I (Lance) was somewhat surprised to see recently that my part in the organisation of the Wonderful Week of Bush Dancing on Norfolk Island was reduced to a "related by marriage" role, with the rather faint praise that Barbara organised transport and accommodation.
Barbara and I are a team, have been for fifty years. I wouldn't have tackled the Norfolk Island trip without Barbara, but neither would Barbara have tackled it without my full support and equal driving force and plain hard work.
We are team players, and fully acknowledge that Norfolk Island would not have happened without lots of folk putting in the hard yards, particularly Lyn McGregor who came up with the idea and ran with it. Lyn asked for our help and we helped Lyn make her idea a reality. It was a moment of great sadness for us when illness in the family prevented Lyn from actually joining us on Norfolk Island.
For the record, here is a more detailed but still a tiny bit of the history of who did what in the organisation of Norfolk Island (NI). It is good to have accurate knowledge passed on, and this may also be a good resource for anyone planning a similar venture in the future.
Lyn discussed her ideas about NI with us at a bush dance. The initial concept was that we would teach bush dancing to the NI Ballroom Dancers, and they would teach us about Ballroom Dancing.
An Initial Meeting
Dale from the NI Ballroom Dancers was planning to be in Canberra briefly, so we organised a meeting at our place on 1 February 2007, to take advantage of that visit. We had in mind that the NI trip would be run by The Bush Dancers display group (TBDdg) and the NI Ballroom Dancers, with Lyn as Trip Co-ordinator.
From the ten-page record of that meeting:
Present: Barbara and Lance, Dale Hodgen, Bob Hodgson, Lyn McGregor
Discussions included:
- Length of holiday package - one week
- Logistics of flights in and out
- Cost
- Everything about NI
- Detailed information about NI package prepared by the Ballroom Dancers and Debbie from The Travel Centre NI
- Accommodation options
- Tours, discounts and deals
- Flyers and other publicity
- Bush Dance displays for schoolchildren and public
- Subsidies, grants, cross-funding
- Contact with politicians federal and local
- invitation list - musicians and dancer groups
- Venues
- Sound
- Decorations
- Trip Logo
- Day by Day schedule outline
- Transport
- Raffles and prizes
- Certificates
- Dress
- Meeting places, drinks, meals
- Stationery, welcome packages, badges, tea coffee & buiscuits
- Costs
Lyn as trip coordinator wrote up the meeting notes and followed up on a myriad of details. Lyn also drafted the initial flyers and certificates, and Lyn's daughter Clair produced the trip logo. Lyn kept up e-mail contact with the Ballroom Dancers and the Travel Centre on NI.
Barbara and I took overall responsibility for publicity. As Primary Contacts for TBDdg, we also maintained the top-level oversight of the project, thinking through proposals and assisting wherever needed.
Norfolk Island Ballroom Dancers
The NI ballroom dancers were our "folk on the ground". They liaised with the travel agent, local government and schools, booked the venue, the major components including the fish fry, and organised local supplies.
The NI ballroom dancers were our "folk on the ground". They liaised with the travel agent, local government and schools, booked the venue, the major components including the fish fry, and organised local supplies.
Initial Thoughts
On 05 February 2007 Barbara and I wrote to MFS Committee asking them to note that
- TBDdg committee were considering organising a cultural exchange trip to NI. The purpose was to provide a travel opportunity for MFS members and friends, and an opportunity for NI residents to learn and appreciate Australian traditional music and dance.
- The trip would be open to all MFS members and friends, and reciprocal interstate musicians and dancers. It was to be run by TBDdg committee in liaison with contacts in NI, using a package arranged with a travel agent.
- The trip co-ordinator was to be Lyn McG reporting to TBDdg Committee.
No decisions had yet been made, but the broad intention was to minimise any risk of loss by
- Band payments based on a percentage of net door takings and other fund-raising, rather than committing to fixed expenditure.
