Friendship Set To Music-The TV Show
Modern American square dancing airs somewhere on Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa,
North Dakota, New Jersey, and Hawaii public access TV stations everyday of the
week. Two shows are produced each month and distributed to sixty-two cable
stations that reach over 250 communities, some cities with 50-75,000
subscribers. Most stations give the show, entitled "Friendship Set to Music," a
"series" time slot so it runs at the same time each day or each week. Some
stations air the show daily; some air it several times a week; some air it once
a week.
"Friendship Set to Music" is an hour-long, square-and-round-dance show created
on a storyboard, then filmed, and finally mailed or delivered by square
dancers--all volunteers. The basic cost to produce and distribute each show is
$300, which covers the cost of the duplication and mailing to 62 stations.
Because the show is done by square dancers who are "certified community
television producers" for the Lake Minnetonka Communications Commission (LMCC)
TV studio in Spring Park, Minnesota, the use of the studio for the production of
the show is free. The biggest asset to the show is station manager Jim Lundberg,
who has encouraged and advised the group since the idea was suggested by
square-dancer Dee Scott, director and producer of the show.
Caller Dick Rueter, a member of the American Callers Association and the MSDCA,
is the regular caller; Ray Belanger, a member of the Minnesota Round Dance
Council, Roundalab, and Universal Round Dance Council (URDAC), is the regular
cuer. Guest callers during 2004 were Mike Driscoll, Tom Allen, Roger McNeil, Abe
Maier, Royce Nelson, Dan Sahlstrom, Jim Lizakowski, and Wayne Kubicek; guest
cuers were Ed Rust and Mike and Edie Kirsch. For the eleventh show, the
bluegrass band "Timbre Junction" provided live music. As of June, 2005, guest
callers were Chuck Bowes, Larry Fruetel, Ernie Auringer, Dean Fishel, Myron
Hollantz, and Mike Driscoll; cuers were Robin Fryman, Ken LaBau, and Daryl
Beberness.
During each show, two phone numbers appear on the screen--one is a phone line
(952-472-0006) that is dedicated to the show; the other is the Minnesota
Federation phone number(763-557-5113). About 400 phone calls have come in from
viewers wanting to learn more about square and round dancing. Questions and
comments range from "We love the show. Keep it coming." to "Please run the show
two hours in a row." to "How can I host a square dance for my friends?" to
"Where can we take lessons?" Many viewers are referred to a caller or club in
their area who can give specific answers about times and places. Folks seeking
lessons are sent a list of the upcoming dances and complimentary free passes to
visit clubs and dances to learn more about this great hobby.
The basic production costs are insignificant when compared to the cost per
viewer. Currently, the sixty-two cable stations have a grand total of over a
million subscribers. If just 25,000 of that million watch the show, the cost is
about a penny per viewer!
Start-up funds for this show came from the Central East Region and Westonka
Whirlers. By the end of the year, eight more clubs plus the NW, the SE Region,
the SW Region, the CW Region, the NE Region and the Federation donated money to
the show's costs. Two very successful silent auctions raised enough additional
money for the tapings to continue through 2005.
Tapes or DVDs of the individual shows are available from Dee. Each show
spotlights a different square dance club or region in Minnesota dancing eight
tunes plus includes three to four round-dance numbers. From fifty to a hundred
square and round dancers participate each Saturday morning. If you wish to dance
on the show, check the schedule and show up at the studio. If you need
directions, call Dee at 952-472-0006.
Readying the studio's lights, cameras, and microphones, putting up the set and
club banners, and entering graphics into the character generator for each show
requires six to eight square dancers who work at the studio for about three
hours each on Friday afternoon before the Saturday- morning shoot. During the
hour-long, non-stop taping of each show, square dancers (Bill, Ed, Ron, John,
Richard, Mel or Chuck) operate the cameras, Ken does the floor directing
(providing cue cards for the hosts and Dick and Ray), Bruce generates graphics
on the screen as the show tapes, Dee operates the switcher, and Wayne operates
the sound board. Troubleshooting the whole studio is station manager Jim
Lundberg.
Distribution of the show is done by Dee and Ken Scott. Dee initially
contacted all the cable stations to learn their individual rules and
requirements for airing a new show. Some stations require a local resident, a
"contact," to sign the forms and deliver the tapes; most stations jumped at the
chance to air an entertainment show for their viewers at no cost or effort on
the part of their station. Thus, some tapes are given to the "contact" who
delivers the tapes to them, while most are mailed directly to the stations with
the appropriate release forms enclosed. Overall, the week after shooting a show
is a "logistical jungle" of miles, paperwork, and mailings for the Scotts.
