8 Dec
2018
8 Dec
'18
2:40 a.m.
A somewhat older than average lady friend of mine has recently been expelled from the
local WSD club - in the nastiest way possible. She had been a loyal member for over 30
years. She was well known and liked. The group was active and supported by a number of
local and guest callers. She also participated in the 'duties' of making tea and
serving refreshments. She was also a keen ECD dancer and also a step and clog dancer.
But I couldn't go with her to Saturday night dances because I hadn't been
certificated or to my mind certified. When we went to Boston in the US some years'
back we visited a local WSD club - but I wasn't allowed to join in. I sat out for the
whole evening. Nice welcome - not.
Whilst in Boston she was taken by locals to a square dance shop and kitted out with all of
the female attire - at some cost I might add.
So what went wrong near Reading?
Some of the younger members (huh - in their 50s) apparently wanted to do Plus (or
something). They organised weekend workshops. Unfortunately my friend missed two of these.
Then the Plus dancers decided that's what they wanted to do on club nights. This meant
that only those who had been to all of the workshops could dance. That left my friend out
- AND SHE WAS ASKED TO LEAVE.
I thought that this cr*p attitude had died out years ago, but it is evidently still
flourishing in rural Berkshire and very likely elsewhere.
CJB
8 Dec
8 Dec
6:15 a.m.
You described it accurately:crap. I’ve seen that kind of think in my neck of the woods
and it’s very sad.
I believe that people are drawn to the various dance styles because of their personalities
and temperaments etc. While there are certainly many friendly and descent people involved
in MWSD there really is something in it’s core that’s counter to building community.
On Dec 8, 2018, at 5:40 AM, Chris J Brady
chrisjbrady(a)yahoo.com [trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com>
wrote:
A somewhat older than average lady friend of mine has recently been expelled from the
local WSD club - in the nastiest way possible. She had been a loyal member for over 30
years. She was well known and liked. The group was active and supported by a number of
local and guest callers. She also participated in the 'duties' of making tea and
serving refreshments. She was also a keen ECD dancer and also a step and clog dancer.
But I couldn't go with her to Saturday night dances because I hadn't been
certificated or to my mind certified. When we went to Boston in the US some years'
back we visited a local WSD club - but I wasn't allowed to join in. I sat out for the
whole evening. Nice welcome - not.
Whilst in Boston she was taken by locals to a square dance shop and kitted out with all
of the female attire - at some cost I might add.
So what went wrong near Reading?
Some of the younger members (huh - in their 50s) apparently wanted to do Plus (or
something). They organised weekend workshops. Unfortunately my friend missed two of these.
Then the Plus dancers decided that's what they wanted to do on club nights. This meant
that only those who had been to all of the workshops could dance. That left my friend out
- AND SHE WAS ASKED TO LEAVE.
I thought that this cr*p attitude had died out years ago, but it is evidently still
flourishing in rural Berkshire and very likely elsewhere.
CJB
7:03 a.m.
As a dancer/caller who lives in both worlds, I have to disagree. The
levels in the MWSD world certainly divides communities, but there is a
strong sense of community in most clubs I visit. Clubs do have their
problems, but most are safe, friendly places to dance.
If a 'mainstream dancer" shows up at a "plus" dance, there will be a
problem. similar as if a new dancer shows up at a local "challenge contra
dance".
Rich
On Sat, Dec 8, 2018 at 9:15 AM Tom twhinds(a)earthlink.net
[trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:
You described it accurately:crap. I’ve seen that kind of think in my neck
of the woods and it’s very sad.
I believe that people are drawn to the various dance styles because of
their personalities and temperaments etc. While there are certainly many
friendly and descent people involved in MWSD there really is something in
it’s core that’s counter to building community.
Sent from my iPad
On Dec 8, 2018, at 5:40 AM, Chris J Brady chrisjbrady(a)yahoo.com
[trad-dance-callers] <trad-dance-callers(a)yahoogroups.com> wrote:
A somewhat older than average lady friend of mine has recently been
expelled from the local WSD club - in the nastiest way possible. She had
been a loyal member for over 30 years. She was well known and liked. The
group was active and supported by a number of local and guest callers. She
also participated in the 'duties' of making tea and serving refreshments.
She was also a keen ECD dancer and also a step and clog dancer.
But I couldn't go with her to Saturday night dances because I hadn't been
certificated or to my mind certified. When we went to Boston in the US some
years' back we visited a local WSD club - but I wasn't allowed to join in.
I sat out for the whole evening. Nice welcome - not.
Whilst in Boston she was taken by locals to a square dance shop and kitted
out with all of the female attire - at some cost I might add.
So what went wrong near Reading?
Some of the younger members (huh - in their 50s) apparently wanted to do
Plus (or something). They organised weekend workshops. Unfortunately my
friend missed two of these. Then the Plus dancers decided that's what they
wanted to do on club nights. This meant that only those who had been to all
of the workshops could dance. That left my friend out - AND SHE WAS ASKED
TO LEAVE.
I thought that this cr*p attitude had died out years ago, but it is
evidently still flourishing in rural Berkshire and very likely elsewhere.
CJB
2322
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2 comments
3 participants
participants (3)
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Chris J Brady -
Rich Sbardella -
Tom