Editorial

From Bill Boyd

There has been many times in this column that I have preached for continuing education for all of us in the square dance world. This continuing education comes from a variety of sources. Reading: there are many good books on marketing and salesmanship to give us ideas on club and personal growth. Dancers and club leaders can attend local callers and cuers meetings to work with and improve communications and develop ideas for improving our activity. Dancers, Club leaders, callers and cuers can attend area and state meetings to seek other means of communication. What do the dancers want and how can we accommodate our audiences? I know of no professional organization that doe not work to improve their craft or skills.

Professional singers continue to receive coaching, teachers, lawyers, physicians, plumbers, and even auto mechanics all continue their education finding new and better ways to serve the public. This article on continuing education includes callers. Are you going to a Caller’s School? There are several advertised in this publication and other magazines have these schools and others advertised. Yes, Caller Schools are great for beginners who have never picked up a microphone. However most caller’s schools can work with and improve the skill level of any caller who attends.

I overheard one of the instructors (a highly experienced caller) at a callers school say, “I never thought of that, let me write that down and use it.” In the printing business I attend two seminars a year, one local to Central Florida where I am located and one in the Southeast portion of the United States, usually either in Miami or Atlanta. Many times I go as a spokesperson or seminar leader, most of the time I come away receiving more than I give. I am not suggesting that you attend two callers schools a year, I am suggesting that once every other year might be a good idea.

If you choose not to attend at least get together with some of the other callers in your area and work on self improvement techniques. Singers receive coaching, we are singers; choreographers continue to learn, we are choreographers; entertainers continue to take classes to improve their skills, we are entertainers; there are numerous courses for social directors, we are the social directors for our club; there are books, tapes, seminars and more on salesmanship, we are the salespersons for our activity. Ongoing education can help us in any and all of these pursuits. We can all get better, we can all learn and we can all put more fun back into Square Dancing.