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[Organizers] Problem dancer, history from Montpelier contra dance

by Timothy Swartz

Orin-- Our contra dance dealt with a very similar situation a few years ago. I am concerned that this may be the same person, in fact. But regardless of the person involved, it is important to deal with the problems, as this may have a very severe impact on the dance community, of course as well as the individuals involved. Our volunteer dance-organizing committee had many meetings after we started getting complaints about the problems created by the individual dancer. Our basic instincts are to keep our dance open to all, and to allow for individual differences. However, we also have to recognize that we are a public institution, and that we are responsible for *all* the dancers. We can't guarantee that all will have a good time, but we have a responsibility to keep the behavior of a single person from hurting the experience of others. In our experience, the same set of behaviors was repeated: he preyed on young women, often new-comers to the dance, and his leering and dominating behavior was so unpleasant that some stopped coming to dances. Thanks to some who did come and complain to us, as members of the Contra Dance Umbrella (CDU) organizing community, we finally took some action. This started with a couple of us talking directly to the problem dancer, and though we got some level of verbal agreement from him, that he would pay attention to what the women with whom he was dancing had rights to not be agressively twirled, and so on. However, none of this made a difference over the long term. After we started talking about this among the CDU, some of us wanted to try to talk further to him, and had phone and in-person conversations. None of these seemed to have any impact. More importantly, in the long run, it forced our committee to come up with a policy to deal with "inappropriate behavior" which I'm attaching to this email. This was largely based on a policy we found on-line from the Princeton NJ Country Dancers; we do not claim to be inventing this from whole cloth. The essence of our policy is that we decided we had to base it on complaints from others, not from a "set of rules" that we would try to enforce. We felt it was not possible to define "inappropriate behavior", even though we all felt we could identify it. Our response is therefore triggered by complaints, as you will see. It gives some measure of "due process" to the situation, because of our commitment to fairness, and wanting to avoid the risk of a false accusation. But it also takes seriously the *feeling* of discomfort and invasion of personal space that has such an impact on dancers subjected to inappropriate behavior, and it spells out some concrete steps we will take after receiving a complaint. The privacy of the complainant is protected, as is the identity of the accused person. The policy calls for escalating sanctions if the behavior continues, up to banning the dancer from the dance. We consulted with our local (rural) police department during this process, and confirmed that we do have the right to ask someone to leave, if their behavior is inappropriate, and to call the police department to remove the person as a trespasser if the request is not honored. This is not something we want to have to do! But it is helpful to know that we are on firm legal ground if we need to call in the troops. The need to rely on a complaint remains a weakness of this approach, as it requires someone who is traumatized to come forward. The corollary is that it is important for committee members to be identifiable, and to make efforts to publicize the fact that we will take action if someone feels uncomfortable, to encourage people to come forward. We have made some serious strides, including wearing buttons at dances which identify us, and posting pictures of the CDU in the Grange Hall where our dances are held. Some of us have further ideas, including posting notices in the restrooms about the recourse available in case of problems. There may be more things we can and should do. This experience was still fresh in our minds when the "Puttin' on the Dance" organizers' conference was held in the fall of 2011, put on by the CDSS. At that conference, one of the workshops was about just this problem, led by Chris Weiler. At that workshop, 3 of us from the CDU gave out copies of this policy, and took part in a long discussion about the various issues involved--the civil rights of people accused of "inappropriate behavior" and also the rights of people to come and dance and feel safe. In the end, I felt quite comfortable with the policy as we formulated it--with the concerns noted above about having to wait for complaints. I don't feel we have the perfect answer--but it is considerably better than having no answer at all, as we did before we were confronted with the problem dancer. We heard at least a few stories of the dances which were largely destroyed by the discomfort invoked by a single problem dancer. We know we are not the only dance community which has had to deal with this sort of problem, and that the individual with whom we were dealing is not the only one. We've talked since with many callers who know many more stories about the problems which can be caused by an individual, more obvious sometimes from their vantage point than from the dance floor. I found the sense of solidarity which I got from talking with other organizers at the conference an enormous help, as well as the endorsement of our policy by many of those we spoke with. I encourage others to take advantage of opportunities like that, and of the interactions available on this forum, which I found out about as a result of that conference. The end of the story of our interactions with our particular problem came when we sent a formal letter, via registered mail to the person involved, stating that he would be banned if another complaint was received and substantiated. We sent this from a PO box rented for the purpose, where the receipt which proved that he got it was received. We have not had the person show up since. I'm sorry if he has surfaced elsewhere, though I can't say I'm surprised. Good for you for taking this issue seriously--it is not easy, but it is necessary. For our committee, it was a growth experience, making us take our responsibility to heart. Best wishes to all! Tim Swartz (note--these are my individual thoughts, not an official response from the CDU)

