Re: [Organizers] Directors and Officers insurance for a medium-size dance organization with a volunteer BOD
Country Dance New York (CDNY) has D&O, obtained through the same broker as our liability insurance (New York Council of Nonprofits, the organization for nonprofits in New York - similar organizations are across the country). $797 last year. It was a close call when we decided to go with it. On one hand I have never heard of a claim against an organization like ours, and think it is generally unlikely there would be one. On the other hand, we have accumulated some resources over the last 30 years and it would be a shame to lose them to lawyers' fees even if we won. It also protects individual board members, which can be an asset in recruitment (though not so much in our community, where most dancers don't have all that much, or know that much about insurance). I read some articles pro and con and vacillated for years, but I don't remember what the final argument in favor was. With luck one will never need it, like most insurance - but it seems useful to be able to make life simpler in case an issue comes up - there would be lawyers for the insurance company that would take most of the burden (though one has to recognize that their best interests, as with most insurance, are not necessarily our best interests). On Fri, Jun 7, 2019 at 5:22 PM Craig Meltzner via Organizers < organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > North Bay Country Dance Society (NBCDS) is a medium-size CA dance > organization (about 90 dances per year – contra, ECD, family, Morris team, > two dance weekends), a CDSS affiliate, with a volunteer Board of Directors. > NBCDS has been around 25 years. Our Board is discussing whether to purchase > Directors and Officers liability insurance. We have a quote from a local > broker for a $1 million limit of liability, claims-made policy with a > $5,000 deductible for annual cost of $850. Reputable insurance company – > same one which provides general liability coverage for NBCDS through CDSS > insurance program. We’ve researched D&O, understand what it covers and what > it doesn’t, had one Board discussion without a decision. Not a cost we > couldn’t cover but not insignificant either. > > > > *Arguments for obtaining coverage* – protects individual Board members > thereby encouraging participation, particularly among higher net-worth > individuals; provides for defense costs in case of frivolous suits. *Arguments > for not obtaining coverage* – 1) our 25 year history of having no > actions taken against us; 2) the fact that our mandate is so narrow - we > put on dances; 3) the people who come to our dances understand that they > are social events and we don't seek a community with special needs or > vulnerabilities; 4) we're an all-volunteer run enterprise; 5) we don't make > (much) money which makes us much less of a target; 6) if there was a suit, > it is unlikely that personal assets would be sought. > > > > Do any of you involved with similar non-profit organizations have > information to share about D & O coverage? Do you have it/thought about > getting it? Decided not to get it? Know of any dance/music/song > organizations and their Board of Directors which have faced a suit of any > kind which would be covered by D & O insurance? Thanks. > > > > > > > > > > > ___ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net > ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Organizers] Liability insurance
John and all, We are a small group and carry liability and equipment insurance through an agency located near Ithaca NY, True Insurance Agency. I know the rates are very reasonable or we could not afford them. You can find them on the web. ASCAP should not be an issue as most of the music is traditional and does not fall under their umbrella, you run into issues with them if you have performers playing other's music without permission or if it has been copyrighted and registered with ASCAP. At least that is my understanding from working with a Blues NFP group and having been the manager of a restaurant. Mary <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free. www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass ... it's about learning to dance in the rain!” ~ Unknown On Mon, Aug 14, 2017 at 12:38 PM, John W Gintell via Organizers < organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: > I am wondering whether most dance series have liability insurance - > particularly small ones. > > Insurance for a dance series from CDSS costs $450, $550, … depending on > the number of dances plus $85 membership fee every year. I suspect other > sources would be more expensive. For a small dance with few financial > reserves, the extra fees each year could easily drive it to extinction. > > I know that sone venues require that the group has insurance, but not all > do. > > What is the risk of not having it? Any recent incidents in the past few > years? > > I’d think possible suits could be from dancers or musicians/callers who > got injured or thought they were treated badly, venues where there was > damage to the site. > > What about ASCAP copy infringement suits? Have there been any of these? > > Anything else? > > John > ___ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net > ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Organizers] Directors and Officers insurance for a medium-size dance organization with a volunteer BOD
BACDS has at least once had a potential board member decline because he was afraid of losing his house. When we looked into D&O insurance then (10+ years ago) it seemed ruinously expensive, maybe because the org was losing money annually at the time. The recommendation we were given then was to get a rider on our individual homeowner's insurance, which I lackadaisically looked into but didn't do anything about. (My employers have a group legal benefit which I've signed up for, so for a small monthly fee you get representation without per-incident charges, and I'd start there if I got sued as a Board member.) -- Alan On 6/7/2019 2:22 PM, Craig Meltzner via Organizers wrote: North Bay Country Dance Society (NBCDS) is a medium-size CA dance organization (about 90 dances per year – contra, ECD, family, Morris team, two dance weekends), a CDSS affiliate, with a volunteer Board of Directors. NBCDS has been around 25 years. Our Board is discussing whether to purchase Directors and Officers liability insurance. We have a quote from a local broker for a $1 million limit of liability, claims-made policy with a $5,000 deductible for annual cost of $850. Reputable insurance company – same one which provides general liability coverage for NBCDS through CDSS insurance program. We’ve researched D&O, understand what it covers and what it doesn’t, had one Board discussion without a decision. Not a cost we couldn’t cover but not insignificant either. Arguments for obtaining coverage – protects individual Board members thereby encouraging participation, particularly among higher net-worth individuals; provides for defense costs in case of frivolous suits. Arguments for not obtaining coverage – 1) our 25 year history of having no actions taken against us; 2) the fact that our mandate is so narrow - we put on dances; 3) the people who come to our dances understand that they are social events and we don't seek a community with special needs or vulnerabilities; 4) we're an all-volunteer run enterprise; 5) we don't make (much) money which makes us much less of a target; 6) if there was a suit, it is unlikely that personal assets would be sought. Do any of you involved with similar non-profit organizations have information to share about D & O coverage? Do you have it/thought about getting it? Decided not to get it? Know of any dance/music/song organizations and their Board of Directors which have faced a suit of any kind which would be covered by D & O insurance? Thanks. ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net<mailto:Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
[Organizers] Directors and Officers insurance for a medium-size dance organization with a volunteer BOD
North Bay Country Dance Society (NBCDS) is a medium-size CA dance organization (about 90 dances per year - contra, ECD, family, Morris team, two dance weekends), a CDSS affiliate, with a volunteer Board of Directors. NBCDS has been around 25 years. Our Board is discussing whether to purchase Directors and Officers liability insurance. We have a quote from a local broker for a $1 million limit of liability, claims-made policy with a $5,000 deductible for annual cost of $850. Reputable insurance company - same one which provides general liability coverage for NBCDS through CDSS insurance program. We've researched D&O, understand what it covers and what it doesn't, had one Board discussion without a decision. Not a cost we couldn't cover but not insignificant either. Arguments for obtaining coverage - protects individual Board members thereby encouraging participation, particularly among higher net-worth individuals; provides for defense costs in case of frivolous suits. Arguments for not obtaining coverage - 1) our 25 year history of having no actions taken against us; 2) the fact that our mandate is so narrow - we put on dances; 3) the people who come to our dances understand that they are social events and we don't seek a community with special needs or vulnerabilities; 4) we're an all-volunteer run enterprise; 5) we don't make (much) money which makes us much less of a target; 6) if there was a suit, it is unlikely that personal assets would be sought. Do any of you involved with similar non-profit organizations have information to share about D & O coverage? Do you have it/thought about getting it? Decided not to get it? Know of any dance/music/song organizations and their Board of Directors which have faced a suit of any kind which would be covered by D & O insurance? Thanks. ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
[Organizers] Re: [External] Dance organizers - any resources for organizing house concerts?
