[Bards] Bardic college and direction (was "Is the usage...")

Gerald Norris jerryn at houston.rr.com
Wed Oct 25 05:34:00 PDT 2006


I'm glad to see so many people joining in the dialogue.

I personally prefer a sash to a baldric, simply because it's easier to wear.
I am in agreement with others that we should keep to something simple and
consistent.  I like the idea of using the badge - is there a patch maker out
there who can do that type of work cheap?  I believe originally that it was
Master Ihon, who doled out the blue sashes w/ gold trim a few years back.

I am NOT in agreement with having other accessories to the sash that denotes
different "ranks" within the performing arts community. Just me.  If you
want to accessorize your sash with stuff, I'm all for that.  It could even
be used to display tokens of appreciation others have given you for your
efforts, but I don't want to have PA merit badge equivalents.  Again, just
me.

Do we need a College of Bards?  I think we need a community of performance
arts.  I think it needs to include all the aspects of performance.  I think
we need to once again encourage enough instrumentalists to provide live
music for dancers.  I think that more experienced bards should lead by
example; encourage others to tell their stories, explain that a 30 minute
saga performed for head table isn't appropriate, that modern songs at bardic
circles take away from the atmosphere we work so hard to attain (and I'm a
pot in that one), or that tales of death and dismemberment are not
necessarily good during feast.  In the end, those who are considered
"accomplished" in bardic should lead by example.  

I think we need to teach how to perform, but we also need to teach styles of
critique.  We also need to be less spontaneous at events; get with the event
steward beforehand and try to work with them so that your performance can
appear spontaneous to others.  This is a courtesy to the steward who is
usually running around in a haze trying to make sure that everything goes
according to whatever plan might still be intact.  Usually the nobility will
be happy to work with this.

I thank you for your patience.

In service to the dream with a song in my heart, I am,
HL Gerald of Leesville
A bard of Stargate 




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