10 years, 6 months

[Organizers] Problem dancer, history from Montpelier contra dance

by Chrissy Fowler

I think Tim attached the CDU policy to his wonderfully detailed and thoughtful post, but in my inbox it was scrubbed (whatever "scrubbed" stands for...). In any case, it wasn't attached. Since Tim referenced the 2011 POTD conference, I'll refer everyone to the Puttin' on the Dance archive (puttinonthedance.org/post-conference/archive/) A link to the CDU policy is there. Look for Positive Solutions for Problems in your Dance Community. Cheers! Chrissy Fowler > A non-text attachment was scrubbed... > Name: 09-12-16 CDU policy on inappropriate behavior.doc Positive Solutions for Problems in your Dance Community – Chris Weiler - Session Notes, Chris’s Presentation Outline and Montpelier’s Contra Dance Umbrella policy on inappropriate behavior. What do you do when someone is assaulted at your dance? How do you respond when people complain about that “creepy” dancer? When someone is dancing in a manner that is putting their partners in danger? How do you do it and still maintain the goal of being a welcoming, tolerant community? It’s best to be prepared before it happens to you. We’ll discuss these issues through role play, sharing experiences and thoughtful discussion.

10 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] Organizers Digest, Vol 48, Issue 7

by Jeff Raymond

Howdy Folks, I wish this forum existed when I was really active promoting dances. So nice to see issues hashed out. Being responsible for running one dance a year makes it easier. Over the years running the old North Yarmouth Maine Dance I had a few problem dancers and while so often we think of the dance as a community in the end the process is often in the hands of a few folks for even one dedicated soul. When an individual pays at the door they are purchasing a revocable license to attend which can be revoked (hence the name) at any point for any reason. I too struggled with extreme consequences but when a dancer is hurting someone or stepping out of bounds I see no need to consider civil or any other presumed rights really. Our dance community is such a civil society which might find confrontation horrible but certain activities can seriously hurt the dance. I feel that a registered letter is a tad cold, direct conversation may be more useful but if need be, grasp the nettle(some dancer) firmly & give 'em the boot however you must. But why wait for extreme bad actors? Lots of folks could use some friendly ad hoc life coaching. From suggesting breath mints to urging a gentler swing, a few words can work wonders. However once after a few years of polite chat aimed at modifying behavior of some moderately obnoxious offenders finally one year I sat three men down & gave 'em New Year's Resolutions. One stayed away, one changed his attitude, & one, well, some folks will never change. Ours is a open community & more than a few people have been socialized into acting more appropriately over time. Perhaps if more borderline dancers realized there were consequences there would be less issues? Thanks, Be well, Jeff Raymond -- Visit http://groups.google.com/group/mainefolk-news

10 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] Problem dancer ? + code of conduct. , step 2 ...

