[Bards] Let's Talk About Bardic Circles ...

[Dawn Rummel]

1. I am a big fan of the pass & play type - offers variety, offers new people an avenue to perform without having to jump into the flow, tends to dissuade once-and-every-other bardism.  As for types I don't like - ones that are dominated by one or two performers can be frustrating.  Unless they're just really, really good.
 
2.  I would think that themed bardic circles would work best if publicised well in advance and if there were a few "plants" in the circle.  For example, if you want to do a Viking theme, ask Ulf, Snorri, and Kief to attend and have something ready to go ahead of time to kind of set the mood and keep things on track.  Actually, this is a good idea whether there is a theme or not.
 
3.  Sometimes you just have to be the bad guy, and every situation will be different.  This could be handled much like any other uncomfortable situation - first politely (jumping in at a pause with "Wow, that was interesting - next!"), then assertively ("I think we should move on to someone else.").  Some people would have no problem just breaking in - the followup piece would probably have to be a real attention-getter.  I suppose if it's bad enough, it could be turned into wandering bardic in an attempt to get the person to wander elsewhere!
 
My little suggestions.
Antonia

Snorri Hallsson <snorri at houston.rr.com> wrote:
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
Greetings my fellow bards:

 

I will be teaching a class at Steppes Warlord on “How (Not) to Host a Bardic Circle.”  The class is scheduled for 11:00 am on Saturday and will take place wherever the event steward tells me to.  If “experience” is the lesson learned by one’s own failures and “wisdom” is the lesson learned by the failures of others, then I invite one and all to come and be wizened from my own personal experience!

 

(This is a slightly serious, but mostly tongue-in-cheek class.  However, you should be able to walk away with some useful information, or you can use the handout as a firestarter.)

 

However, in making my final preparations on this class, I’d like to enlist the help of my fellow entertainers, who I trust to have more success in this venue than I.  If you’re so inclined, please answer the following questions:

 

1.                   What’s your favorite and least favorite bardic circle format, and why?  (For instance: pass & play, where a candle is passed from person to person and the holder of the candle either performs, requests a performance from another, or passes the candle to the next person.)

2.                   Do you set a “theme” for the circle beforehand?  If so, what do you do to keep a circle on track?  Is there a point where you let a themed bardic run itself?  (For instance: a bardic circle at a melee event may have a “war” theme but the majority of attendees want to hear and are performing romantic or bawdy pieces – what do you do?)

3.                   (The $64 question!)  What do you do to save your circle when someone performs a circle-killing piece?  (For instance: Joe Schmo has decided, after maybe one or two too many, that he is a legendary bard and decides to perform the one piece he knows, a 45-minute epic punctuated by off-key choruses and a liberal helping of “Um,” “Uh,” and “No, wait …” – people are getting quickly distracted and frustrated with Joe – how do you handle the situation to get the circle going again?)

 

There, that should get you guys talking for a couple days, I hope.  Otherwise my class might be shorter than I’d like it to be.

 

 

 

Health and fortune,

HL Snorri Hallsson

snorri at houston.rr.com

 

 

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Antonia/Dawn

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