- Contra Dance Resources
- English Country Dance Resources
- Square Dance Resources
- Folk Song Resources
- Organizers' Resources
- Introduction
- Resources by Topic
- Online Discussions
- CDSS Web Chats
- In-person Gatherings
- Other Resources
- Introduction
- Resources by Topic
- Online Discussions
- CDSS Web Chats
- In-person Gatherings
- Other Resources
Introduction
If you are an organizer of Traditional Dance, Music and/or Song (TDMS) – you are in the right place! This portal holds as many of the best resources for organizers as we could find. We hope this space is useful for you, and we welcome any feedback.
The resources are divided into four sections:
- A collection of current resources organized by topic of interest
- A list of online discussion spaces for organizers
- A list of in-person gatherings for organizers
- A list of other resources beyond this space
About the traditions served through this web space: We aim to support a wide range of traditional dance genres (social and performance/ritual), as well as music and song traditions. Since social dance events often require more complex logistics, many existing resources for these topics are included in this collection. However, some resources are applicable across traditions. So take a look at resources for your topic of interest, even if it doesn't originate from your same tradition.
Where do the resources come from? While some of the items in the portal were made available as part of CDSS initiatives, many come from other sources. In each case, we have gained permission prior to posting, and we are very grateful for the contributions. We don't consider CDSS to be the owner of these resources --- rather, we are creating a gathering place of top resources to make it easier for organizers to find the supports they need.
Do you have a resource you know about (or have created) that you think should be shared? Fill out this easy form to let us know about it!) Is there is a resource you need but can't find? If so, fill out this form. We will attempt to respond as soon as possible with suggestions and we will also consider adding resources on that topic in the future. It is also worth trying some of the online forums as there are often many organizers ready to help.
Our new organizer e-newsletter: This summer (2018) we are launching a quarterly e-newsletter for organizers. We will send out updates about new resources, topics of interest, and inspirational stories. If you would like to receive the e-news click here to join the list.
Resources by Topic
This section of the resource portal is a fantastic place to look for specific resources to help you address issues your group is encountering or to find out about how other groups have successfully achieved initiatives you'd like to try. You will find support on the following topics:
Whether we realize it or not, we each have a vision for our events. Our vision is the dream of what we are attempting to create.
Having a clearly articulated vision can greatly impact success. Without a vision, organizers can easily make decisions in the moment that go against what they are trying to create in the long term. By keeping the overarching vision in mind, individual decisions can support the ultimate goal. And by developing a shared vision, buy-in is created among all organizers and the wider community, which also helps in achieving the overall goal.
The section includes information about:
- How to create vision/mission statements
- Examples of visions
- Revitalizing and pulling together communities around a vision
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- Community culture (e.g., information on how to shape the feel of an event)
- Organizers and volunteers (e.g., how to work with your organizing group which relates to having a shared vision)
Workshop Resources
| Title | Source and Year |
| Shoot for the Moon: Organizers’ roles in shaping the future of traditional dance |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: In this session, we will look at ways that organizers themselves can – and should – play a vital role in shaping a vibrant, active, and constantly-evolving dance community. Working both in small groups and as a whole, we will look at current trends in the dance scene, analyze the pros (and related cons) of each, and help participants plan new ways forward to shape the future directions of their scene. |
|
Vision: First Things First |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: What IS a vision/mission? How do we craft and implement a unique mission statement for our dance series? Why is this a crucial step in the growth of each dance? Whether your dance already has a mission statement, or you’re just starting to think about this, or you’re somewhere in between, this all-conference session will offer practical tools and thought-provoking perspectives for addressing this pertinent topic. Together we will explore these vital questions, generating answers to inform and guide our participation throughout the SWROC weekend. |
|
Vision: First Things First |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: It may not be explicitly articulated, but every dance series has a vision. Clarifying our vision is crucial because it guides us as we make decisions, large and small, which in turn shape the character of our particular series. How can organizers formulate a shared vision? What is your group’s vision for your dance, and how does it manifest? Together we will explore these vital questions, generating answers to inform and guide our participation throughout the weekend.
|
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
|
Revitalization: How Do You Make a Dance Come Back to Life? |
CDSS News: Winter 2011 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/winter_2011_revitalization_fortune.pdf |
|
Sharing the Vision: Themes and Practical Ideas for Vibrant Dance Communities (Part 2) |
CDSS News: Winter 2011 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/winter_2011_office_notes.pdf |
Samples
| Title | Source and Year |
| Samples of Traditional Dance Vision Statements |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| Puttin' On The Dance 2011 Mission |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
| Crafting a Vision |
CDSS Website Content |
This section focuses on a wide range of topics that impact how your events feel to all participants. For example:
- Do your events feel welcoming or exclusive (and to whom)?
- Do they feel safe (and to whom)?
- Do they feel stuffy or like a community party?
The section includes information about:
- Welcoming diverse communities (e.g., all ages, abilities, and gender presentations)
- How to deal with issues regarding particular individuals (e.g., code of conduct)
- How to shape a community culture through specific strategies
- How to support participants in building skills
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- Youth (i.e., All youth-specific resources are located in their own section rather than being spread throughout other topic headings.)
- Vision & Missions (i.e., This will help you define your vision for the culture you want to create.)
- Increasing attendance (i.e., How you keep new people and regular folks has a lot to do with how your events/community feel. Some of this is discussed within resources focused on increasing attendance.)
