Titles

[Dave & Laura McKinstry]

Julie/Elspeth wrote:
>
> Hi and greetings-- where do you hail from. I am a beginning bard/ troubedour..
> In fact I am hosting a bardic circle at the University here-- on February 18
> Columbia SC-- have any suggestions for a format??

I'm currently in Glenn Dubh, Trimaris (Daytona Beach, FL).  We'll be in
Steppes, Ansteorra (Dallas, TX) very soon.

Boy, February 17-18 is a major Renaissance thing - I know of 4 different
Ren-fest, SCA-demo, harping type things on that day now!  Is it some
kind of natinally declared know your history day or something? :)

"Format" is not a word I hear applied to bardic circles, really.  You
get them rolling, and they GO.  But to get them rolling, I suggest a
couple of things: Have a candle, a lamp, or (as we did last time) a
bottle of mead (we were out of candles, and it was REALLY good mead.)

The following is how it's done at events.  Tailor it to your setting as 
needed:

First you have to get people to your bardic circle.  You can either wait
and hope they show up, or minestrel through the streets and hope people
follow you back to your camp.  We founnd a large group of people, sang
a song, then I taught them all a bass line for my "aria" - all they had
to do was repeat "Tumba, tatumba" over and over and over while I sang a
Native American thing.  Native Americans DID visit Europe during the
middle ages, according to my sources, so it wasn't impossible.  That got
them interested, and we told them to follow us to the bonfire.  That's
where you need to have your lamp.

You stand up there with your lamp (or whatever), tell them who you are, 
then tell them that a bardic circle is a gathering of people who 
exchange stories,
songs, poems, or any other form of entertainment.  Tell them that as the
candle comes to them, they should stand, tell you all who they are, and
tell a story, a joke, or a song.  If they have no such, then tell us
about their persona, or what happened on the list field that day -
anything (or why they're there at the University).  It is permissable to 
take the candle and pass it to the next
in line if they don't wish to contribute and just want to listen, but
encourage them to say something about themselves or their experiences -
explain that the bards would have no stories to tell or songs to sing if
they didn't meet new people and learn of heroic deeds.

Having done that, you're on first. Do your thing, then hand the lamp
to the next person in the circle with a smile. If you want a bardic
circle to last, make sure everyone has a mug, and have a keg or two of
mead handy (at the University, a captive audience might be all you 
need.).  They'll stay as long as the mead pours - I SWEAR they will!
Some will come and go, but many will stay the entire night.  And the
diehards will stay until they've been through every songbook they own.
When the candle comes back to you, remember, you're the host - make sure
anyone who has joined the group feels comfortable - you don't
necessarily have to point them out, and if people have done as you've
asked them to, the newcomer should know what's going on (and most people
know what to do anyway, having been to bardic circles,) but a subtle
reminder that we gentles are just that and that all are welcome might
not hurt.

May your circle light the fires of your imagination.
-Lark of Cire Freunlaven