for a caller to "shhhh" the crowd. If the caller tries to begin a walkthrough (ie, "Are you ready" as Erik suggests) for a time or two, the dancers will "shhh" themselves. This (extra time) allows folks to finish their conversations and be ready to listen. The positive benefits to dancers politely socializing is tremendous, even if it means the caller needs to call one less dance in the evening. Donna Hunt _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list Callers(a)lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net