A Word About Quality

This is an invitation that I hope you will take me up on.

If everybody would take the time to really think out a post and write an "essay"-type message, I think the Dance Forum readers would really appreciate that. While it's fun to talk amongst ourselves and play games like the "song game", I would greatly appreciate it if about once per month, you would put on your "thinking cap" and post something that could be of benefit to dancers.

Here are some ideas, but the possibilities are limitless:
1) something about the history of a dance
2) all about dancing in [insert your location]
3) anything about dance technique
4) biographical info about a famous dancer
5) dance instruction
6) teaching techniques
7) advice for competitors

If everyone could submit something like this once per month, I think it will contribute to making the Dance Forums a great resource for all.

I think this is a great idea, DM. It's really amazing to me how much combined knowledge there is in the members of this forum. It would be so great if people shared more of what they know.

A couple more things I want to say about this, after some reflection.

One is, I think a lot of people feel comfortable playing the games, but don't feel comfortable posting technical stuff. Why? Maybe they're new, and don't feel they know much of importance to share. Maybe they're afraid of getting shot down or looking foolish in a public forum. *shrug* I'm not sure why else, but let me address those two things.

1. Everybody has something to share, because everybody has a unique experience. Okay, so maybe you don't know the finer points of waltz footwork and timing. But you do know what brought you to dance in the first place and what you've experienced since then. If nothng else, you know of a technical question you'd like answered. Or you can look up a dance resource on the web, in a magazine, a book, or a video. That's valuable too, because it furthers high level dance discussion.

2. This is why it becomes even more important that we all treat each other, and our views, with a high level of respect. It's scary for some people to put their view out there for scrutiny. That's why DF has to be a safe place for us all. Even if I say something grossly stupid, I deserve to be treated with kindness, while I get set straight.


I hope this helps.

One of the things I've been thinking about doing is diarising my involvement with UCanDance, because I think that our setup is quite different to the learning to dance experiences of others on the forums. I'll just have to be fairly careful about writing about other people in a public setting like this.

Cheers
Sarah

This is a great idea DM! I'd be more than happy to do that

Thanks, everybody. I certainly don't want anyone to feel like this is a requirement. I just want to encourage people to make a contribution that contributes to the ever-increasing body of knowlege we have here. I don't want to discourage normal conversation and fun, but I think it's also nice when people take the time to share something meaningful.

Just an idea for everyone who feels that they don't have anything wise to contribute - a good[1] question that gets the more experienced members dredging their brains and replying can be as good as something of your own.

I'm thinking of the pitiful swivel thread here........
Cheers
Sarah

[1]No such thing as a bad question!

Sarah said:

[1]No such thing as a bad question!

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Just don't tell my students that!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

SDsalsaguy said:

Sarah said:

[1]No such thing as a bad question!

Click to expand...

Just don't tell my students that!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Ok - what's your best one been? Mine has to be `why can't you see air?'.
It'd a deeper question than you might think, on a number of levels.

Cheers
Sarah

I love the "what are the readings for this week?" type ones. Umm, Hello! What's so difficult about just looking at the syllabus?

ADDENDUMS

DanceMentor,
It's an overdue topic and I'm all for it. There are three addendum's I would like to suggest so that no one is discouraged from contributing:
1) Allow the essay to stand unmolested neither by critiques or compliments. These responses usually clutter up the essay itself and detract from the beauty of the essay itself.
2) An essay should not be 'One Liners'. A moderator should determine what qualifies appropriately as an Essay for this thread.
3) An appropriate Title for these essays should chosen. These Essays need as More sophisticated title. Why not ask for suggestions for a title from the readers for Essays?
Black Sheep

I believe the purpose of these essays would be to encourage discussion... if we were to not allow response then we would be defeating our own purpose as a discussion forum. I know that I would certainly appreciate feedback... especially if I said something incorrect or not fully accurate or explored-- that way I could learn somthing.

I feel it is also important to not confuse length with depth because while they may often go hand in hand, they are not the same.

We need to spread knowledge the best we can, even if it is one liners or people who maybe not as eloquent as others. Their ideas, comments, as far fetch some might see them, are still very much valid. What purpose serves to posses knowledge and not willing to spread it, or explain confusion by others about it?

The clutter is good because they will all be opinions and valid points by other members. Just because someone doesn't see them at their level it doesn't mean they are ridicuolus, they only mean that a given member needs help, is doing what he thinks is necessary to get help, or express a stance on a give subject. We can't alienate others because we are afraid our essays are way above others IQ that they aren't worthy of speaking about our essays.

Re: ADDENDUMS

Black Sheep said:

DanceMentor,
It's an overdue topic and I'm all for it. There are three addendum's I would like to suggest so that no one is discouraged from contributing:
1) Allow the essay to stand unmolested neither by critiques or compliments. These responses usually clutter up the essay itself and detract from the beauty of the essay itself.
2) An essay should not be 'One Liners'. A moderator should determine what qualifies appropriately as an Essay for this thread.
3) An appropriate Title for these essays should chosen. These Essays need as More sophisticated title. Why not ask for suggestions for a title from the readers for Essays?
Black Sheep

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1/ I would be bitterly disappointed if something I wrote didn't get any replies, critical or otherwise.

2/ One liners have their place - but believe me no-one is going to mistake them for sophisticated comment on the subject of dance.

3/ I imagine each piece - not necessarily an essay, would probably be the start of its own thread, in the appropriate forum and under its own title. An essay on how and why to achieve `tango-face' would not go in the swing forum, 'frinstance.
This thread is a request for such pieces, not necessarily a place to put them.

Cheers
Sarah

agreed

Borlkin,
Could not agree with you more! I was practically illiterate when I got out of the AAF in 1945, a high school drop out jock.

It took me 17 years to get my BA from UCLA. I am doing what I do to spread knowledge and motivate others. When I mention those 'one liners' you would know the kind of OL's I'm talking about.
If you notice, almost all my signatures have 'one liners' attached to them. So it is not only the ''one liners' per se , but those OL's that are not productive, non funny, nonsense that diminishes the textual messages of an essay.
So I agree with you completely in principal. And I would never prevent anyone, OL's or otherwise from expressing themselves. It is only in the thread, 'Quality' that I believe the OL's are not an appropriate place to Post for reasons I have already expressed.
And I see who you are through your commentaries, and welcome you aboard. And OL's from you I'm sure would be productive at any level, but why not keep 'Quality' a secure place to post Essays without the 'clutter of OL's or "constructive comments". An Essay is usually a personal insightive expression, a complete thematic thought; it takes a lot of courage to stick your neck out in an Essay, and the thought that it might be criticized or worse, 'IGNORED' is enough to discourage even thick skinned people like myself. Let the 'Quality' Essays enjoy immunity of any kind good, bad or ignored!
Black Sheep 'Free Speech is a Privilege, Abused by Tyrants', OL'er Joe Lanza 2003 a.d..