Wednesday, December 06, 2006

DVD info and letter to Santa

Dear Dancers and Leaders of BC


The Juhala DVD called "Dancing Keeps You Young" is now a reality thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication by Lloyd and Brenda Juhala and support from the BCS&RDF and the Canadian Society. One copy for each club was given to representatives from each region and permission was given for each club to make as many copies of it as they wish. If you have not yet received your copy or if you are unable to make your own copies, contact us and we will try and help you out.

Now that the hard work of producing the DVD is over, we must turn our attention to helping everyone understand what it is all about and encouraging them to come up with creative uses for it. This letter is a start in that direction.

The content of the DVD reflects a response to recent research indicating that our best chance of success is to target the baby boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964). We simply do not have the budget resources to make a DVD or DVDs that would appeal to everyone - families, youth, singles, gays, etc. There was a need to focus on the area where we would have our best chance at success. It is very important for the current dancing population to put aside their own beliefs and take heed to what all the research is telling us.

Many of the Boomers are now "empty nesters" who have more time available for recreation than they did during their child raising years. Research warns us however, that Boomers are not motivated in the same ways as previous generations. They think and act differently. Jim Hensely, a marketing expert involved in research done by CALLERLAB, mentioned that Boomers are "a media oriented generation brought up on the immediacy of radio and television and Kellogg's Frosted Flakes, with the sugar already on the cereal." Furthermore he pointed out that research revealed them to demand quick results, such as shorter square dance instruction periods. They are a health-conscious group and they envision themselves as up to 20 years younger than they actually are, expecting to live long. For the most part, they have no interest in taking group lessons or attending group functions. That sounds rather gloomy, doesn't it? But the most important fact in the research was, that once they are involved, they react like everyone else and come to appreciate the sense of fun and community that dancing affords. We just need to find a way to encourage them to try the activity once and to make sure their first experience is a positive one.

With this research in mind, the DVD was carefully crafted to show, in just 11 minutes, that:

* Square dancing is a healthy activity, both physically and mentally.
* It is an activity that couples can do together.
* It uses a range of music, not just old fiddle tunes.
* Square Dancing is easier to learn than social dancing.
* While square dance clothes are still used, you can participate in casual clothes.
* You will connect with others and make friends.
* Square Dancing can be fun.

This DVD accomplishes the goals that were set out. It talks directly to the Boomer who thinks that square dancing is hokey. It hits its target.

However, it is important to realize that it is not a magic wand, it is just another tool to help us. Whether it accomplishes anything in the area of recruitment and promotion is now up to the dancers, clubs and associations. They can leave the DVD on the shelf while negatively grumbling and complaining about the money spent or they can pay attention to the research and choose to be positive. They can pick up this new promotion tool, focus on its merits, brainstorm ideas, and go to work with it or they can choose not to.

When the DVD was handed out, it included a purple paper insert that gave various suggestions on how the DVD could possibly be used. If you did not receive this insert, you can print a copy off the Federation web site as mentioned below. But as Brian Elmer says, "The uses can be as big as your imagination." This is true of all the available promotion tools.

Dancers often say that word of mouth works the best and there is no need to spend money on fancy promotion tools. That was certainly true in the past but because we have had so few younger dancers joining the movement in the past 15 years, the word of mouth method of recruitment has generally resulted in people over 75 recruiting people over 75. While there is nothing wrong with that, it doesn't help us expand the age range of our dancing population by appealing to Baby Boomers as the research suggests we should. This DVD is a modern "word of mouth" tool that we can use to reach beyond our own age and social circles.

It is very difficult to get all dancers and leaders to agree on anything. We all have our own opinions but it is hoped that most dancers and leaders will find it encouraging to receive a new tool that can be added to the promotion tool box. It is important to have a variety of tools to work with because not all tools will work in every situation. Recruiting requires a positive attitude and a willingness to try new approaches. Hopefully the DVD will be of assistance.

I also hope that the dancing community is aware of the fact that the Federation has been actively trying, in other ways, to increase the promotion tools available for dancers across B.C. On the Federation web site at www.squaredance.bc.ca under the Promotion and Recruitment button can be found some results of their efforts. (If you don't have internet access, arrange for someone in your club who does have access to be your information officer.)

Some of the things that can be found there are as follows:

*Information about the ABC concept that enables those people who don't want to join a club or take lessons to try square dancing for one evening. It is not a threat to the existing club scene, it is just a way to get people to consider square dancing as a possible recreation activity even if they only do it once a year or once a month.