Workshop Resources
| Title | Source and Year |
|
Problem Dancers: Proactive management and response; creating a dance environment safe for all |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: It’s a big question that we must all face: How can we manage our dances and respond to issues that arise in a way that allows for dancers of any age, gender expression or background to experience community dance as safe, respectful and fun? Or, more pointedly, how can we keep bad/creepy/unsafe/ inappropriate behavior from driving people away? This session will look at the variety of dancer behavior issues that can arise, the responses that can be required, responding effectively, ways to encourage the reporting of issues, ways to not be alone with difficult problems, and how to proactively create a culture of consent. |
| Welcoming Diverse Populations: Examining ways to make a welcoming dance community for everyone |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Who are your dancers? Who is missing from your dance floor, and why? We’ll examine ways to reach out to more diverse populations and how to make a more welcoming dance community for everyone. Bring an anecdote to share about a magic moment, or something you’d do differently. Participants will leave with a list of ways to reach new dancers, and make an inclusive dance “commons” that brings them back a second time! |
|
The Unwanted Element: Preventing issues from arising on the floor and dealing with them when they do |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: What do you do when someone is assaulted at your dance? How do you respond when people complain about that “creepy” dancer? When someone is dancing in a manner that is putting their partners in danger? How do you address these issues and still maintain the goal of being a welcoming, tolerant community? It’s best to be prepared before situations like this arise. We’ll discuss these issues through sharing experiences and thoughtful discussion. |
| Unstraightening Contra: Community building through Gender-free dancing |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Contra dancing calls for distinct roles for men and for women, but people don’t always fit so neatly into those two boxes. In this workshop we will talk about our experience making traditional contras more welcoming for everyone, as well as our experience with our gender-neutral dance, Circle Left. Making contra less gendered not only makes your dance more inviting to LGBT people and to young people, but it also provides exciting new opportunities for straight and experienced contra dancers. |
| From Beginner to Advanced: How to keep everyone happy |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Beginner, intermediate and advanced dancers all have different needs on the dance floor. Experienced dancers want hot-shot material and beginners need easily accessible dances. What can you do as an organizer to enhance happy co-existence? Dance selection can be a big issue in keeping everyone happy and wanting to return to your dance. The difficulty is being able to create a coexisting community with all levels of dancers. We’ll show you techniques you can use to increase the level of dance skill at your events quickly, all the while keeping the dancing fun for everyone. |
| Building Community: How to keep the dance going when the music stops |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Why do so many people come to a dance once or twice and then drop out? How do we integrate all the people that show up for a dance and build a community for all? We’ve give you tips and techniques to build everlasting friendships within your dance community. |
| Come Let’s Be Merry: Developing and nurturing English Country Dance |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Everyone benefits from a vibrant and growing dance community. Is your ECD series as strong as you would like it to be? Having problems finding dancers, bringing up new callers, getting good musicians? Never quite seem to break even? Whether your dance is based in a small town or a large urban center, is run by one person or formal board, we’ll explore ways to tap into your own community’s unique potential to develop a lively, social, and growing dance. |
| Positive Solutions for Problems in your Dance Community |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: What do you do when someone is assaulted at your dance? How do you respond when people complain about that “creepy” dancer? When someone is dancing in a manner that is putting their partners in danger? How do you do it and still maintain the goal of being a welcoming, tolerant community? It’s best to be prepared before it happens to you. We’ll discuss these issues through role play, sharing experiences and thoughtful discussion. |
| Shaping the Dance Experience: Influence dance style and manners through community involvement |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: This is a discussion of ways to influence dance style and manners through community and leadership involvement. What kind of dance experience do you want your series to promote? Once you define this and apply it to your particular series, you can take steps towards educating newer dancers, raising the level of intermediate dancers and satisfying experienced dancers.
|
| Building Community Through Gender Role Free Dancing |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Historically, LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) people have created their own social structures as a way of defining and building community. The development of gender role free dancing has helped to create a new vision of dancing from a global perspective and provide a context for social dancing that continues to be relevant, inclusive and welcoming. This session will include a brief history of the modern-day gender role free dance movement followed by a discussion about how this dance form can transform a dance event and create opportunities for community-building. We will also explore the potential of this philosophy for adding new people to the richly diverse traditional dance scene of today. Each attendee will receive an informative manual containing some of the research we have done on the fascinating history of gender and dancing.
|
| Handling Really Difficult People |
CDSS West Coast Leadership Conference: 2006 |
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
|
Running Behind: Rush to Catch Up or Not? |
CDSS News: Spring 2018 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_Spring_2018_Running_Behind.pdf |
|
Hive Mind: Celebrating Milestones |
CDSS News: Summer 2016 |
| Proactive Management of "Problem Dancers" – Creating a Dance Environment Safe for All |
CDSS News: Winter 2015-16 |
| What’s Your Pronoun? |
CDSS News: Winter 2015-16 |
|
Ten Reasons Not to Book |
CDSS News: Spring 2015 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_spring_2015_ten_reasons.pdf |
| Choosing Dances for Older Adults |
CDSS News: Winter 2012 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2012-winter_choosing-dances.pdf |
| Becoming a Great Dancer in Five Easy Steps |
CDSS News: Fall 2010 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2010-fall_becoming-great-dancer.pdf |
| Crowded Dance Halls |
CDSS News: May/June 2005 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/crowded.pdf |
| Teaching Courtesy |
CDSS News: May/June 2002 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/courtesy.pdf |
Samples
| Title | Source |
| Policy for Dealing with Complaints of Inappropriate Behavior | Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Provided by: Chris Weiler, Montpelier Contra Dance Umbrella |
| CDSS Camp Behaviour Policy |
CDSS |
|
Glen Echo Friday Night Dancers, MD |
|
| Old Farmers Ball: Dance Guidelines | Old Farmers Ball, NC |
| Old Farmers Ball: Dance Etiquette | Old Farmers Ball, NC |
Increasing the number of participants is currently of great interest to many organizers - without participants, we don't have events or communities! It's easy to become comfortable with a regular group of participants/friends over the years and therefore avoid doing continual outreach to bring new members into one's community. However, everyone ultimately moves on for various reasons (e.g., aging out; injury; relocation). Thus it's important to continually work at building community through bringing in new participants, especially if your group is interested in having an intergenerational community as is often common in traditional dance, music, and song.
The section includes information about:
- Getting brand new people to attend your event (e.g., overall promotional strategy ideas; information about many different advertising tools)
- Getting brand new people to come back (e.g., beginner handouts)
- Keeping your “regulars” attending (e.g., examples of how to make announcements; hall décor)
- Plus more! (e.g., how to photograph dancers)
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings::
- Community culture (i.e., Retaining new people and regulars has a lot to do with the feel of your events)
- Vision & Mission (i.e., Having a clear vision helps focus your efforts to increase attendance)
- Youth (i.e., All youth-specific resources are located in their own section rather than being spread throughout other topic headings.)
Workshop Resources
| Title | Source and Year |
|
Beyond Publicity: Getting new dancers to come and come back |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 In addition to presenting practical ideas for publicity, we’ll examine your sell—what experience you’re trying to sell and whether it matches the product you currently have, or what can you do to get it there. Take home effective publicity strategies for your community, specifically to reach potential new dancers and convert them to regulars. |
|
Beyond New Dancers: Upping your attendance by preaching to the converted |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 We'll identify three key elements that add up to a whole dance experience and examine factors that enhance or detract from that experience, as well as explore strategies to engage your community to create deeper buy-in for your dances. |
|
Marketing 101: Finding and keeping the crowd you want |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Marketing has been defined as a process of determining the needs and wants of consumers and being able to deliver the products that satisfy those needs and wants’. But how can that help you increase the attendance of your dance? This session will inform you how marketing can help you find and keep the crowd you want. It will show that marketing has a much wider scope than just advertising and that organizers seeking to attract more people to their dances need to ‘market’ rather than ‘advertise’ their dance. Other areas which will be covered include: the role and importance of the organizational vision in marketing; the benefits of thinking about your dance series as a ‘product'; the importance of understanding your audience and their perceptions of the product (dance series) you are offering; and the all-important ‘marketing mix’ (a set of tools used to help pursue the marketing objectives). |
|
Marketing 102: Putting your knowledge to work |
SW Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Once you’ve established your vision and targeted your audience, how do you use that to your advantage? We’ll venture beyond the proverbial flyer table, discovering practical tactics for marketing your series, from the well-crafted press release to preaching to the converted. We’ll also cover online marketing tools – debatably the most powerful form of marketing we have at our fingertips. What can you do with your physical set-up, your committee, the regular dancers, and your program to get those new folks to become regulars? Do you get new dancers by holding special events? Come talk about marketing and find out how it can be a key piece for developing and supporting your dance community! |
|
To Market, To Market… Jiggity Jig |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 A dance organizer’s heart swells to see a sea of smiling dancers, just as an entrepreneur is gladdened when her business attracts happy customers. But how do we pull in those dancers and customers? Together, we’ll venture beyond the proverbial flyer table, discovering practical tactics for marketing our series, from the well-crafted press release to preaching to the converted. (Note: Online marketing is covered in Session 10.)
