Puttin' On the Dance

POTD3 Archive

This is the archive page for POTD3: Dancing Forward Together – May 2-4 2025 in Belfast Maine

Below are links to all the session notes and a few select photographs. But first…

Huge amounts of gratitude to all the organizers who came to Belfast to collaborate, learn, and connect. POTD is truly a participatory endeavor and the expertise and insights shared by all made for a wonderful weekend.

Also – a HUGE thank you to all the session facilitators and the archive team!

And thank you as well to our generous POTD 3 Conference Sponsors who helped to make the gathering financially accessible! Belfast Flying Shoes (BFS), Country Dance & Song Society (CDSS), DanceFlurry Organization (DFO), DownEast Friends of the Folk Arts (DEFFA), Monadnock Folklore Society (MFS), the Montpelier Contra Dance, and New England Folk Festival Association (NEFFA).

POTD3 Organizers: Patty Giavara (Montpelier VT) Chrissy Fowler (Belfast ME) Lisa Sieverts (Nelson NH) & Emily Addison (Ottawa ON)

Conference Opening Session with Lisa Sieverts

Finding New Organizers with Imogen Mills
Many of us find it challenging to find new organizers. How do we encourage future leaders to step into organizing roles? In this interactive workshop, we encourage participants to share successful strategies and collaborate on new ideas for identifying and developing future organizers.

Getting More Teenagers in Our Dance Communities with Rick Mohr
Social dancing is fantastic for teenagers! But teens are scarce in many dance communities, as they often don’t fit comfortably at events with mostly adults or families. We’ll hear success stories with two different models, from communities where teens are dancing and have continued in the community as young adults. We’ll also brainstorm ways to create dance events that teens will enjoy and want to help organize, and discuss how being a teenager in 2025 is different from when most of us were teens.

Puttin’ Out the Word: Reaching New Dancers with Kevin Donohue
How do we attract new dancers? In this session we’ll have opportunities to brainstorm, design-think, share out, and listen to ideas for recruiting newcomers. We’ll explore tried and true methods, as well as try to invent some new ones! All are welcome!

Behind the Scenes: Insights from Callers, Musicians, and Sound Techs with Liz Nelson
Join facilitator Liz for a lively panel discussion with those who bring the dance to life. Several experienced performers will share their perspectives on topics such as compensation, the ins and outs of the booking process, navigating feedback, nurturing local talent, and more. The session will include audience questions and conversation.

All Conference Session – Open Space
In preparation for the Open Space session, notice whatis happening around you and in your community. Talk to others, what are their issues and priorities? What external changes or trends might affect your dances in the future? Then come to the Open Space with your ideas for short sessions (40 minutes) of discussion and action. You don’t need to bring a solution! It’s enough to bring a topic or question that is important to your community.

Keeping the Flow: Handling Disruptive Behavior at the Dance with Michael Wright
At dances, we celebrate a culture of respect, safety, inclusion, and kindness. Many groups have written community care policies and procedures to promote and protect these values. But what do we do when a dancer behaves otherwise? In this workshop, we will share our experiences of disruptive behavior and how best to address it, including role-playing realistic scenarios.
Mike’s handout on Tips for Diffusing Conflict at Dances

Managing Finances: No Billionaires? No Problem! Do-Si-Do Your Dough! With Chrissy Fowler (filling in for Zak Spath)
Managing finances may not be as enjoyable as dancing; but it doesn’t have to be stressful either. In this collaborative workshop, we’ll look at how to track finances for good decision-making and at metrics to help you plan sustainably. Then, based on the interests of the group, we’ll explore topics that might include payment systems, entry fee models, goals beyond breaking even, and creative ways to raise money beyond admissions.

Conference Closing Session with Lisa Sieverts

Some POTD3 participants also shared resources from their home community dances. Below are some great materials across a range of topics!

Band/Caller/Sound Resources