- Direct dealings between each participant and the travel agent for tickets etc
- All participants must take out their own travel insurance
- Assurance of "Break-Even" numbers before proceeding
Indications were that the "owner" of the workshops and dances in NI would be our NI contacts.
An indicative timing was a full week of workshops, dances, sightseeing and fun, culminating in a colonial ball, on NI.
On 05 February 2007 Barbara and I wrote to MFS Committee asking them to note that
- TBDdg committee were considering organising a cultural exchange trip to NI. The purpose was to provide a travel opportunity for MFS members and friends, and an opportunity for NI residents to learn and appreciate Australian traditional music and dance.
- The trip would be open to all MFS members and friends, and reciprocal interstate musicians and dancers. It was to be run by TBDdg committee in liaison with contacts in NI, using a package arranged with a travel agent.
- The trip co-ordinator was to be Lyn McG reporting to TBDdg Committee.
No decisions had yet been made, but the broad intention was to minimise any risk of loss by
- Band payments based on a percentage of net door takings and other fund-raising, rather than committing to fixed expenditure.
- Direct dealings between each participant and the travel agent for tickets etc
- All participants must take out their own travel insurance
- Assurance of "Break-Even" numbers before proceeding
Indications were that the "owner" of the workshops and dances in NI would be our NI contacts.
An indicative timing was a full week of workshops, dances, sightseeing and fun, culminating in a colonial ball, on NI.
The Internet
Lyn set up a web site dedicated to the trip, and Barbara and I placed material on the TBDdg site and printed and electronically distributed publicity materials. Lyn, Barbara and I used our extensive email lists to contact musicians and dancers throughout the land. I was amazed at the "reach" provided by the internet and the ease with which one could bring together musicians and dancers from across this wide land for a fantastic holiday together. The world is indeed now 80 milliseconds wide and the NI trip would never have happened without the internet.
Musicians, Callers and a Program
Our musician co-ordinator Bob Hodgson was unfortunately unable to make the trip, and so we put out the call for a music co-ordinator. David Johnson from Penrose responded magnificently with great ideas and the obvious ability to create and deliver an excellent program.
Our musician co-ordinator Bob Hodgson was unfortunately unable to make the trip, and so we put out the call for a music co-ordinator. David Johnson from Penrose responded magnificently with great ideas and the obvious ability to create and deliver an excellent program.
Down to Detail
I co-ordinated the production of the spreadsheets with pricing schedules, budget estimates and so forth.
On 17 November 2007, Barbara and I responded to a request for clarification of a number of details from the MFS Committee:
- The main committee wished to ensure that all MFS activities are covered by MFS insurance, and of course the NI Trip Committee shared this view.
- The NI Trip Committee was setting overall policy. Taking into account this overall policy, travel was generally to be arranged by the travel agent and everyone who travelled to NI needed to have their own travel insurance. The dances and workshops were to be covered by NI Ballroom Dancers (NIBD) public liability insurance as NIBD were booking the venue. The musicians and callers were working directly with the music co-ordinator, as individuals not as a resource provided by the Monaro Folk Society.
The working arrangements were:
- All policy decisions were the responsibility of the NI Trip Committee (NITC) consisting of NIBD, TBDdg, the trip co-ordinator Lyn McG, and the music co-ordinator David J.
- The travel agent (Debbie from NI Travel) was to handle travel, accommodation, travel insurance, and dancing and catering packages, where required by participants. Each participant was to deal directly with the travel agent. The travel agent was to pay the dancing and catering package receipts to the NIBD as they were received, to allow NIBD to make up-front payments for venues etc.
- The NIBD was to bank all door receipts and package monies from the travel agent. After the festival was over, and final accounts have been paid and the books reconciled, NIBD was to pay the music co-ordinator David J in accordance with an agreed formula. Participants were to take care of the door and other volunteer activities, but any money taken was to be passed to NIBD for banking.
- NIBD was to pay for hall hire, sound equipment, catering, etc. from the takings. This expenditure was to be at NIBD discretion, with an accounting to NITC that was to be advised by NITC to MFS Committee.
