FAQ's About Dances & Band Nights
Should I host a dance for middle school? If so, how long should it be?
Yes! Middle School Dances are generally a success! Try hosting
a dance 2 - 3 hours in duration (for example: 7pm - 10pm, 7pm - 9pm, or 8pm - 10pm). Anything longer tends
to be an issue, as teens will get bored. As always, each agency will have a specialized answer for what works in each
area. Don't be afraid to try things a few times until you get a formula that works for you.
Should we host a middle school and high school combined dance?
Check with your administrators. This is again, is a case by case situation
and in many cases is not advised. Mixing middle school girls with high school boys is generally a no-no. Try hosting
a dance for either just junior high or high school seperatly. One of the few mixing of ages that works well is having
a 7th - 9th grade dance. However, this again, will depend on your agency's rules and regulations as well as the climate
of your teen programs.
Should we require
a permission slip?
This answers depend heavily on
whether your Supervisor or City Manager/Risk Manager will require one. Many agencies require permission slips and many
do not. Check to see what will fly with your agency's rules and regulations. Sample permission slips are provided
as a guide if you decide to utilize them.
I want to host
a band night, where do I find the bands?
There
are a lot of ways to find bands that are looking for time to play on stage. We suggest contacting your local junior
high and high school band programs, putting up flyers in local music shops, coffee shops, or university student unions.
My Space is also a great resource to check out local bands (plus you get to listen to their music and check out their 'look').
There are a lot of bands out there looking for play time, so spread the word and start recruiting. Once you start your programs,
you'll find that bands will start contacting you.
How
do we get the bands to follow our rules?
Many agencies
require a band to sign a contract with specific guidelines. If your agency requires certian rules, for example, no foul
language, requiring a band to submit a play list with a lyric sheet is a simple solution. Making the bands responsible
for their play time is crutial to a successful event. If your agency doesn't want fans to 'mosh/slam dance', let the
bands know they can't encourage it. Pulling the plug on the power source is generally a persuasive way to get bands to agree
to your guidelines. Though this is typically a last resort tactic and not used often, it is neverthelss, effective.
Should we pay the bands who play?
This again will depend on your agency and whether or not you can afford to
(or want to) pay them. Many bands will play for free, so don't think that you will have to pay bands in order to
have bands play (in fact, in many small venues bands pay a fee to play on stage, but unless you have access to the Wiskey
A Go Go as your location, don't charge your bands). Charging admission to the show is a good way to raise money for
your programs and cover the cost of the event. If you do choose to pay the bands, try paying them a % of the door.
This becomes a great way for bands to self promote (the more people that come to see them, the more of the door cover they
will get). You may want to establish a minimum for multi band shows, for example $50 per band, in the
event that a band doesn't bring in a lot of fans. A simple way to break down the cost is to offer the bands
20% of the door (for a $5 show, that's $1 per person that comes to see them). Realize however, if you're looking
for a well known band to play your, they may ask for a fee. If they're worth it and you can afford it, then go
for it.