*Notes from Jim Hensley's speech on marketing research and results. He spoke at length at Festival 2005 in Abbotsford and these notes are worth reading and re-reading.

*Juhala DVD information - why it was produced, what it contains, how to obtain it and copies of the label and insert for printing.

*Moving and Grooving information that can be used to help schools and community groups who are interested in starting up some dancing.

*Fitness Evaluation Report - the Federation commissioned a strength and conditioning consulting firm to assess and report on the health benefits of our recreation. This was so we could have accurate facts to use on our recruiting materials. The full report is on the web site, as well as a condensed, shirt- pocket size card that you can print off for use as handouts.

*Promotional Flyers - a collection of flyers is available for you to print off as well as the offer that we will adjust them to include your specific club information if you are unable to do so yourself.

I hope that the above information helps you to better understand and support the promotion efforts of the Federation. I know they would be pleased to hear from you if you have had success in the use of any of their materials. A list of suggestions could be compiled and shared around the province.


Sincerely,

Mary Anne Turner



Dear Santa,

How fast the year has passed. I hope it was a good one for you. My Christmas Wish List is small this year, Santa.

I want you to be sure to put the Federation Executive members and their families on your "nice" list. They have had a difficult year trying to fit their Federation duties into their busy dancing, calling, cueing and professional lives. They are volunteers, after all, and doing the best they can to promote and preserve our recreation. In spite of their best efforts, they have had to endure a lot of criticism. They could use a bit of loving, Santa.

Also, if you have time, could you put a little promotional creativity in the Christmas stocking of each dancer and leader? We all need help to come up with some new and interesting ways to use the Federation promotional materials.

And Santa, a package filled with an open mind and a willingness to try new things would be a great gift for us all.

I know that you are very busy, Santa, and you do not have the time to take a series of square dance lessons, but if you feel like dancing some time next year, contact me and I will tell you where there is an ABC dance. You can just drop in whenever you want and experience the fun of square dancing.

And Santa, if you feel that your elves need an activity that is good exercise and fun, I can send you a great DVD that will help you persuade them to try square dancing.

Thanks, Santa. Give my best to Mrs. Claus.

Sincerely,

Mary Anne Turner
--
Nick and Mary Anne Turner
942 Soda Creek Road
Williams Lake, B.C.
Canada
V2G 5E4

FEDERATION NEWSLETTER December 2006

By now the 2006 / 07 Dance season is well underway. I hope that you have all been successful in recruiting new dancers and are enjoying dancing with them.

Please make a copy of the Newsletter to take to your clubs. If there are members who would like to receive this by email ask them to let me know by sending me their email address. Thanks

Festival 2007 Report
Ann Clements for the Festival 2007 Organizing Committee.

The Festival 2007 Committee has been very busy with preparations for BC's first Provincial Round Dance Festival. It is now only 10 months away. Bright gold ribbons have been printed and are starting to show up at dances around the province. We already have a good number of round dance leaders enrolled so you can be sure of excellent clinics, teaches and cueing at the evening dances. Early registration is appreciated as George and Pauline Morgan want to design a program based on your input and requests. This is a festival for all round dancers. There will be a full program of teaches, clinics and dances for all levels that register. We particularly want to invite our Phase 2 dancers to attend and enjoy what may be your first festival. There will be programs specifically designed to keep you dancing, learning and having fun the whole time.

Introductory letters have been sent to leaders around the province by festival registrars Helen and Russell Maddeaux, urging leaders to let dancers know about the festival and encourage their attendance. We know leaders are the key to making the festival successful in so many ways and this is a very important role leaders play. Remember to tell your dancers registration fees increase from $35.00 to $40.00 per person on May 16th!

Especially for leaders and with the support of the B.C. Federation, we have planned a Round Dance Leaders' Education Day on Thursday, Sept. 6th. This is a separate event from Festival 2007 but timed to make it convenient for leaders to attend both events at one time. The Leaders' Day is modeled on the June 2006 Cuers' Conference in Lac La Hache which was so successful.

The Festival 2007 website http://members.shaw.ca/festival2007 is operational and filled with information. You can download all registration information from this site. Powell River organizers, Paul and Ann Clements have secured dance facilities at historic Dwight Hall which can be viewed on the website. Four sponsoring hotels have agreed to provide reduced rates for festival participants and camping is available.