by Peter Clark

In the rare instances I'm aware of where a trespass notice was issued in writing, the recipient didn't return. Rather than escalating this kind of situation where the recipient wouldn't respect such a notice into the legal system through a primarily policy-based approach, it might be worth engaging the assistance of someone skilled in de-escalating conflict. For instance, taking a page from the nightclubs' playbook and hiring an off-duty police officer to work at the welcome table for a few dances would have the benefit of someone present on-site who would presumably have some previous experience handling that sort of thing in the moment. Peter On Wed, Apr 23, 2014 at 12:29 PM, Orin Nisenson <orin(a)nisenson.com> wrote: > The reason I suggested a contract is that it lays down the paper trail > that may be needed if any legal action is taken. > > I agree that you can not cover all bad behaviors but you can cover the > basics that are expected of all dancers. > > If you look at the back of tickets for many sporting and theater event > there is some sort of contract language. This gives the organizers some > form of legal rights to act. I am not suggestion that that become the > practice in the contra dance world. Contracts should be reserved for those > who fail to respond to legitimate complaints/concerns of improper behavior. > Of course the definition of improper behavior is a whole different can of > worms (no offence to worms meant). > > This person has been spoken to by many people many different times. I > doubt he would stop coming to a dance just because someone told him he was > banned. He just does not listen to what he does not want to hear. It may be > time for legal action. > > Orin > > > > > > I agree with Jeff. We are a national community (in some ways, at least), >> and we owe it to the dancers we serve to make our spaces safe for >> everybody. Maybe, if a newcomer is making people uncomfortable, talking >> to >> that newcomer might change his behavior. But that's not your situation. >> If Josh has been harassing and sometimes hurting women for more than five >> years, despite being talked to consistently by many dance organizers, then >> assuming that the same talking-to is going to have any effect just doesn't >> make much sense. >> >> I disagree with Orin's approach. No matter how tight you make a written >> contract, you won't be able to include every single possibly bad behavior. >> And some behaviors (like leering) are too hard to define with any >> precision. Consulting a lawyer might be good advice, but keep in mind >> that >> you always have the right to expel somebody from your dance. People get >> expelled from "public" events that require an admission fee all the time >> for breaking norms; look at any time somebody jumps on the field during a >> baseball game, or try rushing the stage at a concert, etc. Those events >> are just as public as a contra dance (open to everybody who pays the price >> of admission). >> >> I understand that some people on this list likely have problems with >> naming >> particular problem dancers. I think it's our duty to do so. We owe it to >> dancers to put on a safe event, and trying to hide names of people who >> make >> our dances unsafe detracts from that goal. >> >> >> On Wed, Apr 23, 2014 at 9:39 AM, Orin Nisenson <orin(a)nisenson.com> wrote: >> >> I strongly suggest that you consult a lawyer to find out what your >>> options >>> are and to make sure you protect yourself. I would think the law is >>> different for a public dance compared to a private dance/club. >>> >>> I also suggest that you do a written contract with him so that there is >>> no >>> confusion. I once convinced him to stop a particular behavior. The next >>> week he was doing it again. When I reminded him of our conversation the >>> week before he responded "oh, that was for last weeks dance" >>> >> > >> >>> Orin >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Oy ... >>> >>>> >>>> First thanks to all for their support and information , both on this >>>> list >>>> and off-list .. I will be following up independently with those that >>>> e-mailed me in the next few days . >>>> >>>> Yes it is the same person that caused so much trouble up in the Boston >>>> area... >>>> We are currently working on outreach to any dancers effected ( At least >>>> those that we can contact and are willing to talk to us about this >>>> sensitive issue) >>>> >>>> So now we are on the horns of an ethical dilemma , or many different >>>> but >>>> related ones .. :-( >>>> >>>> Should this person get the same treatment that someone with no history >>>> of >>>> harassing behavior should reasonably expect to receive ? >>>> Should he be "talked to" about his actions and "given a chance to >>>> change" >>>> ? >>>> Should a "stepped" ban be considered ? ( Say ban for two months now , >>>> and >>>> >>> >> "probation" after ? ) >> >>> Should any consideration be given to our not having had a clearly >>>> written >>>> and posted set of "rules" ? >>>> >>>> Btw we are working on a "policy" now and I have read every dance >>>> organization policy on the subject that I can find . I suspect that >>>> the >>>> object of such rules or policy should be to make the dancers >>>> comfortable ( >>>> new and old ) and provide recourse to the dance community if someone >>>> violates the folkways of the community .. It might be better to >>>> encourage >>>> communication within the more experienced dancers in the community and >>>> get >>>> them to let the new dancers know through words and deeds what is >>>> acceptable >>>> , what is not and how to tell the difference.. >>>> >>>> Thoughts ? >>>> >>>> Rgds Q >>>> >>>> Ps Perry ( our american dance chair ) will be at NEFFA this weekend , >>>> If >>>> anyone has any personal experiences about this problem please let him >>>> know. