Let's share the fun of Contra Dancing!
contra...@googlegroups.com
Howdy Partners and Neighbors!
I’ve realized from numerous discussions with many concerned contra dancers over the past few months that there is an unfulfilled need to promote contra dancing to new people around the greater Bay Area. Over the past few years, dance attendance at many venues has been declining while expenses have risen. Some dances are already operating at a loss. This is an unsustainable situation. It’s time for grass roots community action in the spirit of a traditional barn building!
I'm soliciting the help and cooperation of the extended contra community in an effort to strengthen and expand our entire community and to work together to counter these trends. Only we can rebuild our community. We know that contra still holds its magic and that it can bring joy and excitement to many more people in the general community. We need to work on ways of getting the word out and getting the new folks in.
This is all very tentative at the moment, and is just a starting point to get things off the ground. I hope this process will:
* Build our existing extended community of contra dancers
* Bring the fun of contra to new people outside of our existing community
* Ensure the future of contra dancing for generations to come
I’m looking for support from folks that have similar ambitions and that are willing to help achieve these goals. Some project ideas are listed below.
To facilitate communication, sharing, and planning, I’ve created a discussion group at:
http://groups.google.com/group/contracorners
You can participate via the web interface or via email subscription. The email subscription does not contain ads or spam nor does it require a Google account. Write me if you have questions about that.
I’d very much prefer you address your replies to the discussion group rather than me personally. That way, everyone can benefit and comment on them.
Or you can contact me, Davey, directly and privately at:
This project is not sponsored by any official contra organization but is meant to be a place where people can work cooperatively and hopefully avoid the politics and bureaucracy of individual organizations and venues. Please feel free to forward this email to other people or organizations that you feel might be interested.
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Examples of Projects:
1. Short Term
a. Collection and assessment of material and personnel resources
b. Design and distribute generic fliers for contra dancing
c. Generate ideas and plans on how to attract and retain new members
2. Medium Term
a. Press releases for local media outlets
b. Intro packages for other organizations (Sierra clubs, Singles groups, ect)
c. New member welcome packages (Intro to Contra)
d. Online Contra educational resources (e.g. video clips of contra moves)
3. Longer Term
a. Performance/demo teams
b. Interactive outreaches to other organizations and events
c. Intro workshop series
How can you help? We need:
1. Talented and enthusiastic folks:
a. Graphic Design & Artist folk
b. Photographers
c. Videographers
d. Web Design gurus
e. Ad folk
f. Writers
g. Fundraisers
h. Folk with access to related equipment and resources.
i. Folk with connections to media or other organizations where we can publicize contra
j. Folk willing to help in many, many ways- from mundane to
magnificent- as broad as your imagination!
2. Material Support
a. Samples of good fliers, notices, and ads
b. Graphics and artwork
c. Ad copy
d. Photos
e. Video clips
f. Audio Clips (music/calling)
g. Production Equipment (cameras, video, audio, lighting, ect)
(Materials should be non-copyrighted and/or have owner's permission to use and distribute. If none exists, we can create new materials using demo dancers in a controlled environment.)
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An immediate need is a short, catchy, easy to remember (for folks that aren’t familiar with contra) web site name. Something that a person might remember after reading it from a flier. Contradancing.org or .com are available. Or should it be area specific? CalContra? BAContra NCalContra?
The name ‘contra’ itself is a little problematic as few outside of contra seems to know what it is, and it has closer mental ‘associations’ with Iran Contras and Contra Costa County. Or they think of ‘County’ Dance which has different associations (line dancing, 2-step). Something that conveys the spirit of contra in a more general and recognizable way. And perhaps a larger ‘umbrella’ for other dance styles? Barndance? www.dancecall.org Setdance.org? Setdancing? Communitydancing? Familydancing? Traditionaldance(ing)? VintageDancing? Calltodance, call2dance? Downhomedancing? ORG conveys our non-profit nature, but COM is easier to remember. Help please!
For expediency and as a starting point I’ve created the starts of a publicity website:
http://www.downhomedancing.org/
That name could change later, of course. And there’s no reason we can’t have multiple names pointing to one website. There’s a printable copy (pdf) of the first flier there, I’d appreciate some feedback. The website itself is functional but pretty pathetic! Maybe people will take pity on me and help out?? ;-) It’s a far cry from the multimedia extravaganza I have envisioned! I just threw it together in about an hour so I’d have a working website to put on the flier. I put out about 20 fliers today and plan to continue.
For clarity, the http://groups.google.com/group/contracorners website is for in-house discussion and planning, http://www.downhomedancing.org is the public website for publicity.
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I’m looking for support from folks that have similar ambitions and that are willing to help achieve these goals. To facilitate communication and planning, I’ve created a discussion group at:
http://groups.google.com/group/contracorners
You can participate via the web interface or via email subscription. The email subscription does not contain ads or spam nor does it require a Google account.
I’d very much prefer you address your replies to the discussion group rather than me personally. That way, everyone can benefit and comment on them.
Or you can contact me, Davey, directly and privately at:
This project is not sponsored by any official contra organization but is meant to be a place where people can work cooperatively and hopefully avoid the politics and bureaucracy of individual organizations and venues. Please feel free to forward this email to other people or organizations that you feel might be interested.
Thanks!
Davey
3/31/07-3
Lynn...@cs.com
Lynn Wilde, Salinas, CA
Ellen Wall
>>> <contra...@googlegroups.com> 03/31/07 12:44 AM >>>
Howdy Partners and Neighbors!
http://groups.google.com/group/contracorners
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Examples of Projects:
1. Short Term
2. Medium Term
3. Longer Term
a. Performance/demo teams
c. Intro workshop series
b. Photographers
c. Videographers
d. Web Design gurus
e. Ad folk
f. Writers
g. Fundraisers
2. Material Support
b. Graphics and artwork
c. Ad copy
d. Photos
e. Video clips
f. Audio Clips (music/calling)
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http://www.downhomedancing.org/
<http://www.downhomedancing.org/> is the public website for publicity.
Dan Kappus
-dk
-- ------ Dan Kappus http://www.ilstu.edu/~kdkappu Graduate Assistant, Sociology Peace Corps Fellow, Stevenson Center da...@jtan.com 415.446.8419
Davey (Admin)
graphics. I don't know 'Bob', do you? Or do you have any contact info?
I looked on the sites you mentioned and didn't see a lot of pictures-
can you send me a link to the ones you were thinking of?
I was thinking about this picture, if I can get permission. What do
you think?
http://www.dougplummer.com/archives/contra/dawa1701.jpg
Davey