Appendix A Further ideas for "Spreading the news about SCD as something for everyone"

Recommendation 1: Develop a RSCDS Toronto Association marketing strategy around a 21st Century image

Develop new advertising materials with a new image to correlate flyers, business cards, advertising for social groups, etc. to fit the 21st century.

Develop a marketing strategy with specific attractions for each target group, which social groups can adapt for their own purposes.

Build on current enthusiasm for things Celtic and Scottish.

Look for an Association member or friend, or community college class in advertising or public relations, or PR/advertising firm, to work with us (with no charge) to develop new materials.

Approach the local media, e.g. Toronto Star, Eye Weekly, Now Magazine, to do an article on us and our efforts to renew the Association and to gain new members.

Message: include attraction of exercise, social character of dance, you don't have to be Scottish or to have a partner or a kilt to come, fun, mental stimulation and challenge, great music, (See newsletter report on results of membership survey)

Recommendation 2: Identify groups of potential dancers and target promotional materials towards them

Welcome all groups and individuals. Suggestions for particular groups follow:

Children

Contact churches with youth groups. Contact Girl Guides and Boy Scouts which are becoming more multicultural. Adults with young children might join a social group whose members took turns baby-sitting the children. Recruit among "retired" highland dancers.

Try to get into schools as a life-long learning activity. Advertise classes for children in local papers just before school starts, with open house and demo. Emphasize benefits of music and dance to brain development. Have a babysitting service for young parents. Advertise at children's dance schools, or add SCD classes there. Incorporate into after-school programs (taught by volunteer dancer?). Have demos at schools by children of the same age group.

Have afternoon dancing for stay-at-home mothers and children.

Drop price for under 18s to attend social groups or dances.



Families

Involve parents, and increase opportunities for family learning and dancing.

Encourage parents to join social groups and Association classes.

Appeal to inter-generational activity for families.

Young people

Have group for 13-18 year olds.

Demos and outreach to University and community college students should be focus as they have lots of enthusiasm, interest, some leisure time, and learn quickly. Also target people between late 20's and early 40's, who may stay committed for significant periods of time. At a workshop, have a class just with young people with a young-at-heart teacher for a part of the day.

Set up a program leading to a demo team: beginners/middle/top levels. Move them through and have them represent the Toronto Association at various community events. Give them a goal like a sports program does.

Put a priority on attracting young people as they might dance for many years. If we don't get lots of young people those who come won't stay.

Promote on community TV, Global, City TV, CFTO, which appeal to young people.

Men

Diminish barrier for men of cost of kilt etc. by assisting to find second hand.

Welcome despite lack of kilt, and indicate that a dark business suit can be worn at more formal dances.

Single women

Respect single women, don't leave them to dance only with each other.

Boomers

Target boomers as they are looking for a social activity, have the time and have the money. They're interested in clan identification and their roots.

Seniors

Advertise (e.g. article in Superannuated Teachers Newsletters, for Ontario and for York, etc, and in Today's Senior).

Hold daytime classes for seniors in Senior centres, and have materials to encourage Seniors' families or friends to start dancing. Have simpler dances suited to older feet and legs.

Other cultural communities and other dance groups

Reach out, offer to do demonstrations, attend their dancing events, and welcome their members to join our dancing e.g. Irish dancers, contra dancers.

Welcome singles and people of diversity (colour, ethnicity, sexuality).

Recommendation 3: Develop specific strategies to demonstrate the fun and sociability of SCD

Develop a video for advertising, including a demo, history of SCD, and music

At all events or demonstrations, or Dancing in the Park, hand out publicity identifying social groups, have participation dances if feasible, use microphone to encourage joining

Set up class at Harbourfront

Find a teacher to teach a class on Cable TV community channel

Develop a leaflet to encourage all social groups to do demonstrations in their areas. The following material could be included:

Groups to approach to do demonstrations: recreation leaders, or physical education leaders (or at their training courses), schools (demos by younger dancers) etc.

Locations for demos: places of high visibility, fundraisers, open air. Community festivals (e.g. Carassauga, Harbourfront), multi-cultural events, other cultural group activities, weddings

Planning demonstrations: clarify purpose of demonstration: e.g. to publicize SCD? to show dancing? to show costumes? to entertain (for example in nursing homes)?, to recruit new dancers? Is it a combination of all of these reasons? If you haven't used a demonstration to attract new members, consider this now.