|
|
To Facebook and Beyond: Online marketing for dance series |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Alex and Emily are keen to talk online marketing tools – debatably the most powerful form of marketing we have at our fingertips. They’ll share best practices on a wide variety of tools including everything from websites and social media to cross promoting with other organizations and using other event listing sites. There will be lots of room for sharing of ideas within the room and there will be handouts. Come talk online marketing and find out how it can be a key piece to developing and supporting your dance community! |
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
| Skill-Building for Dance Promotion: How to Create Good Instructional Dance Videos |
CDSS News: Summer 2018 |
|
Marketing Tips—Old School News Releases Still Work! |
CDSS News: Spring 2018 |
|
Hive Mind – Making New Dancers Feel Welcome, Safe and Eager to Return |
CDSS News: Spring 2017 |
| Hive Mind— Attracting New Participants |
CDSS News: Spring 2016 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/CDSS_News_spring_2016_hivemind_attracting.pdf |
| How to Photograph a Contra Dance |
CDSS News: Fall 2014 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_fall_2014_how_to_photograph.pdf |
| ContraResolution―A Free Dance for Beginners |
CDSS News: Fall 2014 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_fall_2014_contraresolution.pdf |
| Spontaneous Waltzing in Public Places |
CDSS News: Sep/Oct 2005 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2005-fall_spontaneous-waltzing.pdf |
| Homecoming Dance |
CDSS News: Mar/Apr 2003 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/homecoming.pdf |
Samples
| Title | Source |
| Press Releases |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| Poster/Flyer for Community Dance |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
|
2015: CDSS |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
| Poster Examples |
CDSS Website |
| Press Releases |
CDSS Website |
| Email Lists | CDSS Website |
| Websites and Social Media: Some Basics | CDSS Website |
We use the term “youth“ to mean anyone under 30 (i.e., pre-schoolers, elementary, secondary, college/university, and post-college up to age 30). This was a conscious decision because some resources cover more than one age group, and youth can mean many different things to different organizers.
Within this section, you will find information on:
- Intergenerational communities
- Family, elementary, secondary, and college/university events
- How to get and keep new youth participants
- How to engage and support youth callers/musicians/singers
- Inspirational stories about youth engagement
- How youth can support your events
- Engaging schools/teachers
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- All youth-focused resources are listed in this section. However, ideas in other topics may also relate to supporting youth (e.g., resources within 'Increasing Attendance' will have ideas on how to increase attendance generally which will sometimes work for youth).
Workshop Resources
| Title | More Information |
| Growing Younger: Engaging youth for a sustainable future |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Too often when we hear the question, ‘How can we bring in more young people?’ we hear the answer, ‘Use social media.’ This session will challenge you to think beyond the boxes of Twitter and Facebook, into sustainable methods of youth engagement and empowerment within traditional dance communities. Join Abigail and Danielle, two 20-somethings with deep ties to traditional dance, in re-imagining the assumptions and strategies that will impact youth attendance and involvement at your dance series. |
|
Attracting Younger Dancers: Creating and maintaining a multigenerational dance |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: How can we find youth, incorporate them, and keep them? Getting younger people to attend dances (and keep coming back) seems to be the holy grail. This session will cover two major areas: promoting youth participation (dancers, callers, musicians, board members etc), and, how to have a successful multi-generation dance. We will hear practical ideas and tips from people who have successfully achieved this, and we will discuss things that have been tried but did not work. |
| Promoting Youth Participation: Ideas and practical tips |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Former CDSS Youth Intern Max Newman will share some ways to increase youth participation as dancers, callers, musicians, and organizers. Topics covered will include: “youth” vs. “new” participation; children, the forgotten youth; and who to have as your group’s Facebook czar. |
| Engaging Families in your (not necessarily “Family”) Dance: Exploring the best strategy for a successful dance series |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Do you want: ● Inclusive and sensitive dancers? ● A sustainable series? ● Effective marketing? ● A dancer demographic that’s intergenerational? ● Long-term investment in your beloved dance tradition? This session covers all of these, and more! In fact, engaging families could be the single best strategy for a successful dance series (for all dances, not just the family ones). Participants will leave with a full toolbox, ready to act on their understanding of the “relative benefits” of engaging families in their dance. NOTE: This session is for everyone, from the convinced to the curious to the curmudgeon! (Come one, come all – even nay-sayers – and find out what it’s all about!)
|
| Intergenerationality: A Big Word — A Big Value |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: We’ll examine a common, but sometimes unspoken, value. Is a community with lots of young folks “intergenerational”? What does it take to foster intergenerationality at our dances? What does non-intergenerationality look like? And, finally, is there a shorter word we can use? |
| Barn Raising: Sustaining Square, Family, and Barn Dances |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Whatever the billing (family dance, community dance, barn dance), this sort of series helps traditional dance make deep inroads into the general population. Why do we love organizing these dances? How do we best meet the needs of dancers aged 2 to 92? What are the unique joys and challenges of a series that’s so community-based and absolutely accessible to neophytes? What successful strategies can you share? Let’s talk! (Same description as POTD1 related presentation) |
| Successful Family/Community/ Barn Dances |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Whatever the billing (family dance, community dance, barn dance), this sort of series helps traditional dance make deep inroads into the general population. Why do we love organizing these dances? How do we best meet the needs of dancers aged 2 to 92? What are the unique joys and challenges of a series that’s so community-based and absolutely accessible to neophytes? What successful strategies can you share? Let’s talk!
