On introducing triplets David Smuckler wrote: > Just do. Trust a good dance to "speak to" the dancers about why it is > good. Anything unfamiliar requires a bit of a leap, but if we never take > that leap our dances will feel more and more the same, and what fun is that? >
Well, the fun in that is precisely that "sameness." Uncommon formations and figures appeal to many dance enthusiasts. When calling an open, public contra dance, however, it is good to keep a few things in mind: - Our public contra dances are not merely a "gathering of dance enthusiasts." They are an offering from our dancer communities to the larger community--including new dancers and many non-enthusiasts. As such we invite first-time dancers and first-time contra dancers to participate--without any prior instruction or preparation. This is the heart and soul of contra dancing and it's greatest strength is the dance form's ability to "sweep in" new dancers without lessons. - At open public dances the real fun comes from meeting and sharing your passion for dance with many new, charming, and interesting partners. If you offer too much that is "different" or "interesting" you run the risk of undermining that core purpose of the event. - There are many forms of social and expressive dance available in our world today. If we attempt to compete by offering "interesting" or "challenging" dances at our open, public events we will lose that race. The purpose of open, public contra dances is to be a fun, community social event. Too much teaching can easily undermine that purpose. - The fun of an open, public social dance with joyful and spirited music, is something all of us can share. This is true no matter how experienced or sophisticated the dancer is. It is the caller's job to make this event "work." If the caller dominates the evening with lots of verbal instruction and lecturing then they are not making this open, public social event "work." - The fun at open, public contra dances comes from the variety of people we interact with and the spirited and varied music played by the live orchestra. Being "challenged" by new material is not appealing to many who attend these events. Why alienate a third of your audience? - Everyone can enjoy the more simple dances that are accessible to everyone. Experienced dancers can be "challenged" to lead the newcomers quickly through the dance and to get everyone dancing with little or no walk-through. The "challenge" at these dances is to be an effective host and to work closely with the caller to make the event "work" well. The caller's job is to make this process fun for everyone. - Triplets and other unusual formations certainly have their place. Before introducing such material at an open, public contra dance, however, the caller should carefully consider how it will affect the social purpose of the event and make sure that they can make the dance "work" for everyone with little or no verbal "teaching-from-the-mike." Enough for now. - Greg McKenzie
