Organizers

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Following up from the CDSS family/community web chat - questions and stories?

by Emily Addison

Hi fellow Shared Weight organizers, I was curious as to whether anyone on this list had lingering questions coming out of the CDSS Family and Community dance web chat last month? There were a number of great ideas I was excited to learn about including many suggestions on adding non-dance features to events in order to make them feel special. Related to community dance organizing, I also wanted to share a story from our community dance this past Saturday here in Ottawa Ontario. The story relates to the Belfast Flying Shoes community dances ---> They were one of the groups featured in the CDSS web chat. Note... the story is long... apologies! The backstory: Ottawa Contra Dance has been hosting afternoon family dances for approximately 8yrs. These are well attended (70-100 people each time) but there is big turn over with kids aging out around 7yrs old and no bridging into our evening contra dances. This year, we launched four community dances using a very similar model to Belfast Flying Shoes (and a few other community dances) in the hope that we could create a truly intergenerational dance that would encourage school-aged families in particular. The timeline is as such: 3-5pm afternoon advanced dance, 5-630 potluck for all, 630-730 community dance, 730-8 beginner lesson, 8-11 contra dance. (People who pay for the community dance can stay for the contra beginners + first two dances for free; People who pay for the contra can come to the community dance for free.) It took us a whole year to plan the new series (e.g., the timing; pricing; how the open band would work; sound; type of dances; etc). Mostly our planning has paid off as the dances have been a blast. We just need more school-aged families + a few more volunteers. The cool thing: During the planning of the new series, our Board couldn't imagine not having a beginner contra lesson before the 8pm dance. This is a long tradition in our community and there were a number of us who felt that the skills that are built in that workshop are too important to give up and we couldn't see how else they could be taught. Well.... Will Mentor was calling our afternoon advanced dance as well as the evening contra dance this past Saturday and when he arrived, he suggested we 'do as in Belfast'. Instead of running a beginners lesson, simply bridge the community dance into the contra dance with some basic dances from 730-8pm. That's exactly what we did (after checking with some Board members). Instead of having a formal break & switch at 730, Will took over the calling from Esther (our community dance caller) and continued with those same dancers + others who were arriving in the hall. He taught a couple of beginner contras and built the skills right in. And our all comers band got to play with Will calling contras - a great experience. I know lots of contra dance series don't have beginner lessons AND we didn't have as many beginners that night as we sometimes have but it was so exciting to try something new to us and that we had been unsure of, with the suggestion coming from such an experienced caller who wanted to make it happen. I love these moments in dance organizing! Emily PS - I don't know if we'll keep the beginner workshops on community dance nights next year or whether we'll give this model some more testing time... we'll see! :) PPS -> Shout out to Belfast! When Will suggested the idea, he said that he feels the great success of that series has to do with the community dance and how they've structured their model!

5 years, 7 months

Re: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks?

by Dugan Murphy

Below are a few more notes from my wife, Dela Murphy. She is not signed up for this listserv, so I am sharing on her behalf. How very cool, Chrissy! :) Go Belfast Flying Shoes! Another few notes: - It's great to partner with an organization that has a broad audience that can co-market to bring in new dancers, or to offer the dance during a pre-established event/festival. This way, you can maximize your investment and open your audience. - Plan for children to attend. Plan for lots of diverse audience members with differing levels of ability, including different levels of comprehension. - Have a handful of "planted" experienced dancers coming who are ready to dance with newbies - not each other. - Have a rain plan in place. In Congress Square, we cancel by 10am without payment, and do our best to postpone to a later date. All marketing online is updated asap in case of a cancellation. - We provide ice water from a drink dispenser and compostable cups. - Be sure to bring promotional materials like flyers or postcards. Be very clear in your marketing about regular dance series location and provide a website with more information if available. (People generally won't call a number to get more information.) - Consider bringing a large, outdoor stand up sign that promotes your organization or website. All the best, Dela Murphy dela at delahere.com www.DelaHere.com www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com www.NufSed.consulting Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2019 18:05:48 +0000 From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com> To: organizers shared weight <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> Subject: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks? Anyone have tips/advice for ways to successfully structure a free (no charge) outdoor dance series for the general public in public parks? * Logistics * Sound * Tips for dancing on grass/pavement * Dance repertoire * Promotion, including language to help welcome in non-dancers * Hydration that doesn't involve single-use plastic bottles from aquifer- draining profiteers (ooops, crankpot editorializing...) * Add-ons * Other We're working with our parks & rec director and other local groups to produce a series this summer. Would love any 'hot tips" from the hive. Cheers, Chrissy Fowler Belfast Flying Shoes, Belfast ME ** ** ** Dance Calling | Transcription | Belfast Flying Shoes

