We have found the real secret is to impress on the more experienced dancers the importance of identifying and asking new dancers to dance. The new people canot be expected to go looking for experienced dancers. We are fortunate that our regulars are really good at this and watch out for the new dancers for at least the first half of the evening. I always talk to the first timers at the break and their comments are almost always how nice everyone is to them and how the are getting into as many dances as they feel they can handle. A couple times they say they feel like the most popular people in the hall - and in some ways - that is true.
I try to avoid dancing with experienced dancers in the first half until I am sure all the new dancers are accounted for. More ofter than not they are all already in the dance before I can ask any of them to dance. Mac Mckeever ________________________________ From: Perry Shafran <ps...@yahoo.com> To: "ka...@sbcglobal.net" <ka...@sbcglobal.net>; Caller's discussion list <call...@sharedweight.net> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 2:48 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Integrating Newcomers ( was "Circle Mixers for newbies") I always say that during orientation - please dance with experienced dancers the first time through. But I think that you can only do so much. If they don't want to partner with other dancers, that's not the worst thing in the world - they will dance with neighbors who hopefully will guide them as they go. I think that the more we try to force them to partner with someone else, the more likely they will be put off by that and they will leave and never come back. We can only suggest what they can do - we can't make them do it though. Perry ________________________________ From: Kalia Kliban <ka...@sbcglobal.net> To: Caller's discussion list <call...@sharedweight.net> Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 2:21 PM Subject: Re: [Callers] Integrating Newcomers ( was "Circle Mixers for newbies") On 10/25/2012 9:41 AM, Greg McKenzie wrote: > I use the optional newcomers orientation, explicit instructions, careful > programming, clear and precise calling, as well as many implied messages to > make it clear that integration of first-timers is not only essential but > also fun. Very rarely I will see a couple of first-timers dancing > exclusively with each other. But this occurs only after they have ignored > multiple explicit and implied instructions and have fended off several > attempts by regulars to partner with them. In that case I will intervene > myself, personally, on the dance floor, approach the couple, and explain > the nature of our dance event. That has always had the desired effect. What do you say to folks who have ignored or brushed off every other attempt to effectively encourage them to partner with other dancers? I'm curious what you say that doesn't get said in the orientation, and if it works when you say it later, why not just say it during orientation? Kalia _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list call...@sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers _______________________________________________ Callers mailing list call...@sharedweight.net http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers
