Yeah, unfortunately, in the past five years or so, "invasion" has been pushed with right-wing xenophobic rhetoric specifically with immigrants and refugees who aren't white. :/
I liked Harris's suggestion about student groups communicating between dances. Also, I don't have better words than this, but - I appreciate hearing these stories on this list, it sounds like an enormous challenge for a caller, and I'm unsure how I would've handled it. I appreciate giving me more to think about! In dance, Julian Blechner On Sat, Jan 21, 2023, 1:47 PM Roberta Kogut via Contra Callers < [email protected]> wrote: > It never occurred to me that the idea of "invasion" had anything to do > with race or us vs. them. I guess I'm naive. Thank you for making me think > about terminology. I just saw it as a large group who all show up at once > with no idea of what they're getting themselves into. The challenge is > always to make them feel welcome and wanted while handling a unique > situation and striking a balance with regulars. But my point was that the > regular dancers can be great assets to do one-in-one PR and help with the > newcomers. > > > > Get TypeApp for Android <http://www.typeapp.com/r> > On Jan 21, 2023, at 12:50 PM, Harris Lapiroff via Contra Callers < > [email protected]> wrote: >> >> To reiterate Meg’s point a little more strongly, even reading the full >> story, I think the word “invasion” is a loaded one to use about an ethnic >> minority attending an event that’s typically attended by mostly white >> people (I’m assuming this is the case of your contra dance, as it’s been >> the case of every contra dance I’ve been to). It evokes, even >> unintentionally, some pretty nasty political narratives and stereotypes. >> Personally, as a person of color, it made me a touch uncomfortable to read >> this story under that subject line. Just something to think about. >> >> That having been said, this sounds like a pretty tricky situation all >> around! I’m not sure what I would have done in the moment, but I’m going to >> be giving it some thought! >> >> One thing that does occurs to me to do after would be to connect with >> someone from the Lebanese Student Society (it sounds like this was an >> official group outing of their club?) before the next time they attend a >> dance, explain a little about contra dancing and how it typically works, >> and see if you can come up with any collaborative solutions to how to make >> the dance work for them without disrupting the evening. I could imagine a >> lot of creative solutions or opportunities for collaboration if prepared in >> advance. >> >> Harris >> >> On Jan 21, 2023, at 12:05 PM, Joe Harrington via Contra Callers < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> I have no clue what happened with the white on white, which also killed >> the last half of the message. Read all the way through the second half and >> then see if it's an invasion! :-) >> >> I had just done about a 25-minute gentle intro with circle keepers and >> mixers, when the ladies walked in. I was balancing losing my regulars and >> the newbies who had come on time with keeping the new dancers. >> >> --jh-- >> >> >> On Sat, Jan 21, 2023 at 11:08 AM Meg Dedolph <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >>> well, maybe I wouldn't use the word "invasion." :) >>> >>> Did some of the regular women dancers join the line of newcomers? Might >>> have been a great opportunity for some folks to practice the role they >>> don't usually dance, which is a terrific way to become a stronger dancer in >>> general, and also make new folks feel welcome. A line made up of only new >>> dancers (for whatever reason) is usually something callers like to avoid. >>> What about throwing in some circle mixers to learn terminology, only >>> remove the progression and dance it as a keeper? Or throw in some whole-set >>> dances like you get at community dances, which often don't progress the way >>> contras do. >>> >>> Meg >>> >>> On Sat, Jan 21, 2023 at 9:25 AM Joe Harrington via Contra Callers < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> We had an interesting and challenging situation come up at Contra >>>> Knights, the UCF student contra club, last night. I’m interested in your >>>> thoughts and advice, in case it has come up before, which it must have. I’m >>>> going to relate it as I perceived it, though someone more perceptive might >>>> have made some observations early on that would have alerted them to the >>>> nature of the situation. >>>> >>>> Last night was the second dance of the semester and officer elections >>>> were scheduled during the break. Just at the end of my newbie lesson, a >>>> group of nine women dribbled in as a group. They were really >>>> enthusiastic to learn, and they were about 30% of the people in the room at >>>> that point, so I rewound the lesson a bit to at least teach them the swing. >>>> >>>> They had joined the teaching circle with their purses and backpacks. I >>>> invited them to put their stuff on the chairs at the sides, including their >>>> jackets, as we dance to up-tempo pop music and it can get sweaty. That’s >>>> where