Well.  Yes.  I can see how many folks feel.  Many of us encounter 
rolling eyeballs when we tell our friends about contras and we feel 
compelled to assure them that:  "No.  Its NOT like the goofy square 
dancing you learned in Jr. High.  It's NOT about bouncing up and 
down, waving your arms, and making foolish animal sounds.  Its 
actually very cool and you'll feel comfortable doing it."

Then, when we finally drag these folks to a contra dance, the caller 
does one of "those" dances.

Is this being "limited" or "close-minded" (as one caller once 
referred to me)?  Maybe.

If you want to see real "closed mindedness" just try fitting one 
simple mosh pit slam dance with recorded screaming rock music--for 
just ten minutes--into your contra dance program.

The point is that "folk dancing" is an extremely "limited view" of 
what dancing should be.  Contra dance is an extremely "limited view" 
of what folk dancing should be.  And "folk music" is an extremely 
"limited view" of what music should be.

On the whole, I would venture to say that in many ways contras are 
more open to variation than most "folk dancing."  We have seen 
electronic instruments sneak in along with non-traditional percussion 
(such as trap drum sets), and many variations of dance figures.

Personally I think that the beauty, magic, and sustainability of 
contra dance comes precisely from the limits of the tradition that 
governs it.  It is within that rigid traditional structure that 
people feel safe, and free enough to open themselves to others and to 
connect in extraordinary ways.  This is not to say that I am a 
"traditionalist" by any means.  But we should not try to "change the 
direction" of that tradition without a clear idea of what our common 
purpose is.

The real question is: What is your purpose?  And what is the purpose 
of the majority of those who attend?  Are you trying to "preserve a 
tradition," to "open folks to other dance traditions," or simply "to 
offer an open community social dance with live music," or a 
combination of all those.  ...Or are we doing something else 
entirely?  The answer will surely vary for each dance series or event.

This is a question seldom discussed yet it seems to be a central 
issue regarding how we organize dances and what the role of the 
caller is.  I think that discussion would be very useful.

What is the purpose of our event and what is the caller's job in 
realizing that purpose?

Perhaps if we answered that question we might come to a better 
understanding of why we sometimes get "hairy eyeballs" when we wander 
off into some more "limited" goal.

Just a thought,

Greg McKenzie

*********

Winston Wrote:
>I think I'd believe how much of a hairy eyeball you got.  There are a lot of
>people with very limited views of what ought to happen at a contra dance, and
>they're not shy about letting you know.  [I once saw somebody yell "English!"
>and refuse to do a bouree balance (not unlike an English setting step) in what
>was otherwise a perfectly conventional longways duple improper contra.]
>
>(Wide assortment of *reasons* for not liking what they don't like, and not
>being willing to give a chance to what they don't know they won't like.  It's
>hard to influence the program and the dancer attitude very much if you're not
>the main caller, and if your desire to change the direction isn't shared by
>other callers.  But anyway, if half of 'em sit down and grumble for squares,
>getting them to do a dorky (in a good way) scatter mixer to non-Celtic,
>non-old-timey, non-New-Englandy music is going to be a challenge.)
>
>-- Alan
>
>
>--
>===============================================================================
>  Alan Winston --- WINSTON at SSRL.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
>  Disclaimer: I speak only for myself, not SLAC or SSRL   Phone:  650/926-3056
>  Paper mail to: SSRL -- SLAC BIN 99, 2575 Sand Hill Rd, Menlo Park CA   94025
>===============================================================================
>
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