"Could you 'Do an hour'?"

My answer's no - and this is why!

I am often asked to "do an hour" - teach a few line dances for an event or community group, outside of my normal teaching commitments. I've been asked to do this by,

1. Community groups like the Women's Institute, Red Hats, Scouts, Guides, Brownies, charities who do great work (e.g., with disabled people,) homes for elderly folk, organisers of school fetes, and many more very worthy groups and organisations.

2. Corporate events, events at golf clubs, etc.

3. Parties, weddings, or just gatherings of people who are doing a country theme.

Sometimes there's money offered, sometimes there isn't. (I had quite a difficult conversation with a lady organising a corporate event in Keynsham once, she wanted me to do two hours, for free. "It'll be good advertising for you!" she said...) I have a statement on the front page of this website saying that I don't do things like this, yet I still get asked quite regularly!

So why, do I not do events in the community like this, any more? Two reasons:

1. Just the volume of requests - I think my record was seven requests in one week. I decided that the fairest thing was to turn them all down, no matter how worthy.

2. They are quite a lot of work! It's not just "the hour", there's also the planning, liaising with the DJ, sometimes buying the music if their equipment won't connect to my phone, travel to and from, risk assessment, and sometimes a visit to the venue prior. It really adds up!

Please don't get me wrong; it's a privilege to be asked, and I am grateful to those who reach out. I just can't do them all :(

There's another reason too - sometimes it's not just me they want, but you, too! And I don't want to over-burden you with too many requests, either.

On a more positive note - there are two events that I do accept, when we are lucky enough to be asked: the Iron Acton May Day event, and the Frampton Cotterell Festival. Both of these are community events (non-profit) and accepting these is a way for my dancers to have some fun, show their families what they get up to in class, and involve the public (our "teach the public" slots are legendary!). I also think of them as a way to "give back" to the communities where our classes are.

And finally - if you've read this far, thank you - the Everything Line Dance website has a page where you can request them to search for a line dance teacher who does do this type of event.