|
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
|
Dance for College Credit! |
CDSS News: Spring 2017 |
| Folklore and Folk Songs: Some Suggestions for Teachers |
CDSS News: Winter 2016-17 |
| Folklore Folk Songs in a School Setting |
CDSS News: Winter 2016-17 |
|
Dance Your Way Through American History |
CDSS News: Fall 2013 |
| “Just dance and love what you’re doing”— Contra Dancing at UO |
CDSS News: Summer 2013 |
| A Feast of Song – Attending the First Annual Youth Traditional Song Weekend |
CDSS News: Spring 2013 |
|
Magical Evening of English Dance |
CDSS News: Summer 2012 |
| The Kids Take Over |
CDSS News: Spring 2012 |
| From Learning to Teaching |
CDSS News: Spring 2012 |
| Showing Off, Growing Up |
CDSS News: Spring 2012 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2012-spring_showing-off.pdf |
| Dance Series + Lower Fees + Youth = Dance Series |
CDSS News: Winter 2012 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-fall_dance-in-the-classroom.pdf |
| From the Youth Desk |
CDSS News: Spring 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/spring%202010_youth%20desk.pdf |
| Maple Morris Explosion |
CDSS News: Fall 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2010-fall_maple-morris.pdf |
| From the Youth Desk |
CDSS News: Winter 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/winter%202010_youthdesk.pdf |
| Dance in the Classroom— Another Piece of the Logic Puzzle |
CDSS News: Fall 2009 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-fall_dance-in-the-classroom.pdf
|
| A Stellar Scholarship Adventure Changes the Lives of Youth |
CDSS News: Summer 2009 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-summer_stellar-summer.pdf |
| The Youth Dance Weekend |
http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-winter_YDW.pdf
|
| College Essay—Calling Dances |
CDSS News: Jan/Feb 2009 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-winter_college-essay.pdf |
| Maple Morris 2008 |
CDSS News:Jan/Feb 2009 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-winter_maple-morris-2008.pdf |
| Two Dancing Queens Take Princeton By Storm |
CDSS News: Nov/Dec 2008 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/dancing_queens.pdf |
| Country Dancing as a College Course |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2008 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/cd%20as%20a%20college%20course.pdf |
| The Evolution of KAOS (Kick Ass Oberlin Sword) |
CDSS News: July/Aug 2008 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/kaos.pdf |
| Dare to Teach Kids Dance—Thirty-Three Weeks in California Schools This Year! |
CDSS News: May/Jun 2008 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2008-summer_dare-to-teach-kids.pdf |
| Contra Dancing, the Next Generation— NEFFA Workshops |
CDSS News: Mar/Apr 2008 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2007-nov-dec_next-generation.pdf |
| “Intergenerationality” in the Dance Community |
CDSS News: Jan/Feb 2008 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2008-winter_intergeneration.pdf |
| The Next Generation—Encouraging Youth in Dance and Music |
CDSS News: Nov/Dec 2007 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2007-nov-dec_next-generation.pdf |
| Dancing Is for Boys! |
CDSS News: Spring 2005 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/forboys.pdf |
| Special Dances for Special Kids |
CDSS News: Mar/Apr 2003 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2003-spring_special-dances-for-kids.pdf |
| Dancing on College Campuses |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2002 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/campus.pdf |
| Musical Books for Kids |
CDSS News: May/June 2002 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2002-summer_musical-books-for-kids.pdf |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
| College Organizers Handbook |
CDSS Website |
The vision for one's event greatly impacts how we view the role of musicians, callers, singers and/or sound engineers. For example, in a dance setting, the quality of these key figures can greatly impact dancers' enjoyment and therefore attendance. Organizers who prioritize a really polished professional experience often rely on hiring high quality callers, musicians, and sound engineers. On the other hand, some organizers greatly value being as inclusive as possible regarding talent and so set up other strategies for success (e.g., have a strong leader for their open band). This section contains resources for working with a wide range of musicians, singers, callers, and sound engineers.
The section includes information about:
- Supporting the development of callers, musicians, and singers
- Relationships with hired talent (e.g., how to book; provide feedback)
- Different pay models
- Travel expenses for callers and musicians
- Sound engineer considerations
- Cross border information for talent wanting to travel across national borders.
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- Youth (i.e., resources focused around youth talent)
- Finances (e.g., resources related to paying talent)
Workshop Resources
| Title | Source and Year |
|
Growing Local Talent: Helping our budding callers and musicians grow and succeed |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: This workshop is for anyone involved in helping local performers grow and succeed, from communities that are proud of their efforts to those who haven’t started and aren’t sure how. We’ll share ideas and best known practices; workshop scenarios to give you skills to provide constructive feedback; and help you have more impressive talent in your own backyard. |
| Sound Design for Social Dance: Understanding the challenges of engineering sound for live music |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: This workshop will help participants understand the challenges of engineering sound for a social dance with live music. With sound systems of three levels of complexity – from basic to state-of-the-art – the participants will have an opportunity to see how a professional uses various tools to create a fun atmosphere for dancers and musicians alike. |
| Behind the Scenes: Building constructive relations between performers and organizers |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Dance organizers, bands, and callers work together in short-term collaborations to present dances and events, meeting the needs of everyone involved – organizers, dancers, performers, and event series. We will discuss the challenges we all face, and explore specific solutions to common problems. |
| Cultivating New Talent: Ways to find and grow callers and musicians |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Our musicians and callers won’t be around forever! To ensure that the traditions we love have a long and healthy life, it’s important to provide supportive environments for growing new musicians and callers. In this session we’ll explore a variety of ways dance communities can find, encourage, and train new talent. |
| Crossing the Border: Connecting groups within each state and throughout the region |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Unlike most other regions, our communities are some distance apart which can make it difficult to coordinate with each other about getting talent to multiple places. But the Southwest is a wonderful destination for talent who look to have a national reputation. How can we better coordinate with other dance communities in our state and throughout the region to bring top-notch talent out west? You provide the questions and we’ll try to come up with the answers together. |
| Using Your Talent: How to book, work with, and help improve your callers, musicians, and sound techs |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: This session will explore how to help get the best performances out of your callers, musicians and sound techs. Talent at dances are most often providing their services at well below the standard rate for what they provide. We will discuss how to keep your talent happy to continue making your dance event the best it can be. It all stems from proper communication skills. Topics to be covered will be determined by the attendees and may include effective booking, artistic control, balancing the desires of the talent with the desires of the dancers (they are not always the same!), nurturing local talent, constructive criticism, and open mic/band dances. |
| Booking and Working with the Talent |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: We will go over many of the issues related to hiring bands and callers, from the business side to artistic expectations, and how organizers can communicate with performers before, during and after the event. Included will be a chance to hear the performer’s side of the experience. |
| Developing and Nurturing English Country Dance Musicians in Your Community |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: The music is such a crucial factor in the success of your English dance community! Do you have a flourishing inter-generational community of musicians? Tell us about your journey and share your hard-won expertise. Starting from scratch building such a community? Share the obstacles you face and develop a “next steps” strategy for getting there. By supporting and communicating with each other, we strengthen the overall field of ECD musicians and the quality of our dance experience.