We used to host house concerts (when the kiddos were younger and we had room to host people). It was a blast. Definitely would encourage. Money: We encouraged payment ahead of time (we did paypal, now Venmo, Zelle, Apple & Google pay options are all easy) but welcomed donations onsite. Everyone knew that all money went toward the musicians. We always had light snacks and some beer and wine - and encouraged folks to also bring. Audience that has had a glass or two are more appreciative and donate more. And buy CDs more. Keep it relaxed and casual, it's your home so that already makes it an awesome vibe. If you want to kick it up a notch, think a bit about lighting, but that is really over and above. For the times it was appropriate to the musicians, we had them play 15-30 min of waltzes post concert. Most of our attendees were cross-overs from the dance world. We did not do insurance - though as a caller I had callers insurance for gatherings. Seth Tepfer, MBA, CSM, PMP (he, him, his) Senior IT Manager, Emory Primate Center From: Emily Addison via Organizers Sent: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 6:50 PM To: organizers@lists.sharedweight.net Subject: [External] [Organizers] Dance organizers - any resources for organizing house concerts? Hey dance organizers, Seems like many of our communities are opening up for dancing again exciting times! I haven't gone to a dance yet but I know so many are enjoying getting back into the groove. I'm thinking of starting to organize the occasional house concert as we've finished an addition that would be a great space for such things. Do any of you know of a good tips sheet for how to organize an awesome house concert? I'm thinking about things like (1) how finances work (e.g., collect payments ahead of time?) (2) how to make the vibe really awesome (3) thoughts on insurance. Any leads on this kind of thing? Thanks! Emily Addison in Ottawa, ON [width=]<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avg.com%2Femail-signature%3Futm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dlink%26utm_campaign%3Dsig-email%26utm_content%3Dwebmail&data=05%7C01%7Clabst%40emory.edu%7C8db5bf0c48aa4a56502c08da905a55c2%7Ce004fb9cb0a4424fbcd0322606d5df38%7C0%7C0%7C637981014923553506%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HzD0v%2FOmokdUsvhATCiaK4M%2Bh0mEEiP5Gizde1YDqPM%3D&reserved=0> Virus-free.www.avg.com<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avg.com%2Femail-signature%3Futm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Dlink%26utm_campaign%3Dsig-email%26utm_content%3Dwebmail&data=05%7C01%7Clabst%40emory.edu%7C8db5bf0c48aa4a56502c08da905a55c2%7Ce004fb9cb0a4424fbcd0322606d5df38%7C0%7C0%7C637981014923553506%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HzD0v%2FOmokdUsvhATCiaK4M%2Bh0mEEiP5Gizde1YDqPM%3D&reserved=0> ___ Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
[Organizers] Re: [External] Dance organizers - any resources for organizing house concerts?
I have been doing house concerts since 2014. I love everything about it. It may be the single biggest loss I felt from the pandemic. A lot of national acts have come through my living room, and I have an audience that knows what to expect from me, namely virtuosity in trad instrumental genres, Irish, Scottish, Quebecois, contra, choro. I never do singer songwriters, and I always get requests from them or their agencies that I have to say to gently, didn’t you do any research on me? I do about 10 concerts a year. I keep an eye out for who is touring that I want to have here, like through Fiddle Tunes, the Celtic Arts Foundation, or the many musicians newsletters I subscribe to, and I send them a query. I have my musical heroes in my sights and certain ones that I really, really want to have in my living room. I’ve built a mailing list of over 700 people. In the Before Times I would rarely have fewer than 35-40 folks attend, and a waiting list. Now it’s a different story. People are reluctant to gather indoors, and I’ve had acts that should have filled have only 15 people. I require vax, masks, and I’ve moved food and drink outdoors. It’s made me reluctant to book anyone now who has a travel nut to cover, and I’m going to prioritize local musicians for awhile. I ask for a $25 donation (I’ve raised it from $20 from before), and I have a Venmo QR code (from the artist) that sometimes gets