Enhancing Your Caller Skills: A Guide to Professional Development by Joe Uebelacker
Discover how to elevate your calling skills from local to international level through showmanship, stage presence, and strategic positioning. Joe Uebelacker offers valuable insights on self-assessment, workshops, and learning from successful callers. Find out where you fit in the calling hierarchy and what areas to focus on for growth in the square dancing community.
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Presentation Transcript
BEING A BETTER YOU! GOT MY CHOREO GOT MY MUSIC GOT MY GROOMING NOW WHAT???? Joe Uebelacker September 2022
SHOWMANSHIP DEFINITION: THE ABILITY TO ATTRACT ATTENTION AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE Joe Uebelacker September 2022
STAGE PRESENCE SHOW CONFIDENCE SMILE POSTURE GROOMING/DRESS Joe Uebelacker September 2022
CALLER CATEGORIES LOCAL REGIONAL NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL Joe Uebelacker September 2022
WHERE DO YOU FIT? LOCAL One of the most difficult to maintain. Sometimes became a caller because no one else was available. Usually not too experienced in calling skills besides showmanship Sometimes thinks they are already really good Joe Uebelacker September 2022
WHERE DO I FIT? REGIONAL: Became Regional because you are a popular caller and have showmanship traits Tough job because you have home club(s) to prepare for as well Usually uses material and effects that work in their home clubs. Needs to have a number of shows ready Joe Uebelacker September 2022
WHERE DO I FIT? NATIONAL Has the ability to wow dancers As good off the mike as on Has to have a number of shows ready Has to have a good work ehthic and routine Needs to be business smart Marketing, money-management, communication Joe Uebelacker September 2022
WHERE DO I FIT? INTERNATIONAL Needs to be very good in all aspects of the calling business. Usually needs a good support group (partner/spouse) Marketing means you have to be visible in the international marketspace (conventions and festivals, even the free ones that still cost us a lot of money. Joe Uebelacker September 2022
WHAT DO YOU WORK ON? You need to assess yourself. Seek input from others Attend caller workshops with a respected caller who can help you develop your natural abilities. Watch successful callers and try to analyze what they do and how they do it.. Use what you learn in your own way be yourself. Joe Uebelacker September 2022
WHAT DO YOU WORK ON? You need to assess yourself. Seek input from others Attend caller workshops with a respected caller who can help you develop your natural abilities. Watch successful callers and try to analyze what they do and how they do it.. Use what you learn in your own way be yourself. Joe Uebelacker September 2022
DANCES VERSUS CLASSES Classes should be dances Dances should be themed Sight callers especially are guilty of just calling whatever comes into their heads. No matter your method, you should program your dances as well as your classes. Classes showmanship should use humor and musical showmanship rather than choreography and gimmicks. Joe Uebelacker September 2022
CATEGORIES MUSIC HUMOR CHOREOGRAPHY Joe Uebelacker September 2022
MUSIC Voice Spoken versus chanting/singing Soft loud falsetto - whisper With the music, syncopated, an octave higher or lower. Music Tempo Melodic rhythmic Instrumentation Joe Uebelacker September 2022
HUMOR JOKES ANECDOTES WHILE CALLING REMARKS Joe Uebelacker September 2022
CHOREOGRAPHY Different but doable Unpredictable Gimmicks Joe Uebelacker September 2022
TOO MUCH When is your showmanship overdone? When the dancers are giggling at you rather than with you. When your actions are distracting from the dancing. You think you're Elvis. Look in the mirror, listen to yourself. When you try to sound like another singer and can't really replicate their sound and/or diction. Joe Uebelacker September 2022
How do you know? Get input From dancers From other callers Ask them to be really honest Be ready for bad news Go to callers' schools and get feedback especially on how to improve. Listen to yourself Joe Uebelacker September 2022
SET GOALS FOR IMPROVEMENT Regardless of the level/category of calling you fit into, set goals. Pick a skill set you want to improve on and go after it. What is your weakness? How can you improve on it? Get good help. What is your strength? Can you develop it more and use it to improve your showmanship? Joe Uebelacker September 2022
BE YOURSELF You can fool all of the people some of the time, you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time! Make eye contact. Smile with your eyes and your heart. Joe Uebelacker September 2022
