This toolkit provides advice and resources to help organizers (you!) develop the policies, procedures, and supporting documents needed to understand and facilitate safety in your community. This toolkit is not prescriptive in regard to what your community “should be doing.” We recognize and value the range of living traditions practiced by many different communities.
This toolkit was produced by the CDSS Community Culture & Safety Task Group, 2018-2024. The CCSTG was formed to support local communities in their efforts to provide a safe environment for music, song, and dance events.
This 40-minute video introduces English Country Dancing. It teaches some of the basic moves found in many English Country dances; explains the structure of the dance; and entertains you with information about the history and practice of English country dancing.
Henry Morgenstein is the caller and the narrator (voiceover). Jacqui Morgenstein did the camera work, mostly using a Canon digital SLR recording in full HD.
Most of the footage was shot in a great dance studio in Traverse City, Michigan with friends who dance in our back room every week. But two of the dances we teach were in Emmanuel College, Cambridge UK and there are clips from Dartington Hall (also UK) and Pinewoods Camp in Massachusetts. Many of the dances were done to recorded CDs from the great ECD band Bare Necessities. The two in Cambridge were to live music by Notorious (Eden MacAdam-Somer and Larry Unger). None of the video was scripted, so all the incidents just happened as the result of dancers enjoying themselves.
In order to make this as unintimidating as possible to newcomers, we chose to film dancers who are simply people enjoying themselves. We feel that perfect dancing, while admittedly beautiful to watch, may well deter a newcomer from “giving it a go.” The fact that some mistakes are made and people recover with good humor should help to give the message that you don’t have to be perfect to do this.
Succession Planning for Dance Organizations
December 5, 2024
Does your group want to change from having a single organizer to a committee-run model?
Have you noticed burn-out among your volunteers and are wondering what to do about it?
Are you wondering how to attract new people to the organizing team of your group?
In this panel discussion, dance organizers shared their experiences with leadership and volunteer changes in their local groups.
The comprehensive entry-level book on contra dance calling by Tony Parkes. Every aspect of the caller’s work is dealt with clearly and thoroughly, including how to get started as a caller; music as it relates to the dance; timing and phrasing; voice technique; fitting the calls to the music; dance notation; teaching and walkthroughs; choosing material; calling for special groups; working with live or recorded music; buying and using a sound system; and running a dance series. In addition, the book includes an in-depth discussion of the basic movements; a selection of easy-to-call dances; a complete glossary of terms; an extensive list of resources; and information on how to use other dance books. In short, this is your guide to the entire world of contra dance calling, teaching, and organizing.
Nearly 50 new contra dances from Isaac Banner, along with tips for running a workshop, glossary, and index by figure and dance type. A great resource for new callers, as well as experienced callers looking for new dances.
From Isaac Banner
Example Codes of Conduct
Here are some of our favorite codes of conduct from other dance and music organizations to use as inspiration for your own!
Olympia Contra Dance
Olympia, WA; contra dance (links in the “Community” paragraph under “The Details”)
DanceFlurry Organization
Albany/Saratoga Springs, NY (and surrounding areas); several types of monthly dance series and workshops, educational programs in schools and other organizations
This spreadsheet shows a list of recommended music teachers from marginalized communities. The list is the result of a survey form created in 2019 by A’yen Tran with the intention of making it publicly available, particularly to music camp directors. The goal is to increase representation for women, people of color, people with disabilities, and gender-diverse people in music camps and other musical learning opportunities.
Colin Hume presents descriptions and commentary on all of the 200+ square dances in Northern Junket, a magazine published by Ralph Page from 1949 to 1985.
Communities in Conflict
May 30, 2023
An online discussion to support organizers of dance, music, and song groups
From disagreements about COVID protocols to strong feelings about role terms on the dance floor, dance leaders and organizers have been in the middle of passionate community discussions the past few years. As an organizer, what approaches and techniques can you use to help your group through these rough patches? And what can you do to keep your own balance along the way?
CDSS Executive Director Katy German joined Jenny Beer, Dana Dwinell-Yardley, Sue Songer, and Kathy Story for a conversation about working through conflict as a community.
Download the Entire Toolkit
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.