Organizers

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Re: [Organizers] Organizers Digest, Vol 28, Issue 12

by Emily Addison via Organizers

Hi Bob and others, Bob - thanks so much for the great notes. T'is super helpful! I hope to add a few more comments including a summary of where main concerns/topics of interest lay for the 40-50 or so organizers in the room. We got home very late Sunday and our kiddo promptly was feverish yesterday so it will likely take me until Thursday to post something. Until then... Emily On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 4:08 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. Organizers meeting at Flurry. (via Organizers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:36:04 -0500 > From: via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: organizers(a)sharedweight.net > Subject: [Organizers] Organizers meeting at Flurry. > Message-ID: <15a5c2a5a9c-2c4b-18137(a)webprd-m71.mail.aol.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > > Well THAT was fun. > > I took a few notes, sharing per Claire Takamori's request > Sorry, didn't get there in time to hear everyone's name, and I did not > include my > vociferous comments in my own notes. > Others, please edit to fill in the blanks and correct my version. > > And, I apologize for monopolizing the conversation...I was so energized by > the dancing > that it was difficult for me to contain my enthusiasm. > > I do have follow-up questions for the group that does the Co-Host events... > What is the format? First Half Contra, Second half Swing, or is it an > every other dance > sort of switching? We do Contra/English combined for special events, > and typically it is 2 and 2, alternating, but some people are not happy > with this... > If it is half and half, do you experience people coming just for the half > they normally dance? > Do you charge those people full price? > > > Regarding Attendance: Attracting/Retaining New Dancers, younger dancers, > etc. > (Top concern for this meeting) > > One dance group gives a free dance to members who bring a NEW dancer, > as well as the Next Time Free to the new dancer. They find it works very > well. > > Another group tries to have regulars all bring a friend to particular > dances > when the caller is really good with teaching beginners. (NYC?) > > A few? groups have had success with helping to host a free dance at local > colleges. > Others have "College Night" with a deep discount when showing a Student ID. > > At least One group who does the Next Dance Free thing has a tear-off where > the person > gives their email or contact info at the first dance. They follow up with > a personalized > email thanking them and inviting them back, possibly with details about > the next dance or two. > (Who is performing...) (This may be two similar responses mashed together) > > Some groups have "Taxi Dancers" with lead/follow indicators. > They are people who wear some kind of indentifier (pin, colorful marker, > something) > and at sign-in the new dancers are shown what that looks like. The taxis > will > dance with new folks, and be there if there are any questions. > > Another group has regulars who dance with new people and try to make sure > they have a partner for the next dance... > Bob: "Thank you for that dance, have you met Jean?" > Jean: "Hi, nice to meet you, would you like to dance?" > > One group does a skit after the 2nd or 3rd dance about how to handle > situations: > Topics: Saying no gracefully, how to stop the twirling, etc. (NYC or > MontpielierContraExchange?) > > > Money stuff: > > {Seems Rochester is an outlier, with regard to the cash box being > unattended all evening, and self-serve sign-in.} > > More than a couple groups have found that a Sliding Scale payment makes > more money than a fixed rate. > The most successful seem to communicate the cost of running the dance. > Something like: > Your money pays for Band/Caller/Rent/Insurance...and if we get 60 dancers > paying $10 each, > we will break even...(Fill in the correct numbers). > > One contra group works with Swing N Blues groups in their viscinity to > co-host events. > {I view this very similar to what we are doing with English/Contra half > and half dances. > Not sure of their format for an evening...} > > Take the top exec of the local PBS radio station to lunch and talk about > your dance. > They will become your advocate. (Probably works better in smaller New > England towns) > > Volunteers: > > Everyone is aging or burning out. > > Have to get people started with small jobs with distinct short term > objectives. > (Fill water jugs, sweep floor, put away chairs, etc.) > > Extend PERSONAL Invite to be part of organizing team. > Volunteer requests over mic go in one ear and out t'other. > > > Misc. > > Good idea to get a coach for the Open Band. > > Learned a new term: Ambi-dance-terous > > Bob > > > > (Rochester NY Weekly Thursday Contra) >