used. I like Seth’s idea of pre-paying, I’m going to try that. I’ve been livestreaming on Facebook, but I haven’t figured out how to promote that, and I don’t get much viewership. I’ve talked to my homeowner’s insurance agency about what I’m doing, and I’m told my umbrella policy covers it. I’m throwing a party. I’m not making a penny. The Folk Alliance International folks, who have a house concert program of some kind, won’t take me because I have a Facebook Page and therefore I’m advertising to the public. There is an outfit, https://concertsinyourhome.org/ <https://concertsinyourhome.org/>, that gets people up to speed and is a kind of matchmaking service for hosts and musicians. It’s entirely singer-songwriter oriented, but they have great tips. https://homeroutes.ca/ <https://homeroutes.ca/> in Canada serves a similar function. My living room has also been a contra dance hall, with a half dozen musicians and 4 or 5 sets of dancers. House contra dances are awesome. Glad to continue the conversation with anyone who wants to know more. Doug Plummer Seattle, WA https://www.facebook.com/DougandRobinHouseConcerts <https://www.facebook.com/DougandRobinHouseConcerts> On Sep 6, 2022, at 7:32 PM, Tepfer, Seth via Organizers wrote: We used to host house concerts (when the kiddos were younger and we had room to host people). It was a blast. Definitely would encourage. Money: We encouraged payment ahead of time (we did paypal, now Venmo, Zelle, Apple & Google pay options are all easy) but welcomed donations onsite. Everyone knew that all money went toward the musicians. We always had light snacks and some beer and wine - and encouraged folks to also bring. Audience that has had a glass or two are more appreciative and donate more. And buy CDs more. Keep it relaxed and casual, it's your home so that already makes it an awesome vibe. If you want to kick it up a notch, think a bit about lighting, but that is really over and above. For the times it was appropriate to the musicians, we had them play 15-30 min of waltzes post concert. Most of our attendees were cross-overs from the dance world. We did not do insurance - though as a caller I had callers insurance for gatherings. Seth Tepfer, MBA, CSM, PMP (he, him, his) Senior IT Manager, Emory Primate Center From: Emily Addison via Organizers mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>> Sent: Tuesday, September 6, 2022 6:50 PM To: organizers@lists.sharedweight.net <mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net> mailto:organizers@lists.sharedweight.net>> Subject: [External] [Organizers] Dance organizers - any resources for organizing house concerts? Hey dance organizers, Seems like many of our communities are opening up for dancing again exciting times! I haven't gone to a dance yet but I know so many are enjoying getting back into the groove. I'm thinking of starting to organize the occasional house concert as we've finished an addition that would be a great space for such things. Do any of you know of a good tips sheet for how to organize an awesome house concert? I'm thinking about things like (1) how finances work (e.g., collect payments ahead of time?) (2) how to make the vibe really awesome (3) thoughts on insurance. Any leads on this kind of thing? Thanks! Emily Addison in Ottawa, ON <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.avg.com%252Femail-signature%253Futm_med
[Organizers] Dance organizers - any resources for organizing house concerts?
Hey dance organizers, Seems like many of our communities are opening up for dancing again exciting times! I haven't gone to a dance yet but I know so many are enjoying getting back into the groove. I'm thinking of starting to organize the occasional house concert as we've finished an addition that would be a great space for such things. Do any of you know of a good tips sheet for how to organize an awesome house concert? I'm thinking about things like (1) how finances work (e.g., collect payments ahead of time?) (2) how to make the vibe really awesome (3) thoughts on insurance. Any leads on this kind of thing? Thanks! Emily Addison in Ottawa, ON [image: width=] <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free.www.avg.com <http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2> ___ Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
Re: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks?