|
| Carrying On the Traditions: Cultivating new callers and musicians |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Investing in new leaders is a valuable way to ensure that the traditions we love continue to thrive. In what ways can our dance communities provide supportive environments for growing new musicians and callers? Some organizers in our region are actively building this aspect into their dances. In this session we’ll explore different models for encouraging new talent. Sharing their experiences will be Mary Wesley, co-founder of the Mad Robin Callers Collective, a group for up-and-coming callers in Burlington, VT and Linda Henry, who is creating a welcoming sit-in scene for musicians at the Amherst, MA Community Dance. Joining them will be several conferees with their own stories to tell about supporting musicians and callers in their home communities. |
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
|
Training New Contra Callers in Portland, ME |
CDSS News: Summer 2017 |
| Hive Mind - Collaborations |
CDSS News: Fall 2016 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/CDSS_News_Fall_2016_hive_mind.pdf |
| Back Row Bands |
CDSS News: Spring 2016 |
| Talent Buying and Touring Acts |
CDSS News: Fall 2014 |
| Sound Engineers |
CDSS News: Summer 2014 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/CDSS_News_summer_2014_group_corner_sound.pdf |
| Madison's Tuesday Night Dances – Fostering talent for More Than Twenty Years |
CDSS News: Spring 2014 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_spring_2014_madison.pdf |
| On Open Stages |
CDSS News: Winter 2013-14 |
| Do Try This at Home! |
CDSS News: Winter 2013-14 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/dotry.pdf |
| Spreading Our Wings to Fly |
CDSS News: Fall 2013 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_fall_2013_spreading_our_wings.pdf |
| Talking About...Money |
CDSS News: Spring 2013 |
| The Hatchlings—Developing Callers in St. Louis |
CDSS News: Summer 2009 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2009-summer_hatchlings.pdf |
| Gigs from Heaven |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2008 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/gigs%20from%20heaven.pdf |
| Hiring Dance Camp Staff—Guidelines For Organizers |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2008 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/hiring.pdf |
| A Feedback Tool—Try This at Home Too! |
CDSS News: Jan/Feb 2007 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2007-winter_feedback-tool.pdf |
| Yes, You Too Can Produce a Compilation CD ~ Swinging on the Gate |
CDSS News: Mar/Apr 2002 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2002-spring_produce-compilation-CD.pdf |
Samples
| Title | Source and Year |
| Performer Info Sheet |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| A Guide to Sound Production for Folk and Dance Music | 2008: Bob Mills |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
| Doing Sound |
CDSS Website |
| HIring Callers and Musicians | CDSS Website |
| Caller Information Handout |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 |
As organizers, we have so much to do! Some of us do this work alone, others work with one or two others, and some of us have large committees and numerous helpers. A lot of our success depends on the team and structures we create to accomplish what we are trying to achieve.
The section includes information about:
- How to structure and build a strong organizing team
- How to run effective meetings
- How to deal with interpersonal issues among organizers
- How to find volunteers and provide training, motivation, and appreciation
- How to build skills as organizers to maintain a healthy organization
- How to navigate transitions within an organization
- Technology that can support your work
Workshop Resources
| Title | Source and Year |
|
Navigating Transitions: Strategies for evolving from a “one-person show” to an organizing team |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Do you run a dance series mostly by yourself? Need help sharing the load? Come hear one organizer’s story of transitioning from a “one-person show” to a dance that is now effectively being run by a team. We’ll explore strategies to help you create your own “village” of support. Bring your stories and join the journey! |
|
Creating a Happy, Healthy Volunteer Base: Ways to engage and retain volunteers to sustain our dances |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Volunteers are crucial to the healthy sustainability of our dances, as much to build community as to get the job done. In this workshop we’ll talk about the importance of volunteers, different kinds of volunteers, recruitment, engagement and retention. We’ll also work to address some specific volunteer challenges, useful whether you’re a committee of one or part of a large organizing team. |
| Non-Profit Management: Updating and strengthening our administrative foundation |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Non-profit governance and administrative systems require routine updating as organizations evolve. This workshop is designed to help organizers of any committee—old or new—strengthen their administrative platform. Topics that we plan to cover include: the pluses and minuses of incorporating and registering as a non-profit; the steps that a group must take to incorporate and/or register as a non-profit; and the roles that bylaws and articles of incorporation play to define the organization’s purpose and how the organization is governed. This workshop will be particularly helpful to groups that are not formalized as incorporated non-profits who are thinking about taking these steps, or for members of formalized committees who want to better understand governance systems. We’ll share some decisions that were addressed at our dances to generate discussion, clarify how CDSS is prepared to assist, and open up the floor to any governance/administrative issues that you might be tackling in your own dance community. |
|
Happy Dance Boards and Committees: Growing a thriving, productive, and fun dance committee |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 |
| Organizing for Success: Crucial aspects of building a strong infrastructure for your dance |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: This session is designed to help organizers of any committee — old or new — get ourselves organized. Topics will include how to create a successful organizational structure, establish a mission statement, what to spend money on, how to make serving on a committee a fun and rewarding experience. We will also discuss how to successfully transition when the old guard retires and new volunteers step up to steward the dance. An information sheet will provided for giving performers an idea of what is expected of them at each dance. |
| Tech Tools: Technology can help organizations be more effective |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Leverage tech tools to spend more time dancing and less time creating and reviewing budgets, scheduling meetings, managing organizational data and documents, managing mailing lists, and registering for events |
| Can We Talk? Effective organization through meaningful interpersonal connection |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Power struggles, hurt feelings, wasted time. Sound familiar? Well-intentioned boards or committees can be brought to a standstill -- or worse, friendships destroyed -- because of the challenge of working with others. We can choose better outcomes. Introduce yourself to a technique for communicating with a focus on empathy and connection that will make your meetings more effective (and all relationships more enjoyable). |
| Happy Volunteers: Finding them, keeping them, sustaining them and using them effectively |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Our dance organizations are created by volunteers. We need a powerful base of diverse volunteers with energy to get up and do what needs to be done! More volunteers means the work is more spread out, and creates a LOT less burnout. How do we identify the right people and manipulate (ummm… convince) them to give their talents and precious time to the dance community? This session will explore answers that will enable us to create a larger and stronger volunteer base, both in leadership and operations. |
|
Building and Sustaining a Healthy Volunteer Base |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Our dances run on volunteer power! We need a powerful base of diverse volunteers with energy to get up and do what needs to be done! We’ll tap each others’ best ideas and most promising practices in such areas as identifying, training and retaining volunteers of all ages and skill sets; incentives; communication; working collaboratively; community-building; and sustaining morale. This session was a veritable carousel ride, as we collectively answered various questions related to volunteers. Notes are linked to each specific question.
|
|
Leading Effective Meetings |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
|
Formalizing Structures: Non-profit Status and Insurance |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Governance and administrative systems require routine updating as organizations evolve. In this session, three dance organizers will share how their dance committee manages governance structures and the systems that form the administrative and decision making foundations for a dance. Some topics that we plan to cover include: the pluses and minuses of registering as a non-profit; how to get liability insurance; setting up your bank account; what are the bylaws or articles of incorporation; who is responsible for the dance? We’ll share some issues that we are currently addressing at our dances to generate discussion, and open up the floor to any issues that you might be tackling in your own dance community. |
| Organizing Your Committee |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: This session is designed to help organizers of any committee — old or new — to get themselves organized. We will share how one contra dance committee got itself organized when the old guard retired and new volunteers stepped up to to steward the dance. We’ll cover how we defined volunteer roles and what we expect of our volunteers; our annual goal setting to strengthen the dance; how we established a new mission statement; and we’ll describe how we created an information sheet for performers that gives them an idea of what we expect to happen at each dance. Even in our eighth year of working together, we still find things to talk about at the five or six committee meetings that we hold each year.
|
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
| Hive Mind – Benefits of Turnover |
CDSS News: Winter 2016-17 |
| Cooperation and Consensus—Scissortail Traditional Dance Society of Oklahoma |
CDSS News: Spring 2016 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_spring_2016_scissortail.pdf |
|
"People Support What They Helped Create" |
CDSS News: Summer 2015 |
|
Vibrant Dance Communities—Themes and Practical Ideas (Part 1) |
CDSS News: Fall 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/fall%202010_notes%20from%20the%20office.pdf |
| Some Ideas on Governance |
CDSS News: May/June 2001 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/governance.pdf |
Samples
| Title | Source and Year |
|
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
|
| Organizers Job Descriptions |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
| How to Structure Your Organization |
CDSS Website |
|
[Exerpts from] All Hands on Board: The Board of Directors in an All-Volunteer Organization |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 |
| Impact/Feasibility Assessment Tool |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 |
This section focuses on topics relating to revenue, expenses, and many aspects of financial management.