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> While there are things to be said for having a code of conduct (and my >>>> >>>>> organization does have one), >>>>> having one in place is neither necessary nor sufficient for dealing >>>>> with >>>>> this person. >>>>> >>>>> Is it possible to have a comforting female organizer get in touch with >>>>> some of the "disappeared" women >>>>> and discuss what's happened with them? This may help assure them that >>>>> the organization cares >>>>> about their comfort and safety and that of the dancers who continue, >>>>> and >>>>> will also help to establish >>>>> how far over the boundaries his behaviors have gone, which might also >>>>> help you to decide whether >>>>> the guy needs a talking to and careful watching with banning in >>>>> reserve, >>>>> or just immediate banning. >>>>> (Or whether the women not coming back to contra is all an unfortunate >>>>> coincidence.) >>>>> >>>>> -- Alan >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On 4/21/2014 1:06 PM, Quintin Aspin wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Down here in Baltimore we are having a problem with a dancer who >>>>>> seems to be harassing young ladies , He seems particularly fond of >>>>>> monopolizing their dances if he can , then moves on to sending >>>>>> e-mails and giving small gifts ... Shortly there after these >>>>>> unfortunately targeted newcomers seem to stop coming to the dance ... >>>>>> They do not complain to anyone in charge , they just disappear from >>>>>> the dance community .. >>>>>> >>>>>> It is a situation that I , as president of BFMS , only recently >>>>>> became aware of , but in retrospect it seems to have been happening >>>>>> to some extent since he moved down from the Boston area . >>>>>> If this is a "new" behavior and he is amenable to change I will >>>>>> either talk to him , or suggest the American dance chair has a few >>>>>> words with him ... But if , as I now suspect , he was doing this same >>>>>> behaviors in the Boston area perhaps firmer action might be needed . >>>>>> >>>>>> There was , in fact , a discussion over on the callers list about a >>>>>> dancer in the Boston area that seems eerily reminiscent of the >>>>>> situation here .. >>>>>> >>>>>> If any of the Boston area dance folks know of whom I speak , or if he >>>>>> was banned from any dances up there it would be enormously helpful if >>>>>> you could send me an e-mail with just the first name of the gent in >>>>>> question .... >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>> You can send it to my regular e-mail ( the one I am >> subscribed to >> >>> this list ) or to be at >>>>>> President ( at ) bfms.org ... >>>>>> >>>>>> A thousand thanks from me and from a lot of dancers who hopefully >>>>>> will not have to find out first hand about which they should be >>>>>> thankful ... >>>>>> >>>>>> Rgds Quintin >>>>>> >>>>>> Ps I have looked at all the contra dance "codes of conduct" I can >>>>>> find and we are having a getting to get one set up here .... >>>>>> Hopefully not shutting the gate after the horse ... etc.. >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Organizers mailing list >>>>>> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >>>>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Organizers mailing list >>>>> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >>>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >>>>> >>>> >>> >> >>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Organizers mailing list >>>> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >>>> >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> U.S. Virgin Islands Snow Plowing Service. >>> Serving St. Croix, St. Thomas & St. John. >>> Fast reliable service, driveways & parking lots / no job >>> too small or large >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Organizers mailing list >>> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> David Casserly >> (cell) 781 258-2761 >> _______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list >> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >> > > > -- > U.S. Virgin Islands Snow Plowing Service. > Serving St. Croix, St. Thomas & St. John. > Fast reliable service, driveways & parking lots / no job > too small or large > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >

10 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] Problem dancer ? + code of conduct. , step 2 ...

by Dave Casserly

I agree with Jeff. We are a national community (in some ways, at least), and we owe it to the dancers we serve to make our spaces safe for everybody. Maybe, if a newcomer is making people uncomfortable, talking to that newcomer might change his behavior. But that's not your situation. If Josh has been harassing and sometimes hurting women for more than five years, despite being talked to consistently by many dance organizers, then assuming that the same talking-to is going to have any effect just doesn't make much sense. I disagree with Orin's approach. No matter how tight you make a written contract, you won't be able to include every single possibly bad behavior. And some behaviors (like leering) are too hard to define with any precision. Consulting a lawyer might be good advice, but keep in mind that you always have the right to expel somebody from your dance. People get expelled from "public" events that require an admission fee all the time for breaking norms; look at any time somebody jumps on the field during a baseball game, or try rushing the stage at a concert, etc. Those events are just as public as a contra dance (open to everybody who pays the price of admission). I understand that some people on this list likely have problems with naming particular problem dancers. I think it's our duty to do so. We owe it to dancers to put on a safe event, and trying to hide names of people who make our dances unsafe detracts from that goal. On Wed, Apr 23, 2014 at 9:39 AM, Orin Nisenson <orin(a)nisenson.com> wrote: > I strongly suggest that you consult a lawyer to find out what your options > are and to make sure you protect yourself. I would think the law is > different for a public dance compared to a private dance/club. > > I also suggest that you do a written contract with him so that there is no > confusion. I once convinced him to stop a particular behavior. The next > week he was doing it again. When I reminded him of our conversation the > week before he responded "oh, that was for last weeks dance" > > Orin > > > > > > > > Oy ... >> >> First thanks to all for their support and information , both on this list >> and off-list .. I will be following up independently with those that >> e-mailed me in the next few days . >> >> Yes it is the same person that caused so much trouble up in the Boston >> area... >> We are currently working on outreach to any dancers effected ( At least >> those that we can contact and are willing to talk to us about this >> sensitive issue) >> >> So now we are on the horns of an ethical dilemma , or many different but >> related ones .. :-( >> >> Should this person get the same treatment that someone with no history of >> harassing behavior should reasonably expect to receive ? >> Should he be "talked to" about his actions and "given a chance to change" >> ? >> Should a "stepped" ban be considered ? ( Say ban for two months now , and >> "probation" after ? ) >> Should any consideration be given to our not having had a clearly written >> and posted set of "rules" ? >> >> Btw we are working on a "policy" now and I have read every dance >> organization policy on the subject that I can find . I suspect that the >> object of such rules or policy should be to make the dancers comfortable ( >> new and old ) and provide recourse to the dance community if someone >> violates the folkways of the community .. It might be better to encourage >> communication within the more experienced dancers in the community and get >> them to let the new dancers know through words and deeds what is acceptable >> , what is not and how to tell the difference.. >> >> Thoughts ? >> >> Rgds Q >> >> Ps Perry ( our american dance chair ) will be at NEFFA this weekend , If >> anyone has any personal experiences about this problem please let him know. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> While there are things to be said for having a code of conduct (and my >>> organization does have one), >>> having one in place is neither necessary nor sufficient for dealing with >>> this person. >>> >>> Is it possible to have a comforting female organizer get in touch with >>> some of the "disappeared" women >>> and discuss what's happened with them? This may help assure them that >>> the organization cares >>> about their comfort and safety and that of the dancers who continue, and >>> will also help to establish >>> how far over the boundaries his behaviors have gone, which might also >>> help you to decide whether >>> the guy needs a talking to and careful watching with banning in reserve, >>> or just immediate banning. >>> (Or whether the women not coming back to contra is all an unfortunate >>> coincidence.) >>> >>> -- Alan >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On 4/21/2014 1:06 PM, Quintin Aspin wrote: >>> >>>> Down here in Baltimore we are having a problem with a dancer who >>>> seems to be harassing young ladies , He seems particularly fond of >>>> monopolizing their dances if he can , then moves on to sending >>>> e-mails and giving small gifts ... Shortly there after these >>>> unfortunately targeted newcomers seem to stop coming to the dance ... >>>> They do not complain to anyone in charge , they just disappear from >>>> the dance community .. >>>> >>>> It is a situation that I , as president of BFMS , only recently >>>> became aware of , but in retrospect it seems to have been happening >>>> to some extent since he moved down from the Boston area . >>>> If this is a "new" behavior and he is amenable to change I will >>>> either talk to him , or suggest the American dance chair has a few >>>> words with him ... But if , as I now suspect , he was doing this same >>>> behaviors in the Boston area perhaps firmer action might be needed . >>>> >>>> There was , in fact , a discussion over on the callers list about a >>>> dancer in the Boston area that seems eerily reminiscent of the >>>> situation here .. >>>> >>>> If any of the Boston area dance folks know of whom I speak , or if he >>>> was banned from any dances up there it would be enormously helpful if >>>> you could send me an e-mail with just the first name of the gent in >>>> question .... >>>> >>>> You can send it to my regular e-mail ( the one I am subscribed to >>>> this list ) or to be at >>>> President ( at ) bfms.org ... >>>> >>>> A thousand thanks from me and from a lot of dancers who hopefully >>>> will not have to find out first hand about which they should be >>>> thankful ... >>>> >>>> Rgds Quintin >>>> >>>> Ps I have looked at all the contra dance "codes of conduct" I can >>>> find and we are having a getting to get one set up here .... >>>> Hopefully not shutting the gate after the horse ... etc.. >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Organizers mailing list >>>> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >>>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Organizers mailing list >>> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >>> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list >> Organizers(a)sharedweight.net >> http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers >> > > > -- > U.S. Virgin Islands Snow Plowing Service. > Serving St. Croix, St. Thomas & St. John. > Fast reliable service, driveways & parking lots / no job > too small or large > > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers(a)sharedweight.net > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers > -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761