Hi, Chrissy, In 2017 and 2018, Portland Intown Contra Dance (PICD) partnered with Friends of Congress Square Park (FoCSP) in downtown Portland, Maine in putting on a series of outdoor contra dances. Info about the 2018 series here: http://portlandintowncontradance.com/blog/2018/5/3/happy-dancers-dance-outside *Logistics*: FoCSP is a nonprofit that has an agreement with the City of Portland, Maine to organize events in the park, but other organizations can do so as well through the Parks and Recreation Department by paying for an event permit and providing proof of insurance. FoCSP provides the insurance for these events and fundraises money to pay performers for events throughout the season, including the contra dances. PICD handles booking. Both organizations do promotion. *Dancing on asphalt*: It's not awesome. I don't think there's anything else to say about it. If people are dancing on concrete, you might tell the experienced dancers to minimize their stomping, if anything. I do know someone who sustained an injury that way at an outdoor event in Cincinnati, Ohio. I don't know if there's something you would need to say about grass. *Sound*: At Congress Square Park, we shoot for 92 decibels. We also make sure to comply with the municipal sound ordinance in regards to maximum decibels and how late an amplified event may run. *Dance repertoire*: This can be so variable that a caller needs to be very very flexible in choosing and teaching dances. If no more than a few experienced contra dancers show up, then you need to treat it as a community dance. But even if a whole bunch of experienced dancers show up, the total number of dancers and the proportion of new dancers is likely to vary unpredictably throughout the event. While the experienced dancers are more likely to stay for the whole event and dance each dance, the new dancers are more likely to drop in and out, which means that you cannot expect to build up the level of complexity in choreography over the course of an event, as you usually can at a regular indoor contra dance. This variability is especially the case in a downtown setting like the events we host in Portland because people will stop as they're walking by, try one dance, and either stick around or more on. That's the info I got. Good luck! Dugan Murphy Portland, Maine dugan at duganmurphy.com www.DuganMurphy.com www.PortlandIntownContraDance.com www.NufSed.consulting > Date: Sat, 6 Apr 2019 18:05:48 + > From: Chrissy Fowler > To: organizers shared weight > Subject: [Organizers] outdoor dances in parks? > > Anyone have tips/advice for ways to successfully structure a free (no > charge) outdoor dance series for the general public in public parks? > > > * Logistics > * Sound > * Tips for dancing on grass/pavement > * Dance repertoire > * Promotion, including language to help welcome in non-dancers > * Hydration that doesn't involve single-use plastic bottles from > aquifer- draining profiteers (ooops, crankpot editorializing...) > * Add-ons > * Other > > We're working with our parks & rec director and other local groups to > produce a series this summer. Would love any 'hot tips" from the hive. > > Cheers, > Chrissy Fowler > Belfast Flying Shoes, Belfast ME > > ** ** ** > > Dance Calling | Transcription | Belfast Flying Shoes > ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Organizers] Lower attendance this year?
A year later, after an unusually low-turnout dance, I updated the graph I made before and BIDA is also seeing a decrease recently: https://www.jefftk.com/bida-attendance-2017-12-2x.png It wasn't clear to me at the time, but it looks like it goes back to early 2016. Jeff On Wed, Dec 7, 2016 at 9:39 AM, Brian Appleberry via Organizers wrote: > Our dance (Queen City Contras, in Burlington, Vermont) is definitely reduced > in attendance. Some details: > > Our dance is once per month, on the first Friday, year-round. > A graph of average attendance in the last 15 years shows a peak of 100 > exactly in the middle (2008 - 20010), with numbers around 57 on the edges > (2003, 2016). The rise and fall have been gradual and symmetrical. > I'm sure we could have better attendance if we had a perfect/fabulous hall > and location, which we've never found. (As soon as I win the lottery I > will...) > 14-1/2 years ago we switched from Saturday evenings to Friday evenings, due > to venue problems. Saturdays had higher attendance, but lost more money > because the hall was a lot more expensive. > We have more competition than we used to. About 5 years ago the number of > contra dances in Burlington went from 1 per month to 2 per month. Also, > many dancers who dance in Burlington also dance in Montpelier, where the > number of dances went from 2 (sometimes 3) per month to 4 (sometimes 5) per > month, about 1 year ago. > We have always supported attendance of children, by admitting anyone under > 13 for free. I think this definitely helps. However, we have not had an > "outreach" or in-school children's program since the founder of our dance > was doing so back in the 1970's and 1980's. > The quality of our performers (and cost of performers) was intentionally > raised during the "upswing" years, and we were also able to put some money > in the bank at the same time that we started spending money on liability > insurance and forming a nonprofit corporation (to help protect the board of > directors, in the unlikely event of a law suite). > We have continued to keep the quality of performers high, but we have now > drained our bank account, moved to a less expensive venue, and just started > reducing the average quality/cost of performers, in order to stay afloat. > I don't know all the answers, but I am convinced that the key will be in the > younger generations. (I'm 67, so I'll be dancing for only another 20 years > or so!) > -Brian Appleberry > > > > ___ > Organizers mailing list > Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net > ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