The section includes information about:
- Resources relating to many different revenue sources (e.g., different models of participant/attendee financial contributions; outside funding sources such as grants and sponsorships)
- Discussions on affordability
- Ideas for structuring expenses
- How to manage money at individual events and on a long-term basis
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- Talent (i.e., includes information about talent pay)
Workshop Resources
| Title | Source and Year |
|
Dance Finances 0 to 999: Deepening our understanding of sources and uses of fund |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: This is a hands-on workshop for dance organizers to deepen their understanding of sources and uses of funds. Organizers make many decisions including whether to offer student discounts, how payments are calculated for callers and musicians, how to budget special events, and more. We will learn from each other and discuss choices that work in various situations. |
|
Fundraising Strategies and Tips for Dance Organizations: Broadening our views for supporting dances |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Looking to raise funds for your dance? This workshop will take a broad view on fundraising to support your dance series, support the hall where you dance, run special events or programming, purchase equipment, or support other causes and affiliated organizations. We will provide an overview of philanthropy and fundraising strategies at the macro level, and then share how one local organization raised more than $60,000. Come prepared to share your successful fundraising strategies that are transferrable to other communities. Just as important, we’d love to hear some things that have not worked well, and why.
|
| Managing Your Money: Your series is bringing in money. Now what do you do with it? |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: This session will provide support for navigating the ins and outs of money management for your dance series. Topics covered will include: setting a budget for your series; controlling cash at the event; tracking event income and expenses; producing event, periodic and annual financial reports; preparing required governmental reports (1099s for callers / bands, Form 990 for the organization overall). Provided will be sample income / expense categories, event and annual spreadsheets, and reports for you to mull over. |
| Money: How to get more! |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: The revenue from dance admissions at the door is good and may even sustain our dances. But there may be large expenses looming – perhaps a new sound system, increased rent, insurance costs, etc. Where will the money come from to keep our organizations going? This session will direct you to new streams of revenue that you may have never considered, helping to sustain your dance for years to come. |
| Dance Money Mechanics |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Description: Your series is bringing in money – what do you do with it? Rob Lindauer, treasurer of the Hartford, CT Community Dance, will gently lead you through some ins and outs of money management for your dance series. Topics covered will include: setting a budget for your series; controlling cash at the event; tracking event income and expenses; producing event, periodic and annual financial reports; preparing required governmental reports (1099s for callers / bands, Form 990 for the organization overall). Rob will provide sample income / expense categories, event and annual spreadsheets, and reports for you to mull over.
|
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
| News from Canada: Weaving Old-Time Music and Dance into the Fabric of Small Town LIfe |
CDSS News: Summer 2018 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/CDSS_News_Summer_2018_News_from_Canada.pdf |
|
Community Outreach Far |
CDSS News: Spring 2018 |
| Outreach Far and Wide - News from CDSS Grant Recipients in Calgary, Alberta and Missoula, Montana |
CDSS News: Winter 2017-2018 |
| Nontraditional Funding and Focused Mentorship: How We’re Growing a New (Awesome) Contra Dance Community in Portland, ME |
CDSS News: Fall 2016 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_Fall_2016_nontrad_funding.pdf |
| Local Dance Finds Fundraising Solution |
CDSS News: Spring 2015 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_spring_2015_local_fundraising.pdf |
| Outreach Reaching Out |
CDSS News: Fall 2013 |
| Talking About...Money |
CDSS News: Spring 2013 |
| The Power of Giving |
CDSS News: Spring 2012 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2012-spring_power-of-giving.pdf |
| Recent CDSS Outreach Fund Grants |
CDSS News: Spring 2012 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2012-spring_recent-outreach.pdf |
| Outreach—Twenty-five Years of Gadd/Merrill Recipients |
CDSS News: May/June 2005 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/gadd25.pdf |
Samples
| Title | Source and Year |
| Dance Accounting Sheet |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| Cash Turnover Sheet |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| Contra Finances Worksheet |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| Headcount Tally Sheet |
Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 |
| Financial Detail Worksheet | Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Provided by:Rob Lindauer, Hartford CT Community Dance |
| Treasurer's Report | Puttin' On The Dance 1: 2011 Provided by:Rob Lindauer, Hartford CT Community Dance |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
|
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 |
|
|
8 Ways to Raise $2,500 (or more) in 10 days (or less, sometimes) |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 |
| Event Finances | CDSS Website |
This section focuses on one specific topic – venues! Without an appropriate space it's hard to have a successful event so while it's a narrow topic, it is so very important.
The section includes information about:
- The cost of venue space
- How to find new venues that meet your needs
- Developing your own space
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- Community Culture & Increasing Attendance (i.e., These sections provide resources that address the feel of your event. The physical space has a huge impact on the feel. So take a look at resources in these sections to consider what you might do to shape the feel of your space.)
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
|
A Room That Spoke |
CDSS News: Fall 2017 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_fall_2017_a_room_that_spoke.pdf |
Other Resources
| Title | Source |
| Finding a Hall |
CDSS Website |
This section is focused on topics relating to insurance and legal issues.
The section includes information about:
- Insurance (e.g., policies; considerations)
- Incorporation
- Copyright issues
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- Finances (e.g., taxes and bookkeeping)
- Organizers & volunteers (i.e., organizational structure)
Workshop Resources
While topics relating to insurance and legal issues have occasional come up during workshops, there are currently no presentation notes specifically on these subjects.
CDSS News Articles
| Title | More Information |
|
Group Corner Setting Your Group Up As a Small Business |
CDSS News: Summer 2009 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/column_group%20corner_summer%202009.pdf |
| “Do We Have To?” ~ Copyright Basics |
CDSS News: August 2006 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/dowehaveto.pdf |
| Tracking Copyrights and Composers |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2003 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/1997-jul-aug_tracking-copyrights.pdf |
Most of the resources provided under the first nine topics above relate to ongoing events. This section focuses on one-time events.
The section includes information about:
- How to organize dance weekends and camps
- Inspirational stories about various events
- Information regarding other types of special events (e.g., techno contras)
Additional resources may be found under the following topic headings:
- If you are interested in creating a special event, other topics such as 'Increasing Attendance' and 'Finances' may apply to you.