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Organizers] Organizers meeting at Flurry

by Claire Takemori via Organizers

Thank you so much Bob and for any who can add more details & comments! I really really appreciate your reporting back. I’m in a hard position, as our Dance Series Manager (oversees the whole dance organization) is stepping down (and will still help in big ways, but not the Manager role). The other major part of the organization does publicity and that person is not clear they can continue past 2017. This is a small local dance that we’ve doubled since taking it over last year (20ish to ~50). But it’s still losing money and lacks enough volunteers to feel sustainable. I was doing Programming (booking bands, callers, sound) as well as talent hospitality at the dance, setting up dinner location for after the dance, making quarterly flyers & going to the quarterly flyer distribution meeting. What I’d like to be doing more of is making the dance easy, enjoyable for all and finding ways to recruit new dancers. With taking on the Manager role as well as Programmer, and without a new volunteer on our team to take up some slack, I’m feeling even more like it’s not sustainable. I will try more asking in person for help & write out job descriptions of simple tasks as well as organizer roles. We did get a couple more people (the ones that are already doing things to save every other dance for many years) to help fill manager/snack slots. Any other ideas to get folks to step up to save a dance from ending? I can see ending the dance at the end of summer if there is no change in the help. Thanks for hearing me….. and any help or inspiration you can offer. I do realize that sometimes one dance can change a life. A family that came on Sunday said they heard of our local Family Week camp from our dance last year and they went and their kids LOVE music and dance now!!! Claire Takemori Dance Caller (Campbell CA) Message: 1 Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2017 10:36:04 -0500 From: via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> To: organizers(a)sharedweight.net Subject: [Organizers] Organizers meeting at Flurry. Message-ID: <15a5c2a5a9c-2c4b-18137(a)webprd-m71.mail.aol.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Well THAT was fun. I took a few notes, sharing per Claire Takamori's request Sorry, didn't get there in time to hear everyone's name, and I did not include my vociferous comments in my own notes. Others, please edit to fill in the blanks and correct my version. And, I apologize for monopolizing the conversation...I was so energized by the dancing that it was difficult for me to contain my enthusiasm. I do have follow-up questions for the group that does the Co-Host events... What is the format? First Half Contra, Second half Swing, or is it an every other dance sort of switching? We do Contra/English combined for special events, and typically it is 2 and 2, alternating, but some people are not happy with this... If it is half and half, do you experience people coming just for the half they normally dance? Do you charge those people full price? Regarding Attendance: Attracting/Retaining New Dancers, younger dancers, etc. (Top concern for this meeting) One dance group gives a free dance to members who bring a NEW dancer, as well as the Next Time Free to the new dancer. They find it works very well. Another group tries to have regulars all bring a friend to particular dances when the caller is really good with teaching beginners. (NYC?) A few? groups have had success with helping to host a free dance at local colleges. Others have "College Night" with a deep discount when showing a Student ID. At least One group who does the Next Dance Free thing has a tear-off where the person gives their email or contact info at the first dance. They follow up with a personalized email thanking them and inviting them back, possibly with details about the next dance or two. (Who is performing...) (This may be two similar responses mashed together) Some groups have "Taxi Dancers" with lead/follow indicators. They are people who wear some kind of indentifier (pin, colorful marker, something) and at sign-in the new dancers are shown what that looks like. The taxis will dance with new folks, and be there if there are any questions. Another group has regulars who dance with new people and try to make sure they have a partner for the next dance... Bob: "Thank you for that dance, have you met Jean?" Jean: "Hi, nice to meet you, would you like to dance?" One group does a skit after the 2nd or 3rd dance about how to handle situations: Topics: Saying no gracefully, how to stop the twirling, etc. (NYC or MontpielierContraExchange?) Money stuff: {Seems Rochester is an outlier, with regard to the cash box being unattended all evening, and self-serve sign-in.} More than a couple groups have found that a Sliding Scale payment makes more money than a fixed rate. The most successful seem to communicate the cost of running the dance. Something like: Your money pays for Band/Caller/Rent/Insurance...and if we get 60 dancers paying $10 each, we will break even...(Fill in the correct numbers). One contra group works with Swing N Blues groups in their viscinity to co-host events. {I view this very similar to what we are doing with English/Contra half and half dances. Not sure of their format for an evening...} Take the top exec of the local PBS radio station to lunch and talk about your dance. They will become your advocate. (Probably works better in smaller New England towns) Volunteers: Everyone is aging or burning out. Have to get people started with small jobs with distinct short term objectives. (Fill water jugs, sweep floor, put away chairs, etc.) Extend PERSONAL Invite to be part of organizing team. Volunteer requests over mic go in one ear and out t'other. Misc. Good idea to get a coach for the Open Band. Learned a new term: Ambi-dance-terous Bob