Re: [Organizers] Taking admission
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the way we did it from before I got here in 1985 to about 2008 was: (Contra dances) You could get in free if you sat at the door for two dances. You'd have to get there pretty early to be able to sign up for your two-dance slot. We recognized that there was a conceptual problem with having the people who were most broke being in charge of the money, and this meant that managers would come by every so often and harvest all the big bills from the cash box. (English dances, generally a lot smaller) Dance manager (same person or a substitute they'd arranged) would sit at the door with the box for the first fifteen minutes before the dance started and duration of the first dance. Cash box honor system thereafter. After that, if somebody who was sitting out felt like sitting at the door they could but they didn't get anything for it. We switched over to have not only a supporter/regular/member/student or low income scale but a "pay what you can" option (which can be zero, though not negative!) at a time when attendance at our contras was getting pretty low, and contras - Palo Alto first - were getting reorganized to be run by committees rather than by caller/programmers with occasional help. The organization didn't decree a switch, but what we do now (possibly led by the Hayward Contra dance, which wasn't a BACDS dance at the time but is now) is ask people to sign up for one-dance slots for which they get nothing but satisfaction. These are often committee members or dance regulars. Everybody's getting more relaxed about gender balance and cis men are dancing together more often than they used to, but there's still a little bit of inclination among some people to take a turn sitting the door if they're in the majority gender. The signup sheet is visible at the table and if there are a lot of open slots and people aren't volunteering for them, the current person sitting out will point out to people coming in the door that there are slots. We have people sign in (for insurance purposes, originally) so we can get to a rough idea of how much ought to be in the box at the end of the evening and there hasn't been a problem with being way out. (When we had one price it was pretty easy to count the people on the floor and get pretty close to how it should be.) When I sat the door at Hayward recently and nobody had signed up to relieve me I asked someone to ask the caller to announce the openings, but did end up sitting out two dances rather than one, so it's not perfect. Berkeley English has sometimes had injured folks who sit the door out of community spirit when they can't dance or dance much anyway. Sometimes the evening has started and there's nobody to sit the door, so they close the box and put it away and then make an announcement at the break to pay if you haven't. Another English dance recently left their box (actually a hat) unguarded and somebody walked off with it, so they're reviewing their procedures. English dances still tend to make it the manager's responsibility to babysit the box or find someone to do it; contra dances tend to rely on community members volunteering as they arrive. Some of those members are committee members of other dances. None of our local dancers have more than one person at a time doing it. There's no advance schedule. We don't really vet the vols but we don't recruit unfamiliar faces to do it. Shifts now are one dance at a time in general. Because "pay as you can" lets you dance free if you want, there's no incentive but community-mindedness to sit the door, so it's usually familiar faces doing it. Larger dance committees mean there's more committee members to take a turn but it's not, I think, limited to community members. Claire's dance is a BACDS dance but anything she says about her dance supersedes what I've said about BACDS dances in general. -- Alan On 12/28/17 11:22 AM, Chrissy Fowler via Organizers wrote: We're curious about how other dance organizers handle the task of sitting at the door and taking money. Who does it? - organizers? - volunteers? - a mix? - nobody? - how many people at a time? How is it done? - scheduling people to do the task (how?) - vetting/soliciting the vols (any parameters?) - how long does each person sit at door on a given dance eve? - any compensation/barter? Other relevant info? Thanks, Belfast Flying Shoes board of directors Belfast, ME ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net ___ Organizers mailing list Organizers@lists.sharedweight.net http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/organizers-sharedweight.net
[Organizers] Re: Is it time to end COVID restrictions at most contra dances?
dance. It absolutely could. And you have to decide whether that risk is more or less acceptable to you than having as little chance as possible of someone getting COVID at your dance. That's it. Your call. There will be a spectrum of responses. (I was being, I think, pretty good at being nonjudgmental up to this point, but I'm going to blow that now by pointing out that young people are famously not very good at risk assessment - there's a reason car insurance rates go down when you're over 25 - so if you're running dances for college students you might have a little extra responsibility to take more care of them than they would.) -- Alan ___ Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
[Organizers] Re: Is it time to end COVID restrictions at most contra dances?
