Hi all,
Numbers keep ramping up here and everywhere with very few very isolated exceptions.
Anecdotes are not complete science but here are a couple of facts:
My dad has been in a vets home before and through this pandemic. 100% by his own choice. Had lots of options pre-pandemic and since. He chooses to stay.
If you heard about the vets home in MA, you’ll know that was a wake up call for all vet homes.
My dad’s place was fine for quite some time. Very careful, but suddenly, before the vaccines, COVID got in and 37 died of it. Strict lockdown kept most of them safe going forward.
Post vaccine, all but one got vaccinated. No deaths since and they were visiting and traveling freely. (Don’t know about the one who chose not to vax).
Staff aren’t (weren’t?) required to get vaccinated and one of the hands-on staff recently tested positive. The whole place is under quarantine again. Lucky so far.
That’s an anecdotal fact. Generally accepted science is not surprised.
Another fact, as most folks here know, kids are very unlikely to die from the earlier strains of COVID; the new variants effects are to-be-determined. But we do know at least anecdotally that they are getting much sicker under delta when they do get sick and just like dancers in a contra line, kids in schools are great vectors, both amongst themselves and back home and across the community, in part BECAUSE they can’t be vaccinated.
This discussion is not only or primarily about our own personal health, or about the well-being of our dancers and musicians; it is about protecting those everywhere that are most vulnerable, whether they dance or not, those in the wider community, including all of those who thought they were healthy but got very sick anyway, with too many dying.
We will dance again, and it will be sooner if we all take every precaution now, including being a little uncomfortable and unhappy in the short-term for the good of everyone in the long term.
Regardless of opinions about vaccines or chances of personal survival, it seems pretty clear we are currently headed in the wrong direction, and I’d like to think this dance community has the greater community in mind when thinking about and deciding what to do going forward.
We will dance again, but let’s be sure we don’t put others at risk for the sake of our desires.
💃 🕺
Sent from miHand,
Peter
PS: The Vaccine Dinner Club (VDC) is having an online presentation on Wednesday, September 1 -- see here <http://www.cfar.emory.edu/vdc/calendar/sep.php> for more details and registration. Hope to see many of you there.
Hi All,
I'm not a list moderator for this particular SW list but I am a list
moderator for two other SW lists.
What I've noticed over the past few days on this list is that some pretty
divisive and inflammatory language has come up.
Here is text from the Shared Weight website which applies to all SW lists:
*FIRST AND FOREMOST – we are supportive of each other!As members of Shared
Weight, we treat our fellow list members with kindness, understanding and
support. We enjoy lively debate but prize civility. Be conscious of the
difference between facts and opinions.Language that puts down the ideas of
others or that is aggressive will not be tolerated. However, it’s also
important to remember that most people do have an occasional bad day and
are capable of change.*
I appreciate the conversation about COVID specifically as it relates to
organizing dances. However, it doesn't seem as though that the broader
discussion about COVID and vaccines belongs on this particular list.
And I encourage us all to consider looking at our emails through the lens
of being supportive of each other and treating each other with kindness and
understanding.
Emily
Hi Mac,
On 8/19/2021 2:50 PM, Walker Sloan via Organizers wrote:
>
> Breathtaking!
>
> "Big + for dancing, and singing together is an excellent builder of
> social capital!"
>
> The two MOST EFFICIENT methods possible for spreading COVID.
> Literally, you cannot invent more efficient activities for mass
> spreader events.
Agreed, very effective methods of spreading anything respiratory!
Does mass spreader event necessarily equal mass sickness, injury and
death?
All activities have risk.
I believe that, from a longer term point of view, climate change is a
much bigger issue than covid.
When we are past covid, supporting healthy, community-building
activities is a good thing, yes?
More than 40% of Americans are obese.
Many health issues would be lower if we were healthier.
Physical activity is one key.
We are social creatures.
We have been having one or two friends over in the garden or on the porch.
Tomorrow we have six neighbors coming over a four hour time period.
For me, meeting online pales compared to the real thing.
What do you suggest for keeping up social connections?
I apologize to the list if I'm too far off topic...
Thanks and good health, Weogo
Our experience in Houston was similar to others. Started ECD in late June
requiring vaccinations, then as the surge ramped up, added a mask
requirement, and then cancelled the dances.
