I worked with a Physical Education teacher once who said “Here’s the deal…” and all the kids shouted back, “What’s the deal?”.
Also — someone gave me this gem early on in my teaching career: They listen better if they are sitting down. I use it alot: “Everybody sit down and face the __________ (stage/center of gym/wherever you are).” Quick demo, stand up and do that, sit back down. sch Sue Hulsether [email protected] www.suehulsether.com 608-632-1267 Cell 608-629-6250 Home P.O. Box 363 Viroqua, WI 54665 > On Jun 18, 2017, at 11:55 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers > <[email protected]> wrote: > > Ooooh, that looks like a good one. I'll add it to my list of potential > methods. > > I also thought of using a chant...like, "If I say Quiet, you say Right Now -- > Quiet -- Right Now" > Can someone think of a better chant? > > On Sun, Jun 18, 2017 at 11:12 PM, Jacob or Nancy Bloom <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > It isn't necessary to hire a person who can do a loud whistle - you can buy a > loud whistle for a few dollars, and hang it from a lanyard. > > Here's another technique for calling for quiet which I have seen work, > although I haven't used it myself. > > "If you can hear my voice clap once. <clap> If you can hear my voice clap > twice. <clap clap> If you can hear my voice clap three times. <clap clap > clap> ... " > > The few people who hear you the first time clap, and that attracts the > attention of people near them, so more people hear you calling for them to > clap twice, which attracts more attention. Repeat until you have the > attention of the room. It won't solve the problem of keeping them quiet, but > it doesn't hurt to have more than one technique to draw on. > > And it's easier on the ears than that loud whistle. > > Jacob > > > On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 12:50 PM, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > wrote: > Oh how I wish that would work. I've tried that technique over the years. > They just ignore me. Shushing works, but I have to repeat the shhhhh into > the mic lots of times. A big part of the challenge is the acoustics -- it's > worse than being in a gym. For instance, I get them quiet and then teach > them the first move -- there is a roar -- I get them quiet again -- teach the > next move -- there is a roar -- I get them quiet again -- teach the third > move -- there is a roar -- ad nauseam. The musicians crank up their music to > the max for the dance, but even I can barely hear it over the din from the > dancers. Short of hiring a person who can do that loud whistle, I'm at a > loss. I've sort of grown used to it, but my temper is short and I really > have to watch myself. > > On Sat, Jun 17, 2017 at 7:42 AM, Jeremy Child <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > To quiet a room I use the Girl Guides technique: > > I raise my hand, and anyone who sees me knows to stop talking and raise their > hand too. More notice this (other peoples hands up and slightly diminished > volume). This snowballs quite quickly as peer pressure kicks in, and is a > very effective technique. You have to teach it to them first, of course, but > they pick it up quite quickly. > > Jeremy > www.barndancecaller.net <http://www.barndancecaller.net/> > > On 16 June 2017 at 20:10, Linda S. Mrosko via Callers > <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > wrote: > I lead an annual dance for 200+ 18-year olds in a hall with terrible > acoustics. Been doing it for 15+ years. If they all whispered at the same > time, it would sound like a roar in that room. I can only do the most basic > stuff most of the time...simple circles, longways with lots of sashaying, an > easy folk dance. But I experiment every now and then, which lead me to come > up with the following dances which, for the most part, worked. Am I stealing > them from somebody? (I like to give credit where credit is due.) > > They call their dance "Swat the Flea". I searched for a long time for a very > easy dance that had a Swat the Flea and finally wrote this one -- > > BOX'NSWAT (Circle) > A1 Women into the middle and back; Gents into the middle & back > A2 All make a quarter turn to the right and walk single file to the right > B1 Women turn back to face partner -- all shake R hands with Partner & Box > the Gnat; change hands, Balance & Swat the Flea > B2 DSD Partner; Allemande R w/partner 1-1/2 to progress (women end facing > into the center ready to go F&B) > > > Since contra dances are almost impossible to teach to a loud, boisterous, > energetic bunch of 18-year olds who have never heard of or seen a contra > dance, I decided to give this a whirl -- and it worked -- mostly! It would > probably be better with a smaller more sedate crowd. > > GREASE & GLUE (Contra formation -- Gender free -- all you need is a partner) > A1 Couple 1 split Couple 2, return to places; Couple 1 DSD > A2 Couple 2 split Couple 1, return to places; Couple 2 DSD > B1 Star R; Star L (w/hands) > B2 Couples face each other -- Couples DSD 1-1/2 ending back-to-back, facing > next couple > > > As an aside -- how do you quiet a room with terrible acoustics full of loud > people? Thanks! > > -- > Looking forward, > > Linda S. Mrosko > 102 Mitchell Drive > Temple, Texas 76501 > (903) 292-3713 <tel:(903)%20292-3713> (Cell) > (903) 603-9955 <tel:(903)%20603-9955> (Skype) > contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com/> > www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance buttons, > t-shirts, & more) > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > <http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net> > > > > > > -- > Looking forward, > > Linda S. Mrosko > 102 Mitchell Drive > Temple, Texas 76501 > (903) 292-3713 <tel:(903)%20292-3713> (Cell) > (903) 603-9955 <tel:(903)%20603-9955> (Skype) > contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com/> > www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance buttons, > t-shirts, & more) > > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net > <http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net> > > > > > -- > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > http://jacobbloom.net/ <http://jacobbloom.net/> > View my Arlington Food Pantry fundraiser at > https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657 > <https://www.youcaring.com/arlington-food-pantry-621657> > > > -- > Looking forward, > > Linda S. Mrosko > 102 Mitchell Drive > Temple, Texas 76501 > (903) 292-3713 (Cell) > (903) 603-9955 (Skype) > contradancetx.com <http://www.contradancetx.com/> > www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy* <http://www.zazzle.com/fuzzycozy*> (Dance buttons, > t-shirts, & more) > _______________________________________________ > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.sharedweight.net/listinfo.cgi/callers-sharedweight.net
