Organizers

organizers@lists.sharedweight.net

6 participants
511 discussions

by Claire Takemori via Organizers

Hi Organizers! We just had a FABULOUS Balance the Bay weekend in San Francisco last weekend. We are so pleased to get many comments saying how welcoming and friendly the dance felt to new or out of area dancers. I’d love to hear what you are doing to make your local dances or weekends more welcoming? Here’s some of what we did: 1. We did not gender balance (and it turned out fine, though the Bay Area has a large number of dancers who can dance both roles) 2. We offered stickers to put on name buttons at checkin to anyone who wanted to self-identify that they were new to this dance weekend. Then we had a sign on the wall indicating to everyone that we should especially welcome those with the stickers & consider asking them to dance. We also asked the caller to remind dancers to dance with folks they don’t know. 3. We provide a buffet dinner on Sat eve, so folks have more opportunity to socialize together. 4. Many in the community are supporting inclusive dancing by NOT booking ahead. Many dancers said that it was a relief not to have to scramble for a parter right after each dance. They could get some water, come back and always find dancers available. 5. We offered child care with a family sharing their care giver with other families who signed up. We had a donation box for anyone in the community to support having child care at the dance. We also organically had a couple family dances during the breaks with dancer musicians and even a 5 year old new caller, who called his own choreography! 6. We printed some of the BIDA (Boston Intergenerational Dance Advocates) safety signs and put them around the dance hall. https://www.jefftk.com/p/bida-signs <https://www.jefftk.com/p/bida-signs> 7. We had a “dancer connection” large wall paper that allowed dancers to connect, offer meals together, etc. We also had a ride share board for offers or needs. 8. We had our most welcoming volunteers at the front table on Friday evening. Greeting dancers by name and handing them their name buttons when possible. I’m sure there’s more, but that’s what comes to mind. I’d love to hear what you do at your dances? Claire Takemori Dance Caller South Bay Contra Organizer

7 years, 8 months

Liability insurance

by John and/or Jan Bloom via Organizers

The insurance from NFO seems to good to be true - only 10% the cost of other options. Is there a catch somewhere?? Would anyone be willing to share a copy of their insurance certificate that shows in detail exactly what is covered? John Bloom jnjbloom(a)gmail.com

7 years, 8 months

Fwd: Liability insurance

by Don Veino via Organizers

I'd sent this earlier but didn't see it in the archive - realize now I didn't copy the list. -Don ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Don Veino <redacted> Date: Mon, Aug 14, 2017 at 12:43 PM Subject: Re: [Organizers] Liability insurance To: John W Gintell <redacted> Included in NFO membership at very reasonable rate. http://www.nfo-usa.org/ insurance.htm On Aug 14, 2017 12:38 PM, "John W Gintell via Organizers" <organizers@lists. sharedweight.net> wrote: > I am wondering whether most dance series have liability insurance - > particularly small ones. > > Insurance for a dance series from CDSS costs $450, $550, … depending on > the number of dances plus $85 membership fee every year. I suspect other > sources would be more expensive. For a small dance with few financial > reserves, the extra fees each year could easily drive it to extinction. > > I know that sone venues require that the group has insurance, but not all > do. > > What is the risk of not having it? Any recent incidents in the past few > years? > > I’d think possible suits could be from dancers or musicians/callers who > got injured or thought they were treated badly, venues where there was > damage to the site. > > What about ASCAP copy infringement suits? Have there been any of these? > > Anything else? > > John > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net >

