Lisa is correct. If your main goal is to recruit new dancers to your local
group, you will be sadly disappointed. That doesn't mean that you won't ever
get someone who enjoys it at the wedding and then follows up by going to the
local dance, but that is going to be very rare. As it happens I started contra
dancing after experiencing it at a wedding. However, I have called dances at
many weddings and I can't think of anyone who attended one of those, who wasn't
already a dancer, and then started going to our local dance.
An exception might be if the people getting married are hardcore dancers and
they invite a lot of the local dancers to their wedding. This might help to
recruit non-dancers to give it a try in the future. The couple might even have
in mind trying to recruit their non-dancing friends.
Other than that you should probably assume that none of those in attendance
have ever danced before, and that they probably won't do so ever again. The
best I hope for is that they have fun and then the next time they see a dance
mentioned on the news or in the paper or something they may be inclined to give
it a try.
Jonathan
On 7/3/2023 3:04 PM, Lisa Sieverts via Contra Callers wrote:
Joe said:
I welcome any advice! My main goal in taking wedding gigs is recruiting
new dancers to our local scene, if that matters.
Joe, that does matter. Remember that a wedding is one of the most important
days in the couple’s lives. Your goal as a wedding caller is to make the
dancing fun for the couple and their guests. Wedding dances are great when the
dance helps the two families and their respective friends to be able to connect
and enjoy meeting each other.
I think it would be crass to mention a local dance unless you are asked “where
can we do more of this.”
Lisa Sieverts
603-762-0235
[email protected]
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