[Squaredancing] Re: [sd-callers] National Convention trip report

[Heinz D. Trost]

Anne et al,

>     I did encounter one person who is better known than I who
>     was told that she couldn't dance squares dressed as she was (not in
>     square dance clothes), but dressed up (she had been working a vendor
>     booth).  
> 
> This was one of the things the Tony Oxendine brought up at a recent 
> seminar.  He feels that we are chasing away new dancers by requiring 
> them to look a certain way.  We have lost 80% of dancers in the past 20 
> years.  We have to do anything and everything we can to attract new 
> dancers and closing the door in their face because they aren't dressed 
> properly is not the way to do it.

yes. Absolutely. In the seminars of all of the last few Nationals we 
were taught that one of the winning ways to get more new dancers is that 
  we should announce our open houses and classes with the remark: "No 
special clothing necessary" and that dancers should be permitted to wear 
what they'd have in their closet/wardrobe.

Yes, that will bring new dancers into the classes,- and then after they 
became graduated we tell them that they'll need to buy the expensive, 
warm, uncomfortable and outdated attire of the 50's just to attend the 
halls of NSDC's and other dances because the NEC and dance organisers 
still requests "Traditional attire".

No wonder why we're also be taught in the seminars that we lose most new 
dancers the day after graduation...

There is only a limited number of people in the community who are 
willing to spend (some of) their spare time at dance lessons and 
dancing. And so we have to compete with regular ballroom classes and 
-clubs, freestyle dances, and schools of Salsa and Tango Argentine.
No of them forces their dancers into a special attire.

People are used to wear what they feel comfortable in. Also especcially 
at Salsa dance schools people just pay for lessons and workshops, but 
practise dances and dances mostly are free.

Also we all compete with peoples living room with the couch, chips, beer 
bottle and cable/satelite TV plus remote control where absolute no 
attire is necessary...

Heinz
DH8SAH
Germany