Workshop Resources
| Title | More Information |
| Dance Weekend 101: Streamlining the organization of weekend dance events |
Puttin' On The Dance 2: 2015 Description: Ever thought of organizing a dance weekend? Come explore the ins and outs of what it takes to streamline a successful event. |
| Working on Weekends: Organizing your dance festival |
Southwest Regional Organizers Conference: 2014 Description: Organizing a dance series is one thing, but planning a weekend-long event for 100 people or more with big name talent is something else entirely. How is it done? Can it be a source of revenue that helps the dance community all year long? We’ll expose the sweat and magic that goes into creating a wildly successful dance weekend. |
CDSS News Articles
Many of the articles below are about special events that occur throughout North America. We haven't included all CDSS News articles about camps, weekends, festivals, etc. Instead, we have selected articles to provide a variety of success stories.
| Title | More Information |
| The Road to a Performance |
CDSS News: Fall 2017 |
|
Leading a Contra Dance Role-Swapping Workshop |
CDSS News: Summer 2017 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_summer_2017_role_swapping.pdf |
|
News from Canada – Chehalis Contra Dance Weekend |
CDSS News: Winter 2015-16 |
| What I Did Last Summer: A 24 Year-Olds First Time at Sleep-Away Camp! |
CDSS News: Winter 2015-2016 |
| Sturtevant—A Hike-in Dance Camp |
CDSS News: Spring 2015 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_spring_2015_sturtevant.pdf |
| News from Canada – Ooh La La, A Contra Dance Weekend Built on Cultural Exchange and Local Abundance |
CDSS News: Summer 2014 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_summer_2014_ooh-la-la.pdf |
| News from Canada – Dancing with Style |
CDSS News: Spring 2014 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/columns/CDSS_News_spring_2014_canada.pdf |
| Farewell, I Must Be Gone―a Reflection |
CDSS News: Winter 2014-2015 |
| The Way It Is Is the Reason I Started Doing This Stuff in the First Place |
CDSS News: Winter 2013-14 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_winter_2013-2014_way_it_is.pdf |
| Cascade Promenade—A Northwest Dance Phenomenon |
CDSS News: Winter 2013-14 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_winter_2013-2014_cascade_rev.pdf |
|
News from Canada – Fiddling in BC |
CDSS News: Summer 2013 |
| Putting on “Techno” Contra Dances |
CDSS News: Fall 2013 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/CDSS_News_fall_2013_techno_contras_rev2.pdf |
| Chesapeake Dance Weekend Celebrates Thirty Years |
CDSS News: Winter 2012 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2012-winter_chesapeake.pdf |
| The Syracuse Contra Prom |
CDSS News: Summer 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/summer%202010_selec_syracuse.pdf |
| Cheers for the Canoneers! |
CDSS News: Summer 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/2010-summer_canoneers.pdf |
| The Ins and Outs of Cooking for Dancers |
CDSS News: Winter 2010 http://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/winter%202010_cooking.pdf |
| Gigs from Heaven |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2008 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/gigs%20from%20heaven.pdf |
| Hiring Dance Camp Staff—Guidelines For Organizers |
CDSS News: Sept/Oct 2008 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/hiring.pdf |
|
Marathon Contra Medley Makes History at River Falls |
CDSS News: Nov-Dec 2005 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/marathon.pdf |
| Pardon Our Crowing About the Mad Robin Ball |
CDSS News: Mar-Apr 2003 https://www.cdss.org/images/newsletter_archives/articles/crowing.pdf |
Online Discussions
Do you want to talk to other organizers right now? Check out some of the listservs or other online groups below. You can ask questions and get immediate responses from organizers throughout North America and beyond. These are invaluable online communities of supportive people who are passionate and have similar interests as you!
| Title | More Information |
|
This long-running listserv is a place where trad dance organizers support each other by sharing advice, information, and discuss a wide range of topics all relating to organizing trad social dance. (This mostly includes contra but also English country, trad squares, family dance and more). In addition to signing up for the ongoing discussion, you can also search past posts. |
|
|
Pourparler is a yearly gathering of individuals dedicated to teaching folk/ethnic/world/traditional dance in schools and/or in the wider community. They have a listserv rich with discussion – however you do need to have attended at least one Pourparler conference to join the discussion. Much of the discussion focuses around teaching dance but there are definitely some topics of interest to organizers. |
|
| Mudcat Café |
Mudcat Café is a discussion forum for folks interested in traditional song. While the discussion primarily focuses on topics of interest to singers, there are occasional topics of interest to organizers. It's also a great place to get a general sense of the larger trad song community. You can join the listserv and get the regular messages or search their online archive. |
| Maplepost | Maplepost is a listserv for the Canadian folk music community. The definition of folk is very broad and there is limited discussion on trad music and song. However, there are occasional mentions and it is a useful resource for linking into the wider Canadian folk music scene. |
| Organizers of Contra Dance | This group is the facebook equivalent of Shared Weight for Organizers where contra dance organizers share advice, information, and resources with each other. There is much lively discussion. |
CDSS Web Chats
In June 2018, CDSS started a new Web Chat for Organizers series to discuss topics of interest to traditional dance, music, and song organizers across North America (and beyond). We wanted to provide a special page for this new resource as it’s an live and interactive resource available to you. If you would like to become aware of the next web chat, make sure you’re on our organizers email list (join here). After each chat, we will post the slides and recording of the chat here.
June 21, 2018 Web Chat
06/21/18 - Web Chat Slides
06/21/18 - Web Chat recording (also embedded to the right) - Note: We didn't capture the beginning of the chat. The recording begins with Jo Mortland of Chicago Barn Dance Company speaking.
Because the beginning of the web chat wasn't captured, here's the entire narrative from our first guest speaker:
Hi. This is Jo Mortland, from the Chicago Barn Dance Company. The agenda for today says I will “tell stories on how we have increased attendance”, and I’ve decided to actually tell it in story form. This will help keep me on track, highlighting the salient points. It might also be easier for the listeners to recreate the path of a new dancer.
My information comes from talking to many of our dancers, both new and experienced.
In the past three years, our average attendance has risen from about 40 to about 80. Part of this is due to the room we now use.
For the sake of this story, we will say that I am a middle aged woman in Chicago, and a couple of years ago was looking for something fun to do. I checked online, on Meetup.com, and saw a dance listed for Monday night. I decide to go.
The first thing I noticed about the Irish American Heritage Center was the large, free parking lot! In Chicago, this is a real plus! (Not mentioned in the story is that we are accessible to public transportation as well.)
Even better, when I reached the fourth floor ballroom, I found a beautiful, big, brightly lit, air-conditioned space with a wooden floor. My first impressions of this place were very positive.
I approached the admissions table, and was warmly greeted b the people sitting there. I was offered a name tag, and a coupon that would let me in to my second dance for free, if I returned within a month. I was informed that a lesson was about to begin.
Each week, the caller offers a lesson before the dance. I noticed that some experienced dancers joined in, to help. The caller taught us some of the basic “alphabet” – the moves that make up the dances - as well as some of the contra culture, like being able to ask anyone to dance, being allowed to decline an invitation to dance, and about our custom of dancing with different people for each dance. We, the newcomers, were encouraged to dance with different people as a good way to learn.
When the dance started, one of the experienced dancers who had helped with the lesson asked me to dance. During the course of the evening, a number of experienced dancers asked me to dance, some of them women. We had been told at the lesson that anyone can dance either part in this community.