7 years, 8 months

Re: [Organizers] Liability insurance

by Richard Mathews via Organizers

Our dance in Gainesville, FL had CDSS insurance - but I'm honestly not sure how much it helps if it were to come to someone trying to make a claim to cover an injury. Best I can tell, the CDSS insurance only kicks in *after* the organization or individuals have been sued & found liable (or otherwise found liable). From what I can tell about that process, the attorney's fees alone would be enough to put a massive hurt on any dance organization (and most individuals, if they were sued in their capacity as 'dance organizers'). The specific language from the CDSS website is, "This is a general commercial liability policy. It is not accident insurance. Liability insurance is for when you are sued, and negligence of some sort on the part of the group has to be proven." After thinking about that a bit, I did some research on other dance organizations and their offers of insurance coverage - and it turns out that some of them (specifically some square dance organizations) actually *do* offer actual accident insurance. Like, if an accident happens and someone gets injured, then they can get the cost of their injuries covered (up to a certain amount, and secondary to regular health insurance). If I recall correctly, one of the organizations had the insurance set up such that they'd need specific member rolls for the individual square dance clubs, to keep track of whose dues had been paid and therefore who was covered under the accident insurance. That wouldn't work too well for Contra obviously, since we tend to get lots of random new people - and we'd want them to be covered without having to make them sign up for membership. Anyway, I researched more, and it turns out that there's at least one insurance company (Francis L. Dean, fdean.com ) that offers no-fault accident insurance for dances, as well as combined participant liability. And you can get the accident insurance without the liability insurance - and it's reasonably cheap. I think it'd be great for CDSS to adopt this type of insurance product for the member organizations - because honestly, it seems a lot better than the current insurance that CDSS offers. But maybe there are other elements to the insurance situation that I'm not aware of. Richard Mathews On Mon, Aug 14, 2017 at 2:23 PM, via Organizers < organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > Send Organizers mailing list submissions to > organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers- > sharedweight.net > > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > organizers-request(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > You can reach the person managing the list at > organizers-owner(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Organizers digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: Liability insurance (Mac Mckeever via Organizers) > 2. Re: Liability insurance (Dave Casserly via Organizers) > 3. Re: Liability insurance (Donald Perley via Organizers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2017 17:27:28 +0000 (UTC) > From: Mac Mckeever via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Mary Anne Eason <maeason(a)gmail.com>, > "organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net" > <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > Subject: Re: [Organizers] Liability insurance > Message-ID: <669200276.1428319.1502731648988(a)mail.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > We had a problem where a dancer fell and broke her arm.? Her health > insurance covered her treatment.? They called her and demanded to know who > we were and who owned the venue.? She said OK - but if anyone asks I will > tell them I was a klutz and fell - it was my own fault.? AT that point the > insurance co dropped it. > I was told is it common for insurance companies to try to recover their > costs via law suits. > If you have any assets at all they need to be protected.? In our state, > officers of not-for-profit cannot be sued for liability issues - and we are > all volunteers.? Make sure your organizers are not vulnerable > Mac McKeever > > > From: Mary Anne Eason via Organizers <organizers@lists. > sharedweight.net> > To: organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Sent: Monday, August 14, 2017 12:14 PM > Subject: Re: [Organizers] Liability insurance > > Our smallish dance has had liability insurance for the past several > years because the venue required it. We also had to have their name > added to the contract which cost another $30 on top of the other fees > you have already mentioned. I have been at a couple dances where > accidents have happened, and someone could have sued, but fortunately > didn't. I've felt better knowing we have the insurance, but we really > can't afford it and our bands and callers have suffered because we had > less money to pay them. (We try to hold back a little each month to help > cover those costs as well as the cost of the hall.) I don't know what > the solution is - sorry! > > Mary Anne > > On 8/14/2017 12:38 PM, John W Gintell via Organizers wrote: > > I am wondering whether most dance series have liability insurance - > particularly? small ones. > > > > Insurance for a dance series from CDSS costs $450, $550, ? depending on > the number of dances plus $85 membership fee every year. I suspect other > sources would be more expensive. For a small dance with few financial > reserves, the extra fees each year could easily drive it to extinction. > > > > I know that sone venues require that the group has insurance, but not > all do. > > > > What is the risk of not having it? Any recent incidents in the past few > years? > > > > I?d think possible suits could be from dancers or musicians/callers who > got injured or thought they were treated badly, venues where there was > damage to the site. > > > > What about ASCAP copy infringement suits? Have there been any of these? > > > > Anything else? > > > > ??? John > > _______________________________________________ > > Organizers mailing list > > Organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net > > > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net > > > >