If the purpose is to draw in potential dancers have the demo in a place where there are potential dancers.

If the advanced level of dancing could make the audience feel that SCD is too hard to learn, then talk about a welcome and classes for beginners.

Include participation dances e.g. Gay Gordons.

Promotion at demonstration: At every demonstration hand out leaflets with information on local dancing opportunities, and classes for adults and children. Be sure there is an extra person available to spot potential dancers in the audience, talk to them, and hand out the material.

When introducing the demonstration include a welcome to new dancers, identify who in the audience is a contact for leaflets and more information, where to get information by telephone and the Internet, and what is the nearest group. Clarify differences between highland and SCD.

Plan for follow-up contact with potential dancers by getting their names and phone numbers, and have someone responsible for phoning to see if they would like to observe a social group, come to Association classes, etc.

Recommendation 4: As individuals, make special efforts to introduce others to SCD

Provide business cards for members to distribute to potential new dancers.

Keep members aware our future is in their hands, ask them to actively recruit.

Ask members to make particular efforts to welcome and to assist new dancers, and to dance with at least one person you don't know at each event.



Recommendation 5: Investigate all possible areas of opportunity for distribution of promotional materials

Distribute promotional materials at community centre, School Board, Scottish clubs, Haliburton summer course or other courses, St. Andrews Ball, other dance groups e.g. contra, square dancing, folk dancing, overseas club, ceilidhs, schools, churches, community events, workplaces, youth associations, health and fitness clubs, and bars where people of Scottish/Celtic descent gather, Cape Breton Society dances (every 6 months), contra, Cajun, St. Andrew's Society, Celtic Studies Program at U of T, and the Celtic weekend at Harbourfront in early September, fiddle competitions, cultural events.

List in phone book under Scottish country dancing and have a central phone # with a recorded message for other contacts.

Advertise or get features on Dennis Snowdon's Scottish broadcast, Scottish Banner, Clans and Scottish Society of Canada Newsletter.

Advertise or obtain publicity in local newspapers: e.g. Town Crier, Bayview News, university and community college papers and bulletin boards, electronic bulletin boards

Advertise in PBS or TV Ontario newsletters

List in Star What's on

Advertise or get a feature on community TV, Global, City TV, CFTO, which appeal to young people.



Appendix B - Newcomers Welcome Package

We suggest developing a package to distribute to newcomers at beginners classes and in social groups, and put on the website. This could be developed by a committee of teachers, beginners and other experts. The following things could be included in this package:


Appendix C - Providing activities for diverse groups of dancers

New dancers

Have a regular section in newsletter for and about beginners

Classes are the best way to learn efficiently. The Executive should work toward classes for beginners in every geographic area. These classes may be provided by the Association, or by individual teachers.

Have Association classes starting both in September and in January. In beginner classes it's discouraging to have to go back to the beginning when dancers join late. Encourage experienced dancers to attend beginner classes to help. Provide extra help for those having difficulty.

The very best teachers should be invited to teach beginners classes.

For beginners who do not choose to go to Association classes, social groups that welcome beginners can be identified in every geographic area. The social groups may wish to have a beginners' portion, or a half hour review of basics, at the beginning of social groups, to integrate beginners and to keep up standards among other dancers.

Diverse ways for beginners to progress quickly include weekend workshops, one day intensive workshops, special events for new or intermediate dancers, and practice at social groups before monthly dances. Special events include activities such as the September "Bring-a-Friend Dance, casual friendly dances, and novel events like the Tacky Beach Party.

Promote membership and dancing at all events and hand out materials on classes and social groups.

Have more dances at monthly dances which are identified as suited for beginning or intermediate dancers, such as ceilidh dances

Hand out dance descriptions for upcoming dances at classes and at the end

of Monthly Dances, so people can practice on their own.

Have one day intensive workshop to teach beginners enough basics to

participate in monthly dances.

Teach easy dances on upcoming monthly dance program at Association classes.

Develop a special badge for newer dancers to encourage experienced dancers to dance with them.

