Stephen’s Square Dance Blog

Wow!  What an amazing week.

This was my second school to “monitor” as part of the process to become a Callerlab Accredited Caller-Coach.  There were three others also monitoring, but one of them, Jerry Jestin, was actually there to actively teach.  Jerry is very close to finishing all the prerequisites for taking his tests.  The other monitors were Mike Kelly and Scott Bennett.

Tony asked me to be prepared to speak on Leadership and Ethics.  So, as I’ve noted in this blog already, I put together a handout and had it ready.  I got lots of kudos.  Tony said that he’d not heard the two combined as I’d done it and he asked me if he could include my handout in future versions of his handbook.  I don’t know it the praise could be any higher.

My first day as a monitor, Sunday, I chose to pick a group and watch how the coaches interacted with them.  I started with the experienced group.  (Callers that have been calling 3 or more years.)  There were an number of experience levels here.  Some had been calling for 3 years and others had been calling for 15.  As the day wore on, some people were moved in and out of the group.  I’ve worked with beginners before both on my own as well as when I worked at Daryl Clendenin’s school in Cle Elum.  So, I wanted to see how to get started with experienced callers.

I danced a lot.  I wasn’t going to, but I was trying to do my part.  I know that some wanted to be able to sit and watch, but I wish more would have volunteered more often. I tried to keep my mouth shut and let the coaches do the teaching.  Though, I tried to offer an opinion when I felt it to be appropriate.  The caller-coaches were amazing. 

Sunday night was my time to present my paper on leadership and ethics.  It went very well.  I was nervous.  All eyes were on me.  I had notes, but I didn’t really use them.  Instead, I took a copy of my paper and used it as an outline and embellished as I thought appropriate.  Tony said that I’d done a good job and it was one of the best presentations he’d heard on the topic.  Also, he commented that he’d never heard the two topice combined as I’d done it before.  It must have been good because he asked if he could include my paper in his future handbooks.

Monday, I worked with one of the newer groups.  Tony told me that he’d get them started and then let me finish.  I figured that I’d get 15 minutes or so.  Instead, he started them and within 5 minutes he had me working.  After 10 minutes, he gave me a quick critique and let me finish the 90 minute session.  It was AMAZING.  (For the record – and for those that want to know – Tony told me to keep each caller up for a shorter amount of time and to not suggest calls for them to use.)  After our lunch break, I picked up where I left off and Deborah Carroll-Jones joined us.  She let me continue as I’d been doing only pausing to offer a hint here and there.  (Later in the week she thanked me for being so involved.  Apparently, there are a number of mentors that just come and watch.) I was just as nervous as the students were, but once we got into a groove, we were all having a really good time.

Monday night Scott Bennett gave an overview of digital music. He did a very nice job and used a projector to demonstrate what he was doing.  I gave a similar talk at the first school I monitored.  Scott went into a little more detail than I did, but that was a good thing.  In watching it, I feel that it was better to see what was possible rather than how to do all the details.

Tuesday, I was more of a watcher.  I’d not had a chance to see Jon Jones in action (though I had at a school I’d attended for myself before) and I wanted to see Vernon Jones as well as Jerry Story and Jerry Jestin.    They were all fantastic. Watching each one of them work is like seeing different facets of the same gem.  I’m not sure if I could absorb it all, but I sure tried.

Tuesday night Jerry Jestin gave a talk on body flow that I’m STILL trying to digest.  Once I get my notes transcribed, I’ll post a few things here or somewhere on the website.

Wednesday was mostly a wrap-up with diplomas. 

I met so many people.  I learned as much as they did.  The difference is that the topics were different.  Most of the students wanted to learn about choreographic management.  I’m learning how to share what I know about choreography.  However, it is more than that.  I’m learning what it takes to help people become callers.  It might seem that these are the same things, but they’re different.  It is one thing to teach people how to move people on the floor.  It is another to teach them how to make these people dance and have them enjoy it.  There’s so much more to this task past choreography.

Another thing I learned was that I need to have a sign-up sheet at any school I run so that I can collect contact information.  I got some info, but I wish I had more and I wish I had photos.  Note to self: more, more, more.

Okay… this post is longer than I wanted it to be, and I’ve left stuff out.  So, I’ll close here so I can get caught up with nationals and events since then.

Until next time, keep dancing!