[Organizers] Re: [External] Attracting young dancers

Other ideas: - most colleges and universities have an “International Student Organization” office that is looking for Western cultural experiences. Your dance is the perfect fit for them. - undergrads come and go quickly, but graduate students tend to hang around: post flyers in elevators and bulletin boards of graduate programs - work hard to encourage experienced (and non creeper) dancers to ask the new dancers - especially during the first 3-4 dances of the night. this is especially powerful if your community leaders (callers, organizers) lead by example with this - create MeetUp events - encourage socializing after and outside of the dance. Game nights. Pool parties. Hikes. Invite the entire community. People want to go where their friends are. - cultivate younger callers and musicians. Much easier said than done and a longer term process, of course. - must deal with the creeps firmly and permanently. The damage they do is exponential. Not only do those you get dancers not come back, but they tell their friends. Contra has done a poor job in the past of dealing with them. Atlanta had one that, I’m sorry to say, took years of egregious behavior to finally ban him. He went to the swing community and was banned his first night. If creeps are not dealt with, all other work is for nought. Sent from my iPhone