Social Networking

We all have different mind-sets at different times. I generally go for the "we are all in this together" mindset, relishing diversity, welcoming new folk and new ideas, expanding and growing, and in particular all ages and levels of experience working together to achieve wonderful outcomes.

There are innumerable intergenerational opportunities everywhere. Barbara and I freely admit to being at the "elder" end of the age and experience spectrum. That gives us certain strengths but also certain weaknesses.

For example, we would not be perceived as "cool" people by many younger folk. We may come across as inspiring oldies, but not as trend-setters to be followed. So here is an intergenerational opportunity for younger members to advise us on what will work to attract a younger crowd, to pitch in and help deliver those attractive experiences, and to promote the product through social networks and all the other fantastic ways that we have to communicate our message to a huge on-line audience these days. By telling your facebook friends about a great MFS event, "liking" and "inviting to" MFS events, and getting your friends to pass it on, you can reach a huge and younger crowd.

I don't know much about social networking, apart from seeing the movie, but I'm sure many MFS members do, and I'm sure this is a great intergenerational opportunity for all of us to work together for a great cause.

If you wish to work with us for a glorious future, you will be more than welcome on our various dance organising teams. These teams have a great mix of age and experience levels, but many hands make light work and we need a few more younger folk that we can work with in an intergenerational way on key roles. Just get in touch. If you wish to use your own social network to get more people participating and involved, that's great too, and of course we would love to hear of your endeavours.

Even better, why not become the "official" face of bush dancing on facebook (and/or other social networks), on behalf of the bush dance organising teams? Create the appropriate facebook page and create events there and invite people to them, and those people can invite their friends and so on...

We will sincerely appreciate anything you can do - just get in touch and we can work out the details. Many hands, light work.

Cheers
Lance

All good things must come to an end, but not right now!

All good things must come to an end, but not right now!

We are retiring around the end of 2012 and would like to work with younger folk who will keep the bush dancing alive and booming after we retire.

If you would like to help please let us know and we will do everything we can to make that happen. We are thinking a long way out to make a transition easy, and because we make bookings a long way out. Here is a list of opportunities:

Convenor, End of Month Dance Organising Team (EOMDOT):
- Convene meetings
- Execute decisions made by EOMDOT
- Recruit and retain volunteers
- Report to MFS Committee

EOMDOT Band Bookings Officer
- Draft band bookings list for EOMDOT consideration
- Liaise with bands
- Organise band billeting
- Certify accounts for payment
- Report to EOMDOT

EOMDOT & BDG Venue Bookings Officer
- Book venues
- Liaise with venue managers
- Organise key pickup & return
- Certify accounts for payment
- Report to EOMDOT & BDGC

Event Manager
- Organise supper and/or refreshments
- Organise venue decoration
- Report to EOMDOT or BDGC

Bush Dance Publicity Officer
- Update on-line databases
- Email Canberra Time etc
- Organise posters & dodgers
- Report to EOMDOT & BDGC

Canberra Dance News
- Currently a monthly email

Primary Contact, The Bush Dancers display group
- Take bookings from event organisers
- Arrange musician coordinator for each event
- Notify dancers of events
- Display publicity material
- Report to MFS Committee

Please let us know your thoughts.

Regards
Barbara & Lance

Another AGM

Well the MFS AGM has been and gone, and I am sure all members are highly appreciative of those who stepped forward on the night, when there was only one nomination for committee received. It was an excellent candidate, but nine candidates short of what was needed.

I did not stand because I have moved on to leading the End of Month Dance Organising Team (EOMDOT), and I am working towards handing that role over around the end of 2012.

I understand there are still some vacancies so it is not too late to contact someone on the MFS Committee and offer your services.

At this time of year we are reminded of the need to improve our encouragement of people to stand, and the need for informed decisions by members about those stepping forward to take on trusted roles. My encouragement has, by and large, fallen on deaf ears I'm afraid.

Maybe we should start months before the AGM, with candidates uploading their photo, a little about themselves, and what they stand for to the members' wiki? Then all members will be able to see if there are not enough candidates, and they might be encouraged to stand. It might create that "buzz" of excitement that will result in more interest and nominations.

It will also mitigate the risk of someone intent on fraud, or someone with a track record of mis-management or trouble-making infiltrating our society management for their purposes that are not our purposes. Finding a nominator and seconder is little safeguard in the heat of the AGM urgency to fill positions, even if the volunteer joins the MFS on the night, and if there is only one nomination they must be declared elected under the current rules. Advance nomination is a stronger deterrent, allowing background checks or simple "asking around" by members to find out a little about candidates, and sounding of alarm bells or nomination of more suitable candidates if the members feel strongly about a particular person.

We could also think about all members being able to vote for candidates electronically or by coming to the AGM, the member's choice. This would prevent unrepresentative elections through meeting stacking.

Any other matter to be voted on at the AGM has to be notified to all members in advance, so maybe all members should be able to vote electronically and the AGM should go ahead with whoever turns up on the night. The AGM would cover reports and questions and so forth, and receipt of "manual" votes.

