2) A HEALTHY GROUP IS OTHERS-CENTERED.
A healthy group is immediately interested in new people, what they need, how their needs can be met through the club. It is sensitive to peoples' feelings. Are singles, especially ladies, welcome and given opportunities to dance? Are visitors welcomed, even if unexpected? Since my wife doesn't dance, I often visit as a single. Some clubs have greeters to welcome everyone; others leave the visitor to wander in and fend for himself. The worst club ignored me completely (but did let me dance!). The best club introduced me to an angel who took me around, pointed out the bathrooms and coffee table, introduced me to other single dancers as well as club exec, and danced the first set with me. Now that sure made me feel welcome!

3) A HEALTHY GROUP IS UNDERSTANDABLE.
Healthy clubs tend to speak in terms everyone can understand, rather than repeat jargon that constantly reminds outsiders they are not 'in'. Since square dancing uses a highly technical language, this requires both sensitivity and effort. Although a large part of this falls to the caller/teacher, there is much that can be done. A written list of common terms, handouts of the steps taught that night, angels who say 'face me' rather than 'quarter right' will all help newcomers learn the language and feel part of the group.

4) A HEALTHY GROUP ACCEPTS PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE ME.
I quote directly from Anderson: "Our level of comfort can be high or low, depending on how quickly we find someone else who looks like us. In a room full of women, a man thinks 'I'm in the wrong place!'... In a gathering where everyone is young and casually dressed, the older person in a business suit feels out of place..." Draw your own conclusions.

5) A HEALTHY GROUP HANDLES PROBLEMS WITH GRACE.
What happens when the sound system squeals or drops into embarrassing silence? When the club is behind budget or attendance is dropping, is there a denunciation for lack of support, or a challenge towards increasing attendance and building membership? What makes a healthy club is not the absence of problems. It's how the problems are handled.

6) A HEALTHY GROUP IS ACCESSIBLE.
We're not talking wheelchair ramps. Is there clear and easy access to getting questions answered, meeting new people, joining in, becoming part of the group? Do you allow new dancers to visit other clubs, join banner raids, attend club dances? Or do you make it -hard- to join by insisting on graduating from lengthy lessons to qualify for membership? By having entry-point lessons only once a year? By insisting that people have to have a certain level of expertise to join or participate in club activities? All these things discourage people from joining. When I missed a night at square dancing during my first year, I came back and felt lost. How do you accommodate people who miss a night or two? Are they phoned and invited to catch-up classes, given tutorials during breaks, or simply told to come back next year when lessons start again?

7) A HEALTHY GROUP HAS A SENSE OF EXPECTANCY
Listen to hallway conversations over a few weeks and decide if the primary verb tense is past, present, or future; if the tone is positive or negative. I'm sure there'll always be some who grouch, but if you're also hearing "That was fun!" or "I'm sure looking forward to the dance next week" you're on track. A healthy group has both present fun and reminiscences of past enjoyment. Most healthy groups are hopeful groups. They are full of plans as well as happy memories. They *expect* future fun. They *expect* to grow, and they have plans in place to produce and handle that growth.

Tom Gray
Sandholm Crossroads Dancers
Alberta, Canada
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/grayed/tsg/

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