The Mermaid’s Tavern Guide to Zoom Singing
The Mermaid’s Tavern Guide to Zoom Singing is a blog-based website for planning, producing, and participating in community song sessions and concerts online. It includes an extensive resources section of over 25 additional guides to various aspects of online music, dance, and song.
CDSS Starter Kit for Folk Song Organizers
A comprehensive how-to on starting a sing. Includes sections on vision, finding a venue, publicity, structure, facilitation, and more!
From CDSS
How to Facilitate an Organizers Discussion
This resource not only provides a number of tips on how to facilitate a discussion but it also includes a how-to on including a session at a pre-existing event or creating your own day-long gathering.
MDDL Morris Dancing Discussion List
The MDDL (“Muddle”) is an unmoderated listserv (email group) devoted to discussions, debates, and rants on all things morris, including: Cotswold, border, garland, Northwest, etc.; sword dancing, both long sword and rapper; mumming, mumming plays and other ritual drama; molly dancing, Abbots Bromley, plough dancing; winter festivals such as wassailing, caroling and Twelfth Night; May Day celebrations, including May poles and other rural festivities; and anything else we can think of that might be even the slightest bit morris related.
CDSS Executive Director Katy German had a conversation with three contra dance organizers who have resumed in-person dancing. They described adjustments they’ve made to their “normal” processes, what impacted their decision to resume, what they’re asking of participants, and what they recommend to others. We also presented a new online resource: Groups that Have Resumed In-person Events.
The Evolution of KAOS (Kick Ass Oberlin Sword)
Hannah Lindner-Finlay describes the creation of a sword team at Oberlin College and provides some tips for others starting college teams.
From the CDSS News
This handbook provides advice on how to create dance/music events on university and college campuses. It includes tips on programming, campus publicity, working with college administration, and much more.
From CDSS
2015, Putting on the Dance 2
Sophia Donforth and Julia Bennett
Notes from a workshop given at POTD2: 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!
We used this Web Chat to generate lots of ideas for keeping communities safe and engaged during another pandemic winter. Small groups brainstormed further ideas in breakout rooms. Also, public health professor Dr. Kimbi Hagen shared news and perspectives about how the pandemic is progressing.
There is strong interest amongst organizers in hearing news from communities that have already resumed in-person events. This Web Chat provided valuable experiences and suggestions from two dance and song organizers who are already navigating their reentry, as well as perspectives from a public health professional.
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.