Anything like this would require careful thinking through, consultation with all members, changes to the rules, and selection of technology to be used. It would also need strong member support, but it could make a huge difference to the future of the society. What do you think?

My personal annual report:

We are having a great time and the MFS funds will easily see us out, in fact they keep piling up in the bank. The treasurer reported a healthy profit last year, and more than enough money in the bank. The EOM dances, balls and Bush Dance Group have been particularly successful. In fact it appears from the MFS AGM that each of our businesses are progressing under competent management, but MFS Committee is reporting some difficulties. I think with goodwill and good humour all round, and business-like communication and consultation, any real whole-of-society issues can be easily addressed.

Sincere thanks to all the volunteers, the door welcomers and refreshment organisers, the decorating teams and publicity promoters, the cleaners and stackers, and all the musicians, callers and dancers who have made this excellent year possible.

Regards

Lance

MFS AGM

The Monaro Folk Society AGM is on at 7:30pm this Thursday 22 September 2011, at St Margaret's Uniting Church Hall, cnr Antill St & Phillip Ave, Hackett.

The folk society is run by folk like you. If you have a commitment to open and fair leadership, with proper consultation with those affected before making decisions and respect for the competence of those responsible for our various autonomous activities, why not stand? If not you, who? Why not seize this opportunity for a great experience and personal growth while helping a worthy cause?

There are some timeless reflections in the lead-up to the MFS AGM, at

http://canberradance.blogspot.com/2011/04/reflections.html

Back after 2 Months Away

It's great to be back after two months away.

While we were away it seems there was a problem between some Monaro Folk Society (MFS) committee members and our musicians.

The result was that our musicians decided to secede from the MFS. We understand that the dispute arose from the MFS Committee's inability to properly delegate and empower their organisers, to the point where continuing under the current MFS Committee appeared not legally nor socially an option.

In a free association of autonomous activities like the MFS, decentralised management is the only approach that is going to work. If organisers are not authorised to appoint volunteers, book halls, and undertake all the other things that are needed to run their business, it's not going to work. If top level decisions are taken without prior consultation with those affected, it's not going to work.

Any belief that the MFS committee is able to over-ride any decision, no matter how trivial, as if they had the credentials and capability to run everything themselves, is unrealistic, and worse would have the potential to destroy all that is good within the society.

Hopefully the incoming MFS Committee will recognise these simple and timeless truths that apply to any multifaceted organisation like ours.

Perhaps you should be part of that incoming committee, and through sensible democratic leadership ensure that the dance musicians remain part of the society?

We support our musicians 100%. We formed The Bush Dancers display group to promote bush dancing and traditional Australian music and we could not and would not continue without the musicians' participation. They give freely and generously of their time and are a wonderful asset to MFS and to Canberra, the bush dance capital.

There is no immediate change for The Bush Dancers display group. It is an activity of the Monaro Folk Society, as active as ever, and we will continue to lead the display group. We have excellent bookings reaching out to mid 2012 and ongoing generous support from musicians, dancers and event organisers.

There was some disruption to Bush Dance Group (BDG) activities but BDG is now back to operating as usual as an activity of the MFS, pending the election of a new MFS committee at the MFS AGM. No dancers ever left the society. One musician resigned, but has now withdrawn that resignation. The other musicians were solidly in support of both actions. We also remain 100% supportive of that musician and of course of all our musicians.

We have had a fantastic twenty years on various Monaro Folk Society committees, but seriously consider that now is the time for the next generation to begin to take over. A surplus of candidates at the AGM and a packed house will auger well for the future of the society.

The folk society is run by folk like you. If you have a commitment to open and fair leadership, with proper consultation with those affected before making decisions and respect for the competence of those responsible for our various autonomous activities, why not stand? If not you, who? Why not seize this opportunity for a great experience and personal growth while helping a worthy cause?

Regards

Lance

Results of Micro-Survey #4

The 9 responses to this survey, "a little about you", are shown below. This survey is now closed and the results of this survey, and other feedback, have been particularly valuable in our considerations around the idea of an end of month dance pass.

Q1: Approximately how many MFS dances have you attended in the last year, by type?

Q2: What Non-MFS dances have you attended in the last year?

Q3: What can we do to maintain or increase your participation in MFS dances?

Q1:1 End of Month dances at Cook, Heritage Dance
Q2:National Folk Festival
Q3:You are doing a fine job. Your email communications re what's coming up are clear and concise. I have only discovered MSF in the last 4 months or so.

Q1:EOM - 7; 1st Sat - 6; Colonial Ball; Gala Ball; Bush Capital Ball; Hertitage Week dance; Christmas Dance; Contra 2nd Sat - 3; Irish Ceilis - 2; Irish Set Dance weekend; Monday workshops - 30; DITP - 7; Contra Tuesdays - 18; Irish Set Dance classes - 10.
Q2:NFF dances; Bundanoon Dance Weekend; RSCDS Scottish dances - 10; St Judes school bush dance; Tumut Falling Leaves dance
Q3:Variety of dances / callers.

