academie: Sorry, wrong room (was: Hot off the presses!)

[Christoph & Sherry Hintze]

I realize that this is not going to make me a popular person in this forum, 
and I regret that I am going to offend some of you.  But I have given this 
some thought and feel that it would be wrong of me to feel so strongly and 
not speak up.  I did not mail this before 12th Night because I did not want 
to drop a bomb before that event.

I joined the Academie because of its laudable goal of promoting period 
dance in Atlantia.  To me, promoting one thing is vastly different from 
suppressing something else.  I have always favored tolerence and inclusion 
over snobbery and exclusion.  I understand Academie members have strong 
feelings about GOOP dances, and I respect their right to despise them, not 
to teach them, and not to include them in dance activities those members plan.

But no charter, no title, no amount of historical knowledge, no personal 
agenda gives you or anyone else the right to dictate to me that *I* may not 
dance or teach them.

If what I have heard here in this thread is indicative of what the Academie 
stands for, then I cannot in good conscience represent it, nor can it claim 
to represent me.  Please remove my name from the rolls.

For the record, though I do not support introducing any GOOP dances to the 
SCA, I feel that it is reasonable to continue to teach and dance dances 
currently done in the SCA, such as Hole in the Wall, Female Sailor, Road to 
the Isles, and Korobushka for the following reasons:

1)  They are fun.  When I talk to people who do "a little bit" of dance in 
the SCA, some or all of these dances are consistently mentioned as 
favorites.  There's a lot to be said for that, and getting people on the 
floor is to me a worthwhile goal.

2)  They are an SCA tradition.  I have been in the SCA for nearly 13 years 
and have many fond memories of these dances.  Many other "old as dirt" 
SCAdians feel similarly.  I cannot bring myself to declare war on something 
that means so much to so many people, and I don't see why I should.

3)  They are popular in other Kingdoms.  New members from out of Kingdom 
frequently know them.  Atlantians who move to other Kingdoms or attend 
inter-Kingdom events such as Pennsic likely will encounter them.  In my 
mind, common ground is a Good Thing (TM).

4)  To my mind, Hole in the Wall and Female Sailor provide a bridge in 
difficulty between "simple" dances like bransles, pavanes, almains, etc and 
"complex" dances such as ECD.  Once again, the more people on the floor and 
willing to learn, the better, in my mind.

Anyway, it's sure been swell being involved in the Academie and I've 
enjoyed meeting those of you I've met.  I wish you all well.

Lady Kat


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