7 years, 8 months

come check out upcoming weekend dance ...

by Heitzso via Organizers

I'll be glad to comp in any weekend dance organizer reading this list with a plus-one to our upcoming dance Aug. 11-13. We call it "Fly the Coop" since Gainesville, Georgia, was the poultry capital of the world for a couple of decades. If you want to take me up on this offer: let me know via email and let me know the name and email of your plus-one you're on your own w/ food and housing (we have 16 talent+1s at our small home ... yikes) (and, if you've already registered w/ $, I'll refund your payment -- let me know if ...) Why you may want to come from some far away land to our corner of the universe ... -> for good music and dancing -> to scope out exciting combinations of top contra musicians Our music is provided by "On the Fly" which is an ad hoc collection of top national musicians with every dance set a different combination of musicians (!): Ed Howe (Perpetual e-Motion, Barefoot, JEMS, ...) Rob Zisette (Toss the Possum, Playing with Fyre, Rob Z and the Trustees, ...) Cailen Cambell (Joyful Noise, Cailen Campbell and the Gypsy Hicks, ...) George Paul (Avant Gardeners, Playing w/ Fyre, Joyful Noise, Potent Brew, ...) Tristan Henderson (Pete's Posse, Atlantic Crossing, ...) Jamie Oshima (Barefoot, JEMS, Oshima Brothers, ...) Sean Oshima (Oshima Brothers) Callers are Emily Abel and Emily Rush. Emily Rush will also call a "Rushfest" Sat. afternoon. It is an experiment. But what an experiment! http://atgaga.com/flythecoop Heitzso musicians: Ed Howe w/ Jamie (Barefoot): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6453yammGE Rob Zisette (Rob Z ...): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbSWI1PnfaE George Paul w/ Rob and ...: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYWdrZ6KdBc Jamie Oshima (solo, playing 6 instruments, layered audio/video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hYgk5wwBGA Jamie shredding (single take, just him and a guitar): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUZohDrd3jc Tristan Henderson (w/ Pete's Posse at Glen Echo): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-enCvxHfZ0 Cailen Campbell w/ George Paul (Joyful Noise): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EpRwwoqsXs Oshima Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne-7_2_pL1U&list=PLz0f8bn2s5q0CmfkZ5PzpRPtJ… callers: Emily Rush: Rushfest: http://www.rushfestcontra.com/ Emily Abel calling for Maivish and George Marshall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGmJ0-v8tx4

7 years, 8 months

pay parity for callers & musicians

by Katy Heine via Organizers

I've been booking performers for dances for many years and just recently encountered, for the first time, an expectation that the caller (booked separately) be paid the same amount as each band member. Is this a new thing? What's the practice in YOUR community? Thanks, Katy Heine

7 years, 8 months

Pay parity for musicians and callers

by via Organizers

In respose to Katy Heine's question: The Rochester NY weekly Thursday dance has a set rate for callers and bands, and we add a set travel honorarium for "Regional" and "Far" travel of $40 and $80. (special arrangements are made on occasion) There is a profit sharing after we cover expenses, so if the band and/or caller are drawing more people, they get more money. Break even is somewhere between 45-55 dancers. When we drafted this policy we considered that unless the band and caller are touring together, the caller generally has no say in how many folks are in the band they are paired with. (Of course they can decline the gig, but that's not really a "SAY") Our policy makes it so that regardless if the band has 2, 3 or 4 members, the caller gets paid the same. It seems to work for us. Your mileage may vary. The rationale is that the caller is doing the same job the whole night regardless of the number of musicians. If a band has more members, they can share the work...drop out for a time or two through the tune, so a set fee is practical. They are also probably carpooling, so the travel cost is less per person. Airfare or Busfare is one of the reasons for exceptions to the standard rate. Another reason for exception is a BIG name band, and a third reason is a touring Band+Caller pairing. We have been able to schedule touring bands from "FAR" in conjunction with other regional dances, so the traveling musicians are really traveling similar distance as a regional band to our particular dance, and this helps the travel honorarium cover actual expenses. They also are offered hospitality at the home of a dancer on the evening of the dance (and sometimes the day before or after). The policy does make it challenging to book larger bands, but we are now at the point with attendance that we are consistently paying slightly above the guarantee, generally about 55-60 dancers per evening. Highly weather dependent, and it is a weeknight dance so...we think that is ok...always want more! That said, we have had requests for equal pay for Band members and caller for larger events in the past, but not for the weekly dance series. Those larger events are waaay less frequent and the negotiation is not a burden. Bob

