A quarterly e-blast for traditional music, dance, and song organizers
February 2019 News for Organizers
Welcome to Shop Talk — CDSS’s quarterly email blast for North American traditional dance, music, and song organizers.

To view past issues or sign up (if you were forwarded this issue): https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers#shop-talk

This issue contains lots of exciting news
in addition to many new resources so read on!
New! A 'How To' on Facilitating Organizer Discussions
Do you want to talk with, and learn from, organizers in your region? This new resource can help YOU create and facilitate your own organizer discussion!

The resource provides:
 
  1. A 'how to' on facilitating organizer discussions
  2. Advice on how to arrange an organizers discussion as part of an already existing weekend, festival, or camp
  3. Advice on how to plan a separate gathering for your community or region
  4. Examples of material from past organizer discussions

Organizers in some parts of North America are already gathering on a semi-regular basis through volunteers organizing discussions at pre-existing existing events. For instance, dance organizers in the Northeast gather at events like The Dance Flurry, NEFFA, and Hey Fever.

There is HUGE POTENTIAL for us support each other
by organizing these types of events in our local regions.  

YOU can help make these happen by facilitating a session yourself or encouraging others to do so and providing them with support. Check the new resource here!

A BIG THANK YOU to Chrissy Fowler, Dela Murphy, Lisa Greenleaf, Scott Higgs, Delia Clark, Gay Fifer, Linda Henry, and Puttin’ on the Dance for contributing their expertise to the development of this resource. While the contributors come from primarily dance-oriented communities, the resource can easily be used by song and music organizers as well.

If you are planning an organizer discussion, we'd love to hear from you and we can promote your event through Shop Talk if that is helpful. Please email emily@cdss.org to let us know about your gathering.
New - A Collection of Inspiring Print Promotional Materials
Check out the brand new collection of flyers, posters, business cards, and more from communities throughout North America! We hope that they inspire new and different ways to think about print media for traditional dance, music, and song events. Take a close look as communities use varying approaches depending on their context and the vision they have for their events.

Thank you to the *57* organizations who contributed to the resource. Thanks also to Avia Moore who developed some really helpful tips and to Max Newman, Will Loving, and Paddy Tutty for their insight.

Note: Most of the examples we’ve collect thus far are from social dance communities. If you are involved in song, music, or ritual dance and have promo material to contribute, please email emily@cdss.org .
New - Notes from the 2019 Dance Flurry organizers discussion
The Dance Flurry ( www.flurryfestival.or g ) happened this past weekend.

As part of the weekend, organizers gathered to talk shop and share ideas. See note from that session — there may be ideas you find helpful to try in your local community!
Next CDSS Web Chat: April 4, 2019
Family/Community Dance Organizers Unite!
Do you know any organizers of dances that include young children and all ages? If so, please share this announcement about our next web chat on Thursday, April 4 from 8:30-9:30 pm EDT . Organizers of thriving family and community dances from far and wide will share their stories and advice, including time for Q&A. 
 
To join the web chat (by computer of phone), go to https://goo.gl/Yo25Bu and submit the online RSVP form by March 28. Several days prior to the web chat we’ll send instructions via email about how to join the call on April 4th. Even if you can’t join us on this date, send an RSVP to receive announcements about future web chats. 

Check out our previous web chats to hear tried-and-true stories about Boosting Attendance, Creating a Thriving Open Band, and Increasing Youth Involvement. Questions? Contact Linda Henry: linda@cdss.org
Help Needed in Developing New Resources!
If you are interested, we'd love to have your help in the following ways...

YOUR IDEAS: It is the successful ideas of local organizers that are often the most beneficial. So keep sharing your ideas with us as we reach out on various topics in the months to come! NOTE: If we are looking for ideas between Shop Talk issues, we will post requests through various email listservs, FaceBook organizer groups, and the CDSS FaceBook page.

EDITING SUPPORT: We are also looking for a few volunteer editors willing to review resources as they are being developed (i.e., edit for grammar, conciseness, and ease of understanding). You don’t have to be a professional editor to help out and you get to see exciting resources before they are made public. Plus - you will have our deep gratitude!

COLLATING IDEAS: There are a number of topics we want to tackle, but we only have so much time. If you are keen to help collate and organize ideas submitted by other organizers let us know. It can be fun and a great way to learn new ideas for your own community.

Email emily@cdss.org if you want to help.

The more we can do collectively, the bigger impact we can all have!
Upcoming learning opportunities for you and your community!
"BIG THEMES" DISCUSSION SESSION AT NEFFA - APRIL 12-14 2019
Bird Talk: Why Larks & Ravens? As terms, Larks and Ravens are spreading. Many dancers have raised questions and concerns. Come discuss language experiments, history, and evolution with our diverse panel. Let's have fruitful conversation together!
Panel:  Ron Blechner, Angela DeCarlis, Scott Higgs, Bob Isaacs, Maia McCormick, and Chris Ricciotti . This session is for anyone who is interested and will likely include many organizers. See schedule here .


SUMMER 2019 TRAINING FOR CALLERS at CDSS CAMPS + SCHOLARSHIPS!
Nurture an up and coming caller from your community by sending them to camp! We’ll send them back with skills, confidence, connections, and energy which they can then offer to your community. This year, our camps include:


Scholarships are available for individuals as well as matching scholarships for Affiliate Groups. If you know of someone in your community, share the information and consider a matching scholarship!
Final Notes...
Feedback on our work:
Over the past year, we have been working on a number of new initiatives to support organizers based upon we learned through the Canadian and US organizers surveys. If you have feedback on our work and what you’d like to see us do differently, please email emily@cdss.org . Shop Talk is for you, so the more we know about what you find helpful/not, the better for us all!

CDSS Membership:
Join CDSS as an individual or as an affiliate group. Membership not only provides you with specific supports (e.g., access to grants, CDSS News), but it also provides CDSS with support to create resources like this e-newsletter.  

Join CDSS’s main e-blast:
In addition to Shop Talk, CDSS has another e-blast featuring more general news about traditional dance, music, and song. You can join here: https://www.cdss.org/programs/cdss-news-publications/e-news

Share Shop Talk with your friends:
Please pass on this issue of Shop Talk to others you know in the traditional dance, music, and song world. They can join here: https://www.cdss.org/resources/how-to/organizers#shop-talk
Our next Shop Talk will be sent in May, and we have lots of great resources in the works for that issue — so stay tuned!

Happy dancing, singing, and playing trad music,

Emily Addison (Consultant) & Linda Henry (CDSS Community Resources Manager)
P.S. If you have suggestions or content for the next shop Shop Talk , email emily@cdss.org . For specific requests or advice, email linda@cdss.org .
Country Dance & Song Society | 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton, MA 01027 | 413-203-5467 | CDSS.ORG