Yet Another Fabulous Square Dance Caller Workshop

[bjarvis]

A three hour small workshop chez nous has just wrapped up. This was largely for the providing more calling experience & exercise for Abe Feldman and Blaine Knapp but we also put meinfs on the mic for a tip so he wouldn't be going into the upcoming GCA caller school completely unprepared.

We started with Abe and Blaine each doing a tip to warm up. Next, each extemporaneously called a get-in of some kind for the other to sight-resolve. A little later, I shuffled the dancers then had the guys alternate undoing my mess and getting everyone home. Abe and Blaine also did a tip of alternating calls between themselves.

I spent a little time with meinfs about the Hilton turntable, how to hold the microphone, etc., then he called a couple of pre-written figures on his own. As he built up some confidence and familiarity with the process, we had him call extemporaneously but without concern for resolving; I stood by to suggest ideas, possible calls, etc..

In all, it was a fun time and we loved having about 14 dancers over for a small lunch party and dancing. We don't have another session currently on the schedule but will likely line one up following the upcoming Cleveland convention.

Comments

[allanh.livejournal.com]

And there's your next article for the next Call Sheet: "Hosting A Caller Workshop".

[bjarvis.livejournal.com]

Yup, I was kinda thinking that myself as I was writing up the LJ posting. Of course, you'll be utterly swamped with convention-related stuff in the next issue so my article will have to be punted to the end-of-2008 issue... :-)

[allanh.livejournal.com]

I should only have such problems as enough material in my editorial hopper to fill three or four issues...

[meinfs.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much for suggesting it to me last Thursday and letting me get on the mic today. It was fun but like I said to some today, the hardest part for this newbie caller was saying the first words (i.e., "bow to your partner"). Later on, letting me call without worrying about resolving was rather a freeing experience because it just allowed me to focus on keeping them moving (albeit slowly).

I didn't realize it when I wrote my first ever figure this morning (& called it) that it would surprise anybody. One of our C dancers commented to me afterwards that the get-out was unexpected. So it was a lovely little feedback.

Thanks again for your support!!!