Lloyd's Proposal I would like to once again submit my proposal for a Mainstream dance and class (http://www.thewranglers.org/forum/f014.htm). You are all well aware of the precarious state of the Wrangler Club. Membership has dropped From 69 members last year to 52 this year despite the graduation of 8 class members. At this rate, if all 20 of the new class members join when they graduate, we will still see an overall decline of 5 members this year. I doubt if we will get any new members from other clubs or square dancers moving into the area. The only source for new members is through the class. The only way to do that is to increase the number of times the class can recruit new members. There are several ideas to accomplish this: 1. The ABC program (http://www.squaredanceabc.com/). This could be utilized to introduce people to the joys of square dancing and also provide a way to introduce new dancers to a class in progress (probably up to 8 weeks into the class) 2. Sponsor a square dance camp (http://www.scvsda.org/cgi-bin/classinfo.cgi?c=yrr200504). This could bring a group of people up to the currant class level in a few days or weeks. In an extreme case, a camp could bring a group up to Mainstream or Plus level. 3. Adopt a multi-tier system for the class (http://www.dosado.com/articles/1010-2.html). This kind of structure has been used with good success by the Whirlaways. 4. My proposal (http://www.thewranglers.org/forum/f014.htm). Sponsor a weekly Mainstream dance and offer two Mainstream classes a year. The first two options require a lot of effort to hold a one time event. The third option is definitely worth looking at, but it is my understanding that it was tried by the Wranglers before and there wasn't enough support for it to succeed. My proposal is the easiest to implement, uses the support that is currently available, and has the best chance of getting positive results. Basically, all that is needed is a restructure of the timetable of Wednesday nights and to get out publicity to promote the Mainstream dance. The objections I've heard so far: 1. The by-Laws require us to teach to Plus level. - I couldn't find any such entry to the by-laws. If I missed it or misinterpreted the by-laws, then we will have to change them. 2. Ray won't go along with the changes in teaching format, dance format, and/or style. - I've talked with Ray and he seemed willing to go along with anything that might help the club. He does have a copy of my proposal so he's not unaware of the changes that I'm proposing. In his entry to the Forum before it was removed (http://www.thewranglers.org/forum/f010.htm), he expressed support for change. 3. We will lose dancers when they go to another club to learn Plus. - We lose a good percentage of our class at the halfway mark. The realization hits them that they are looking at another 3 or 4 months before they can dance with the club and, if they feel insecure with their currant skills, they may hesitate to plunge in deeper. Instead, if they graduate Mainstream at that point, they probably become dues paying members and continue to dance on Wednesdays. They will probably still come early and become angels (a commodity we can not have too much of). They will be enthusiastic and want to bring their friends to the next class. Also, if the dancers are thinking of dropping because they have missed lessons and/or are feeling insecure with their ability, they have the opportunity to continue dancing as the next class is starting right away. If the Mainstream graduates express any interest in learning Plus dancing, we should encourage them to continue with Plus instruction at the other clubs that offer it. We may lose some when they graduate Plus, but I think it will be minimal... and fewer than the number we would lose if they had continued with Plus instruction at the Wranglers. After all, as Plus dancers, they will want to dance on Fridays with people they have met and danced with throughout their Mainstream experience. In a conversation it was mentioned that this 3rd reason (losing class graduates to other clubs that teach Plus) is a primary concern. Therefore, I would like to expand my comment as to why I think we will lose fewer of our Mainstream graduates to other clubs than we would if we pressed on through Plus lessons: 1. The graduates have already demonstrated they have Wednesdays free. They may not be available to dance on Fridays. If they were to migrate to a Plus club, they would have to find a club that doesn't dance on Fridays and we would lose them regardless if they learned Plus from us or elsewhere. 2. They already are in the habit of dancing on Wednesdays. There is no reason to think they will discontinue that when they start Plus lessons. After all, other than a few miscellaneous dances, the Wednesday dances will be their only opportunity to dance outside of a class until they learn Plus. 3. They know the Wrangler club members. When they graduate Plus, if they are available on Fridays, they will probably pick the Wranglers to dance with. Remember, they have danced with Wranglers for their entire square dance life and at least 3 months of that time has been in a Dance environment. 4. "I don't want the Wranglers to get the reputation of being a Mainstream club," "I won't support a Mainstream club," "I don't want to be associated with a Mainstream club," etc. - I don't have an answer if these comments are due to sheer snobbishness. The reputation of the Wranglers is an important consideration, however. Frankly, the reputation of the Wranglers is currently tarnished as the level of the Friday Plus dances decreases. We are getting fewer and fewer of the strong dancers visiting our events. If the Wranglers dance 6 or 7 times a month rather than just twice a month, the Wrangler membership will become more proficient as they gain floor time. The improvement in Mainstream skills will reflect positively on quality of the floor level of our Plus dances. 5. A Mainstream club was tried before and it folded. - I doubt if that club had the advantage of holding two plus dances a month. The Wranglers will remain a Plus club. The only difference in the club dances is that we will be offering additional dances at Mainstream level on the same night as we hold class. 6. The Mainstream dance will be a dumping place for the weak dancers and not be fun. - I haven't heard this objection, but personally, it is my biggest concern about this proposal. To minimize that effect, I've proposed calling the tips in Mainstream in increasing difficulty throughout the night. The stronger dancers tend to stay for all the dances and the floor level should improve as the evening progresses. We would have to work with Ray to iron out the details to make this work. If you think my proposal has merit, please promote it to the other board members before the next board meeting. Hopefully it can be discussed and approved at the next board meeting and implemented in the following couple of weeks. If we are to adopt this proposal, it cannot be delayed for long. Once the class progresses much farther, it will be too late to implement and we will lose a full year before we can try it again... and there will be a dozen or so fewer members available to help make it work. Lloyd's Previous Observations and Proposal Back to Su's Square Dance Home Page