Lewis wrote:
>So the moral of the story is, organizers can also err on the side of 
>being too cautious about getting new callers in front of a 
>mic.  Sure, you can hold discussions about calling, think about 
>calling, practice calling, dream about calling -- but the only way 
>to learn is to get up there and do it.  Over and over and over.

There is some truth to this.  There is nothing like the experience of 
a full night of calling to a crowd with vastly different experience 
levels.  On the other hand it is certainly not "the only way to 
learn...."  Dancing to callers--both good and poor--is 
invaluable.  Also sitting out and observing both the dancers and the 
caller, very carefully, can bring many insights about what excellent 
callers are doing and where poor callers should make 
changes.  Reading books--when combined with the above--can also be 
very helpful.

Personally, I do not consider a caller's "experience level" to be a 
primary factor when I consider if I should drive through a stormy 
night to attend a dance.  New callers have some key advantages over 
many of the old stagers.  For one, new callers are less likely to be 
so full of themselves that they expect the entire hall to hang on 
their every word.  And some of these "walking dance encyclopedias" 
have many, many words.

The older veterans also seem to gain so much confidence that they 
sometimes begin dropping some of the basics techniques of contra 
dance calling, such as using effective word order in their 
prompts.  I have attended dances with nationally known callers, of 
vast experience, who have had a terrible time integrating newcomers 
into the dance community.  Some of this may come from having the 
leisure to drop effective calling techniques when calling at dance 
camps, festivals, and other events where few newcomers attend.

I enjoy dancing to new callers.  They are often much more intent upon 
doing a good job and they pay attention.  They are also more in tune 
with the experience of newcomers...since they were there themselves 
more recently.

The real factor I look at is the caller's concept of what their main 
job is.  Some callers call to teach.  Some call to learn.  Some call 
to be in control.  Some call to be seen and to be heard.  Some call 
to be a leader.  And some call to facilitate a joyful social event 
with wonderful live music and a crowd of pleasant, kind, and gracious people.

The caller's intention is, in most cases, more important than their 
years of experience behind the microphone.

Just a thought.