Rainbow Flocking / All Genders Queer Social Dance hang-out: Plotting dance for 2014
Saturday January 18th at 1:00pm
at Solstice Cafe (529 Pandora Ave.) in Lkwungen Homelands
We’ll be at a table with a small orange bird sitting on a rainbow scarf
Things we could chat about (:
1) setting up more All Genders Queer Social Dance classes (what types? where?),
2) doing Rainbow Flocking field trips (Queers crashing heteronormative dance parties / possible collaborating e.g. on gender deconstruction or a queer night once a month).
3) stewarding the collective: capacity & sharing roles
4) picking some dates & next steps!
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Below is more background/ ideas/ notes from last year
compiled so everyone has the same info
– it’s for reading IF/when you have time.
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SETTING UP CLASSES:
What types of dance would we like to learn?
In 2012-13 we set up a series of Queer Tango classes and events, as well as some all genders queer salsa, bachata and swing, but the group could try additional styles, or focus in on one or two to improve on.
When we meet we could figure out which styles of dance we’re most interested in this year.
Brainstorming re: venues for setting up classes (:
Setting up series of classes and one-time events takes some more planning & energy – it’s more time-consuming for finding a venue, donations, logistics, and spreading the word. It would be great to brainstorm creative ways to find accessible venues that can be donated space!
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RAINBOW FLOCKING NOTES COMPILED:
Brainstorming about Rainbow Flocking:
At a dance collective meeting fall 2012, people brainstormed a few ideas:
‘-dance space takeover / ‘bring your own bubble’
-could have potluck & connect as a group before dance events & go together
-could even bring in idea for masks & coordinating outfits to this… kinda like flashmob!
-if we go somewhere and doesn’t feel like a good space, can leave & make our own thing somewhere that feels safer – e.g. could choreograph for group leaving venue together with coordinated jazz hands ;), perhaps go do a flash mob’
Notes from All Genders Queer Tango Learning Collective meeting (Sept. 20, 2012 with 15 people):
“Idea for Queer social dance network?: figure out an online private way to connect
-e.g. google calendar (shared group email log-in to the calendar)? Add dates of classes/ events that those interested could go to as a group (e.g. “queer invasion” of het-normative space), and people could add name to private calendar if they’re planning on going.
-there are people in the group who this would not be accessible to or feel safe-enough; it can take a lot just to make it to Queer Tango.”
Which format would we like for flocking planning & being in touch? (e.g. shared group gmail account that people log into and add to a google-calendar about who’s going to what event? A shared google-doc that people add to? google-group email listserv? a Facebook grp if everyone is on FB? a Facebook page with a few admin ppl, who post an update with field trip details after it`s decided on google-doc? Drop-box shared doc? …?)
For future Rainbow Flocking:
Ideas from last year for future field trips: Bachata; Dancehall Night; Sat. Swing; Tango Fusion; Club Salsa (twice a month on Fridays. we tried this one last year; would be better with a bigger flock…).
Reflections from N. after the Queering Salsa field trip in March 2013: I think definitely connecting before hand, whether a potluck or just somewhere to gather first to make sure we are all comfortable, can go with the group, have an obvious symbol for others trying to find us, and also to make a gameplan (i.e. what to do if…). Or we could see if the existing dance events would be up for some gender deconstruction to shift the environment for everyone and/or having a queer night once a month?
Art/ creative responding hang-out?
Alongside the Rainbow Flocking ideas mentioned above, perhaps we could have an arts/crafts hang-out sometime and create:
-response trading cards with art/ comics/ cartoons (e.g. about teaching dance with gender-inclusive language and activities, etc.) to gift to people when they use unhelpful language/ behaviour?
-educational zine for social dance teachers
-rainbow flocking flashmob outfits 😉
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STEWARDING THIS COLLECTIVE!
Capacity & Shared Roles (:
Perhaps we could have 2 co-contact people for each wing/aspect: so 2 people bottom-lining for setting up classes, and 2 people bottom-lining field trip logistics? And aiming to rotate the roles to new people around every 6 months / bringing in new co-contact people whenever someone needs to step back?
This doesn’t mean the co-contact people (or whatever we’d like to call the role) are taking on all the work; it just means there are always at least a couple people staying on top of keeping things going; and the process for rotating the roles and stepping back when needed is normalized.
Skills-sharing re: event-organizing & computer stuff (:
Maybe we could have a skills-share hang-out with everyone, perhaps in February, so people who have experience with events-organizing, group logistics, computer & internet programs, etc. can share what they know with people who might not be as familiar with these?
Thanks everyone! No worries if you don’t have time to read through this message before the hang-out!
-J
Some folks have mentioned being excited about getting back into Tango.
There will be a free-form partner dance lesson this Saturday June 28th at 8:15pm, as part of Homospun Collective’s all ages LGBTQ dance.
All Genders Queer Social Dance 
Written
on July 6, 2014