5 years, 8 months

Re: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks?

by Dugan Murphy

Hi, Weogo, The Friends of Congress Square Park (our partner in organizing the outdoor contra dances) has a cheap decibel reader that they use to measure the sound about 25 feet in front of the speakers. They'll take an average reading. We don't know about whether is A-weighted or C-weighted. Dugan Murphy Portland, Maine dugan at duganmurphy.com www.DuganMurphy.com www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com www.NufSed.consulting Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2019 15:39:40 -0400 > From: Weogo Reed <weogo(a)liveedge.net> > To: organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Subject: Re: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks? > Hi Dugan, > > "*Sound*: At Congress Square Park, we shoot for 92 decibels." > > Is this measurement made with a calibrated meter? > Right in front of a speaker?? 50' back from the stage? > A-weighted, Slow,? or? C-weighted, Fast? > > At an outdoor dance, 50' back from the front of the stage, A-weighted, > Slow, > I'm often happy with an average around 78~80db. > This equals around 90~92db near the front of the stage. > > Thanks and good health,? Weogo Reed >

5 years, 8 months

Re: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks?

by Dugan Murphy

Hi, Chrissy, In 2017 and 2018, Portland Intown Contra Dance (PICD) partnered with Friends of Congress Square Park (FoCSP) in downtown Portland, Maine in putting on a series of outdoor contra dances. Info about the 2018 series here: http://portlandintowncontradance.com/blog/2018/5/3/happy-dancers-dance-outs… *Logistics*: FoCSP is a nonprofit that has an agreement with the City of Portland, Maine to organize events in the park, but other organizations can do so as well through the Parks and Recreation Department by paying for an event permit and providing proof of insurance. FoCSP provides the insurance for these events and fundraises money to pay performers for events throughout the season, including the contra dances. PICD handles booking. Both organizations do promotion. *Dancing on asphalt*: It's not awesome. I don't think there's anything else to say about it. If people are dancing on concrete, you might tell the experienced dancers to minimize their stomping, if anything. I do know someone who sustained an injury that way at an outdoor event in Cincinnati, Ohio. I don't know if there's something you would need to say about grass. *Sound*: At Congress Square Park, we shoot for 92 decibels. We also make sure to comply with the municipal sound ordinance in regards to maximum decibels and how late an amplified event may run. *Dance repertoire*: This can be so variable that a caller needs to be very very flexible in choosing and teaching dances. If no more than a few experienced contra dancers show up, then you need to treat it as a community dance. But even if a whole bunch of experienced dancers show up, the total number of dancers and the proportion of new dancers is likely to vary unpredictably throughout the event. While the experienced dancers are more likely to stay for the whole event and dance each dance, the new dancers are more likely to drop in and out, which means that you cannot expect to build up the level of complexity in choreography over the course of an event, as you usually can at a regular indoor contra dance. This variability is especially the case in a downtown setting like the events we host in Portland because people will stop as they're walking by, try one dance, and either stick around or more on. That's the info I got. Good luck! Dugan Murphy Portland, Maine dugan at duganmurphy.com www.DuganMurphy.com www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com www.NufSed.consulting > Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2019 18:05:48 +0000 > From: Chrissy Fowler <ktaadn_me(a)hotmail.com> > To: organizers shared weight <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks? > > Anyone have tips/advice for ways to successfully structure a free (no > charge) outdoor dance series for the general public in public parks? > > > * Logistics > * Sound > * Tips for dancing on grass/pavement > * Dance repertoire > * Promotion, including language to help welcome in non-dancers > * Hydration that doesn't involve single-use plastic bottles from > aquifer- draining profiteers (ooops, crankpot editorializing...) > * Add-ons > * Other > > We're working with our parks & rec director and other local groups to > produce a series this summer. Would love any 'hot tips" from the hive. > > Cheers, > Chrissy Fowler > Belfast Flying Shoes, Belfast ME > > ** ** ** > > Dance Calling | Transcription | Belfast Flying Shoes >

5 years, 8 months

Timing of family/community dances and how that impacts attendance?