Q1:None
Q2:None
Q3:Welcome me when I return tentatively to dancing after 6 months of disability-imposed exile.

Q1:4
Q2:6
Q3:Better variety of dances, dances that appeal to more experienced dancers, which would include the less experienced dancers improving their standard of dance. Less walk throughs and more talk throughs, or get someone to demonstrate how the dance goes. Good dance music, by musicians who know the correct beat to the different types of dance

Q1:zip

Q2:zip
Q3:keep up all the communication and never give up!

Q1:40

Q2:0
Q3:In advertising MFS dances and classes, explicitly encourage men to attend so that the many women without dance partners can enjoy the events more than they do at present.

Q1:none
Q2:Many National Folk Festival dances every year since 1999 Most years I go to TSDAV's Portarlington weekend Living in Adelaide, I attend most ATBDS dances (Maureen Morris's)
Q3:I will maintain my participation in NFF and Portarlington, but am unlikely to increase participation at other places due to the distance from Adelaide.

Q1:3 contra dances
Q2:Nil
Q3:keep sending the dance news list. Very useful to see what is coming up but my interest has turned to other things. Not enough hours in the day : )

Q1:1 ball, 10 contra, 10 bush
Q2:All of those
Q3:Have more dances in school holidays

Final Results of Micro-Survey #3

Thanks to those who have responded to our survey on Intergenerational Opportunities. The response was disappointingly low numerically, but those responses received were of high quality and certainly useful.

The surveys, dancing, musicians and organisation all depend on your continuing support. Please don't just take it for granted that all of this will still be there next time, or it may not be.

Why not dance while you can, and participate fully in everything that goes with it?

Here are the 6 responses, in full, a valuable resource for all our organisers:

Q1. How can we attract a younger bush dance crowd, and encourage younger folk to help?

1) One way is through their kids! Many "young folk" in their 30s and 40s are in the midst of child raising and one method to encourage more to bush dancing is through family bush dances. MFS presently hold one Kids Dance in December. Could this be increased to two? Could there be more opportunity for bush dancing displays at school fetes, lessons at schools/pre-schools etc.

Personally, I have wonderful memories of bush dancing as a child (strip the willow, barn dance, pride of erin etc). I grew up in the country and attending dances was a great social occasion for the small local schools. These experiences have encouraged me to get back involved now as an adult (with kids of my own - being 4 and 2 years old). The fact that you can dance with a lot of different people really makes it a fun experience. Also, from a parents' perspective, it is more accessible, social, wholesome, energetic (not to mention being accompanied by "live" music!), than many of the types of kids dance offered by dance schools (such as hip-hop dancing etc).

There is the interesting element of history, and of course the dressing up! I see many ways to "market" bush dancing as not only fun for the family, but for kids and parents individually. As for "young folk" in their 20s, well, remembering my 20s, I was focused on study, work, moving house, socialising and looking back couldn't really see bush dancing in the mix. My thinking is to focus on folks in their 30s and 40s who has passed (one hopes) to a better age of maturity, reflection and being settled. Get the kids interested, spark their enthusiasm, go dancing in "cool" old/historical places in great dress ups etc etc. Give them a "taste" for life!

I think the focus should be on being seen, rather than social media (internet, face book etc). Technoloy is useful to record experiences, give updates etc. However I really feel that the beauty of bush dancing is how it feels (sight, sound, movement), which cannot be captured well online. [PS Happy to help in formulating, brainstorming, implementing any plans along these lines... so there is bush dancing about for my kids when they grow up and for me as I grow into (I hope) an "inspiring oldie"!)]

2) The example which jumps out is Melbourne's Borderline Kaylee. They are youth group run by themselves for themselves. One saw at the national this year several of them coming to the regular events. Teens and uni students need an environment without we the older generation. Also, looking at the swing crowd, lively dances rather than those quadrilles where only the active couple does much.

3) Young woman are put off by being monstered. Older male dancers need to behave like dutch fathers. Dance is fun. We need to expose youngsters to easy, fun dances that are energetic and lively. Peter Foster is an excellent fast caller for that purpose.

4) Go to schools and universities and advertise. There are probably lots of people who might be interested in giving the dances a go and don't know about them being on. Even if they don't want to go, their parents might make them, so you'd get a much greater turn out.

5) show young people, like Simon, in advertising photos

6) Me and my mates went to the Bushwackers at the national and it was great The band was good and there was mostly young people. And the Borderline Kaylee dance was awesome. We went to some of the other dances but they were mainly old people tho the music was good there to, But it was a bit off to have to dance with grandies. The contra was good too but there wer a lot of oldies there too.

Q2. Please indicate your age bracket:

Response/Percent/Count

Under 20 1

20-29 1

30-39 1

40-49 0

50-59 1

60-69 2

70 or over 0