ANST - Alexandrian vs Dance

[Darlene Vandever]

  Greetings Ansteorra,

       Imagine my surprise when I finally opened my mail (I did not get home
until Tuesday the 13th) to see 40+ some missives concerning the scheduling of the
Alexandrian Symposium!  I debated for a bit as to the need to say something and
as I read I realized most of it was being said by the people posting to the
list.  However there are a few  points I feel I should state.

1.  When I submitted my request for an event date, to the best of my knowledge,
with all available information I had at the time, the date was vacant.  There
was/is no attempt, thought, nor conspiracy to take anything away from Kingdom
Dance. We didn't even know that Kingdom Dance was to be held anywhere.  It was an
open date which was convenient to myself, my group, and open also for the site we
wished to use for the Symposia.  These were the criteria we used to pick the
date, the most important one being the open status of the date at the time of the
request.

2.  I, too, have only heard of one possible conflict for one person and have not
heard it directly from that person, but from only two other people who spoke of
this person's possible conflict.  Assuming this person to be grown up and
responsible, I have not contacted said person assuming they will do whatever they
think best for their situation.  No person in *any way* has ever contacted me
directly to state any concerns with the date we asked for *and were granted by
kingdom*.  This, of course, does not mean that there are no persons with
concerns, just that they have not contacted  me.

3.  While we *were* approached with a limited time frame in which to work due to
the first hosting group's misfortunes, I wish to also support Mistress Gunora's
statement that the Symposia is not an "impromtu event".  It takes a long time to
research, document, and compose topics in such a manner.  Getting the word to
those with a bent to pure research and giving them enough time to do that
research precludes any chance of the content of the event being of an impromtu
nature.

4.  In support of Master Fairbourne, I'd like to share that according to my
mapping software, La Marche Sauvauge is "5 hours and 52 minutes" from Stargate
with the program assuming no stops and an average speed of 65 mph on limited
access roads (ie.  interstates).

5.  Also, I want to be sure that my canton of Gate's Edge does not get painted
with the brush of political taint.  The decision to request said infamous (or at
least much discussed) date, was my own after consultation with the calendar and
the site we wished to use.  My people are not to be caught up in anyone's mind as
having had anything to do with the decision to request August 21st for the
Symposia.  There are several dancers in our little group of 10 persons.  None of
them have shown any upset that the dates coincide. I have (I sincerely hope) made
it very clear to them that I fully expect them (the dancers) to attend Kingdom
Dance.  One has told me that they intend to stay here and one has said they
intend to go to La Marche Sauvauge.  Being that they are grown adults, able to
make their own choices, I shall respect and support their choices.  I would hope
the rest of the Kingdom would do likewise.

6.  One or two of the posts here have given the impression that Baroness Pashley
is upset and/or concerned about the dates coinciding.  She has not spoken to nor
contacted me, nor I her.  I do not expect her group's event to adversely effect
my group's event.  Therefore, I have not contacted her concerning the conflicts
in dates.  Vice versa, I do not see a small, scholarly event like the Symposia
adversely effecting a well-liked and previously well-attended event such as
Kingdom Dance.

     I would like to thank the Great Officer's support of Master Fairbourne's
decision to let the dates stand as is.  His posted explaination of how events get
scheduled to the calendar was very clear and showed great impartiality to any
group requesting a date, as it should.  I think it would have been very bad for
either group had they (the Great Officers) decided that one or the other would
either have to be canceled or rescheduled.  I'm sure that La Marche Sauvauge has
spent a lot of time, effort and money to secure a site and plan their event
because I know our group has done so.  I think it would have been a very bad
precident to set, for after such an action, what group would ever feel secure
again to plan their event?

Sincerely,
HL Annes Clotilde von Bamburg
Autocrat, Alexandrian Symposium


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