I'll be leading a discussion session at the 2018 New England Folk Festival
addressing low or no-cost tech tools you can use to leverage the efforts of
your limited volunteers towards greater effect. Have any great ideas to
share? Let me know ahead of time and I'll try to ensure they're covered in
the session materials or just come along and share in the session.
It's on the grid for High School Rm. 177 -- 6:00pm to 6:50pm Saturday April
21 -- Festival session listing is at
https://cgi.neffa.org/public/showevent.pl?E=S_1800_177 .
I created a Facebook event for the session at
https://www.facebook.com/events/179376749342433/ .
Hope to see you there!
Hi Mary,
A few thoughts about ways we seek to engage young people in trad participatory social dance:
- Belfast Flying Shoes--our local dance organization, and a 501(c)(3) through affiliation with CDSS--helps fund contra dance residencies in schools. In recent years, that's really expanded via generous foundation grants. Since our dance series inception (2005), we've been part of residencies in over 20 K-5 or K-8 schools, 3-5 Middle or High schools, and a few small K-12 schools. Most residencies are multiple visits, with a culminating school/family dance. We give out passes to our local dance via those residencies. And lately we've also been distributing teaching resources for interested educators who might want to continue dancing w the students after the musicians and I are gone.
- We had two teens on our board for 2-3 years (there were pros and cons, but it was a good step to take, and overall a big plus.)
- This past fall, by request, we sponsored a weekly 'contra class' for teens. Small numbers but high level of engagement.
And we just have a lot of young people at our dances. Our 12-21yo cohort is huge. But that's all word of mouth. Locally there is a sizeable 'alt schooling' population (Waldorf, Montessori, homeschool, other) and that may be part of it, although there are teens from the local public schools too.
- The last four years, we also have collaborated with a local youth organization (non-electronic games, such as role-playing), adding a contra dancing component to their role-playing history programs.
But... Who knows why young people attend our dances in such numbers. Clearly they're having fun. Beyond that, hard to tell.
We're building on this though, and have three new outreach programs for 2018, all incorporating young people to some degree. The one I'm most excited about is a panel discussion, which we'll record for posterity, of young people in their teens and 20s explaining more about why they choose to make contra dancing part of their social lives. I'm super-curious to hear what they have to say!
Cheers,
Chrissy
________________________________
From: Mary Collins <nativedae(a)gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2017 4:48 PM
To: Chrissy Fowler
Subject: Re: [Organizers] Lower attendance this year?
Chrissy,
How exactly are you reaching those young people?
Mary -Buffalo NY
On Dec 6, 2016 10:47 AM, "Chrissy Fowler via Organizers" <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>> wrote:
Interesting data so far! Are there dances out there that have seen an INCREASE in average attendance in the last year?
Besides asking for help from the "converted", perhaps we need to increase our reach to the non-dancer community to boost the pool of potential attendees for a given dance. (Meaning, somehow become more visible to the majority of people in our geographic area - the non-dancers - so that we get our message out to those non-dancers who would want to come to our dance if they only knew about it.)
In Belfast, we've got a major component for outreach to youth (schools, youth programming) but we could do more to raise the visibility of both our series and our organization.
Any brainstorms for potential efforts to support sustainability?
Cheers,
Chrissy Fowler
Belfast, ME
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Hello all,
This has already gone around on the callers page for shared weight, but I
thought the organizer page should hear it as well for anyone not on both.
Linda Leslie passed away this past weekend.
Her husband has requested that this not go on FB; but instead be shared
via e-mail and word of mouth.
I'm one of several people incredibly saddened by this loss. Linda was a
fount of warmth and encouragement.
Chris Ricciotti spoke eloquently about this tragedy:
To the dance community:
It is with great sadness that I am passing on the news that Linda Leslie passed
away Sunday evening (Feb 11). She called on Thursday night at the Concord
Scout House, Friday evening at the Rehoboth Contra Dance, and then again on
Saturday evening at our own contra dance in Jamaica Plain. She called an
amazing dance program for all of us those evenings!
Linda had been having difficulty breathing during the past week or so,
particularly after walking, and this became increasing worse over the past
few evenings. On Sunday evening, she was taken by ambulance to her local
Emergency Room and she passed away in the ambulance on the way to the
hospital.
Her husband Bob Golder has requested that Linda’s passing NOT be posted on
Facebook. Email and word of mouth is fine, but he prefers this not to
become a Facebook event.