10 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] Code of Conduct

by John Sweeney

The same problem exists for all partner dance genres. You may find this document from Ceroc (Modern Jive) Australia useful: http://cerocaustralia.com.au/pdf/harassment_policy.pdf Happy dancing, John John Sweeney, Dancer, England john(a)modernjive.com 01233 625 362 http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs

10 years, 7 months

[Organizers] Dancer Code of Conduct ?

by David Fenwick

Anyone have a written code of conduct that you can refer to ? In Palm Beach County FL we have 1 or 2 dancers whose behavior is off-putting, especially to newer dancers. It would be great to be able to refer to a written policy. -- David Fenwick *Atlantic Property Management* Economic professional management *Orange Blossom Ball* Jan 17-19 2014 www.orangeblossomcontra.com 954-918-5884 * Property Management & Maintenance *

10 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] Problem dancer ? + code of conduct. , step 2 ...

by Jeff Kaufman

On Wed, Apr 23, 2014 at 9:18 AM, Quintin Aspin <Qrover80(a)pipeline.com> wrote: > > Should this person get the same treatment that someone with no history of > harassing behavior should reasonably expect to receive? Definitely not. You should consider their whole history.

10 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] FW: Dance Organizers Course at Pinewoods

by Lou Echeandia

<div id="AOLMsgPart_2_b8ef91b0-5a77-42e4-994a-2218c9bbd54d"> Chrissy, I would love to attend the Dance Organizers session but we are travelling to CA that week. Regards, Lou Echeandia Sent from AOL Mobile Mail -----Original Message----- From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com> To: organizers <organizers(a)sharedweight.net> Sent: Thu, Apr 10, 2014 06:57 PM Subject: [Organizers] FW: Dance Organizers Course at Pinewoods <div id="AOLMsgPart_1_8770ba30-e521-49d0-b46d-2bea202d0448" style="margin: 0px;font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Sans-Serif;font-size: 12px;color: #000;background-color: #fff;"> <pre style="font-size: 9pt;"><tt>Hi there, Thought you might be interested in this special session for dance organizers this summer (in conjunction with CDSS's English & American Week at Pinewoods.) I've been to CDSS camps several times and always found them amazing - gourmet food, lovely setting, great swimming, really fun people, and fantastic music/dance. Gaye Fifer is a splendid leader and I am confident she's putting together a topnotch course. There's lots more info in the email from Gaye & Shawn below, and remember to check out the generous scholarships (outlined on the CDSS website.) Feel free to forward to anyone else you think might be interested in this great opportunity. Cheers, Chrissy Fowler Belfast, ME ======================= Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 15:54:31 -0400 Subject: Dance Organizers Course at Pinewoods From: <a href="mailto:sbrenneman@gmail.com" target="_blank">sbrenneman(a)gmail.com</a> We’d like to make you especially aware of a course that is being offered at Pinewoods Dance Camp this summer: Dance Organizers Course. It will be offered during English & American Week, Aug. 23-30, 2014. This course is designed for people involved in and committed to organizing in their home dance community (contra,square, English, adult or family). We plan to discuss and strategize about issues that affect local dances. There will be time for sharing, questioning, collaborating and connecting. We will devote time to interviewing “experts” at camp, creating solutions to “problems”, brainstorming, practicing and giving feed-back. We will create a network of support, and a toolkit of ideas, that each participant will be able to take home. <a href="http://www.cdss.org/community-leaders.html" target="_blank">http://www.cdss.org/community-leaders.html</a> You may know people in your local community who are “up and coming” leaders: folks who have stepped into leadership roles, folks who think about the good of the community, folks who share their ideas & time. You may be wanting to spread the base of leadership in your community and wanting to improve the leadership skills of interested and willing dancers. The course is also useful to people wanting to start a dance or wanting to include dance in another local or regional event. We will gather twice each day. Though we will invite guest speakers/facilitators from the English & American Dance Week staff and beyond, most of the wisdom will be shared by participants, through panel discussions, breakout sessions, brainstorming sessions, and other guided activities. For the rest of the day and evening, the wonderful resources of English & American Dance Week are yours for the picking. Pinewoods Camp is a beautiful setting, creating a retreat where one can immerse oneself in nature, music & dance. Attendees will be able to focus on issues in their dance community in a way their busy lives at home might not allow. http:<a href="http://www.cdss.org/pinewoods.html" target="_blank">www.cdss.org/pinewoods.html</a> We would like to encourage you to send someone to this course from your local community. CDSS can help provide some scholarship assistance for applicants. The money can go even further if your local community helps to match the funds from CDSS. We believe that this could be a wonderful opportunity for your community, and for the individual you help send to camp. Please let us know if you have any questions or want to discuss this further with us. Don’t wait to take advantage of this possibility! Thanks. Gaye & Shawn Gaye Fifer, Course Leader, <<a href="mailto:gayefifer@gmail.com" target="_blank">gayefifer(a)gmail.com</a>>Shawn Brenneman, Program Director, <<a href="mailto:sbrenneman@gmail.com" target="_blank">sbrenneman(a)gmail.com</a>> _______________________________________________ Organizers mailing list <a href="mailto:Organizers@sharedweight.net" target="_blank">Organizers(a)sharedweight.net</a> <a href="http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers" target="_blank">http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/organizers</a> </tt></pre> </div> </div>