The only difference is that Texas law prohibits businesses from requiring
vaccinations from customers, so our dances were NOT sponsored by our local
group, but by an individual.
John Bloom
On Thursday June 10 at 8 pm (EST), Susan Kevra will join the Mt Airy (Philadelphia) Virtual Contra Speaker Series to present “A Crash Course on the History of American Social Dance”.
Many of you know Susan as a dance caller but she is also a professor at Vanderbilt University, where she teaches a course called American Social History through Dance. Join us as Susan presents an overview of her course which charts dance history in America from Native American Dance through Hip Hop with a chance to see amazing footage of dance from across the centuries.
For more info please go to:
https://thursdaycontra.com/speakers/
Thereare two ways to watch this presentation:
1. Live stream onFacebook using this link (simply click on the link at 8pm and you'llsee the livepresentation).
https://www.facebook.com/watch/mtairycontra/
2.If you cannot tune in for the live presentation, we will be recordingit and you can go to our website in a week and it will be postedhere.
https://thursdaycontra.com/speakers/
Forthose who regularly receive the virtual dance announcements from theMt Airy email list, you can register for the Zoom experiencefrom the email announcement. However, because of limited space (100person maximum) if you don't usually receive our emails we ask thatyou use the live stream FB option. Thanks!
DonnaEmail: dhuntdancer(a)aol.com
Cell: 215-565-6050
Hi fellow organizers,
Sharing info about a brand new open dance band resource. I know not all of
you will have open dance bands but they are relatively common, and maybe
it's time to think about starting one... ... the pandemic feels like a
great time to me! :)
Full disclosure - I pulled the resource together on behalf of CDSS. Despite
my bias [[:)!]], I feel as though it's a really useful resource for both
new and experienced band leaders as there are best practices and tips
provided by 35 different open dance bands.
Here's a direct link to the resource:
https://www.cdss.org/images/documents/resource-portal/CDSS-Open-Band-Resour…
CDSS lists a number of other resources for open bands here:
https://www.cdss.org/resources/resource-portal/musicians#open-dance-bands
I've found that the pandemic has been a fantastic time to bring new
musicians into our local open dance band here in Ottawa, Ontario. Some of
our local dancers have joined our monthly zoom practices. The practices
have been a safe space for those who are a bit shy or unsure about their
musicianship as they can play along with the band leader while not being
heard by others. We've also built in a bit of visiting time into our
practices as a way for band members to connect. I think we've found some
new players for our open dance band!
Hope you enjoy :)
Emily in Ottawa
I received a request for assistance with organizing a contradance in Long Island, for Grace Christian Academy, in the next month or so.
I explained(1) That I live in Rochester NY, 7 hours drive (at least), and there is local talent that would be better suited;(2) That all contradances in the country have been closed because one could not *design* a more effective way to transmit Covid virus among a crowd of people.
I voiced appreciation for their wanting to include Contradance in the school program, and was hoping that someone on this serve-list, who is more proximate to the school, could follow up with the woman.
We've had some successful contact with local colleges here, and would recommend it for other organizations.
Please PM me if you are interested in the contact information, for the purpose of FUTURE outreach.(specifically, I won't pass along the information if your only purpose in contacting her is to chastise her.My explanation of the situation should be sufficient to let her know the pandemic-related concerns.)
Bob Fabinski
We've been using the Dancerfly dance registration system for our weekends
since 2016. I was setting up a new event, and in testing found I couldn't
complete test payment. I don't have a response to a couple of questions
sent to their help service. I was wondering if they have given up the
ghost during the pandemic. Does anyone have any knowledge of them?
Note that it was started by a collective that disbanded in 2019, but the
disband notice did say that Dancerfly would continue.
Jim Morgan
--
Jim Morgan
(412) 535-2078
morganjj(a)gmail.com
Hi All: (sorry if some of you receive this multiple times)
On March 25, Tony Parkes presented "Diversity in Square Dancing" for Mt Airy Contra (Philadelphia).
If you missed the presentation, no worries, we recorded it so you can watch it.. There are two opportunities in the website below, the .mp4 from zoom or the FB live stream.
https://thursdaycontra.com/speakers/Tony-Parkes-03-25-2021.html
Enjoy!
Donna
Web Site: donnahuntcaller.com
Email: dhuntdancer(a)aol.com
Cell: 215-565-6050