8 years, 1 month

Organizers meeting at Flurry.

by via Organizers

Well THAT was fun. I took a few notes, sharing per Claire Takamori's request Sorry, didn't get there in time to hear everyone's name, and I did not include my vociferous comments in my own notes. Others, please edit to fill in the blanks and correct my version. And, I apologize for monopolizing the conversation...I was so energized by the dancing that it was difficult for me to contain my enthusiasm. I do have follow-up questions for the group that does the Co-Host events... What is the format? First Half Contra, Second half Swing, or is it an every other dance sort of switching? We do Contra/English combined for special events, and typically it is 2 and 2, alternating, but some people are not happy with this... If it is half and half, do you experience people coming just for the half they normally dance? Do you charge those people full price? Regarding Attendance: Attracting/Retaining New Dancers, younger dancers, etc. (Top concern for this meeting) One dance group gives a free dance to members who bring a NEW dancer, as well as the Next Time Free to the new dancer. They find it works very well. Another group tries to have regulars all bring a friend to particular dances when the caller is really good with teaching beginners. (NYC?) A few? groups have had success with helping to host a free dance at local colleges. Others have "College Night" with a deep discount when showing a Student ID. At least One group who does the Next Dance Free thing has a tear-off where the person gives their email or contact info at the first dance. They follow up with a personalized email thanking them and inviting them back, possibly with details about the next dance or two. (Who is performing...) (This may be two similar responses mashed together) Some groups have "Taxi Dancers" with lead/follow indicators. They are people who wear some kind of indentifier (pin, colorful marker, something) and at sign-in the new dancers are shown what that looks like. The taxis will dance with new folks, and be there if there are any questions. Another group has regulars who dance with new people and try to make sure they have a partner for the next dance... Bob: "Thank you for that dance, have you met Jean?" Jean: "Hi, nice to meet you, would you like to dance?" One group does a skit after the 2nd or 3rd dance about how to handle situations: Topics: Saying no gracefully, how to stop the twirling, etc. (NYC or MontpielierContraExchange?) Money stuff: {Seems Rochester is an outlier, with regard to the cash box being unattended all evening, and self-serve sign-in.} More than a couple groups have found that a Sliding Scale payment makes more money than a fixed rate. The most successful seem to communicate the cost of running the dance. Something like: Your money pays for Band/Caller/Rent/Insurance...and if we get 60 dancers paying $10 each, we will break even...(Fill in the correct numbers). One contra group works with Swing N Blues groups in their viscinity to co-host events. {I view this very similar to what we are doing with English/Contra half and half dances. Not sure of their format for an evening...} Take the top exec of the local PBS radio station to lunch and talk about your dance. They will become your advocate. (Probably works better in smaller New England towns) Volunteers: Everyone is aging or burning out. Have to get people started with small jobs with distinct short term objectives. (Fill water jugs, sweep floor, put away chairs, etc.) Extend PERSONAL Invite to be part of organizing team. Volunteer requests over mic go in one ear and out t'other. Misc. Good idea to get a coach for the Open Band. Learned a new term: Ambi-dance-terous Bob (Rochester NY Weekly Thursday Contra)

8 years, 1 month

Re: [Organizers] Organizers discussion session at the Dance Flurry this weekend!

