[MR] Running bardic circles

[Amerie Helton]

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