As a caller, she took the love and the joy she experienced as a dancer, and
transformed the dance community every where she went, touching us all with
her lovely soft spoken presence that would make you feel embraced with that
love she had when she danced. To many of us, she was like our dancing
“mom” or “grandmom”, always a warm smile, always ready with humor, always
looking out to make sure everyone was having a good time, and feeling safe
within the room.
In our community, she was a bridge builder, and a role model of what good
dancing and community building are all about. She was also a HUGE advocate
of gender-free dancing. She was one of the key people who helped us
connect with and be an accepted part of the greater community of dancers,
and encouraged us to share our love of dancing with others as a way to help
build those connections.
She was also a part of helping us to build the strong relationship we have
with NEFFA, being a support to our fundraising food booth, being present at
meetings we had with NEFFA as we worked on being more of a part of the
greater dance community, helping us to navigate the issues that were
occasionally a part of this process, as she helped us to better understand
the greater dance community, as they came to know us
At our dance camps, as many of you know, her presence was always a welcome
treat, whether she came as a dancer simply because she loved our community
so much, or when she would come as a caller to build our community, and the
bonds that go with it, as she shared her passion and love of music and
dancing.
And of course, we cannot forget her delightful husband Bob, who has also
been a warm personality, much loved in our community, also sharing his love
of dancing with us, not only as a dancer, but as a caller, having written
some of my favorite dances along the way. Bob has also being a great NEFFA
advocate helping us many times along the way. His warm smile and
delightful presence has brought a lot of joy to us a lot over the years,
and he continues to be a part of the family that makes our dance a special
place to be.
I know we will all miss Linda very much. It’s very difficult to lose
someone who has had such a presence in our lives and who has brought us so
much, and who was a big part of our dancing family. As we find out more
information about memorial service arrangements, we will let you know,
along with any memorial dances that may be organized in her honor.
In the mean time, when we come together to dance, let us honor her memory
by sharing that joy she brought to each of us, with each other, and let us
dance in honor of all our friends and loved ones who have gone before us.
It is moments like this that are so precious – and Linda was certainly one
of them!
In sorrow and gratitude for having the honor of knowing Linda,
Chris Ricciotti
Linda's husband Bob wrote in to the callers list:
Thank you everyone for your kind words and warm memories of Linda Leslie,
and your concern for me and the rest of her family. I am alternating
between grieving, setting priorities on behalf of our family, and quickly
making many legal, financial, and remembrance decisions. It is an extremely
challenging time, but I have family with me and supportive friends nearby,
and will ask for assistance as needed. Our folk arts, music, and dance
friends have always been a great source of joy for Linda and me. There are
no immediate observances or memorial services. At some future date measured
in weeks, or a month, or more from now, there will be a celebration of Linda
Leslie's life. … Bob Golder
Emily
Hope you will post notes from your session for those of us not able to make it to the Flurry.
Thanks
Claire
Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 14, 2018, at 1:16 PM, organizers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net wrote:
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Today's Topics:
1. Heads up -- organizers discussion group at the Flurry this
weekend! (Emily Addison)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2018 12:56:19 -0500
From: Emily Addison <emilyladdison(a)gmail.com>
To: organizers shared weight <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net>
Subject: [Organizers] Heads up -- organizers discussion group at the
Flurry this weekend!
Message-ID:
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Hi All,
If you're heading to the Dance Flurry this weekend, I wanted to give you a
heads up that I'll be leading a one-hour dance organizers discussion
session on Sunday from 11:15am-12:15pm in Hilton Broadway 4.
This year, we'll be focusing all on upping attendance!!!
When everyone listed their major concerns at last year's session,
attendance issues were the most common. Thus - we'll be really digging
into this and sharing our best practices. :)
Hope to see you there!
Emily in Ottawa
Hi All,
If you're heading to the Dance Flurry this weekend, I wanted to give you a
heads up that I'll be leading a one-hour dance organizers discussion
session on Sunday from 11:15am-12:15pm in Hilton Broadway 4.
This year, we'll be focusing all on upping attendance!!!
When everyone listed their major concerns at last year's session,
attendance issues were the most common. Thus - we'll be really digging
into this and sharing our best practices. :)
Hope to see you there!
Emily in Ottawa
Thanks for all input so far. I expect it will help inform our board discussions.