by Claire Takemori via Organizers

I’m not going to Flurry this year…. Would you be willing to post some notes/ideas from the meeting here? Claire Takemori (Campbell CA) On Feb 16, 2017, at 1:09 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. Organizers discussion session at the Dance Flurry this weekend! (Emily Addison via Organizers) 2. Re: Organizers discussion session at the Dance Flurry this weekend! (Donna Hunt via Organizers) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Thu, 16 Feb 2017 10:43:48 -0500 From: Emily Addison via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> To: Shared Weight Organizers <organizers(a)sharedweight.net> Subject: [Organizers] Organizers discussion session at the Dance Flurry this weekend! Message-ID: <CAD7WKUXhS5jPc_CGX-P1z7uhrkWwY4GzEwY7yyTCWi7u_WdvVg(a)mail.gmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi Fellow Organizers, Heads up if you're going to the Dance Flurry in Saratoga Springs NY this weekend and want to talk dance organizing... Sunday from 11:15-12:15 there will be a dance organizers discussion session in Hilton Broadway 4. The goal of the workshop is for organizers to share and gather as many great ideas as possible regarding topics of interest to them... these may be concerns or challenges or simply things folks want to learn about. We'll work quickly to identify a handful of the most common topics and then get right into organizers sharing their best ideas and brainstorming on the challenges/topics. One hour isn't much time but we can get lots done! Looking forward to seeing a few of you :) Emily Addison Ottawa ON

8 years, 2 months

Organizers discussion session at the Dance Flurry this weekend!

by Emily Addison via Organizers

Hi Fellow Organizers, Heads up if you're going to the Dance Flurry in Saratoga Springs NY this weekend and want to talk dance organizing... Sunday from 11:15-12:15 there will be a dance organizers discussion session in Hilton Broadway 4. The goal of the workshop is for organizers to share and gather as many great ideas as possible regarding topics of interest to them... these may be concerns or challenges or simply things folks want to learn about. We'll work quickly to identify a handful of the most common topics and then get right into organizers sharing their best ideas and brainstorming on the challenges/topics. One hour isn't much time but we can get lots done! Looking forward to seeing a few of you :) Emily Addison Ottawa ON

8 years, 2 months

Volunteers

by David Chandler via Organizers

I'm interested in how other groups handle in-dance organizational tasks - collecting admissions, putting out refreshments, sound and perhaps checking shoes at the door. Do you use volunteers? Pay people? If volunteers, do you have a structured corps of volunteers you rely on or just ask for volunteers as needed? It would be very helpful if you mentioned how frequently you have dances, and roughly how many attend your dances. We (Country Dance New York) have a pretty formal system, and put on roughly 80 dances a year (weekly Tuesday and Saturday 9.5 months a year), getting roughly 40-50 for English and 60 plus for contra. Some people volunteer for only one or a few dances, but a lot of the work is done by "full-time volunteers," who do at least 8 tasks during the fall and/or spring. In exchange for this they get in free to every event. The tasks are also pretty structured - only members can work the door in order to increase security of funds, and attendance is kept on an iPad using Square so there is some training involved; refreshments involve buying food, refilling water pitchers and putting out a number of different things to eat at the break, then washing dishes and cleaning up. Volunteer coordinators line up people for each task in advance. In general this works very well - tasks get done, and volunteers who are short on cash can get in free. The downside, in my view, relates to our feeling dependent on the system and thus reluctant to consider other options for fear we would lose our volunteers. In particular, some have suggested that it would be more fair to lower our admission rate for those most likely to be in need (students in particular), or to go to a "pay what you can" system of some sort. The reports I've read suggest that "pay what you can" usually works out well, with perhaps increased attendance and no loss of income. However, we can't do that because if people could get in by paying what they can the incentive to be a volunteer would vanish and we are afraid we would not be able to get things done (or a very small group would have to do them, and burn out since we have so many dances). However, I have heard rumors that other dances don't have such a structured volunteer system and still manage to get these in-dance tasks done. I would love to hear how you manage getting tasks done with volunteers, especially if you have a "pay what you can" or very reduced rate for those in need. Thanks! David

