[Organizers] Organizer Responsibilities

Don's point speaks to me of how it affects others when dance organizers abdicate their responsibilities. One time I arrived 25 min prior to the dance start time to find the hall locked. After I sat in my car for a bit, I was approached by a departing employee, who kindly happened to ask if I was there for the dance, and unlocked the back door to let me in. As dancers arrived, several came to me and asked if I knew that the front door was locked. One of them went downstairs to prop it open. Not until the dance had been underway for over an hour did the primary organizer arrive (the person who was supposed to have the key, at least according to the woman who let me into the building.) Some other folks who may have been associated with the dance arrived before that, but no one sat at the door taking admission (and I saw from the stage more than one person holding money and looking confused and then walking away with the money still in hand.) And then, at the break, the organizer came up to me with the money they had taken in, and told me my share was less than the amt I'd expected ("but what could they do, because that's all they took in?"). As a caller, I felt irritated by the whole thing, and it didn't inspire me to want to call that dance again. But as an organizer, I was reminded of the deep and tangible effects that we have on our callers/musicians/dancers. If we are fulfilling our basic responsibilities (such as being there early, welcoming everyone into the hall) it sets a certain tone. If we aren't fulfilling our responsibilities, and folks have to actually overcome obstacles to call/play/dance at our series, then that sets a certain tone too. I can't help but think the latter is a sure-fire way to send a dance into decline. Chrissy