Seth, Correct me if I am wrong, as a budding new caller(suddenly I feel like a flower), the first few dances should be with new dancers. Therefore, the beginning dances are booked ahead. I understand you are not refering to this. However, at my local dance I have said no to many people during the beginning dances and the regulars have caught on. This is to affirm that modeling behavior does work with those who choose to notice it. About the others, I have no experience to offer.
Recently at a dance week, a comment was made on the last night, someone said you are probably all booked tonight. The person had a big smile when I said no. To be honest the thought hadn't crossed my mind, but it did make sense. During that week there were still some people that I had not danced with. For me there is that special time after the previous dance when I seek the next partner. The chance meeting of the eye of that person in this or another line to share the moments for the next 12-15 minutes. How to incorporate those benefits in a few words or actions is difficult? I don't know if this helped but it helped me. See ya on the floor, Dan B. --- Seth Tepfer <[email protected]> wrote: > People book ahead at our local dance. I despise the practice, but I > understand where it comes from, and have been prone to it myself (can I > have a witness?). It is a problem that is rife at our dance weekends and > our local dance. > > I do not want to get into a religious discussion about whether booking > ahead is good or bad. Save that discussion for another time. > > I would like to hear creative ideas for avoiding/sideswiping/eliminating > the booking ahead issue. > > Here's what is in my [mostly ineffective] toybox: > * after a circle mixer (square, etc), have people take that last partner > (corner in square, last neighbor, etc) to be their partner for the next contra > * ask that everyone dancing ask someone who was sitting out last time to dance > * do a scatter mixer > * model good behavior [especially after Lisa called me out at SnowBall, 2004!] > * wear my 'I don't book ahead" button > > What other creative ideas are there out in the dance ethos? > Thanks > seth > > PS I really really really want to cross-post this to the trad-callers > listserv, because I know they'd have ideas there too. But I'm trying to be > good and not cross-post. Okay, climbing off martyr soapbox now. :-) > > > ========================================================================= > Seth Tepfer: Director of Administrative Computing & Innovative Technology > Oxford College of Emory University - 770-784-8487 - [email protected] > > For fast and easy computer help, > try... <http://help.emory.edu>http://help.emory.edu > > > Jex Raven Eidson Tepfer - Born 6/5/05 00:52! Say hi at: > http://www.jexRaven.com/ > ========================================================================= > "A facility for quotation covers the absence of original thought." -Dorothy > L. Sayers > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