10 years, 7 months

[Organizers] FW: Dance Organizers Course at Pinewoods

by Chrissy Fowler

Hi there, Thought you might be interested in this special session for dance organizers this summer (in conjunction with CDSS's English & American Week at Pinewoods.) I've been to CDSS camps several times and always found them amazing - gourmet food, lovely setting, great swimming, really fun people, and fantastic music/dance. Gaye Fifer is a splendid leader and I am confident she's putting together a topnotch course. There's lots more info in the email from Gaye & Shawn below, and remember to check out the generous scholarships (outlined on the CDSS website.) Feel free to forward to anyone else you think might be interested in this great opportunity. Cheers, Chrissy Fowler Belfast, ME ======================= Date: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 15:54:31 -0400 Subject: Dance Organizers Course at Pinewoods From: sbrenneman(a)gmail.com We’d like to make you especially aware of a course that is being offered at Pinewoods Dance Camp this summer: Dance Organizers Course. It will be offered during English & American Week, Aug. 23-30, 2014. This course is designed for people involved in and committed to organizing in their home dance community (contra,square, English, adult or family). We plan to discuss and strategize about issues that affect local dances. There will be time for sharing, questioning, collaborating and connecting. We will devote time to interviewing “experts” at camp, creating solutions to “problems”, brainstorming, practicing and giving feed-back. We will create a network of support, and a toolkit of ideas, that each participant will be able to take home. http://www.cdss.org/community-leaders.html You may know people in your local community who are “up and coming” leaders: folks who have stepped into leadership roles, folks who think about the good of the community, folks who share their ideas & time. You may be wanting to spread the base of leadership in your community and wanting to improve the leadership skills of interested and willing dancers. The course is also useful to people wanting to start a dance or wanting to include dance in another local or regional event. We will gather twice each day. Though we will invite guest speakers/facilitators from the English & American Dance Week staff and beyond, most of the wisdom will be shared by participants, through panel discussions, breakout sessions, brainstorming sessions, and other guided activities. For the rest of the day and evening, the wonderful resources of English & American Dance Week are yours for the picking. Pinewoods Camp is a beautiful setting, creating a retreat where one can immerse oneself in nature, music & dance. Attendees will be able to focus on issues in their dance community in a way their busy lives at home might not allow. http:www.cdss.org/pinewoods.html We would like to encourage you to send someone to this course from your local community. CDSS can help provide some scholarship assistance for applicants. The money can go even further if your local community helps to match the funds from CDSS. We believe that this could be a wonderful opportunity for your community, and for the individual you help send to camp. Please let us know if you have any questions or want to discuss this further with us. Don’t wait to take advantage of this possibility! Thanks. Gaye & Shawn Gaye Fifer, Course Leader, <gayefifer(a)gmail.com>Shawn Brenneman, Program Director, <sbrenneman(a)gmail.com>

10 years, 7 months

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