- The workshops and dances in Norfolk Island were to be covered by NIBD public liability insurance. NIBD had already booked the venue and sound equipment and operator, and were to book catering.
- TBDdg were planning a fund-raising garage sale. This would take the form of a direct donation to the music co-ordinator to be used at his discretion to assist musicians and callers to participate in the trip.
Around the early part of 2008, Jannise from The Travel Centre NI had taken over from Debbie, and advised the names of all bookings to Barbara and me and we built up an email list so we could keep in contact with all actual participants as well as those on our potential participants list.
Lyn was fully engaged in writing emails, producing materials, and thinking through issues right up until our departure date. Lyn organised gifts and presentation materials.
Barbara and I organised the garage sale at our house on election day, as we were over the road from a voting booth. We also organised raffles to provide "seed" money to the musician co-ordinator.
Due to high costs on Norfolk Island, Barbara and I purchased supplies and arranged to spread them around many helpful participants' baggage. The musicians and dancers went "beyond the call of duty" in too many ways to list, but it made the trip totally enjoyable for all concerned.
I co-ordinated the production of the spreadsheets with pricing schedules, budget estimates and so forth.
On 17 November 2007, Barbara and I responded to a request for clarification of a number of details from the MFS Committee:
- The main committee wished to ensure that all MFS activities are covered by MFS insurance, and of course the NI Trip Committee shared this view.
- The NI Trip Committee was setting overall policy. Taking into account this overall policy, travel was generally to be arranged by the travel agent and everyone who travelled to NI needed to have their own travel insurance. The dances and workshops were to be covered by NI Ballroom Dancers (NIBD) public liability insurance as NIBD were booking the venue. The musicians and callers were working directly with the music co-ordinator, as individuals not as a resource provided by the Monaro Folk Society.
The working arrangements were:
- All policy decisions were the responsibility of the NI Trip Committee (NITC) consisting of NIBD, TBDdg, the trip co-ordinator Lyn McG, and the music co-ordinator David J.
- The travel agent (Debbie from NI Travel) was to handle travel, accommodation, travel insurance, and dancing and catering packages, where required by participants. Each participant was to deal directly with the travel agent. The travel agent was to pay the dancing and catering package receipts to the NIBD as they were received, to allow NIBD to make up-front payments for venues etc.
- The NIBD was to bank all door receipts and package monies from the travel agent. After the festival was over, and final accounts have been paid and the books reconciled, NIBD was to pay the music co-ordinator David J in accordance with an agreed formula. Participants were to take care of the door and other volunteer activities, but any money taken was to be passed to NIBD for banking.
- NIBD was to pay for hall hire, sound equipment, catering, etc. from the takings. This expenditure was to be at NIBD discretion, with an accounting to NITC that was to be advised by NITC to MFS Committee.
- The workshops and dances in Norfolk Island were to be covered by NIBD public liability insurance. NIBD had already booked the venue and sound equipment and operator, and were to book catering.
- TBDdg were planning a fund-raising garage sale. This would take the form of a direct donation to the music co-ordinator to be used at his discretion to assist musicians and callers to participate in the trip.
Around the early part of 2008, Jannise from The Travel Centre NI had taken over from Debbie, and advised the names of all bookings to Barbara and me and we built up an email list so we could keep in contact with all actual participants as well as those on our potential participants list.
Lyn was fully engaged in writing emails, producing materials, and thinking through issues right up until our departure date. Lyn organised gifts and presentation materials.
Barbara and I organised the garage sale at our house on election day, as we were over the road from a voting booth. We also organised raffles to provide "seed" money to the musician co-ordinator.
Due to high costs on Norfolk Island, Barbara and I purchased supplies and arranged to spread them around many helpful participants' baggage. The musicians and dancers went "beyond the call of duty" in too many ways to list, but it made the trip totally enjoyable for all concerned.
