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Thread: Gender balancing ...

  1. #41
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    Re: Gender balancing ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    ... I think that we've got used to there being a small excess of followers as it is. From observing behaviour on the dancefloor and around it, there are a number of men who will dance to track after track without a break, whereas women, on the whole, will sit out quite a few so as not to get too hot and sweaty and also to catch up with friends or just watch. This natural tendency sorts out the usual slight imbalance. I've been to a couple of freestyles where there have an excess of men, and as a follower, although I had a good night overall, I couldn't sit down for the first half hour and ended up turning dances down and leaving the room to recover.
    That is what I have observed too, plus that some women like to lead, plus that some like doing triples. I think a dance session works best if there is a small excess of women.

    The problem with weekenders is, as has been pointed out by several people, that a balanced weekender does not mean balanced dance sessions. The only way I can think of to solve that would be to have Taxi dancers who would get a better price for being willing to dance where/when commanded.

  2. #42
    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Re: Gender balancing ...

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    That is what I have observed too, plus that some women like to lead, plus that some like doing triples. I think a dance session works best if there is a small excess of women.

    The problem with weekenders is, as has been pointed out by several people, that a balanced weekender does not mean balanced dance sessions. The only way I can think of to solve that would be to have Taxi dancers who would get a better price for being willing to dance where/when commanded.
    Interesting idea, but wouldn't that feel a bit desperate on the part of the follow. "The only person I can get to dance with me is someone who is staff and therefore obliged to do it."

  3. #43
    Formerly known as DavidJames David Bailey's Avatar
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    Re: Gender balancing ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    But when there is literally not a single man to ask, other than the sweaty tired ones sitting at the back trying to avoid being asked, there is something wrong.
    Yep, especially when the event is specifically advertised as being gender-balanced.

    That said, even if the event were exactly 50-50 balanced, there's no guarantee that any freestyle or class would have even numbers either. The men might be, I dunno, watching football, or asleep, or something.

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    You try being one of the polite women who doesn't stalk in these situations and you can see what it feels like. It's very frustrating and disheartening
    I'll dance with you hon

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    I think that we've got used to there being a small excess of followers as it is. From observing behaviour on the dancefloor and around it, there are a number of men who will dance to track after track without a break, whereas women, on the whole, will sit out quite a few so as not to get too hot and sweaty and also to catch up with friends or just watch.
    Yes, I think that both men and women have adjusted to "the way it is", to a degree at least.

    But there's definitely a tipping point, beyond which the hassle is simply not worth it.

  4. #44
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    Re: Gender balancing ...

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    I think a dance session works best if there is a small excess of women.
    I think it works best when there's an even

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    The problem with weekenders is, as has been pointed out by several people, that a balanced weekender does not mean balanced dance sessions.
    Yep. But I don't think it's remotely feasible to micro-manage the numbers for each class, without introducing a admin-heavy booking system. Maybe a booking system for a selection of classes is the way to go? They could advertise those classes as being "gender-balanced", but of course there's no guarantee that the actual people booking a free class would actually turn up. It works for masterclasses, but these are low numbers and people actually pay for them.

    Quote Originally Posted by bigdjiver View Post
    The only way I can think of to solve that would be to have Taxi dancers who would get a better price for being willing to dance where/when commanded.
    Given the numbers involved, I don't think that's realistic.

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    Re: Gender balancing ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    Interesting idea, but wouldn't that feel a bit desperate on the part of the follow. "The only person I can get to dance with me is someone who is staff and therefore obliged to do it."
    as opposed to "she's a woman and obliged to accept"? I really don't like that feeling. My idea has unidentifiable Taxi dancers that are only obliged to respond to messages that say things like "Taxis to blues room" It would also be a part of my idea to encode such messages .eg DJ plays "Its raining men" and the Taxi men know to go and dance somewhere else. That sort of thing. No men in uniforms with loudhailers barking orders.

    One of the first lessons Ceroc beginners learn is to dance with people that "have to", only, of course, they are there because they want to be.

  6. #46
    Registered User frodo's Avatar
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    Re: Gender balancing ...

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    ...And when Ceroc actually start to admit to there being a problem in their brochure, then I think that saying that the gender balance is so small that it is inconsequential is simply wrong.
    They started 'admitting it' after this event (and haven't stopped since).

    http://www.southernjive.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=509.

    But while Breeze 2009 clearly had a significant imbalance, this wasn't true of the Southport / Camber events.


    So I don't think Ceroc's brochure means much.

    I don't know why it was extended to the other events.


    Perhaps it is just the habit they have of copying and pasting.


    There are a few reasons to be sceptical of the original explanation for the imbalance at the Breeze event.

    Perhaps the opportunity was taken to emphasise one factor which reflected better on Ceroc.

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