I noticed that a few of the dancers had included their preferred personal pronoun to their nametags. I saw that this group is diverse in terms of not only gender, but also race and age. There were a couple of families who brought their pre-teen aged children to the event.
After the third or fourth dance, the caller made an announcement from the stage welcoming newcomers. He said that the Chicago Barn Dance Company wanted everyone to feel happy, comfortable and safe. He pointed out any Board members who were at the dance that night, and said that if we had comments, questions or concerns, those were the people to talk to. The Board members had buttons on with their names.
I was curious about his use of the word “safe”, as I felt perfectly comfortable. In the ensuing months that I danced there, I learned that Chicago had a male dancer in the past who behaved inappropriately with women dancers, particularly the new young women. The man had been talked to repeatedly, but continued with excessive touching and suggestive language. The man was told, by letter, to stop coming to the dances until the Board had a chance to meet with him. After that meeting, the Board felt that the man showed no concern over his behavior, and that there had been such a breach of trust between him and this community, that he was permanently banned. I was impressed that this issue had been dealt with.
At the break, there was a big selection of snacks, provided weekly by volunteers. The bar at the end of the room where the snacks were served made a good gathering place for schmoozing during the break.
A young woman, one of the Board members, introduced herself to me. She said that if I was comfortable giving her my email address, she would send me more information. I was quite comfortable with it, and within a couple of days, I received a message from her welcoming me once again, hoping I’d come back, and giving me the website address for Chicago Barn Dance Company (there are flyers out on a table for this also). In addition, she told me how to sign up for the weekly electronic newsletter, and how to join the Chicago Contra Friends Facebook page.
Once I looked at the Facebook page, I saw that a number of people had taken photos at the dance. And take photos at every dance. There I was in one of them, looking like I was having fun! And the people who were tagged helped me put names and faces together.
To summarize my first experience and why I continue to go to this dance, the space is excellent, the people are friendly and helpful, the community “invests” in newcomers, and the very active Facebook presence is a plus. All communities have their issues, as does this one. But this group has a lot going for them, too.
In-person Gatherings
'Talking shop' with other organizers is one of the most fruitful activities we can do as organizers. Discussions with others are a fantastic way to be inspired, get answers to questions, and learn about various solutions to current challenges. For first-hand comments about the power of in-person connections with other organizers, read some testimonials here.
Below is a list of various in-person learning and networking opportunities for organizers of traditional dance, music, and song. If you have other events to add, please email them to outreach@cdss.org. NOTE: Some in-person gatherings that have been one-offs aren't listed here.
If you want to be notified about upcoming organizer gatherings, join our organizer email list.
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Puttin' on the Dance is a conference for organizers of any English/American dance series in the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada, including contra, square, English country, Quebecois, Cape Breton, family, community, gender free, etc. Co-founded by CDSS, the conference occurs every 3-4 years. The next POTD will be held in Portland, ME on 11/30-12/2, 2018. |
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The RPDLW celebrates the music and dance of New England with a heavy focus on tradition. The event occurs every January in Durham, NH. At some point during the dance weekend, organizers from many communities usually gather over a meal to 'talk shop'. |
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| The Dance Flurry | The Dance Flurry is a massive weekend-long dance festival that happens every February in Saratoga Springs, NY. For the last few years, the Dance Flurry has held a discussion session specifically for organizers to discuss shared challenges as well as solutions and best practices. |
| Youth Dance Weekend | The Youth Dance Weekend's mission is to be an exciting and accessible Contra and English dance weekend that helps young people from across North America connect with each other and develop skills and new ideas for participating and leading in all aspects of our vibrant dance community. Since many of the attendees are dance organizers/leaders back in their home communities, this weekend always includes discussions about organizing dances. |
| Youth Traditional Song Weekend | The Youth Traditional Song Weekend is a youth-focused three days for singers and session leaders interested in traditional song. There are lots of opportunities to talk about leadership and organization throughout the weekend. |
| Pourparler | Pourparler is a yearly gathering of individuals dedicated to teaching folk/ethnic/world/traditional dance in schools and/or in the wider community. While much of the weekend focuses on sharing actual dances, there is much opportunity to talk about promoting, organizing, and leading dance. |
| You can organize an organizer gathering! |
Consider organizing an informal or formal discussion at any traditional dance, music, or song gathering that's already happening. It could be as simple as putting up a sign for a table discussion over lunch. If you would like to organize a leadership training event of any size, CDSS has training materials for you. For information about financial and logistical support available through CDSS, email outreach@cdss.org. |
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Other CDSS organizer conferences |
CDSS has helped facilitate conferences for organizers throughout the US and Canada. Contact outreach@cdss.org if you would like to help create a conference for YOUR region! |
| CDSS week-long organizer conferences | Occasionally CDSS offers sessions for organizers at their week-long summer camps. For information about the most current programs, visit the link to the left. |
Other Resources
This section contains even more resources that may be of interest to organizers.
| Directories and Calendars | |
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The CDSS Affiliate Directory contains contact information of all of the organizations that are currently members of CDSS. It’s a great resource to find organizers with whom you might want to connect. |
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The CDSS Events calendar lists traditional dance, music, and song events throughout North America. View events that others have submitted and add your own. |
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| CDSS Dance Map |
The CDSS dance map lists dance series throughout North America. |
| The Caller's Box | A contra dance database of nearly 12,000 dances developed by Michael Dyck and Chris Page |
| The Caller Directory | Developed by Luke Donforth, The Caller Directory is a spreadsheet listing self-submitted callers, their contact information, and what they call. It also provides space for references, video links, and a comment from the caller. |
| Dance DB | Ted Crane's database is another location where organizers can post their events so that dancers, musicians, callers, and other organizers can find out about them. This database tends to focus on contra dance, although some English country dance and swing dances are listed. |
| Contradancelinks.com | This website focuses primarily on contra dance but it also has information about waltzing, Scandinavian dance, and old time square dance. The site not only lists dance series by region but also has links to callers, bands, and much more. |
| The Dance Gypsy | The Dance Gypsy is another listing of dance-related events, venues, and performers. The list focuses primarily on contra dance but does include other forms of folk dance as well. |
| Umbrella Organizations | |
| English Folk Dance and Song Society | Based in England, EDFSS was founded in 1932 to preserve, promote, and develop the English folk arts (specifically songs, tunes, and dances). Activities supported by this incredibly active organization include advocacy, learning, participation, and performance and artists' development. They have taken on many initiatives to support local organizers. |
| Still More Resources | |
| A Muddle of Morris | A Muddle of Morris is one of the 'go to' places for Morris Dance online. While the discussion isn't organizer-focused, there is likely content that would be of interest to those who organize around morris dance. A Muddle of Morris includes a website, Facebook page, and an online map of morris sides. |
| Traditional Dance, Music and Song in Canada – A Survey of Local Organizers |
CDSS: 2017 This report outlines the findings from a survey of local traditional dance, music, and song organizers from throughout Canada. It provides information about who is organizing what, strengths and successes of various groups, the challenges groups face, and the supports organizers need. There is also a section on the positive impacts on individuals, communities, and the wider society. |