8 years, 2 months

Volunteers (Stakeholders)

by via Organizers

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Organizers] Organizers Digest, Vol 28, Issue 5

by Emily Addison via Organizers

Hi David, Dugan, and others :) Dugan - great to see your sheets! Thanks for sharing. David - great question. We run a very similar system to you in terms of 'formality' although we do have people help out with tear down randomly. However, only three people get in free: Floor manager (responsible for the evening) and two set up/tear down volunteers. The people who bring the snacks, look after 'shoe police' (weird term!), and all the door volunteers still pay. We do this as we have approx 10 volunteers a night and can't afford to loose their $10-12. We have a good pool of volunteers and get all the slots filled, however we only have three dances a month. Membership may help with that --- feeling of belonging, ownership, commitment to the community. We also promote it as a great way to get to know people. Here's our semi-outdated roles for the volunteers: http://ottawacontra.ca/view/?volunteer Emily Addison Ottawa Contra On Sat, Feb 11, 2017 at 4:08 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: Volunteers (Dugan Murphy via Organizers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sat, 11 Feb 2017 12:23:50 -0400 > From: Dugan Murphy via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > Subject: Re: [Organizers] Volunteers > Message-ID: > <CAAwnfF5DOWrcyZam61KmykjAOxGWLCpn2x=oKh8qbdFjwX6zXg@mail. > gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hi, David, > > I run a weekly (49 dances per year minus weather cancellations) Thursday > night contra series in Portland, Maine. We started in June and we've had > about 70-100 dancers each week since then. > > Our in-dance volunteer structure is largely based on Will Loving's > structure for the weekly contra series in Amherst, Massachusetts. We have > five volunteer positions at each dance: setup/breakdown (shows up an hour > before the beginner lesson and stays 30 minutes after the last waltz to > arrange and breakdown signage, tables, fans, sound baffling blankets, etc), > 3 greeters for the door (one hour each), and one dance manager (makes sure > the performers and all the other volunteers have what they need, counts the > money, pays the band, etc). Each of these volunteers is offered free > admission in exchange for their service. > > Because so much of the value that our in-dance volunteers bring is that we > can rely on them showing up, they are only offered free admission if they > sign up ahead of the dance. Some dancers help out anyway, which is a > bonus. We tell those dancers that if they want to get in free next time, > they can get in touch about a volunteer slot. > > We keep track of dancers who offer to volunteer so we can make these > arrangements. When new people express interest, we add them to the list. > > Our dancers have have expressed appreciation for the training documents we > offer them in advance of their service so it is very clear what they are > and are not responsible for. These documents are also largely based on > similar materials used in Amherst. > > Here's our guide for greeters: > https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CkWK5swVLJejYfUdcDwMeJHUzjKCd > YPtD4YB5cSxtv0/edit?usp=sharing > > Here's our nightly checklist, which includes actions by setup/breakdown > volunteer, dance manager, and greeters: > https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m1HNwV2pzx0n6qqoueuD4KQlhXYSV > Vneez538_H0mhw/edit?usp=sharing > > As our series matures, I am finding it easier to recruit volunteers at the > same time that it is becoming more common that dancers help out without > being asked. Though it is becoming more common that dancers show up early > and stay late to help without being asked and though it is becoming easier > to recruit a greeter on the fly when someone doesn't show up, I really > appreciate having volunteers for each evening worked out in advance. > > I'm thinking about your concern, David, of removing the financial incentive > to volunteer by changing to a pay-what-you-can system. Keep in mind that > financial incentive likely is not the motivation for dancers to volunteer. > Most of them likely also carry some degree of responsibility to help the > series prosper. Many also likely appreciate the opportunity for extra > socializing. Those benefits of volunteerism won't go away with a > pay-what-you-can system. > > Dugan Murphy > Portland, Maine > > dugan at duganmurphy.com > www.DuganMurphy.com > www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com > www.NufSed.consulting > > Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2017 17:46:21 -0500 > From: David Chandler via Organizers > Subject: [Organizers] Volunteers > > I'm interested in how other groups handle in-dance organizational tasks - > collecting admissions, putting out refreshments, sound and perhaps checking > shoes at the door. Do you use volunteers? Pay people? If volunteers, do you > have a structured corps of volunteers you rely on or just ask for > volunteers as needed? It would be very helpful if you mentioned how > frequently you have dances, and roughly how many attend your dances. > > We (Country Dance New York) have a pretty formal system, and put on roughly > 80 dances a year (weekly Tuesday and Saturday 9.5 months a year), getting > roughly 40-50 for English and 60 plus for contra. Some people volunteer for > only one or a few dances, but a lot of the work is done by "full-time > volunteers," who do at least 8 tasks during the fall and/or spring. In > exchange for this they get in free to every event. The tasks are also > pretty structured - only members can work the door in order to increase > security of funds, and attendance is kept on an iPad using Square so there > is some training involved; refreshments involve buying food, refilling > water pitchers and putting out a number of different things to eat at the > break, then washing dishes and cleaning up. Volunteer coordinators line up > people for each task in advance. In general this works very well - tasks > get done, and volunteers who are short on cash can get in free. The > downside, in my view, relates to our feeling dependent on the system and > thus reluctant to consider other options for fear we would lose our > volunteers. In particular, some have suggested that it would be more fair > to lower our admission rate for those most likely to be in need (students > in particular), or to go to a "pay what you can" system of some sort. The > reports I've read suggest that "pay what you can" usually works out well, > with perhaps increased attendance and no loss of income. However, we can't > do that because if people could get in by paying what they can the > incentive to be a volunteer would vanish and we are afraid we would not be > able to get things done (or a very small group would have to do them, and > burn out since we have so many dances). However, I have heard rumors that > other dances don't have such a structured volunteer system and still manage > to get these in-dance tasks done. I would love to hear how you manage > getting tasks done with volunteers, especially if you have a "pay what you > can" or very reduced rate for those in need. > > Thanks! > > David >

