Sorry, I sent this post to the callers list and it should have gone to the organizers list. Thanks for your help!
Our dance group in Charlotte NC is considering a long-term lease on an unused gym. Terms are great, we have a strong lead on a temporary portable floor while we raise money for a better floor. Acoustics, however, are horrendous. It's a big concrete box. What are some relatively quick and cheap ways we can get the acoustics to an OK level while we do the fundraising to do the job right? We need to move in fast as we presently have no better alternatives for our weekly dance. We're thinking about hanging quilts and heavy curtains from ropes along the walls and maybe up in the high ceiling.
Any ideas? Suggestions?
Thanks.
Gretchen Caldwell
gretchendance(a)yahoo.com
Charlotte NC
At the Thursday Concord MA dance our standard rate is $8, with students ("full time 21 and under") $5. Starting at the break, everyone pays $3. When the door tender goes away (with about 45 minutes to go in the dance) we put out an honor box requesting $2. Non-dancers do not pay.
The student rate is a relatively recent addition to us, and we don't sweat the numbers too much even though the percentage of students varies from evening to evening. We don't keep tallys.
My impression is that we started getting more students at our regular rate. Then we instituted the student rate. Then more students came. No way of knowing if this had anything to do with the student rate. I think that having a student discount, even if is just a buck, puts out a psychological welcome mat to students.
Hay Chris,
Though not part of this list, I hope I can input :-)
(having organized a dance in the past)
Most community dances, that I have attended, esp. in collage towns
Do have student rates, some offer the same as Senior discount.
This is perfectly legitimate.
What I have found is that any price increase will be met
With a certain amount of grousing.... And for the loudest grousers
I will quietly remind them about the cost of pizza or movies or other
Forms of entertainment.....
I think you'll find that loyal dancers will not mind paying the extra
Dollar....and as long as the dance is of consistent good quality
Even the grousers will continue to attend (though grudgingly)
Hope to get to Manchester soon!
Thanks Gale
the Old Fiddler's Club of Rhode Island is the oldest fiddling club in the
USA, continuously meeting since 1929 for concerts and, back in the day, for
dances. There have been no dances for many years and we are interested in
starting a new contradance in the Providence area. Our intention is to use
this as a recruiting tool for new musicians and possibly new/beginner
callers.
We have a couple big advantages in starting out, I think, because we are a
tax exempt organization, we have good musicians to anchor a members and
sit-in house band, and we have a $grant. We are looking for a hall, and have
spoken to some very experienced callers in SE New England.
We would be grateful for any advice or encouragement and will be watching
carefully to see what kind of problems and solutions everyone has at their
dances.
Hi Organizers!
I'll start things off. My dance in Manchester, NH is having problems
with falling attendance. A lot of this was due to my inability to spend
time promoting the dance. I have since recruited one of my regular
dancers to help and she's doing a great job of spreading fliers around
and getting notices in newspapers.
We have 3 colleges in the greater Manchester area. One idea that I had
was to change the admission price from $7 for 12 and up to $8 for adults
and $5 for students. I put the question to my dancers in the form of a
survey question in the book I keep on the welcome table. I was surprised
when 2 people (out of 10 or 12) said that they would not be willing to
pay the new price. Because the format was anonymous, I don't know who
said no, but I'd be very curious to know.
What are people's experiences with having a student rate? Any luck in
attracting students? Did it help the adult attendance, too?
I should also note that the increase is also intended to help me cover
increased hall costs and be able to offer a better guarantee to
musicians. I'm not planning on making this change until September.
Thanks for your input!
Chris Weiler
Mill City Contra Dance
Manchester, NH
http://www.nhdances.org/millcity/
Hello everyone!
Welcome to the Organizer's list on SharedWeight. Thank you for signing up!
We have more than 20 people signed up for this list from all sorts of
backgrounds, so let's pick each other's brains!
While I hope that this list will be similar to the tone and community
built on the Caller's list, it'll be up to all of us to shape the
discussion here. So let's get started!
Chris Weiler
Mill City Contra Dance
Manchester, NH
http://www.nhdances.org/millcity/
Thanks for not just having a great idea with your lists, but for following through on them. I heard about your effort from Chris Page, here in San Diego where I'm living. If you do pull together an organizers' list, I'd love to be added to it:
Pat Stark pstark(a)sciti.com 619-896-2513
Thanks!
