A couple of restless nights after my latest anxiety attack, I've devised the following general plan to get myself out of my current rut.
Short range:
1. Drill a particular singer repeatedly.
Last night and today, I've been working on "Here I Am In Dallas" (Rhythm Records 103) repeatedly, calling it at full volume until I can get through it entirely without stumbling or stuttering. At home I set up the sound system and called with the mic to simulate the true experience as best I could. I will use it tonight at DC's club night to see (a) if the brute force approach has any virtue at all, (b) to test my own focus while monitoring the dancers, and (c) to see how a different environment may (in)validate my rehearsal methods at home.
Medium range:
1. Meet with Dayle over coffee/breakfast/dinner/whatever away from square dancing to analyze & evaluate.
2. Plan the next 90 days of effort. 2a. Isolate a particular component for special effort for at least two calling sessions (vocal technique, call timing, new get-outs, new singer figures, etc.) 2b. Select 5-7 new singer records to widen repertoire. Use these in (2a) above. 2c. Record audio of each performance in (2a). Keep the better of each.
3. Re-evaluation of status 11/5/05. 3a. Compare written notes and audio recordings from (2a) with final performance of October. Evaluate discernable improvement (or lack) in each area of focus. 3b. Optional: ask assistance of trusted dancer to evaluate qualities for additional correction. 3c. Bonus effort: videotape calling session to more closely evaluate call timing and caller comportment. Downside: Will need to borrow a camera & tripod.
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The Plan of Attack
Date: 2005-08-04 01:51 pm (UTC)Short range:
1. Drill a particular singer repeatedly.
Last night and today, I've been working on "Here I Am In Dallas" (Rhythm Records 103) repeatedly, calling it at full volume until I can get through it entirely without stumbling or stuttering. At home I set up the sound system and called with the mic to simulate the true experience as best I could. I will use it tonight at DC's club night to see (a) if the brute force approach has any virtue at all, (b) to test my own focus while monitoring the dancers, and (c) to see how a different environment may (in)validate my rehearsal methods at home.
Medium range:
1. Meet with Dayle over coffee/breakfast/dinner/whatever away from square dancing to analyze & evaluate.
2. Plan the next 90 days of effort.
2a. Isolate a particular component for special effort for at least two calling sessions (vocal technique, call timing, new get-outs, new singer figures, etc.)
2b. Select 5-7 new singer records to widen repertoire. Use these in (2a) above.
2c. Record audio of each performance in (2a). Keep the better of each.
3. Re-evaluation of status 11/5/05.
3a. Compare written notes and audio recordings from (2a) with final performance of October. Evaluate discernable improvement (or lack) in each area of focus.
3b. Optional: ask assistance of trusted dancer to evaluate qualities for additional correction.
3c. Bonus effort: videotape calling session to more closely evaluate call timing and caller comportment. Downside: Will need to borrow a camera & tripod.
Like I said, mindset of a bureaucrat...