7 years, 8 months

Catapult: One-stop shop for the next big thing

by Rob Harper via Organizers

Catapult showcases up and coming, festival-ready bands and callers from around the country. It is built to provide them a stage. And to provide organizers like you a dance floor to check out the future wave of contra dance talent. In one place. At one time. Come to Atlanta to see 6 bands and 6 callers thrill you on the contra dance floor and wow you with their other talents across 24 hours of workshops. You may have never heard them, but you will. Join us over Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-29) to try them on for size and take one (or more) home for your local festivals and tours. Registration and all the details at www.catapultshowcase.com. ciao, rah -- Rob Harper thatrobharper(a)gmail.com (404) 307-3444

7 years, 11 months

Ottawa contra - newcomer handout and stickers

by Emily Addison via Organizers

Hi fellow shared weight members, Sharing a bit of information on two new initiatives we're trying at Ottawa Contra to retain newcomers/convert them to regulars. (This is a big focus for us right now.) *Newcomer handout:* A few months ago on the listserve, I mentioned that Ottawa Contra was working on a newcomer flyer... I finally have a PDF copy to share! This has been in the works for over a year so it's great to have it done and out in our community. Just as a bit of background, our goal wasn't to replace all the community support from the reular dancers, messaging from the caller and organizer (announcements etc)... instead our goal was to have a handout that would provide that bit more of encouragement and information that might bring back the brand new folks and get them to stick with it. We aren't trying to teach newcomers what contra dancing is (moves etc) but about how to become part of the community, that it's worthwhile to stick with it, etc. We hand the newcomer handout at the door along with the second dance free card. In particular, I wanted to thank Luke Donforth.... our committee referred to docs from lots of other communities and we got input from a fair number of callers. However, Luke did an amazing job at editing the messaging in the handout... better than our whole committee all combined! The handout's only been out for two dances so hard to tell what people think quite yet but we're happy. *Newcomer stickers:* This are going over VERY well. We have smiley stickers about an inch wide - different colours for folks to choose from. They can add this to their sticky name tag (have a little note to this effect on the name tag table). We have also started doing a short announcement at the very start of the dance welcoming everyone with special messaging especially for the newcomers. As part of that, we tell newcomers about the smiley stickers and that if they want to self-identify, experienced folks will particularly look for them. Our experienced folks already look for beginners but this way, the newcomers are VERY easy to spot and the stickers remind experienced folks in a fun way. And some beginners seem to feel more confident self-identifying while others don't need to use the stickers if they don't want. It's been a real win for beginners and experienced folks, adding to the welcoming environment. Always keen to hear more ideas about welcoming and including newcomers!!! :) Emily

7 years, 11 months

Setting Up Accounts in Quickbooks

by Rich Dempsey via Organizers

Following a pointer from the minutes of the second *Puttin'* *on the Dance* conference, we have registered with TechSoup and are about to take advantage of their discount pricing for Quickbooks. We will be configuring it to support financial reporting for two weekly dance series and two special events with more complex expenses than the weekly series. In addition, we'll want to ensure it will easily report categories for IRS Form 990 filings which will also go to CDSS as needed to continue under their group not-for-profit status. Can anyone provide advice, tips, and/or pointers to good information that will help us set up Quickbooks right the first time? (or at least closer to "right" than we might have done naively. :-) ) Thanks! Rich Dempsey Country Dancers of Rochester

7 years, 11 months

← Newer
1
...
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
...
52
Older →

Jump to page:

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

Organizers