May 2019 News for Organizers
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Welcome!
This issue of Shop Talk is jam-packed with a
wide range of exciting announcements
. It also has lots of news on how you can engage with the wider organizing world. Read on...
SPECIAL NOTE: IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN OPEN BAND...
we would love to hear from you through the survey linked below!
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Stagnation? Burnout? Stress? - Organizer discussions can help you!
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Being an organizer is HARD work and we can often feel isolated and overburdened. How can we overcome these challenges? One great way is by connecting with organizers from other communities!
Many of us attend weekends, festivals, and camps which means that these regional events are perfect places for organizers to take a little break and come together. We are already at the event --> we just need to make a point of creating a bit of space and spreading the word.
The June i
ssue of
CDSS News
includes an article that speaks to the power of organizer discussions and how they can be easily be incorporated into regional events. CDSS members will receive an email with the link to the digital flipbook of the Summer
News
on June 10th. Approximately a week later, the individual article will be posted on the
News
page of the CDSS website
.
So check out the article think about how you can seed these super helpful discussions wherever you are in North America.
We can be a great support for each other
when we connect, share, and collaborate!
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Next CDSS Web Chat on July 11: Building Safe Dance Communities
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Don't miss this exciting opportunity to hear stories and advice on this important topic! Guest speakers from coast to coast will be joining us, including CDSS Board member Avia Moore, who will share resources compiled by our Community Safety Task Force. Also, guest organizers will share suggestions and tools based on their groups' direct experience with this topic. Please share this news with other dance organizers that might be interested.
Date:
Thursday, July 11, 8:30-9:45 PM EDT.
Information about how to register for the July web chat will be included in the Summer issue of the
CDSS News
(being released to CDSS members as a digital flipbook on June 10th). We will also send you a brief Shop Talk reminder once registration has opened.
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CDSS Scholarships - It's Not Too Late to Apply for Summer 2019!
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After all your hard work bringing music, dance, and/or song to your community, give yourself an amazing week to relax in a beautiful setting and enjoy these activities you love! Check out this
LINK
for a menu of all our summer programs. These weeks are also a great place to meet and share stories with fellow organizers from far and wide.
Scholarships are still available. To apply, register online for your desired week and submit a scholarship application form. We’ll continue offering scholarships on a first-come, first-serve basis as long as funds remain. Questions? Contact Linda Henry at
linda@cdss.org
.
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An Exciting Collaboration Among Listservs!
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Over the past six months, we have been working closely with Seth Seeger and Chris Weiler of
sharedweight.net
. They have been running successful email listservs for contra dance organizers, callers, and musicians for many years. Alan Winston (ECD list), Ridge Kennedy (Trad Callers list), and Weogo Reed (Contra sound engineers list) are partnering with this project to create an energized team of listserv leaders!
The goal of our work is to strengthen all of the lists by bringing them under one umbrella with updated software and shared publicity. This includes expanding the mandate of a few lists (e.g., contra organizers, musicians, and sound will officially expand to include all forms of traditional social dance).
CDSS is excited to be supporting this endeavor and we will be sponsoring Shared Weight over the coming years. Watch for news over the summer as the Shared Weight team gets closer to launching this project!
Note: For those who are not familiar with listservs, they are electronic mailing lists that anyone can join. Email messages sent by any member are received by everyone in that group. They are a fantastic platform for creating supportive online communities of participants in widely varying geographic locations.
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Organizers with open bands - we want to hear from you!
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Inspired by the Sept. 2018 Web Chat: Creating Thriving Open Bands, we are creating a new section of the CDSS
Organizers Resource Portal
that will include resources for open bands. We would love to include information you are willing to provide. The survey will allow us not only to learn from you but also gather your experiences and expertise in order to share them with the wider community.
We want to hear from anyone who is involved in an open band!
Note: You do not need to have a fully open band to respond. If you allow sit-ins, we would love to hear from you too.
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CDSS Group Affiliates:
Fill Out a Survey For a Chance to Win 1 Free Spot at Camp!
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On June 1st we will be launching a survey just for CDSS group Affiliates with the goal of continuing to improve the focused work we do for them. Watch your inbox or talk to the person on your organizing team who receives and conveys CDSS affiliate communications.
The winning affiliate group will have the choice of sending one person from their community to a CDSS camp. CDSS will cover tuition, room and board costs. Travel and additional class material fees not covered.
But that’s an up to $950 value!!!
Winning affiliates can choose one of the following:
- A 2019 CDSS camp session that still has space (cannot be used to refund existing registrations)
- A 2020 CDSS camp session – we’ll hold a spot for you!
We look forward to hearing from you!
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Feedback:
As always, we appreciate feedback, so if you have comments or suggestions on our work, please email
emily@cdss.org
.
Engage with us on organizer projects:
Do you have a passion for organizing resources?
We'd love your perspectives and help with how we organize ours! Email
emily@cdss.org
if you would like to help with the development of our organizer resources.
Share Shop Talk with your fellow organizers:
CDSS Membership:
Join CDSS as an individual or as an Affiliate group. Membership not only provides you with specific supports but it also supports CDSS to create resources like this e-blast.
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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
.
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Country Dance & Song Society | 116 Pleasant St, Easthampton, MA 01027 | 413-203-5467 |
CDSS.ORG
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