[Organizers] Re: Need ideas/feedback about how to get new dancers to return

Alexander- oops...while we are not specifically gender free, we strive for it in a very very conservative group of older dancers. I am scheduled to meet with our web person soon and will adress verbage. Thanks for this info. On Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 4:34 PM Alexandra Deis-Lauby &lt;adeislauby(a)gmail.com&gt; wrote: > Mary, > > Is the Buffalo dance gender free? The website tells callers to use > gents and ladies. If the dance is in fact gender free, then the website > needs updating. If you are advertising the dance as gender free but use > gents and ladies, that would certainly not encourage me to return if I were > a new dancer. > > > > On Mar 13, 2023, at 3:54 PM, Mary Collins via Organizers < > organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: > > Watching this as we have the same issue. We are (I believe) the 2nd > largest city in NYS and have the most pitiful turnout. > > I think you have some good ideas here. > > One comment: we often or even always speak about our dance not only > gender free, no partner necessary to bring, but also as no lessons needed, > each dance being taught and "walked through". Then we advertise "the > lesson" b4 the dance. If words matter (and I think we agree they do) the > this is a huge contradiction. > > I say to people these sets of words & phrasing: easy, walking to music, > Only 8 steps, no need to bring partner but a friend is fun, dances are > taught, practiced (stole from country line dance & swing) and then they are > prompted once the music starts. We offer basic move instruction rather than > lesson. > > I don't really know if these changes help, hinder or have no effect. I > only know that not having a friend anchor for the first few dances would > have resulted in my not coming back. The lesson too. But that's just my > perception. > > We give out "get in free" cards and encourage ppl to share theirs with a > friend. I also encourage people who say "I told my friends...", to next > dance offer to pick them up or meet b4 and come together. > > We also encourage experienced dancers to partner with new dancers. > > I am anxious to hear other's ideas. > > Mary "from Buffalo", not. > > > On Mon, Mar 13, 2023, 12:49 PM Sandy Seiler via Organizers < > organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net&gt; wrote: > >> Newbies are not returning my thoughts... >> Why? not feeling welcome?, feeling intimidated/too hard? Coming late >> to lesson and being lost/confused during dance? Lack of feeling of >> mastery/learning? Need follow up lesson since we only dance 1x/month? One >> month is a long time to wait for another lesson. Not enough younger >> dancers like themselves? >> Ideas: >> 1. Use beginner friendly buttons >> 2. Ask experienced dancers to dance with beginners for first 2 dances >> at least. Board members lead by example. >> 3. Encourage experienced dancers to come for the beginner lesson to >> welcome/socialize with new dancers. >> 4. Have caller or one of us give out free passes (pass for next dance) >> at the lesson so we don't have to remember to do it at the table. We gave >> out 15 free passes to new dancers in Feb and did not get any to return in >> March. (March dance was on 2nd sat instead of our normal 3rd sat and it's >> spring break. Feb attendance 61, March 38 (paid dancers, not including 3 >> listeners). Also there was a local magazine article about LBDA in February >> and we had our most experienced and popular contra dance band (Kaw Creek) >> playing. >> 5. Our Lesson is at 7:00, Dance 7:30. Should we use start time 7:00 in >> advertising bc experienced dancers will figure it out and adjust to coming >> at 7:30 more easily than new people knowing they need to come at 7:00 for >> the lesson. New people attending and being on time for 7:00 lesson is >> important for a smooth dance so do we need to advertise that way? Want >> experienced dancers to be there to meet and socialize with them so they can >> be better integrated into the community and not feel so awkward. I have >> suggested this to our board before, but was told that would be manipulative >> toward experienced dancers who would be upset that they came too early and >> wasted their time. That feels like a very unwelcoming attitude, and I >> would like to encourage all our dancers to consider that 7:00 is our start >> time because beginners are important and we need to be there to greet them >> and socialize. >> 6. Schedule a 1 hour lesson or series of lessons led by experienced >> callers Lisa and or Jill and a couple new callers... before the dance? On >> a different day? Through Parks and Rec this summer? >> 7. New dancers are far outnumbering experienced dancers. Need to do >> advanced dance to pull back in some dancers who drifted away after the >> pandemic. Contact individually by phone/email? >> >> And then getting younger people to attend is a whole other but strongly >> related topic we need to address more effectively. We are not getting >> enough young people at dances. It appears to me that when a young person >> comes they often decide to not return because there aren't enough people in >> their age group. >> >> Please tell me if you like/encourage these ideas I have come up with so >> far and add others. >> Especially I want to know how to get new people to come on time for the >> lesson. >> Is it ok to advertise dance for 7:00 even though first 30 minutes is >> lesson? It's frustrating for our callers and then they don't get a full >> lesson which is not good for anyone. >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Organizers mailing list -- organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net >> > _______________________________________________ > Organizers mailing list -- organizers(a)lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-leave(a)lists.sharedweight.net > > > _______________________________________________