On Norfolk Island
Barbara and I travelled to Norfolk Island a few days before the start of the festival, to undertake preparatory work including putting up dodgers in shop windows and talking on Radio Norfolk.
In the time between organising the trip and the trip itself, ill-health had caused the decline of the NI Ballroom Dancers group. We found them to be in recess and as a result they had little involvement in running the festival. In spite of their much reduced numbers and ill-health they undertook the banking and helped in many other ways.
Things that worked well were the whole thing, but particularly when Barbara and I organised with the RSL club for our musicians to run a "War-Time Dances" session on Anzac Day. The musicians and dancers responded magnificently. Having a notice board and place for tourist dodgers etc worked well, with folk having the ability to leave messages for each other, and for us to post notices about program changes etc, all in a central location.
Barbara and I travelled to Norfolk Island a few days before the start of the festival, to undertake preparatory work including putting up dodgers in shop windows and talking on Radio Norfolk.
In the time between organising the trip and the trip itself, ill-health had caused the decline of the NI Ballroom Dancers group. We found them to be in recess and as a result they had little involvement in running the festival. In spite of their much reduced numbers and ill-health they undertook the banking and helped in many other ways.
Things that worked well were the whole thing, but particularly when Barbara and I organised with the RSL club for our musicians to run a "War-Time Dances" session on Anzac Day. The musicians and dancers responded magnificently. Having a notice board and place for tourist dodgers etc worked well, with folk having the ability to leave messages for each other, and for us to post notices about program changes etc, all in a central location.
All Over All Too Soon
It was indeed a wonderful week, covered in the links below. Barbara and I stayed on for a few days after the festival, for clean-up and a final meeting with the NI Ballroom Dancers. At this meeting we took delivery of cheques for various purposes:
- Reimbursement of Barbara and my expenses for pre-purchase of supplies etc, then
- 1% of net proceeds to be donated to MFS and
- 97% to be paid to the music co-ordinator for distribution to the musicians and callers
2% of the net proceeds of monies handled by NIBD were retained by NIBD
Not The Half Of It
It was indeed a wonderful week, covered in the links below. Barbara and I stayed on for a few days after the festival, for clean-up and a final meeting with the NI Ballroom Dancers. At this meeting we took delivery of cheques for various purposes:
- Reimbursement of Barbara and my expenses for pre-purchase of supplies etc, then
- 1% of net proceeds to be donated to MFS and
- 97% to be paid to the music co-ordinator for distribution to the musicians and callers
2% of the net proceeds of monies handled by NIBD were retained by NIBD
Not The Half Of It
This has been a fairly lengthy item, but it is still the tip of the iceberg. David Johnson was a pleasure to work with on NI as we both had similar working styles. David was in charge of the program and we were in charge of the admin and general management. We offered each other valuable advice and support, but in the end didn't try to interfere in each other's roles.
I haven't been able to cover David's assembly of musicians and callers from Australia all over, the workshops, dances and ball, the dance writing competition, and the booklets that David produced, the informal barbecues and group sightseeing, and all the volunteers who saw something that needed doing and did it.
I haven't been able to cover David's assembly of musicians and callers from Australia all over, the workshops, dances and ball, the dance writing competition, and the booklets that David produced, the informal barbecues and group sightseeing, and all the volunteers who saw something that needed doing and did it.
Norfolk Links
A reprint from 'Monaro Musings' the magazine of the Monaro Folk Society June 2008:
A reprint from 'Monaro Musings' the magazine of the Monaro Folk Society June 2008:
158 pics from Norfolk Island, including our time before and after the festival.
NI Dance Instructions
Bundanoon
NI Dance Instructions
Bundanoon
The following year, we were asked repeatedly "what will follow Norfolk?". So, David and we helped by other much-appreciated volunteers established the Bundanoon Bush Dancing festival in many ways along the same lines as the Norfolk trip. David is very much the driving force, but I am sure that David would be the first to tell you that Bundanoon would not have been born without us.
Cheers
Lance
Cheers
Lance
