David wrote: > As as a long-time New England caller, I admit to a special fondness for > the so-called chestnuts, most of which are in proper formation; I think > that dancers can appreciate having these in their repertoire as a > connection to the long traditions of music and dance we inherit, and a > community does well to foster those connections. >
I think fostering "...connections to the long traditions of music an dance we inherit,..." is a good and important goal. The question is one of venue for this purpose. If we are talking about open, public contra dances (as opposed to a gathering of social dance enthusiasts) then I would urge callers to be mindful of the central, social purpose of these events. I see the regular open, public contra dances as social events and as public outreach events. In essence the dance community is offering a social event--with live music and called dances--to the general community. Our flyers say "No experience needed." and "No need to bring a partner." That implies an open social event. Personally, I do not attend these social events to be connected with an historic tradition, to learn the history of that tradition, or to re-enact some of the historic dances done in generations past. My own research suggests that most of those in the hall at these events do not come for those reasons either. People attend open, public dances primarily for the social experience. While there is certainly a place for some "cultural enrichment" at open, public social dance events we need to keep focused on the purpose of the venue. There are camps, festivals, workshops, and special events that may be more appropriate for this kind of diversified cultural enrichment--and I hope dance communities continue to offer such events, which are targeted specifically for social dance enthusiasts. But I do not attend the open, public contra dances to stand and listen to lectures, or to learn complex dance figures and to hear about the history of the name of each dance, who wrote the dance, or what that person said once at a dance festival. No offense intended. I can tolerate only a limited amount of cultural enrichment at social events I attend. As a caller at open, public contra dances I see my role differently. I want people to experience the excitement and joy of dancing to live music--without having to attend separate classes. I want the regulars to experience the excitement and joy of sharing their passion for social dancing with newcomers who are discovering this tradition for the first time. We should talk more about our purpose, the purpose of the event, and the purposes of those who attend. There is certainly room for those who seek a deep understanding of the cultural roots of the dance. We should discuss how that goal can best be achieved. Soapbox is now available. - Greg McKenzie
