Katy, I'm not sure it is possible to have an event like that be totally welcoming for beginners. It's very hard for newcomers to dance for that long without getting very dizzy, and tired-- they're just not used to it yet.
If you do include an introductory session before the first contra dance, it might make sense to have a tiered pricing schedule, so that people can pay and stay for only the first dance if they wish to. Otherwise, I agree with Alan that you're advertising a dance to newcomers when the structure of it, particularly with the medley, ECD, and squares, is something they're not going to be able to do. -Dave On Thu, Aug 12, 2010 at 2:29 PM, Alan Winston - SSRL Central Computing < [email protected]> wrote: > Katy wrote: > > > My dance organization, Hands Four Dancers of Ithaca, likes to offer a > beginners' workshops before an evening dance. We are now discussing whether > or not to make this official policy for ALL events, including the day-long > Fiddlehead Frolic in April. The Frolic begins in the early afternoon and, in > 2011, will probably include a welcome contra dance with the featured band, > then a couple of breakout sessions (contras with a second band vs. music > workshop w/featured band; ECD vs. squares), then a contra medley; followed > by potluck and an evening dance. > > > What are people's thoughts about the value of a beginners' workshop at > such an event? > > I think the actual question is whether the intention of the event is to > welcome > and integrate beginners, and if you intend to do that, then that needs to > be > worked out with your staff. No beginner's workshop is actually going to get > anybody up to challenging-medly speed on contras, and even if it did they'd > still get hit with squares or English. > > It's possible to do an event like this that integrates newcomers happily, > but > it takes more than a workshop. If you intend to do it, then I think having > (and publicizing) a workshop signals to newcomers that its okay to come. > If > you really want to have a day for already-experienced dancers, it would be > better not to send mixed signals. > > -- Alan > > > > -- > > =============================================================================== > Alan Winston --- [email protected] > Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL Phone: > 650/926-3056 > Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA > 94025 > > =============================================================================== > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > -- David Casserly Harvard Law School JD Class of 2011 [email protected] (cell) 781 258-2761 This e-mail message and any attachments may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of this message, you may not use, disseminate, forward, copy, or print this e-mail; doing so may violate the addressee's rights. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately by replying to this message and destroy all copies of this message and any attachments. Thank you.
