Thanks to both Amy and Will for your comments.
Amy asked:
****Do I sense a certain amount of subtext here?***
Subtext? I'm only trying to help.
We all have different goals at a dance. The
caller, I believe, takes responsibility for
knowing the common goals of the entire hall and
working toward that end. This is a big
challenge, and few of us will ever excel at
it. It requires leadership and an understanding
of the subtle influence a caller can have on both
the evening's event, and on the tradition of
contras over time. That is the real challenge of
calling and I hope that I will someday be good at it.
I understand that there are some dancers, and
many callers, who enjoy the challenge of
medleys. A caller should also know that even a
flawlessly executed medley will not be enjoyed by
some people and that those people are likely to
include new dancers and those who enjoy dancing with newcomers.
When I attended NEFFA some years ago I was one of
those who, during the medley, took the time to get my dinner.
Will spoke of, "Â…novice dancers who know the
basics." I think this is a self-canceling
phrase. Clearly there is a role for contra
medleys in the current culture of dance camps and
festivals. (This may partly explain why you
don't see me at such events designed exclusively
for dance enthusiasts.) The question here is
whether medleys have a role at regular community
dances that are open to the public. The caller,
in that context, plays a different role than at
an event intended only for dance enthusiasts.
The real question is: What is the purpose of the
dance evening, and what is the role of the caller
in achieving that purpose? Answering that
question is the ultimate challenge of contra dance calling.
Just a thought,
Greg McKenzie