they did before - they were always smaller, but attendance hasn't > dropped as much. We do get some new dancers at each series. > > There's staff we'd love to hire because they're unvaccinated (and because > this is for the safety of all it doesn't matter whether they have a > doctor's note about why they're unvaccinated; we're not punishing > anti-vaxxers), we have at least one formerly very reliable volunteer who > can't come because unvaccinated. > > We think we have the right goal - no preventable transmission at our > events - and a set of actions that seem to be achieving it, so we're > staying the course with that. > > We think the close contact and heavy breathing of contra dancing > (especially) makes it a higher risk activity than most and merits more > precautions, so we have continued with our requirements as our counties > have dropped mask mandates. > > But it really does come at a cost. There are people who can't dance in > masks and they don't dance with us any more. The Bay Area contra community > has fragmented more and a couple of dance series have started that operate > on different rules - negative test, mask if you wanna, don't come if you > feel sick. (And at least one of those something like a third of the > attendees tested positive in the following week, I'm told..). But I'm glad > these other series exist, so that people can choose their personal risk > levels, and so that people who can't dance under our rules have an outlet > to dance with people who are willing to accept that risk. > > So: Whatever set of precautions you choose (including the empty set) you > will exclude someone. There are people who won't dance if they have to > mask; there are people who won't dance if unmasked people are dancing. > Etc. This is not an issue where people can really meet in the middle. In > the pandemic-still-going-on-but-everybody's-tired-of-it era, you'll > alienate *somebody* no matter what you choose. > > None of us *like* to make people unhappy or exclude them, so this is > difficult. And I'm afraid it's going to stay difficult for a long time. > Further, the "right answer" depend on your goals - and I don't actually > think "no preventable transmission" is the only valid goal; I wouldn't > think that somebody who was working on "nobody dies because of a > transmission at one of our events" was a monster - so there's no right > answer and everything will be unsatisfactory in some way. > > So, to Joe's questions: Yes, they do discourage some people who were > showing up from showing up. And they put a fliter on which people are > willing to try it if they have to wear a mask, and because attendance is > smaller and most recruitment is word of mouth, there are fewer people > recruiting, and in some environments insisting on a full suite of > precautions could, in the short or long term, kill your dance. It > absolutely could. > > And you have to decide whether that risk is more or less acceptable to you > than having as little chance as possible of someone getting COVID at your > dance. That's it. Your call. There will be a spectrum of responses. > > (I was being, I think, pretty good at being nonjudgmental up to this > point, but I'm going to blow that now by pointing out that young people are > famously not very good at risk assessment - there's a reason car insurance > rates go down when you're over 25 - so if you're running dances for > college students you might have a little extra responsibility to take more > care of them than they would.) > > > -- Alan > > > ___ > Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net > To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net > -- David Casserly (cell) 781 258-2761 he/him ___ Organizers mailing list -- organizers@lists.sharedweight.net To unsubscribe send an email to organizers-le...@lists.sharedweight.net
[Organizers] CDSS Shop Talk for organizers