Anyone else?
Cheers,
Chrissy (for Belfast Flying Shoes, in Belfast ME)
Dear dance organizer friends,
We're thrilled to announce that the Puttin' On the Dance (POTD)
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org>conference returns this year.
*Save the Dates for POTD3!*
*November 30 – December 2, 2018*
*Puttin’ On the Dance 3 : A Conference for Northeast Dance Organizers*
Join us for POTD3 in Portland, Maine.
Learn, connect, dance, and more!
POTD is especially for organizers in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern
United States who produce dance events in the North American and English
social dance traditions (e.g., Cape Breton, community, contra, English
country, family, gender free, Quebecois, and square). Space permitting,
others interested in dance organizing, whether from other regions or those
not currently organizing dances, are also welcome to attend.
POTD is all about:
- Providing resources and opportunities for learning, sharing, renewal
and fun!
- Strengthening our network of dance organizers
- Practicing traditions together
- Did we mention having fun?
Lead sponsors include DownEast Friends of the Folk Arts (DEFFA
<http://www.deffa.org>) and Portland Intown Contra Dance (PICD
<http://www.portlandintowncontradance.com>).
*Be in touch!*
Let us know you’re excited, want to help make it happen, and/or anything
else.
Email puttinonthedance(a)gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook at
facebook.com/PuttinOnTheDance
With excitement and anticipation,
POTD 3 Core Organizers
Dela Murphy
Chrissy Fowler
Coral Breuer
*P.S. The Back Story:*
In November 2011, Puttin' On the Dance convened nearly 80 dance organizers
in White River Junction, VT. In March 2015, Puttin' On the Dance 2
convened over 80 dance organizers in Ottawa, ON.
Both POTD1 and POTD2 were packed with workshops, discussions, dancing and
more. Dance communities throughout the region benefited from the weekend
conference in significant ways, and Conference Archives from POTD1
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/potd1archive/> and POTD2
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/potd2-conference-notes/> continue to
support dance organizers. Participants made it clear an event like this
should happen every few years. (See testimonials
<http://www.puttinonthedance.org/testimonials/>.) It’s time for POTD3!
--
puttinonthedance.orgfacebook.com/PuttinOnTheDance
*You're on the POTD email list because we think you're interested in
conferences for dance organizers. Do let us know if you want your address
removed,.and feel free to forward our news to others. Thanks!*
Hi Chrissy and others.
Happy New Year :)
Catching up after holidays family insanity..... In Ottawa...
Who:
Two volunteers always. Don't have to be committee members or anything.
Starts 1hr prior to the dance starting and goes until the break. (Then
'half price box goes out).
2 volunteers for each of 7-8pm, dances 1-2, dances 3-4, dances 5-6.
We book these ahead so folks know and make sure one experienced person in
each slot.
How:
-Scheduling done via email 1 week ahead. Call put out to volunteer email
list
-Not much vetting. Make sure one person with experience who knows how
things work. Never been an issue other than would like to have some people
be a bit more outgoing/warm to new people.
-No compensation. And no difficulty getting slots filled. (Sometimes have
to make a second ask but filling other volunteer positions at same time.)
Other info:
- We do have some 'instructions' written down on the role.
-They are greeting the beginners too, giving out second dance free cards,
etc.
-We carefully track who is coming in (in terms of numbers in different
categories, not names) so we can reconcile the finances but more
importantly track data on type of people (e.g. members, new people, non
members, students etc)... two people is good for that.
:) Emily - Ottawa Contra
Hi all,
At the Rochester NY monthly Contra Planning meeting, I took the action item to post here the following requests:
1) Please make sure to include the TOWN where your event is happening, prominently listed on any flyers
2) Our flyer table is getting very, very busy...can people consider 1/2 page flyers?
We purge flyers weekly (I use the scrap, if I can, otherwise recycle it.)
How do others manage the growing tide of paper?
Bob Fabinski
We're curious about how other dance organizers handle the task of sitting at the door and taking money.
Who does it?
- organizers?
- volunteers?
- a mix?
- nobody?
- how many people at a time?
How is it done?
- scheduling people to do the task (how?)
- vetting/soliciting the vols (any parameters?)
- how long does each person sit at door on a given dance eve?
- any compensation/barter?
Other relevant info?
Thanks,
Belfast Flying Shoes board of directors
Belfast, ME