[Ansteorra-announce] Group Performance Exhibition at AAA

[Snorri Hallsson]

Greetings Ansteorra!

For quite a few years now, you have seen many performing arts competitions
take place across the Kingdom.  “Come and vie for the honor of being Our
Bard,” they all cry out.  “Largess and Wordfame and Pass Down Insignia are
yours for the winning!”  And the performers come, and they compete, and they
win - almost always, one at a time.

However, alongside of the solo entertainer, you have seen things which have
moved you greatly.  Madrigal groups, dance troupes, musical ensembles,
companies of players each with their parts to play to amaze the populace of
Ansteorra and, oftentimes, move you to tears - of joy, of laughter, of
sorrow, of beauty.  And where one performer spends time learning and
perfecting their art, a group spends that much more time learning their
individual parts, refining and adjusting them together and then rehearsing
and re-rehearsing as a group to make sure the piece is as perfect as it can
be.  And for the most part, it’s a labor of love.  While a group of
performers can compete in title competitions across the Kingdom, they are
competing against solo artisans and frequently against the mindset that a
championship is to be carried by a single person.  There is not a standard
in place by which a group performance can be judged alongside a single
performer.  Nor is there a showcase for ensemble performing arts in
Ansteorra.  At Argent Anniversary, I am hosting such a showcase.

On Saturday morning, there will be an exhibition of our ensembles of
singers, musicians, dancers, actors, and other performers.  All those groups
of two or more performers are encouraged to participate in this exciting
vehicle for their combined talents, for this platform will serve an
additional purpose for the A&S community of Ansteorra.  While this is only
an exhibition, it will be judged as if it were a competition, in the hopes
of setting a benchmark by which group performance competitions may be judged
using the same criteria throughout the Kingdom.  There will be no winner,
and all participants will receive ample largess and wordfame for their
participation!  Everyone is invited to join the audience and lend these
groups your support and encouragement!

If you are part of a group of two or more that performs in any discipline
within Ansteorra, and wish to participate in this unique opportunity, please
contact me off list at snorri at houston.rr.com before July 5th to notify me of
your group’s intent to perform.  Have your group bring their best piece or
pieces lasting no more than 15 minutes in total length to the event.  Do
your thing and have fun – that’s it!  A panel of judges will review your
group’s performances based on the existing form but using modified
instructions to consider the dynamics of judging multiple performers at
once, and if so desired will provide mock scores and constructive commentary
on your group’s performance.  After the exhibition, the panel of judges and
the performers will provide their input on how a judged competition might be
conducted, and from that (I hope) will spring the judging instructions for
future group performance competitions within the lands of the Sable Star. 
If anyone has any questions, either from a performer’s, judge’s or audience
member’s standpoint, please feel free to contact me off list.

Ansteorra, let us band together to give these wonderful and talented
artisans the spotlight they deserve, at Argent Anniversary and beyond!

 
Honor and glory, health and fortune,
HL Snorri Hallsson
Sponsor, AAA Group Performance Exhibition
snorri at houston.rr.com