by Mike Seastrom, reprinted with permission from August, 2011, American Square Dance
You’ve just got to love our new dancers. Their eyes show so much enthusiasm. Their joy in moving rhythmically to music can be amazing and contagious, and theyare so much fun to dance with. A few might need a little encouragement from time to time, and some may not always be smooth, but despite a few minor challenges, they are very special.
Many of our experienced dancers have discovered this and spend time year after year “angeling” classes. With the right spirit, these “angels” can make the new-dancer experience better. Most of us can remember being a new dancer. If you stop and think about it a little, I’m sure a smile will pop up on your face when you recall some of the fun things that happened.
Here are a few points you might consider when caring for your new dancers. First, is to greet them when they come in the door like they were very special guests in your own home. Act like you haven’t seen them in a while (even if you have), and let them know how nice it is to see them. That type of enthusiastic greeting is not only contagious, but it can make a person’s day. Believe me, you will get that extra effort and energy back many times over.
The second point is to get to know all your new dancers’ names. I’m sure you’ve heard that there is no sweeter sound to a person’s ear than the sound of his or her own name. This may take some effort, but it will payoff. Help your caller by providing a written list of new dancers so he or she can learn the names too.
Try to make each class night as much like a “new-dancer dance” as possible. Have continuous refreshments or a short refreshment break. It makes the evening more special and there’s something more social about eating and talking. I guess that’s why most people migrate to the kitchen or hang around the food when we have guests in our own homes.
Celebrate holidays and other calendar events with decorations and special refreshments in those themes. Even an occasional special event like a “Men’s Cake Bake” contest or a “Bring Your Favorite Cookies” night can add someÂthing special to a “new-dancer dance” night. A simple plan and some slight extra effort to make our new dancer proÂgram more special cannot only keep your existing new dancers coming back, it can make them more exited about bringing their family, friends, and co-workers to your club the next time you begin your new dancer program.
Another point is to include your new dancers in your club functions. Having them attend picnics, theater nights, baseball games, holiday parties and other non-dancing club events can help to socially integrate the new dancers into your group and gives them even more incentive to be active. If your club prints a newsletter, include your new dancers with the articles of interest, birthday/anniversary listings, and other noteworthy features. Even if your club doesn’t consider these new dancers to be members yet, including them with an asterisk by their name indicating “special new dancer” gives them well-deserved recognition and introduces them to your club members as well
Most new-dancer programs have coordinators. These coordinators can be in charge of an on-going contact list. This contact list should not only include members of your current new-dancer group but can also include members from your last group that didn’t join your club. It can also include people that signed up for information at your most recent demonstrations. Your current new dancers can be contacted, by a personal phone call if possible, when they miss a night. People can also be called when there is another opportunity to join your new dancer program. These personal phone calls show you care and that these people are important to you and your group.
If your new dancers have missed nights or are behind, provide opportunities for them to make up what they’ve missed. Hold private gatherings in someone’s home and bring food to make it more fun. Don’t square dancers have the best “pot luck” events? These new dancer review events not only help new dancers catch up to the rest of the group, it strengthens the social ties that keep them coming back. It will also help them in their decision to join your club. These make-up sessions can also be done before or after your regular “new-dancer dance” night.
Many clubs assign or seek volunteers from their members to be “personal angels”or “mentors” to each of their new dancers or new-dancer couples. Most begin this at graduation, but some have even initiated this as the new Âdancer program closes after the third or fourth week. These “mentors” introduce their new dancers to others in the club, provide guidance and encouragement, contact them if they miss a night, and even share rides to the “new dancer dances” and other non-dancing club events. This is a great personal touch, and if the “mentors” are matched according to compatibility characteristics like age, living location, occupation, and other like attributes, great friendships can result and the new dancers are much more likely to stay with the new dancer program and join the club. Consider the above suggestions and try some ideas of your own. Just a little extra effort with your new dancer program can make it more successful and help your club grow. Good luck and have fun!