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Organizers] Volunteers

by Dugan Murphy via Organizers

Hi, David, I run a weekly (49 dances per year minus weather cancellations) Thursday night contra series in Portland, Maine. We started in June and we've had about 70-100 dancers each week since then. Our in-dance volunteer structure is largely based on Will Loving's structure for the weekly contra series in Amherst, Massachusetts. We have five volunteer positions at each dance: setup/breakdown (shows up an hour before the beginner lesson and stays 30 minutes after the last waltz to arrange and breakdown signage, tables, fans, sound baffling blankets, etc), 3 greeters for the door (one hour each), and one dance manager (makes sure the performers and all the other volunteers have what they need, counts the money, pays the band, etc). Each of these volunteers is offered free admission in exchange for their service. Because so much of the value that our in-dance volunteers bring is that we can rely on them showing up, they are only offered free admission if they sign up ahead of the dance. Some dancers help out anyway, which is a bonus. We tell those dancers that if they want to get in free next time, they can get in touch about a volunteer slot. We keep track of dancers who offer to volunteer so we can make these arrangements. When new people express interest, we add them to the list. Our dancers have have expressed appreciation for the training documents we offer them in advance of their service so it is very clear what they are and are not responsible for. These documents are also largely based on similar materials used in Amherst. Here's our guide for greeters: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CkWK5swVLJejYfUdcDwMeJHUzjKCdYPtD4YB5cS… Here's our nightly checklist, which includes actions by setup/breakdown volunteer, dance manager, and greeters: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m1HNwV2pzx0n6qqoueuD4KQlhXYSVVneez538_H… As our series matures, I am finding it easier to recruit volunteers at the same time that it is becoming more common that dancers help out without being asked. Though it is becoming more common that dancers show up early and stay late to help without being asked and though it is becoming easier to recruit a greeter on the fly when someone doesn't show up, I really appreciate having volunteers for each evening worked out in advance. I'm thinking about your concern, David, of removing the financial incentive to volunteer by changing to a pay-what-you-can system. Keep in mind that financial incentive likely is not the motivation for dancers to volunteer. Most of them likely also carry some degree of responsibility to help the series prosper. Many also likely appreciate the opportunity for extra socializing. Those benefits of volunteerism won't go away with a pay-what-you-can system. Dugan Murphy Portland, Maine dugan at duganmurphy.com www.DuganMurphy.com www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com www.NufSed.consulting Date: Wed, 8 Feb 2017 17:46:21 -0500 From: David Chandler via Organizers Subject: [Organizers] Volunteers I'm interested in how other groups handle in-dance organizational tasks - collecting admissions, putting out refreshments, sound and perhaps checking shoes at the door. Do you use volunteers? Pay people? If volunteers, do you have a structured corps of volunteers you rely on or just ask for volunteers as needed? It would be very helpful if you mentioned how frequently you have dances, and roughly how many attend your dances. We (Country Dance New York) have a pretty formal system, and put on roughly 80 dances a year (weekly Tuesday and Saturday 9.5 months a year), getting roughly 40-50 for English and 60 plus for contra. Some people volunteer for only one or a few dances, but a lot of the work is done by "full-time volunteers," who do at least 8 tasks during the fall and/or spring. In exchange for this they get in free to every event. The tasks are also pretty structured - only members can work the door in order to increase security of funds, and attendance is kept on an iPad using Square so there is some training involved; refreshments involve buying food, refilling water pitchers and putting out a number of different things to eat at the break, then washing dishes and cleaning up. Volunteer coordinators line up people for each task in advance. In general this works very well - tasks get done, and volunteers who are short on cash can get in free. The downside, in my view, relates to our feeling dependent on the system and thus reluctant to consider other options for fear we would lose our volunteers. In particular, some have suggested that it would be more fair to lower our admission rate for those most likely to be in need (students in particular), or to go to a "pay what you can" system of some sort. The reports I've read suggest that "pay what you can" usually works out well, with perhaps increased attendance and no loss of income. However, we can't do that because if people could get in by paying what they can the incentive to be a volunteer would vanish and we are afraid we would not be able to get things done (or a very small group would have to do them, and burn out since we have so many dances). However, I have heard rumors that other dances don't have such a structured volunteer system and still manage to get these in-dance tasks done. I would love to hear how you manage getting tasks done with volunteers, especially if you have a "pay what you can" or very reduced rate for those in need. Thanks! David