it got interesting. Some put their stuff down, but they >>>> couldn’t take off their jackets. That’s when I noticed some of them wearing >>>> headscarves. Ok, no worries, wear jackets, that’s fine. We love diversity >>>> here. >>>> >>>> I tried matching them with experienced dancers, which some accepted and >>>> some did not. Some said they just wanted to dance together and not with >>>> anybody else. O-kay. I explained that in this dance we all dance with >>>> each other in a sequence and we don’t control whom we’re dancing with. >>>> Well, that’s ok, as long as we don’t touch men. >>>> >>>> This, of course, explained the refused partners; they were all men. How >>>> are we going to manage that in a gender-neutral dance? It’s not like I >>>> could put them in the men’s role. Someone suggested they turn all moves >>>> into do-si-dos. I was at a momentary loss, when our club president-to-be >>>> (elected later in the night) suggested putting them in a line of their own. >>>> That made them happy, though it was a very short line. >>>> >>>> Then the rest of what turned out to be the Lebanese Student Society >>>> came into the room. Their meeting in a neighboring room had just ended. >>>> There were more women, enough to make the small line danceable. There were >>>> a lot of men, and they had a really difficult time taking partners. I had >>>> minor sets with five or six dancers (yes, experienced dancers can do it). I >>>> told them it would not work that way, but they said they’d make it work, >>>> and nothing I could say got anywhere. I was conscious of the original >>>> dancers who had been there 30 minutes now, had done the workshop, and were >>>> eager to dance. >>>> >>>> So, the men also got their own line, but things in that line got a bit >>>> crazy during the first walk-through. Possibly because of the discomfort >>>> some may have felt dancing with other men, many there were more interested >>>> in goofing off or boasting to one another than in paying any attention to >>>> me, even after I cranked the mic volume way up and admonished them to be >>>> quiet and listen. There was some genuine interest in that line, and one of >>>> the louder argument points I heard was someone shouting to quiet the line, >>>> as they were here to learn. >>>> >>>> At this point there were around 30 Lebanese students in two lines of >>>> 3-4 minor sets each and 20 originals, who had joined through the newbie >>>> session, which was evenly split between newbies and experienced dancers. >>>> Their line was quiet, but getting quite impatient at this point. I was >>>> afraid to lose them. I was really afraid of what would happen in the >>>> election later on if the Lebanese club stayed, as they outnumbered the >>>> originals. >>>> >>>> It became clear that the Lebanese men were not going to get far, but >>>> they didn’t realize it yet. I really didn’t want to throw them out, since >>>> some really did want to learn and we are an inclusive club with too few >>>> members. I did say I would kick them out if they didn’t quiet down, which >>>> worked momentarily. >>>> >>>> I decided to forge ahead and call to the group of 20. Either the guys >>>> were going to get it or they’d maybe leave. If their noise disrupted the >>>> line of originals, then I would ask them to leave. I put on a tune and >>>> called an easy dance, cranking the volume above the din. The originals >>>> danced it fine and seemed to have a good time. The guy line dispersed and >>>> said they’d come in time for the workshop next time. The ladies left with >>>> them. >>>> >>>> The originals nearly all stayed. We had a fun rest of our night and >>>> held our officer election. While last night was a unique event, 50% newbies >>>> is common and we think it’s why we get so few dancers to stay in the club >>>> more than three nights. So, one of the changes is a new, occasional, >>>> no-newbies night, so the experienced dancers can dance something more >>>> complex than Airpants. >>>> >>>> Are there ways to calm an unruly crowd? I have a fairly decent >>>> one-night stand routine, but I worried I’d lose my originals if we went >>>> over to that. I felt I could have taught them something if only I could >>>> just have gotten their attention. Throwing them out would have been >>>> uncomfortable, at best. >>>> >>>> So, could I have done this any better? Has your dance ever been >>>> invaded, and how did you handle it? >>>> >>>> Thanks, >>>> >>>> —jh— >>>> Joe Harrington >>>> Faculty advisor and caller to Contra Knights, the UCF contra club >>>> Organizer, Greater Orlando Contra Dance >>>> Contraknights.org >>>> FB, Ig: Contra Knights >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >>>> To unsubscribe send an email to >>>> [email protected] >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to >> [email protected] >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] >> To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >> >> _______________________________________________ > Contra Callers mailing list -- [email protected] > To unsubscribe send an email to [email protected] >
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