Workshops
Portland Intown Contra Dance sometimes offers workshops in-person and online for groups of contra dance callers, event organizers and dancers. For instance, dancers can get an introduction to the basics of calling, active callers can learn bring their skills to the next level, organizers can improve their community outreach and keep things awesome, and we can all dig into topics that are relevant to our shared folkways.
This is the kind of thing you register in advance for.
Topics We’ve HOSTED for callers
Calling 101: An introduction to contra dance calling for experienced contra dancers with zero calling experience
Walk-Through Techniques for Mixed Crowds: Please experienced dancers with brief walk-throughs that get newer dancers up to speed quickly
Applause-Worthy Beginner Lessons: Get newer dancers feeling capable and included quickly in smaller or larger crowds
Picking Good Dances: Advanced skills in recognizing bad contra choreography and honing in on collecting good dances for your repertoire
Utilizing Variety: Learn how to design an experiential journey for contra dancers through choreographic and musical variety
Challenging Dancers Just Enough: Learn exactly what makes a dance too complex or just right for your crowd
Programming and Reading Dancers: Build a great program of dances in advance and recognize signals on the fly to help you choose the right dances in the moment
Leading Great Community Dances: Succeed at calling gigs with very few or no participants who regularly attend contra dance events, such as community dances, weddings, and family dances
Working with musicians: What callers need to know about the mechanics of traditional music, communicating with musicians, and navigating unexpected outcomes presented by musicians
Special topics by guest workshop leaders
If you are interested in workshops for callers but can’t register for any right now, let Dugan know by emailing him at dugan@portlandintowncontradance.com. He’ll reach out the next time we schedule more workshops!
Topics We’ve HOSTED for Organizers
Attracting and Retaining Dancers: Cultivate dancer relationships, resulting in a dance community full of incredible people, incredibly dedicated to your series
Cultivating an Outstanding Culture: Attract and retain great people who believe deeply in your series
Attracting, Managing & Retaining Volunteers: Manage volunteer relationships, which result in a dance community made possible by incredible people, incredibly dedicated to your cause
If you are interested in workshops for callers but can’t register for any right now, let Dela know by emailing her at dela@portlandintowncontradance.com. She’ll reach out the next time we schedule more workshops!
TOPICS WE’VE HOSTED FOR EVERYBODY
Cultural Appropriation in American Folkways: Inquire into cultural objects, styles and music in our folkways that have been impacted by cultural appropriation and develop ways to think about, acknowledge and address cultural appropriation. This workshop is hosted by musicians Kafari and Jake Hoffmann
If you are interested workshops but can’t register for any right now, let Dela know by emailing her at dela@portlandintowncontradance.com. She’ll reach out the next time we schedule more!
