22 Aug
2008
22 Aug
'08
5:40 a.m.
Either this topic hasn't inspired any comment, or I have not been receiving
the posts. I did have some thoughts about it, and without seeing any of the
original thread, here goes:
New callers (in my experience) don't start out at local dances by calling a
whole evening. They start by calling one or two dances in an evening, and
then move up to half an evening. And by calling at 'open calling' dances.
After this they may get the opportunity to call a whole evening. Then
perhaps calling at other regional dances. In this way they begin to get
recognized. I have heard of some people taking some calling workshops and
then trying to get hired for "bigger" gigs, and as 'out of town'
callers.
For me, this indicates a lack of respect for all the people who have worked
at calling a long time before they started calling nationally.
Dancers have become very focused on the talent: name recognition of the band
and caller. There are few dances where with open stage for bands and
callers. To get the name recognition, both bands and callers have to start
locally, build a following, before they should expect to be hired for
"bigger" gigs, where name recognition is a big part of how the organizers
choose who is on stage. Plus, organizers don't want someone to be learning
or developing skills in a situation where dancers expect more than that.
Local dances are appropriate for development.
While I might consider an unknown caller for a local dance, I would never
consider one for a special/weekend dance.
Jeffrey Rovner
chicago
-----Original Message-----
From: organizers-bounces(a)sharedweight.net [mailto:organizers-
bounces(a)sharedweight.net] On Behalf Of Chrissy Fowler
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 7:31 PM
To: organizers(a)sharedweight.net
Subject: [Organizers] booking performers - balancing act
Hi all,
There has been an interesting discussion on the shared weight callers
list, which is relevant to us as organizers.
Basically, one of the newer/developing callers was sharing her
frustration about feeling shut out of the "bigger" gigs, in part
because some of those organizers weren't interested in experimenting
with "untested" talent, in part because they wanted to maintain certain
'standards' of skill and performance.
I could see her point, as a caller wanting other gigs, but also can see
the point of the organizers, whose first responsibility is not
necessarily to cultivate growth in the caller/musician community but is
rather to run a series that meets the expectations of the dancers and
the organizers themselves.
Anyhow, I was curious about what the rest of you organizer folks might
think about this tension and how you've balanced it.
I'll send a condensed version of the content of the caller emails
(without names and extraneous details) in a subsequent msg.
- Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.belfastflyingshoes.org
home 207-338-0979 cell 603-498-3506
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