Decision-making for "Friendship Set to Music" is done by a committee of square
dancers. The invitation to help create the show went out to the local club,
Westonka Whirlers, and to many other dancers in the CE Region. The committee
that formed elected Bob Wolff and Ardus Vining to host the show. Working
together with the square dancers in Minnesota, they filmed 24 shows in 2004.
Currently 37 shows are completed; twelve more shows are being planned.
Some clubs have tried producing a local square-dance show right before their
lessons begin and have been disappointed with the lack of response from viewers.
This disappointment is predictable because the show is airing on cable TV, and
viewers often find the show only when flipping channels.
"Friendship Set To Music" has many viewer-response callers who are seeing the
show for the first time and it may be the 30th show! Thus, it is important that
the show air at least weekly in the same time slot, giving viewers the chance to
find it one week and then watch it again the next week. Since most of the
stations keep the tapes, they seldom play the same show week after week.
"Prime-time" slots between 7 and 10 p.m. yield the most phone calls but are also
the most difficult slots to get.
Questions and Answers:
What was your main purpose when you started producing this show? To
educate the viewers about square and round dancing, i.e., to let people know
that their neighbors and friends and relatives are dancing all over the world
and that they can join by simply making a phone call.
Are there viewer-response phone numbers on the screen? Yes, there are two
phone numbers that are frequently flashed on the screen so viewers can call with
questions or comments. The website is also flashed occasionally. Lots of other
graphics give details about square and round dancing and encourage the viewers
to join the fun.
Will these phone numbers get the viewer in any of the fifty states local
information for their areas? Yes. Both phones have a national directory
beside them so viewers will be referred to a club or caller or dancer near their
homes.
How do we get these tapes on the air in our area? You need to contact
your local, public-access, cable TV station (not usually the cable company) and
ask if they will air the show if you bring tapes to them or if the tapes are
mailed to them. (Some stations will want you to sign a "hold harmless" form for
each tape.) If they say “yes,” they will air tapes you bring them, you need to
contact Dee for tapes or DVDs. Or, you need to get a crew together and start
making your own shows for airing in your area. The purpose of cable TV is to
serve the local subscribers--play what they request or what they create. Most
stations eagerly accept good, clean, entertaining programming. Many have
enthusiastic station managers (like our Jim Lundberg) who will be more than
willing to help your club make your own shows for the local viewers.
What is the content of the show? For the first year, we did an
educational format combined with lots of square and round dancing. In the
hour-long format, there were three or four round dances, six or seven singing
calls, and three segments when the hosts interviewed the square dancers on the
show about attire at a dance, when, where and how often a person can dance, how
long it takes to learn to dance, the purpose of angels and queens, memorable
experiences such as conventions or special dances, and details about the club or
region being spotlighted. The caller also taught one basic or mainstream call to
one square for about three minutes. All shows except one use mainstream calls.
One show is a "plus" show; three have a live band on the show. As we added new
ideas to the show, we spotlighted the "red hats" and did a purple and red show
with square dancers who belong to the "red hats." We have some theme shows:
patriotic music, love songs, and a "Happy Everything" show that covers all the
holidays in a year.
What is the format for 2005? More dancing, less talking; more guest
callers and cuers; more youth on the shows. We have two new shows that feature
the youth. One is entitled "Family Dancing with Timbre Junction." The other is
titled "Multi-generation Dancing with Timbre Junction." The theme for the shows
is "Square dancing is for the whole family!" The shows are extra special because
the music is "live" by Timbre Junction.
How can any of the shows be used to promote square and round dancing?
First and foremost: get them on the cable station that you watch. You want your
area to know that square dancing is alive and well.
Who else might play them? Give copies to nursing homes in your areas.
They can play them during their activity periods or in their entertainment area.
The residents have lots of visitors who will see these tapes plus the residents
will be telling their relatives and friends about this great activity. Leave
brochures about your club with the tapes. Get your library to buy a set of tapes
that may be checked out. For folks who don't have cable TV, the library would be
a great alternative.
If your community has a fair or a community showcase where groups can set up
booths, rent a booth, bring a TV and play the shows during the fair. Wear your
outfits and have your club's brochures ready to hand to the visitors.
Take tapes to your community center or the senior center. Those folks will love
watching and listening to them while they are at the center. They'll tell their
family and friends about them. Again, leave a few brochures about your club and
your lessons.
Give tapes to the physical. ed. teachers at your schools. They could use a show
to introduce the unit on dancing, hopefully square dancing. Give tapes to
friends or neighbors who are home schooling their children. The show would be a
great way for them to introduce dancing to their children (and often square
dancing can qualify as a phy. ed. credit). Give tapes to shut-ins--what a
wonderful way to share your favorite pastime.
Cutest question asked by a viewer: "Where do you get all those
professional dancers on the show?" If you have more questions about
"Friendship Set to Music" or want tapes or DVDs or would like help starting your
own show, call Dee at 952-472-0006 or e-mail her below.