Hold beginners' practices before monthly dances (an hour or night before)

Have special balls for newer dancers

Include a few "ceilidh" dances on monthly dance programs



Intermediate and new dancers

Hold ceilidhs or mix SCD and ceilidh dances on programs (as in Irish dance programs where they alternate between set dances, which are more complicated, and ceilidh dances which everyone can do, so the whole community dances together.)

* Facilitate connection between classes and social groups by having members of social groups attend branch classes to talk about social classes. More heterogenous social groups then emerge which should be more supportive for new dancers and more fun for all concerned.

Some new dancers have expressed the view that when beginners are introduced to too many new dances, formations, or steps too soon, they become frustrated with having to learn new dances before they have mastered the previous ones. Many want dances taught the previous week to be repeated.

Advanced dancers

Have more demonstration and technique classes for advanced dancers as requested

Identify some social groups for advanced dancers

Ensure there are a number of more demanding dances, suited for experienced dancers, at monthly dances, and identify them for participation for more experienced dancers.


Children

Continue with Gala Day for children. Consider competition for children's groups.

Young people

The Association has to focus on encouraging young dancers at college and universities. Students are short of money so arrange classes at no cost and on site of college or university so no transportation needed. These students may become life-long dancers.

Dancing has to be fun for young people, and a sufficiently large group must be recruited as young people will not stay without their peers. Any significant degree of rigidity in terms of etiquette and behaviour will discourage them..

Families

Plan for families and young children to dance together, with events like outdoor dancing with picnics. (Or dancing with indoor picnics in winter).


Monthly dances

When programming monthly dances the different needs of dancers should be taken into account. Have the balance of monthly dance programs suited for intermediate dancers, as these events get the highest attendance, allow more members to participate, and encourage new dancers. Have a number of dances identified as more demanding, and suggest less experienced dancers may want to sit out.

Identify the dances according to the level of difficulty so beginners can skip the more difficult dances. Have a badge for newcomers to encourage support. Distribute briefing sheets at monthly dances for the next month's dance so people can prepare.

Have very difficult dances at social groups, and/or special groups for very experienced dancers

Consider changing date for monthly dance as some current monthly dances fall on holiday weekends. Note contra dancers are a potential source of new dancers, and their dances (run on 2nd, 4th and 5th Saturdays of the month).

Run through monthly dance programs at last social group before monthly dance.

One-day (Saturday) intensive introductory workshops could teach beginners enough of the basics for them to participate in the monthly dances. Create these opportunities several times a year. Combine these workshops with a dance program which makes it possible for beginners to participate in a reasonable number of dances.

Have difficult dances mid-way in the program, not at the end when people are tired. Continue to walk through monthly dances as needed. Advise beginners of difficult dances they may want to sit out.

Remind people that monthly dance programs appear in the newsletter ahead of time so that dancers can study them beforehand. Have leaflets and dance books available at monthly dances so people can buy them.



Other Events

Increase dancing opportunities for beginning and intermediate dancers by holding informal dances (like the Tacky Beach Party, family dancing, picnics, workshops) which are inclusive, family and community oriented and focused on fun. Program for intermediate and beginner dancers to their decrease anxiety and worry and increase enjoyment and comfort. These opportunities will increase skill levels and enjoyment.

Have some combined sessions of intermediate and beginning dancers at branch classes so beginners can dance with and meet experienced dancers.

Advertise Celtic activities in our Newsletter that our members might wish to attend, e.g. social outings to visiting bands, etc., and invite Celtic groups to come to our dances.

Continue with "September bring a friend dance", and incorporate handouts to introduce newcomers to social groups and Association classes, and/or have more introductory social evenings

Dance in summer at Kew Beach, which has a band stand, good TTC connection, lots of people of Scottish descent. Have a float in the Easter Parade to publicize it. Emphasize Scottish cultural aspects.

Have more family nights, or daytime events, or summer picnics, with easy dances, so families can dance together.

Sponsor afternoon dances - i.e. Sunday miscellany or Sunday tea dances.

Have one week at Dancing in the Park programmed for children.

Offer more informal summer activities (try to find location with no parking costs).

Maintain geographically distributed and frequent workshops. Ways are needed to improve the calibre/level of dancing. Advanced technique classes are often requested.

