Dear Chris:
Time management is an interesting subject. As Dan as suggested there is
a great selection in Larry Jenning's book Give and Take and I would
recommend all callers to read it. Essentially, the Larry Jenning's
model is 12 mintues from walk-through to dance to next dance, that is
about a 2 minute walk-through and about 12-14 times through the dance.
I use this model and for a three hours dance program 14 dances with a 12
minute break. And will map out the dance program like:
8:00pm - 8:12pm
8:12pm - 8:24pm
8:24pm - 8:36pm... etc.
So I know where the start and end time of every dance should be. My
thinking is that dancers are there to dance, so that is what I am going
to provide for them. And before the dance when I am talking to the
band, trying to get a feel what they are about, I am usually relaying
that I am looking to do 14 dances and looking to go 14 times through and
also warn them I usually do a quick walk-through (no more then 2
minutes) and I am ready to go. Even amounts of time (12, 14, 16) all
that the top couple be in the for the last time of the dance. As a
dancer, I never want to dance a dance more then 16 times through.
Honestly I tend to get bored with that dance and want to move on.
So all and all I never in favor of the slow down. I have never been
faced with a musician expressing to me, that they wanted me to slow
down, so I don't know exactly how to handle the situation, but when I
talk to the band about tunes, I will usually talk to them about three
dances @ a time. For example: I will say the next dance I would like
reels with short phrases in the A part, because there are a lot of
balance and turns and a smooth B part, for the next dance just some
smooth dreamy jigs, and the third dance more reels, but smooth A and
short phrases in the B. I will talk to the band after every dance, but
in that is case it is just a reminder of what I have already asked for
and have given them more time to think about what they are going to play.
Peter brings up an interesting point about the David Kaynor Friday
Greenfield Dance. That dance simply just moves on a slower pace. It
goes from 8-12 with a long break and you only dance maybe 12-14 dances
the whole night, because the band is going 16-24 times through. That is
just a nature of that dance. So of course in varies from dance to
dance, but I usually keep a firm 14 dance program.
Jeff
