2004 saw a big upsurge of interest in dancing. Despite its clumsy title and corny format, the BBC show 'Strictly Come Dancing' has convinced many thousands of people that the ability to dance is an important and attractive social skill and that dancing is a pleasurable activity. Given that we've got a superior product, what can dance organisers, callers and bands do to sell country dancing to the general public?
If you're a dance organiser, when did you last send out a press release announcing a significant event or anniversary for your club? How about keeping the local papers and local radio informed of your forthcoming programme? Or, since that's what we're talking about, the fact that you hope to pick up new people as a result of the increased interest in dance?
Local (and especially free) newspapers are hungry for material to fill up their pages. But make it clear by stating it in the heading that this is a press release. You don't want them to 'mistake' it for an advert and charge you. You can also send your press release to local radio stations but your message needs to be more snappy. You probably stand more chance of getting a mention on BBC Local Radio, but the commercial stations shouldn't be overlooked.
What kind of coverage are you looking for? Well, you want to be taken seriously. Over the years, some callers and bands have hammed it up with the result that many people associate our style of dancing with a 'check shirt and stetson' image. You need to counteract this. Stress how, for hundreds of years, country dancing has provided a focus for celebrations right across the social spectrum. Point out that dancing was regarded as an important part of a young person's education. And, of course, in our style of dancing, there are no judges to mark you down for minor transgressions; just encouragement and helpful advice. Country dancing is not competitive, more collaborative.
If you're a caller or a band member, what do you do when you get a booking? Do you just sit back and leave the organiser to promote the dance? What is stopping you sending out your own press release? Why not get some publicity posters printed and pass a few on to the dance organiser? The venue will undoubtedly be used for other purposes, so a poster will be helpful. There'll probably be a library or local shop that will display a poster. The posters should have a blank square so that the organiser can write in the event details and a phone number for ticket enquiries.
It would be true to say that we have lagged behind in using new technology. Very few dance clubs in this country have web sites and classic dance albums are only now appearing on CD, more than twenty years after the format was introduced. American dance enthusiasts must be amazed at how backward we are. They've been using e-mail for years to advertise their events.
In the pop music world, the 'enhanced CD' is a name given to a disc that you can play in your CD player and you can also insert it into your computer and view video footage of a concert. Given the fact that we now have affordable digital camcorders and video editing software, why has no one thought of producing a short video of country dance basics that could turn a band's CD into an 'enhanced CD'? Now there's a good project for the EFDSS.
But, getting back to paper media, I can't remember the last time I saw a country dance club advertised in a What's On magazine aimed at the general public. Then there are leaflets produced by councils. Link your press release to the idea of getting the British public more active and you could be successful. If you don't get any response at first, keep trying. After all, people won't come if they don't know you're there.