November 2008 Blog Rick Hampton Square Dance Caller

November 2008 Blog
Rick Hampton Square Dance Caller

November 8th
A Fun couple of weeks- Two times on the coast- Still waiting for my equipment to be replaced-SIGH
   The issues at the Monday group have been resolved, and we are once again on track-Deja Vu all over again hehehehe
I'm looking forward to working with Ken R. again!!! This time on the West coast

Rick

Nov 19th
    Still waiting for the insurance to finish, but at least I've got enough gear to handle my MWSD events,
I'm lucky to not have any parties till after the new year (Those take a whole lot more sound-a typical party might have
300+people and often are in less acoustically desired settings) Oh well.
     I am jazzed about the Whirlaways Dance (With Ken and I) It's on track to be the largest area event for 2008-Yay
I noticed Jim Penrod passed away- He always promoted s/d in the North end of the San Joaquin valley- although we sure enjoyed butting heads over many MWSD philosophies.

Rick

Nov 21st
A truly FUN Evening at The Advanced Squares in Fremont..........I'm told it was a huge crowd....Thank you OUTLAWS!!!!!!!! Now I'm looking forward to 2 days of calling with "Acey Duecey" Ritucci and then a short week with
Monday and Tuesday, Wed is dark -The Hampton clan is off to the coast for Thanksgiving....Followed by a dancing
weekend in Casa De Fruta w/Eric and Jet........Entertain me hehehehehehe

Rick

Nov 23rd
A GREAT 2 days calling with my label mate Ken Ritucci Click to check his site...............We had the largest crowd
in a year BOTH TIMES...............Yay.....................Now for long time blog readers, I have always encouraged you to
reply publicly, yet 99.9% choose to reply as private............Here's a public reply that I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE you
to both read, and comment on publicly !!!!!!!! Click This poster read my entire blog (going on 4 years).. as always I will
Keep your name private unless you insist I name you (hehehehe)

I just finished reading ALL of your blogs writing, yes all of them! One thing I find funny is the lack of others addressing the issues. You must be getting a lot of “don’t share” reply’s or no one is reading your blog! (ha-ha)

We have the same problems all around the nation and putting problems on the table, in writing, instead of sticking your head in the sand may solve some of them. It is easy to say “the associations” are the problem and this is a big part of the internal problem but won’t add one new dancer to the floor. We have image problems that we can change, but only if we are willing and able to change. Some will get hurt feelings and that is too bad. They don’t need too, but will. Some will attack anyone that has a different opinion.

IMAGE.... The Kansas Nationals proved that we can dances, without being all foo-fooed up and still have a great and productive event. While the majority did dance in traditional dress, no one was “hurt” from others not choosing to go the foo-foo route. It is time that the NEC changes that rule. Why do we continue to demand that people dress the way we did over a half century ago? Our music is coming of age. The fiddle, banjo, and boom-chuck is being replaced with more up to date music. Even the rock and roll of the 50’s and 60’s is an improvement. When we do a Demo in a mall, or on the street, we need to be playing current music and loud enough for the person way down the street, mall, to hear and come running to find out what is going on. Have the majority of the dancers in non-foo-foo dress, have young people, have people working the crowd passing out information, with current, up-to-date Web address about the local area. Also have them collection information from the crowd and then USE IT! Use it until they tell you to stop sending e-mails, to stop calling about lessons. When we do nursing homes, play the music they like and dress in what they expect. Demo’s are a recruiting tool to draw people into our hobby. Nursing Homes are to give back to the area. Different events, different tools, different results. Callers when you are hired to do a one nighter, usually, they will expect the fiddles and bandjo’s. You should expect the hay bales and straw hats. Give them what they want but use your lap top and yes play one or two current hip-hop or alterative music and tell them “This is today’s Square Dance music”. Collect e-mails addresses, telephone numbers and USE THEM. Also pass out current up to date Web pages and other modern flyers without the foo-foo dancers on them. Image can change if we work at changing it. But before we can change it, WE MUST HAVE CHANGED!

More to come on: Door Charge, Associations (callers & dancers), dancers and setters, age, working together or apart, club ran clubs, vs. caller ran clubs, festivals, special association dances, self-serving dancers and callers (watch out for this one), NEC, CallerLab, ACA, State and District Associations both callers and dancers and Caller Pay!

Food For Thought, and as you know I agree with 98.9% of the above

Rick