[MR] Running bardic circles

[Alexandria Stratton]

Hear, hear!
(pun intended)
 -- Isabelle LaFar



________________________________
From: Amerie Helton <ameriehelton at bellsouth.net>
To: Merry Rose <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Mon, June 20, 2011 11:00:08 PM
Subject: [MR] Running bardic circles

To everyone who attends bardic circles -

I've had several people tell me that they've been to bardic circles where the 
person running the circle said everyone had to perform. In one case, it was the 
lady's first bardic circle.

This is just wrong. No one should be required to perform. Many people are deeply 
afraid of performing, and telling them they must do so is cruel. So of course 
they leave - I would too! This drives away what could otherwise be an 
appreciative audience, and in some cases will keep them from ever attending a 
bardic circle again.

As a performer, I like having an audience! The more, the merrier! Performers 
NEED an audience. Telling stories to chairs is Very Boring.

To be completely accurate, I should say there are two events where the price of 
admission is one performance - Performers' Revel, and Performers' Revel South. 
So if you go to one of those events,  you really should be willing to perform 
something : > But even then I've never seen anyone singled out and told they 
must perform.

My favorite way to run a bardic circle is Pick, Pass, or Play. Some item is 
passed around the circle. Whoever has the item can Pick someone to perform or 
something to be performed, Pass the item on to the next person, or Play 
(perform). This gives everyone who wants to perform a chance, and allows those 
who simply want to listen to do so.

So if you're running a bardic circle, don't tell anyone they must perform. 
Asking is fine, encouraging is great, but insisting is wrong.

Yours in song and story,
Mistress Dervila ni Leanon
Royal Bard of Atlantia