8 years, 2 months

Re: [Organizers] Organizers Digest, Vol 28, Issue 1

by Emily Addison via Organizers

Hi Mac, Thanks for the thoughts. We are looking at why attendance is down and at ways to increase attendance. Re communicating what talent pays... not trying to hide that at all. We've just never communicated that. I think it's mostly because as a whole, our committee didn't think there was a reason. And there are likely a few who might still feel a little uncomfortable. (I'll have to ask.) I'm all for it, it's more how people do that communication so it's as effective and positive as possible. :) Emily On Sun, Feb 5, 2017 at 4:08 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. Dance pricing, communicating about pricing and more > (Emily Addison via Organizers) > 2. Fw: Dance pricing, communicating about pricing and more > (Mac Mckeever via Organizers) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 5 Feb 2017 15:42:35 -0500 > From: Emily Addison via Organizers <organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net> > To: Shared Weight Organizers <organizers(a)sharedweight.net> > Subject: [Organizers] Dance pricing, communicating about pricing and > more > Message-ID: > <CAD7WKUX+dADRd4-8Nc=qj+t9Y-cSg5vzfwg+uiDq0nwG0JRLvA@mail. > gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" > > Hi fellow organizers, > > Following up from some discussion in December about low attendance, here in > Ottawa we're working on 'recovering' from a surprising attendance drop this > year. We're having a major strategy session later in the month which > includes talking publicity, programming, finances etc. > > I'd love to hear about any ****innovative ideas you have for door > pricing**** > > Our current system: > $12 regular, $10 members and students, 16 and under free > Membership is $30 start of year, $20 in January. People who want to be > generous and buy a sustaining membership can pay $50. > > Possible options currently on the table: > The easiest solution which would be the default is to raise the price for > all by $2 which some feel is a fair price compared to a movie. However, > others think paying $12-$14 every two weeks will be not only hard on those > with low incomes but also a psychological be a turn off for others. > > Ideas I'm wondering about: > > - $10/12 base, adding sliding scale up to $15... hopeful that people > would contribute more. > - Also communicating effectively (we don't do this at all now) on the > cost of running a dance. This would mean exposing what the average > cost of > talent and sound but I think if people knew where money was going and > how > little talent actually get paid for their efforts, they'd be more > generous. > > Your ideas?????? > Any thoughts on the ideas above and in particular, anyone doing a great job > of communicating costs to their dancers? > Any other brilliant thoughts? Maybe different donor levels? Donation jars > (but how to do well)? > Other? > > With much thanks! > Emily Addison in Ottawa >

8 years, 2 months

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