Dr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZtGFHLZUeAxxfjGh2hiddFYUkBVBDbov5zOKn9M_4kQT5e1Ay14cHi0Ty9Btk3h0yhxMg7WuFGARs_CKJMEPqY0yXUMEkLnjzuFQ5_DSTAEs-vx0_YlNP96PGO3wi9fb0A==&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==> - Facebook group for song session organizers <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZtGFHLZUeAxxI6K98c3ouVMh12mU4iEt9b6oOLVMeYIw8DLp_IPBisHY1QGKfeBIaCPXTsHmqxkSv9EJmFpBFQrGQbQPxMCEFg0nNWJNjrr2N5xBCfsxwvI7S08eTXWLeQ==&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==> - Facebook group for organizers of English country dances <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZtGFHLZUeAxxDWTinnu9U8luF80EujB-YKiCihYfUU2RP0ce9l7pB8PkSkFCopL_7SR2W2aRVUaPMOq4TR_QaGdbU9W0o8yldPA1M8CAtBZq3Z9qYtGzUriJZ9kVZ17ulg==&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==> JOIN US as a CDSS Affiliate! Our shared network of traditional dance, music, and song communities is strengthened with every group that joins as an Affiliate. If you’re not already an Affiliate, you can make a huge difference right now by adding your wisdom and experience and bringing that of over 300 other Affiliates to your community. Here’s some recent news: - Just this month, we updated the <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZjV4LJ90oDW29f2t3UWf8pEfKZ0IQy5Nn3Vc5aXdbsRfwDTKkITZMtWLtEJg8POQ_SiCWDJUSZKbXQZrBmNxppaTPCD1PxvD4BWuqMRyHN6EPJ_w_K3om1Hy9Prbwtr-unlt7ANJsK3hWmvvH9P0h84esPOg7FPwU0060spzbJBI&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==>Affiliate joining process <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZjV4LJ90oDW29f2t3UWf8pEfKZ0IQy5Nn3Vc5aXdbsRfwDTKkITZMtWLtEJg8POQ_SiCWDJUSZKbXQZrBmNxppaTPCD1PxvD4BWuqMRyHN6EPJ_w_K3om1Hy9Prbwtr-unlt7ANJsK3hWmvvH9P0h84esPOg7FPwU0060spzbJBI&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==> so that membership, 501c3 status, and insurance can all be signed up for at once, on the same form! - The renewal date for all Affiliates is now May 1st. Join now to get your full year of Affiliate membership. - We understand that this is an uncertain time for many groups. If your group’s finances don’t make it possible to pay the full fee, please email us at sa...@cdss.org so we can discuss your options. These times are challenging for CDSS as well as local groups. Let’s work together to strengthen our network across North America and beyond! Launching Annual Affiliate Survey in May! This is a quick heads-up that the annual CDSS Affiliate survey will open May 15th. We will be asking Affiliates for input about their groups, their thoughts on our services/resources, AND the impacts of COVID-19. The survey results will guide our future efforts to better support organizers throughout North America. If your group is an Affiliate, your CDSS contact will be receiving notification about the survey in early May, so watch for that! Stay tuned for Shop Talk updates with more information. In the meantime, we’re sending well wishes to all! Emily Addison (Consultant) & Linda Henry (CDSS Community Resources Manager) For specific requests or advice, email Linda at resour...@cdss.org. If you have suggestions for the next Shop Talk, email em...@cdss.org. We appreciate feedback! Please email your comments to em...@cdss.org. <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZgOaLYMUvMMZSSClJjq9MiygMvXP67Nwd-rcSTvkL3GL0a9A5--637ejxmPZ2xhDdeB1uHb28iS9QNTiCV6QcZbK6RNr5sIsFw==&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==> During this time of uncertainty, we are committed to continuing our work fostering connection. Your financial support would mean a lot, and will help to ensure that we emerge from this crisis as strong as ever. Make a gift <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZgOaLYMUvMMZSSClJjq9MiygMvXP67Nwd-rcSTvkL3GL0a9A5--637ejxmPZ2xhDdeB1uHb28iS9QNTiCV6QcZbK6RNr5sIsFw==&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==>, or become a member <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr8Qm4XQ5LXVsBwzY0RfFTMHLyZkv03e-C78gI1CPIqK0jGKJYWJr0AgjrjussSLCnlHBV8Fdhj2dLVxe2OJy7wpUyRGre3NmpMxGXiicI89vEfFOGoxZgFcNvxMk8QZgSztyEE01bAvV-I9g3YcVTiuB8YA==&c=duHlh5aHfyhV81hbE10_l8Hd-AfAsRXTU2SPhxWF2L08NTFKr3olUw==&ch=SM16HC3SPALdmGX5HHtWbSENySeGrXOmo2myRN99pR3fWeR2Zon5Kw==> . [image: Facebook] <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0014ltZ1Wa8G-0Ya4HomBsmJDr8JHRr
