Hello there dance organizers!
I have just returned to Maine after a trip to White River Junction. We sure
are going to have a great weekend together at *Puttin' On the
Dance*<http://www.puttinonthedance.org>!
Couple of important reminders:
*** Deadline for Earlybird Rates is September 1. *Get your registration
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/>in the mail by then to take
advantage of discounted fees.
*** Scholarships still available. *After processing the early scholarship
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/scholarships>applicants in one
batch, we have some additional funds to offer, as applications come in.
While in VT, Mary, Linda & I...
- Visited the venue, Hotel Coolidge <http://www.hotelcoolidge.com>, and
envisioned it buzzing with dance organizers. It was Mary's and my first
time seeing it in person, and not only is it a cool place, but it will be
even cooler in November with all of us roaming the hallways, sharing meals,
and meeting in the various conference rooms.
- Pieced together more details regarding the Program - Mary & Linda are
fine-tuning the program content, session leadership and schedule further
over the next couple of weeks. Check the website
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org>for updates or get in touch with us via
email or Facebook.
- Received news of another group's support for the conference! THANK YOU to
*New England Dancing Masters* of VT - longtime dance organizers and avid
promoters of traditional dance for children, families, schools &
communities. If you don't already know these wonderful folks and their
publications, check out www.dancingmasters.com.
- Got updates on incoming registrations (so far, our group includes dance
organizers from Ontario, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine,
Massachusetts, Connecticut, and even Jonesborough, TN!)
During our planning meeting, the four of us also had some inspiring informal
conversations about the joys and challenges of dance organization, just as
we expect we'll have again in November with all of you.
Let me (or any of us) know if you have any questions, especially so
you can register
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/>by Sept 1 for Earlybird
Discounts.
Happy organizing!
Chrissy Fowler
207-338-0979
nedanceorgs(a)gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/PuttinOnTheDance
Puttin' On the Dance: A Conference for Northeast Dance Organizers
November 11-13, 2011
www.puttinonthedance.orghttp://www.facebook.com/PuttinOnTheDance
Chrissy Fowler (ME) Delia Clark (VT) Linda Henry (MA) Mary Wesley (VT)
Hi all,
A question for bookkeepers / treasurers:
Are you a nonprofit group registered as such with state, filing the appropriate regular tax returns with the state?
We (Queen City Contras, in Burlington, Vermont) receive a nice corporate donation every year, partly because we are a 501c3 with IRS, through CDSS. But we have not registered with the state.
Here is the problem: Our bank has stopped accepting checks payable to our dance group, because regulations require that we have a business account, using a business name that is registered with the state.
Thanks,
-Brian Appleberry
Chris Page wrote:
>
> (tap, tap, tap -- is this thing on?)
>
> A bookings etiquette question:
>
> For a special contra event (weekend, daylong event), is it better to
> ask performer's availabilities in serial or in parallel?
>
> In other words, should one focus on one bookee at a time, only moving
> on after a non answer, or a reasonable amount of time?
>
> Or is it better to ask multiple talents at once, and then select from
> those that responded?
>
Great questions Chris, and interesting replies all. And great to see a flurry of activity on the SW Organizers list.
(a) As a dance organizer, I can only speak to booking for a monthly dance series. We do it both ways. First in parallel - inviting everyone who's on our list of priority performers for the given booking cycle, asking for dates they're available, and telling them we need a reply by X date and that we'll get back to them to let them know which date will work. Then when many of the spots are full, we go one at a time, until we're booked.
(b) As a performer, I can speak to special events. I agree it's really nice to know that people are contacting other bands/callers. It affects how I negotiate and how much I invest in the exchange. In a weird circumstance this year no fewer than five different musicians asked me if I could call w them for the same exact wedding (I couldn't, already busy), and the irony was that I had also had a conversation w the bride-to-be which led me to believe she was ready to hire me if only I'd been available. Yikes! (The dating analogy is a great one, even though in some ways it is indeed 'nothing personal, and just a way of doing business.' I wonder if caterers or tent companies take much offense re. being contacted as part of a slew of possible caterers/tent suppliers...)
