SwingDJs

mousethief wrote:I doubt that exposing a scene to better dancers for a weekend makes for better local dancers - unless it's partnered with instruction. I think many scenes are having exchanges because it's cool or it's fun or it's expected of them.

Kalman

Even though I agreed with the previous poster about the over-abundance of exchanges, I have to disagree with this. Just dancing is the *best* way to get locals better... and exposing them to a large number of new dancers is always great for them.

The *best* instruction is the dance floor. This coming from someone who teaches regular lessons. That's one of the nice things about exchanges, they aren't flooded with lessons that everyone is trying to master that weekend. People are just dancing, and getting better with each dance.

yedancer wrote:

mousethief wrote:I doubt that exposing a scene to better dancers for a weekend makes for better local dancers - unless it's partnered with instruction. I think many scenes are having exchanges because it's cool or it's fun or it's expected of them.

Kalman

I would slightly disagree. There are many occasions when newer dancers in our scene were exposed to great dancers from other scenes, and this got them really excited and interested in improving.

Yeah, that's what I meant. But Jeremy said it better.

Tina

yedancer wrote:

mousethief wrote:I doubt that exposing a scene to better dancers for a weekend makes for better local dancers - unless it's partnered with instruction. I think many scenes are having exchanges because it's cool or it's fun or it's expected of them.

Kalman

I would slightly disagree. There are many occasions when newer dancers in our scene were exposed to great dancers from other scenes, and this got them really excited and interested in improving.

Yeah, I could have worded it better.

I certainly don't think scenes are improved by a massive influx of dancers from exchanges, although I would be pleased to be proved otherwise. Individual dancers might be motivated to expand their horizons, but unless the local scene can help them develop, it's lost potential. I think exchanges are more of a reward for established scenes; I don't see the same impact on smaller scenes.

Dallas has made a massive investment in securing new classes and instructors, with the end goal of giving dancers more options for growth. While another exchange might benefit us short-term (very iffy), the long-term benefits are almost nil. I would rather bankroll an ongoing class series, hire out-of-town instructors or provide seed money to another venue before hosting another exchange.

Kalman

Swifty wrote:I know I can't cook worth a lick, so I'm not going to invite a bunch of my friends over for me to cook them dinner. I'm also not going to hire a chef to come in and cook dinner for me just so I can have people over. If I really want to have a dinner party, I'm okay with going out to eat somewhere else.

I do favor using local "talent" so as to give each Exchange a unique flavor and have fought the battle in favor of paying and supporting local DJs as much as if not more than "national" ones in planning Exchanges.

However, I see absolutely no problem at all with inviting friends over for a dinner party and hiring caterers to do the work so you can spend time with your guests in your home. Especially if you cannot cook, yourself!! Having friends over to your home(town) is the point, not just showing off how good a "cook" you are.

I don't know about an exchange making an entire scene a better group of dancers, but it's definately a great boost to individual dancers. How often do you get that much practice in that little time? I know I went from barely-competent to pretty solid in the course of a couple of exchanges, and I've seen them help a lot of friends too.

It also seems like local scenes get a little "inbred," and an exchange loosens that up a bit.

mousethief wrote:I certainly don't think scenes are improved by a massive influx of dancers from exchanges, although I would be pleased to be proved otherwise. Individual dancers might be motivated to expand their horizons, but unless the local scene can help them develop, it's lost potential. I think exchanges are more of a reward for established scenes; I don't see the same impact on smaller scenes.

To add on what has been said, I can put Atlanta as a perfect example. This past year we had our first exchange and it was a great success. Not just the event itself, but to pormote dancing in Atlanta. For some reason, we have a large population of dancers that are stuck in 1996 and did not want to even try Lindy Hop. Atlanta has some exceptional dancers and instructors, but for some reason we were not able to motivate these other dancers to "dance outside the box".However, thanks to our first Lindy exchange, they were exposed to a lot of other dancers from many other places and they finally realized: There are a lot of other people that Lindy (or bal, or shag, etc)!!!". This has goten them motivated to elaern and improve and TRAVEL to other events to get better.

So yes, Exchanges can have very beneficial outcoms o smaller and larger scenes.

My two cents and now I am broke.

Nima

sounds like albanylx last night. (albany btw is a small scene but they have thrown several sucessful lxs) the sat eve dance coinscided with the monthly dance, a dance attended by many dancers "stuck in 96", as well as the dj between band breaks (ouch). i would be curious to check in on those dancers sometime after the lx and see what effect it had.


i myself have been prefering the smaller exchanges lately.

oh, and wear your bathing suit to y6a

12bars wrote:sounds like albanylx last night. (albany btw is a small scene but they have thrown several sucessful lxs) the sat eve dance coinscided with the monthly dance, a dance attended by many dancers "stuck in 96", as well as the dj between band breaks (ouch). i would be curious to check in on those dancers sometime after the lx and see what effect it had.

You could also say that the existance of many dancers remaining "stuck in 96" even after three or four exchanges only proves that exchanges don't really help build your scene.

Swifty wrote:

12bars wrote:sounds like albanylx last night. (albany btw is a small scene but they have thrown several sucessful lxs) the sat eve dance coinscided with the monthly dance, a dance attended by many dancers "stuck in 96", as well as the dj between band breaks (ouch). i would be curious to check in on those dancers sometime after the lx and see what effect it had.

You could also say that the existance of many dancers remaining "stuck in 96" even after three or four exchanges only proves that exchanges don't really help build your scene.

It is not like Exchanges are the only factors that influence the growth (or lack of growth of a scene).

Sometimes Exchanges help to grow scenes, sometimes they don't. Sometimes the effects of an Exchange are diminished or enhanced by other factors.

Swifty wrote:

12bars wrote:sounds like albanylx last night. (albany btw is a small scene but they have thrown several sucessful lxs) the sat eve dance coinscided with the monthly dance, a dance attended by many dancers "stuck in 96", as well as the dj between band breaks (ouch). i would be curious to check in on those dancers sometime after the lx and see what effect it had.

You could also say that the existance of many dancers remaining "stuck in 96" even after three or four exchanges only proves that exchanges don't really help build your scene.

i think these people are new since the last one

12bars wrote:

Swifty wrote:You could also say that the existance of many dancers remaining "stuck in 96" even after three or four exchanges only proves that exchanges don't really help build your scene.

i think these people are new since the last one

Wait, you are saying these people are new since 2003 and yet are still stuck in 1996? You just blew my mind.

Swifty wrote:

12bars wrote:

Swifty wrote:You could also say that the existance of many dancers remaining "stuck in 96" even after three or four exchanges only proves that exchanges don't really help build your scene.

i think these people are new since the last one

Wait, you are saying these people are new since 2003 and yet are still stuck in 1996? You just blew my mind.

For a lot of nondancers/new dancers, their initial perception of swing dancing is rooted in the neo-swing days of 96-99, so I can see what she means.

You know, they show up expecting aerials, zoot suits and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Swifty wrote:

12bars wrote:

Swifty wrote:You could also say that the existance of many dancers remaining "stuck in 96" even after three or four exchanges only proves that exchanges don't really help build your scene.

i think these people are new since the last one

Wait, you are saying these people are new since 2003 and yet are still stuck in 1996? You just blew my mind.

yes.

there was a jam, called, during the band break with sing sing sing done by either cpd or bbvd (i could be fuzzy on the song but it was something equily bad) during which one couple did ariels....cause no one else would dance. and im talking east coast ariels. oh and a couple of guys did es together.

the band btw was paul tillotson trio, so except for the band breaks the music was good