by Emily Addison

Hi All, Following up from my email just now, I had a question about family/community dances. What timing do you find works best for your early evening family/community dances? And what age groups do you get? Here's my back story: Ottawa Contra Dance's afternoon family dances have been running for 8yrs. They occur from 330-5pm and there is a potluck right after. Despite trying to recruit school-aged children to those dances, we've mostly been getting children in the 0-7 age range. We want to have school-aged children attending our events and so we have JUST have started an early evening community dance (630-730pm) with potluck at 5:15 (advanced contra dance finishes at 5pm; contra beginner cont lesson for the evening dance starts at 730pm ... it's a tight but good fit). People who attend the community dance can stay for the contra beginner lesson and first two contra dances as part of their community dance entry. (We also have a little corner with a rug for kids to hang out in if parents want to contra dance but kids not up for it... although kids totally welcome during the contra dances 8-11pm). We've only had three community dances so far and we've had a few school-aged families at each. However, we want to get a lot more out and we do want families with young children also enjoying this dance. (We may or may not phase out our family dances in the future depending on how things evolve.) I'm wondering if we should tweak our timing next year in order to try to engage more families. What if we started the dance at 6pm??? I worry that families wouldn't come as that's supper time. But leaving it much later starts getting into bedtime. ??? ??? With thanks! Emily in Ottawa <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

5 years, 8 months

Follow-up re. the CDSS family/community dance organizers web chat!

by Emily Addison

Hi fellow Shared Weight organizers, Last week's CDSS webchat on family and community dance organizing is now available online: https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers#cdss-web-chats. I learned a lot that my local group (Ottawa Contra Dance) can apply for our afternoon family dances and our early evening community dances --- it's well worth the listen! ***Do any of you have questions about family/community dance organizing?*** It seems like a perfect time for us to talk about these topics on Shared Weight. :) AND - if you just joined Shared Weight organizers over the last few days because you heard about it during the web chat - welcome! Emily in Ottawa <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_cam…> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

5 years, 8 months

outdoor dances in parks?

by Chrissy Fowler

Anyone have tips/advice for ways to successfully structure a free (no charge) outdoor dance series for the general public in public parks? * Logistics * Sound * Tips for dancing on grass/pavement * Dance repertoire * Promotion, including language to help welcome in non-dancers * Hydration that doesn't involve single-use plastic bottles from aquifer- draining profiteers (ooops, crankpot editorializing...) * Add-ons * Other We're working with our parks & rec director and other local groups to produce a series this summer. Would love any 'hot tips" from the hive. Cheers, Chrissy Fowler Belfast Flying Shoes, Belfast ME ** ** ** Dance Calling | Transcription | Belfast Flying Shoes chrissyfowler.com<http://www.chrissyfowler.com> | westbranchwords.com<http://www.westbranchwords.com> | belfastflyingshoes.org/blog<http://www.belfastflyingshoes.org/blog> <http://www.chrissyfowler.com> (207) 338-0979

5 years, 8 months

CDSS web chat THIS Thursday on organizing dances that include young children and all ages

by Emily Addison

Hi fellow Shared Weight organizers, CDSS has a free web chat coming up this Thursday! The topic is organizing dances that include young children and all ages ----> there are some FANTASTIC speakers lined up. Pre-registration is required in order to receive the online access information. See some of you there! Emily Addison * * * * *Next CDSS Web Chat on 4/4* It’s not too late to sign up for the next CDSS web chat on *Thurs Apr 4* from 8:30-9:30 pm EDT! It’s for *organizers of dances that include young children and all ages. *Organizers of four thriving family and community dances in CA, NC, PA, and ME will share their stories and advice. To register, submit the *online RSVP form <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdcA0RodctE8qX-h-yCIKKDjXN16fwtS6Z…>* ASAP (by 4/2 if possible). This live chat also includes time for Q&A, so bring YOUR questions. Hope you can join us!

5 years, 8 months

Tweets

by Mary Collins

How many groups tweet? What hashtags (#) do you use? Do you have followers?

5 years, 9 months

Registration open for next CDSS web chat: Family/Community Dance Organizer Unite!

by Emily Addison

Hi fellow Shared Weight Organizers, A heads up that registration for the next CDSS web chat is currently open. (The web chat is FREE!) *Web chat date: *April 4 2019 *Topic:* Family/Community Dance Organizers Unite! *More info: *Do you know any organizers of dances that include young children and all ages? If so, please share this announcement about our next web chat on Thursday, April 4 from 8:30-9:30 pm EDT. Organizers of thriving family and community dances from far and wide will share their stories and advice, including time for Q&A. *How to register:* To join the web chat (by computer of phone), go to https://goo.gl/Yo25Bu and submit the online RSVP form by March 28. Several days prior to the web chat we’ll send instructions via email about how to join the call on April 4th. Even if you can’t join us on this date, send an RSVP to receive announcements about future web chats. *Past web chats:* Check out our previous web chats to hear tried-and-true stories about Boosting Attendance, Creating a Thriving Open Band, and Increasing Youth Involvement. https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers#cdss-web-chats <https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers#cdss-web-chats> *Questions?* Contact Linda Henry: linda(a)cdss.org

5 years, 9 months

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