When I have gotten a call about a gig at the very last minute, I have left messages for a few different musicians at once, hoping someone will get back to me in the final hour. In those cases, I do tell them that I'm calling other people.
Mostly I work in series though.
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
(tap, tap, tap -- is this thing on?)
A bookings etiquette question:
For a special contra event (weekend, daylong event), is it better to
ask performer's availabilities in serial or in parallel?
In other words, should one focus on one bookee at a time, only moving
on after a non answer, or a reasonable amount of time?
Or is it better to ask multiple talents at once, and then select from
those that responded?
Curious,
(and also curious if anyone's still on this list)
-Chris Page
San Diego
We four Puttin' On the Dance conference planners have a lot going on these
days, from planning the program to receiving registrations. We're very
excited, and will tell you more details soon.
Speaking of soon... The *Early Bird Deadline* is coming up *very *soon!
All Early Bird rates are in effect for registrations *postmarked by
September 1*. Send in your registration
form<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/registration-form/>by
the end of the month to take advantage of the discounts.
We have great news on the *Scholarship* front. Both the regional *New
England Folk Festival Association *(www.neffa.org) and Maine's music and
dance group, *DownEast Friends of the Folk Arts* (www.deffa.org) have
provided grants for our scholarship fund. *Thank you *NEFFA
<http://www.neffa.org/>& DEFFA <http://www.deffa.org/>! If scholarship
support would help you attend the conference, send us your completed
scholarship
application <http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/scholarships/> when
you register <http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/>.
We updated the posters on the Fund your Attendance
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/fund-your-attendance/> page of the
website, to reflect this additional support. "What's the Fund Your
Attendance page?!?" you ask. It offers a whole lot of interesting and
useful ways your dance series can pay for the conference. And the posters
are to help when you...*Ask for donations from your dancers & performers!*
(Just one of the *many *handy tips on the "Fund Your Attendance" page!)
Let us know if you have any questions, and see you in November!
Chrissy
nedanceorgs(a)gmail.com
207.338.0979
--
Puttin' On the Dance: A Conference for Northeast Dance Organizers
November 11-13, 2011
www.puttinonthedance.org
Chrissy Fowler (ME) Delia Clark (VT) Linda Henry (MA) Mary Wesley (VT)
Dear dance organizers,
Registrations for the November 11-13 Puttin' On the Dance conference are
arriving in Delia's mailbox, Linda & Mary are building the program, and
we're receiving bios from the dance organizers who are leading sessions.
It's really coming together!!!
Here's what we want to pass on:
*
**WEBSITE UPDATES:*
*~ Program Content:
*We've fleshed out a few more details about the conference program,
including more info on topics to be covered in the program. Here are the
pages which have substantial updates.
http://www.puttinonthedance.org/program/http://www.puttinonthedance.org/program/topics/<http://puttinonthedance.org/program/topics>
*
~ Workshop Session Leadership:
*Find out a bit more about some of the people who will be leading sessions
at the conference! See:
http://www.puttinonthedance.org/leaders/session-leadership/ (Note: This
page will be updated regularly as we receive bios from the session leaders,
so check back often!)
*HELP US SPREAD THE WORD!
**~ Enhance Our Email Distribution: *
We've got a fairly robust list of email addresses for dance organizers in
the Northeast dances, but there are still some gaps! For some dances we
have only one email address although there are several people on the
organizing team, for other dances we have outdated addresses, and we've
probably overlooked some dances. Please (!) send us names and email
addresses for anyone you think may be interested in this conference.
*~ Post Fliers:*
We want to be sure that everyone knows this conference is happening. Mary
designed a conference flier suitable for distribution at dances, which is
attached. (It's also available on the website
http://www.puttinonthedance.org/) Please promote the conference by printing
and distributing a few of these at dances near and far. (Thanks for joining
the street team!)
*
SCHOLARSHIP REMINDERS:
~ Initial Scholarship Deadline August 1:
*All scholarship applications postmarked by August 1 will be considered
equally. If funds remain, scholarships mailed after Aug 1 will also be
considered, at a later date. For forms and info, see
http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/scholarships/
*
~ Scholarship Fund Donations are Welcomed!
