Especially at community dances, but also at contras, I look for was to encourage dancers to say thank you. At community events one of my first dances is usually a kind of Appalachian square dance. Couples do one or two simple figures to my calls with another couple, and then I go, "Everybody, face your neighbors. ... Say, "Thank you!" ... Take your partner and find new neighbors." People seem to enjoy the opportunity to say thanks. At contras, if there is a pre-dance lesson, I try to work in some experience on progressing, even if it's in a mini-contra. (E.g., Circle left, circle right, dosido your neighbor, say thanks to your neighbor, walk forward to a new neighbor.) And having the mic all evening I get opportunities to thank the band, sound personnel, organizers, and the dancers themselves. Squares and triplets (and other set dances) give us a chance to encourage people to thank their whole set as well as their partner.
Richard On Oct 31, 2016, at 1:47 PM, via Callers wrote: > Once or twice a night, remind the dancers to hydrate and tell them where to > find the punch bowl, drinking fountains, etc. If there are a lot of > newcomers, they may not know where the water source is located (and you can > joke that it's included with the price of admission....who can resist!). > Make it clear that you won't be starting the next dance for a few minutes - > this encourages hydration, plus many dancers will be happy for the quick > break and a chance to move to the side of the hall where they can mingle and > find their next partner without fear that they'll be left out. > > Sue Gola > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ron Blechner via Callers <[email protected]> > To: Caller's discussion list <[email protected]> > Sent: Mon, Oct 31, 2016 12:56 pm > Subject: [Callers] Positive values on the mic > > Hi Shared Weight, > I'd like to hear some examples of things you as a caller (or you as an > organizer encouraging callers) say on the mic during a dance to promote > positive dance values. > I ask because I'm reviewing my own dance's "calling our dance" communication > with callers, as well as evaluating my own statements on mic. > I'll get us started. > I like to say, a couple times per evening, for dancers to look to the > sidelines for dancers who were sitting out, in considering a partner. > In dance, > Ron Blechner > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
