Hi All,

Great topic.  I've been calling for almost two years with a mix of  
family dances and small contra dances. I've viewed these venues as a  
forgiving place to learn and practice, and I am grateful for them. I  
also help to organize a dance that is mid-sized with a mix of  
experienced and new dancers that runs once a month. In a good month  
we get 100 there; in smaller months 65.

My "glass ceiling" was calling the dance that I organize. For many of  
the issues that Greg described, our organizing committee wants to  
keep the dance lively with consistent performers. However, we are  
also open to up and coming performers and decided that we would pair  
new bands with experienced callers and visa versa as a way to  
encourage and develop new talent.  Our summer months are typically  
smaller dances, so this is a time when our booker feels more freedom  
to book a range of performers. This summer I've felt that I've been  
ready to call a whole night where there are more experienced dancers,  
and therefore at our dance. To get there, I had to meet the  
expectations of the committee that I was ready. I struggled a bit  
with this. I felt concern that I would take advantage of my position  
on the committee to get on stage.

My "big break" came two weeks ago when our caller for the August  
dance cancelled with relatively short notice. Our outreach to other  
callers failed to come up with anyone who was available and so I got  
to call the night. As a caller, it was really a new experience to  
plan for and call a whole night of dances for these dancers. As Tina  
described, I was able to call dances that were more challenging to  
call and dance. Nothing too wowing, but for me, they were a stretch  
beyond what I'd been able to do elsewhere. It was really fun and all  
went well.

I've talked with local musicians who felt this same sort of barrier  
to getting on stage at another big local dance. They felt that they  
were put to a higher standard by the bookers just because they were  
familiar and untested and young performers. I think what Tina is  
describing isn't atypical.

Tina, if you are willing to travel, we'll book you at our dance!   
Maybe a strategy is to get on the road and call at bigger dances  
outside of your region. On the strength of that  experience, you  
could reasonably the local organizers to give you a shot.

My two cents,

Nancy Turner
Vermont