Investigate possibility of daytime social groups and classes, particularly for seniors.

Keep members informed of out of town events, and foster connection with dancers outside the GTA, and attendance at each other's dances. Offer billets.

Continue class for practice before Tartan Ball.

Make it comfortable at balls for those who don't have the kilt, by advertising that a black business suit is an alternative to the kilt.

Suggest "warmup" activities for individual dancers and for class teachers, together with programming ideas to minimize the risk of injury during the course of a dance activity. Sample articles and information are provided in the full report to the Executive.


Appendix D - Area Groups - potential activities

Jointly plan publicity for all groups in the area: including flyers, advertising, television appearances, community newspaper coverage, demonstrations and local campaigns to increase membership.

Review classes and activities in the area to see if opportunities exist for dancing for all groups of dancers: from beginners to advanced, children to seniors. Plan to fill gaps if needed.

Plan for membership expansion in the geographic area.

Do groups wish to be designated and advertised as suited for beginners, intermediate or advanced dancers?

If there is a need for Association classes in the area to approach the Executive for assistance in initiating them if needed.

Establish links so beginners know how to move on to social groups.

Explore joint sponsorship of dance parties, family dancing, ceilidhs, summer events, balls, and local picnics with dancing afterwards.

Develop area flyers listing all area groups and share work of putting flyers in libraries, etc.

Visit each other's dances and have guest nights.

Identify local Scottish shops and local Scottish related activities for demonstrations, posting notices, offering to dance at weddings etc.

Contact local Boards of Education and Parks and Recreation Departments to introduce classes into recreation programs.

Foster connections between young people and children and social groups.



Appendix E - Music and Musicians

Comments from our membership survey:

"I'd like more attention paid to our music. I'd like a workshop for musicians." "Develop an appreciation and understanding of our music by holding workshops on music and dance, to link them together. Explain differences between jigs, reels, and history of development. Draw in St. Andrew's society, ceilidh groups, Celtic musicians, Gaelic-language associations, ASTA, St. Michael's College Celtic Arts fair, etc. and jointly sponsor events."

Connect with young musicians and draw them into playing for social groups and for balls.

"I'd like more attention to music, e.g. a workshop for amateur musicians led by a knowledgeable person, so that even if I can't dance in the future I can participate through music. I'd be more willing to pay for this than for a ball."

Do dancing demonstrations, and look for new dancers and musicians at Celtic music locations in the city: e.g. Cape Breton Legion at Kipling and Bloor, Bow and Arrow, Allen's or Dorakeogh on Danforth and Broadview, and at Newfoundland, Nova Scotia clubs or pubs.

Appendix F - Further suggestions for increasing membership and for reducing costs and increasing revenues

The following suggestions were included in membership survey responses, and are not necessarily endorsed by the Committee. The Executive, social groups or individuals may want to consider them.

Utilize low cost locations in social group clubs and non-profit organizations (preferably with good hardwood floors).

* To reduce costs associated with the Association weekend consider holding an afternoon workshop in September along the lines of a class, as a replacement for the Weekend in the off years. Consider taped music and light refreshments.

Live upbeat music is wonderful but can we afford it? Tape will suffice.

Increase revenues from monthly dances by increasing attendance: e.g. by

Trying to hold events where there is good public transit access

including more beginner or intermediate dances at events

change day of dance away from long weekends.

Investigate individual sponsorship of certain events, or a corporate sponsor. A company may have a facility we can use.

Can we get charitable income tax status?

Reduce costs for events.

Develop pamphlet identifying benefits of membership in the Toronto Association and the world-wide SCD community, e.g.

- the Toronto Association assists social groups, provides group sponsorship of insurance, which otherwise would be prohibitive for individual groups

- the newsletter includes upcoming monthly dance programmes so they can be studied ahead of time

Have an Executive member visit (with permission of teacher) each social group to talk about the benefits of Association membership and to encourage joining.

Have article in newsletter, and posters at monthly dances, describing benefits of membership, how Association spends its money, etc.

Have someone at monthly dances to sell memberships.

Have membership application forms readily available to teachers/social group "contact people"/organizers of demonstrations and public events as soon as possible after the A.G.M. for the coming season