Hiring Dance Camp Staff—Guidelines For Organizers
An excellent set of guidelines and tips from Lisa Greenleaf on hiring staff for a weekend or week, diving into all aspects of hiring and scheduling.
From the CDSS News
This article by Carol Ormond gives excellent tips on how organizers can create a great gig experience for a caller. Much of the advice applies to other hired staff as well.
From the CDSS News
An extensive survey of approximately 400 contra dance callers throughout North America and beyond. Interesting and useful information for organizers and callers alike
From CDSS, 2013
This resource outlines some basic considerations and tips for organizers who are hiring callers and bands.
From CDSS
An example of family dance schedule including a potluck and sound check that works for the long-standing BIDA family dance which occurs before the regular evening dance
From Jeff Kaufman
Belfast Flying Shoes Caller Information Sheet
An example of a sheet given to callers before a dance to prepare them for what is expected of them.
From Chrissy Fowler/Belfast Flying Shoes
Session notes on how engaging families can help you create a sustainable dances series with inclusive and sensitive dancers, a dancer demographic that’s intergenerational, as well as increase effective marketing and be a long-term investment in your beloved dance tradition.
From Chrissy Fowler at Puttin’ On The Dance 2015
Attracting Younger Dancers: Creating and maintaining a multigenerational dance
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. Notes from this 2014 session cover two major areas: promoting youth participation (dancers, callers, musicians, board members etc.), and how to have a successful multi-generation dance. Includes practical ideas and tips from people who have successfully achieved this, and we will discuss things that have been tried but did not work.
From Karina Wilson & Laura Gorrin at the 2014 Southwest Regional Organizers Conference
Organizing a Family/Community Dance Series
Marian Rose offers tips on how to start up a regular community dance series.
From the CDSS News
To Market, To Market… Jiggity Jig
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.
From Chrissy Fowler & Lisa Sieverts at Puttin’ On The Dance 2011
Thanks to the Massachusetts Cultural Council for their generous support.