I have to unsubscribe from this list because each post triggers painful
memories of my story in Asheville.
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aSw4Ntjv_DrPJrhV4NvHyLdln7Pa7ilOpJGSKwL…>
But I retain a strong affection for this scene. So, as I leave, I offer
this perspective:
Waves of woke social violence happen more and more often lately. But it is
not the angry social-media-driven mob that ruins someone’s life. That’s
just high-school, mean-girl behavior.
What ruins someone’s life, and exacerbates conflict, is being formally
banned by an organizing committee that does not have the ability to stand
up to the mob and say, “No, this is wrong.“ You, as an organizer, will be
in this situation. You too may find it difficult to stand up and say No.
You might instead say, as your policy:
“We only do three things here:
- We book the hall.
- We hire the talent.
- We count the money.
That’s it. If there’s conflict on the floor, we don’t care. We’re not your
mommy. It is your job to be kind to each other. It’s not our job to
enforce that. We’re not your mommy. “
So that’s my idea. Who knows if that would work. But a volunteer board that
takes on the responsibility of managing the behavior of 300 people will
probably do more harm than good.
I will add that *you* will be the next target of this. *You*, the good
hearted, enthusiastic, believer in dance community, whose years of work
have given you high status. There’s no fun in cancelling a nobody. *You* will
be targeted. You will watch with stunned amazement as your community
evaporates around you.
I know you’re all doing your best, and I wish you good luck in these
increasingly difficult times.
Feel free to reconnect with me off-list if you wish.
Goodbye.
Hey Organizers,
My home town, Columbia, MO, is building a welcome/community center for
multiple uses. Our contra group has asked them to consider something other
than smooth concrete for the floor.
The City parks and rec people were initially resistant, but since a lot of
the funding for the building will be coming directly from the community,
they seem to be softening their stance, but not to the point of approving a
hardwood floor. So the architect has done some research on alternative
flooring options that might be comfortable and safe to dance on, but also
have many of the conveniences of concrete floor for multiple uses and
maintenance.
Two products are listed in the attachments below. Unfortunately, the only
known installations are 300-450 miles from us in Indiana and Kansas.
Have any of you out there in dance land run across either of these kinds of
floorings, or maybe know of other alternatives to hardwood that would meet
low maintenance requirements of the City?
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Jim Thaxter
Columbia, MO
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Robbie Price
Date: Tue, May 9, 2023 at 9:12 AM
Subject: RE: Community building floor
To: Jim Thaxter <jathaxter47(a)gmail.com>
Dear Jim:
With a pure dance floor out of the question (too much friction for your
purposes and too expensive), I am looking for floor which gives you the
cushion you need and the durability to resist table and chair scratches,
dropped equipment, and food spills. My rep from Tarkett, one of the largest
flooring companies in the U.S. have a sports/recreation flooring division,
Zoche, which may work. He recommends their Omnisports system “Multi-use” or
the Lumaflex without the wood subfloor. Please find the spec sheets on
these two products attached.
I am also interested in an industrial wood flooring product which may prove
to be a possible solution – end grain wood blocks. It traditionally is used
in industrial applications with 3” – 5” thick,creosote impregnated wood
blocks which take all manner of abuse. Today they do away with the harmful
chemicals and hazardous materials and use oils and some polyurethanes to
finish them. It could be a beautiful floor and stand up to any abuse if
only it is acceptable to the dance community. Here are websites for your
review: Old Wood LLC. - End Grain Flooring <https://www.oldwood.us/endgrain>
, END GRAIN | Kaswell Flooring Systems <https://www.kaswell.com/end-grain/>
I need to do so more research on this. Please let me know what you think.
Thank you for any input you can provide.
Cordially,
Robbie
*Robbie Price AIA, LEED AP +*
*573.443.1407*
Architect / Associate
*soa*
*Architecture Interior Design Planning Sustainability*
*P* Please consider the environment before printing this email.
*From:* Jim Thaxter <jathaxter47(a)gmail.com>
*Sent:* Saturday, May 6, 2023 4:02 PM
*To:* Robbie Price <price(a)soa-inc.com>
*Subject:* Community building floor
Hi Robbie,
Thanks for being willing to consider a floor of something other than smooth
concrete. Keep us up to date on what you’re looking at.
Jim Thaxter