September is a lovely time to visit the coast. Use the website link to B.C. Ferries to help plan a reduced cost coastal circle tour ticket. There is so much to do and see here. The outdoor activities are endless. Or you can spend your time browsing the boutiques on Marine Avenue and relaxing on an ocean side balcony. Whatever you choose, you'll find Festival 2007 is a great event to build your vacation on.

Dancing Keeps You Young.
The DVD produced by Lloyd Juhala is out and about. Please take time to read the purple paper insert in the jewel case, which explains the intent of the DVD and also gives some excellent suggestions as to the best ways to use this great recruiting tool.

After a showing and discussion, enough copies of the DVD were given to people from each Region for each club in their region at the ABC Seminar last August.

If your club has not yet received a copy, please contact the following:

Regions 1 AND 8 (Vancouver Island) Chuck Rieger (email available)
Region 2 (Vancouver and District) Mary Holz 604 - 490 - 1231
Region 3 (Okanagan) Beth McGifford (email available)
Region 5 (Northern B.C.) Helen Hall (email available)
Region 9 (Thompson Shuswap) Bill Morrison (email available) 250 374 0277

Mary Anne has more for you on the DVD in a second email letter.

ABC dancing

I have asked Nasser Shukayr and the other callers who conceived ABC if they will produce a DVD or CD to help new callers learn how to call and do an ABC type dance. I feel very strongly that this is one way that we might encourage new callers to get into calling. Hopefully a DVD or CD will be soon available.

Some see ABC as a threat to MWSD - but I see it as a huge bonus. Remember, ABC is presented to non-dancers outside of our Square Dance Club scene. Many of these non-dancers may only dance once or twice a year, some will want to dance once or twice a month and some will want to learn more and these last are the ones that will be directed to a Square Dance Club.

I would urge you, if a caller in your area is putting on an A,B, or C dance and you wish to support him or her, attend the dance in casual clothes and pretend you have never danced before! Only at an ABC dance - when those who come have attended an A, a B and a C dance - is it appropriate to mention the club scene and MWSD - let the caller do this. Please do not attend these A,B,C, dances with the intent of recruiting dancers to your club. Just go and have fun dancing. Let the caller do ALL the teaching!
This will seem very foreign to you, but these ABC dancers did not respond to your word of mouth or posters advertising your club new dancer nights, lessons, and so on. They just came to a square dance, not to learn square dancing!
Federation Web Site www.squaredance.bc.ca

The Regional Contact pages in the Handbook are now as up to date as the information received.
There is a lot of information on the web site that is out of date. I urge all Callers, Cuers, Clubs, Associations to check their information and make any necessary changes. Perhaps Regional Webmasters could help.

Moving and Grooving

We have now sent out 205 copies. Mary Anne and I did another workshop for student teachers at UBC Kelowna in November. We have taken out music licensing for another 500 copies (now the licensing minimum) and we are busy assembling the second 200 binders.

Do your local schools have a copy? If not, print the information from the website and take it to the school. If we can encourage children to have fun dancing, they will want to dance later in life. We have to look to the future.

Appreciation.

Your callers and cuers spend huge amounts of time planning dances, collecting music, and updating their equipment to take advantage of the extraordinary electronic technology that is available today. Don't forget to thank them at the end of your dance. Too often dancers rush off, leaving the callers or cuers to pack up their equipment wondering if people enjoyed the dance. If you enjoyed a particular piece of hoedown music or a singing call or some enjoyable choreography, make a point of telling the cuer or caller! A thank you and a word of encouragement does wonders for morale.

And let's not forget all the volunteers who are Club and Association officers. Are you offering to help - especially with promotion - and telling them they are appreciated for all their hard work?

Thank you to all Club and Association Treasurers who have been collecting fees. I hope all went smoothly again this year. The $7.00 (Society and Federation) not only buys your 3rd Party Liability Insurance and helps the Canadian Society, but it is vital to the Federation so we can continue to have the Infoline, the Website, SquareupBC, and various grants and be able to sponsor ideas that will keep Square Dancing alive and well in B.C.

Mary Anne and I wish you all a wonderful Christmas and we hope you all enjoy good health and happy dancing in 2007.

Nick Turner,
President
BCS&RDF
--
Nick and Mary Anne Turner
942 Soda Creek Road
Williams Lake, B.C.
Canada
V2G 5E4