*Whether you are an individual or representing a group, please consider
contributing to our scholarship fund, to help other organizers attend the
conference. Donate when you register, or send it in separately. Checks
payable to CDSS. Mail to Delia Clark, PO Box 45, Taftsville, VT 05073.
Thank you!
And finally, don't forget that the* Earlybird Rates *are in effect for
registrations postmarked September 1. Here's a reminder of all the
registration information: http://www.puttinonthedance.org/register/
Cheers,
Chrissy Fowler
Apologies for any cross posting.
David Millstone will be in the Boston area on August 9th and has offered to
do a Chestnuts calling workshop that evening IF we can get enough interested
and available callers.
This isn't a dance but a callers-only workshop. The goal is to have a small
set of dancers so the callers can practice. We have a fiddler but would also
welcome a pianist who knows how to play Chestnuts.
Right now I'm just trying to determine if we can get enough callers so this
workshop isn't yet set in stone.
If you are a caller and have an interest in this workshop and are available
in the Boston area on Tuesday evening, August 9th, please let me know!
Thanks, everyone!
Sally Bown
BIDA board member
dancinlibrarian(a)gmail.com
cell: 502-550-5981
Dear Northeast Dance Organizers,
As the Longest Day has just passed for all of us in the Northeast, the four
of us are very busy with tasks related to the Puttin' On the Dance
conference planned for November 11-13.
Here's our news:
* Mary Wesley of Ferrisburgh,VT has joined our conference organizing team!
We're thrilled to add her energy and experience to our planning crew, and we
eagerly anticipate an inspiring weekend conference in November.
* Our conference website is ready! http://www.puttinonthedance.org/ You'll
find all sorts of interesting info there, including specifics on conference
fees, various deadlines, travel info, forms, and more. Many thanks to two
multi-talented Northeast dance organizers - Toki Oshima of Whitefield ME for
her artwork and Ethan Hazzard-Watkins of Brattleboro VT for his website
design.
* Find us on Facebook! Here's a handy link:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Puttin-On-the-Dance/168215219908921
* Registration is now open, with the Earlybird Fees in effect until
September 1. (See *Register *tab on the website for full details.)
* We have some scholarship funding in hand, and we are actively seeking
additional contributions to the scholarship fund. (For info and
application, see *Scholarships*, under *Register *tab on the website) We
hope you will also use creative ways to pay your conference fees. (For a
few useful suggestions, see *Fund Your Attendance*, under *Register *tab on
the website.)
* Next steps include finalizing the *Program *content, session *Topics*, and
*Session Leadership*, as you can see from those pages on the website. Keep
in touch with your suggestions and input!
Happy Solstice and happy organizing!
Chrissy, Delia, Linda & Mary
--
Puttin' On the Dance: A Conference for Northeast Dance Organizers
November 11-13, 2011
www.puttinonthedance.org
Chrissy Fowler (ME) Delia Clark (VT) Linda Henry (MA) Mary Wesley (VT)
Hi friends,
I'm
sending this to you in order to cast a wider net for my Boston-area
dance friend and fellow caller, Dan Pearl, who has PKD (Polycystic
Kidney Disease.) He's actively looking for a living donor that's
willing and able donate a kidney (especially someone with type O blood,
although as you can learn in the paired donor info on the website, it
could work with an interested and qualified donor of another blood
type.)
Dan's story, his health details, and more information (including specifics for individuals who might consider being a donor) can be found at http://danskidney.info.
If you can think of other groups or individuals to forward this to, in order to further spread the net, please do.
Thanks,
Chrissy Fowler
Hi all,
Wondering if anyone out there in Shared Weight land has suggestions for ways (or places) to have music transferred from 45 rpm recordings to CD/digital.
I'm asking on behalf of a community of folks here in Maine who are reviving a generations-old tradition of square dancing, and for many of the people who grew up in the tradition, hearing the particular familiar version of the music is a big part of their connection to (and nostalgia for) the various dances.
Thanks!
Chrissy Fowler
(Belfast, ME)
