Hi Loke and all, Keep in mind that not everyone makes it to the end of the 
dance, sometimes not even half the crowd. So saving all the thanks to the end 
might be shorting the "thankees". I often try to thank the band throughout the 
evening, often saying at the end of each dance, "thank your partner, and thank 
the band". David Kaynor, always prone to slightly off-color jokes, would often 
explain that thanking the band got them "aroused" after which they would play 
better.. Seems to work. I don't normally call for thanking the caller if I'm 
calling, hoping someone in the band will figure a way to do it after the band 
gets thanked. I normally thank the sound person, but once again not at the 
bitter end, and the organizers (if it's not me).

Of course the organizers often recognize the band and caller at the break and 
introduce them if there are announcements at that time.

bill
________________________________
From: Luke Donforth via Contra Callers <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 10, 2025 12:11 AM
To: Shared Weight Contra Callers <[email protected]>
Subject: [Callers] Order of thanks

Hey folks,

I wonder what people's thoughts are on end-of-the night thank-you's for a 
contra dance.
Folks you might thank or call-out for applause:
Band
Caller
Organizers/volunteers
Sound person

I feel like a lot of places go band->caller->sound person; hopefully thanking 
the volunteers at the announcements.

I can see doing the final band thank you right after the band gets to play 
their big closing number for the evening. Everyone's amped up, call out the 
band and then tack the other ones on.

But I think about the theater, where at the end of the performance the 
performers come out for bows. There, it's usually chorus->supporting->main 
cast; and by that system I think we should thank the band last. But usually in 
theater when all the cast is on stage they give a thank you and wave to the 
tech crew and director. Which would imply caller->band->sound+organizers.

Just wondering what folks' thoughts were on the subject.

Happy dancing,
Luke Donforth
(Burlington, VT)



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