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MASDA Member Millennium Survey Results

February 2001

MASDA Survey Part I

This section is a report on the Closed-end questions on the survey form. Except for item one in this letter, most of them were answered by yes or no based upon specific questions asked on the survey.

1. Percentage of Return: The percentage of return was in excess of 27%.Comment: This is a good return for a survey of this type, and percentage of return is high enough to statistically consider the data as valid.
2. Average Number of Years Square Dancing of each respondent: 17.5 years.
3. How often do the dancers attend club dances: 89 % attend weekly
4. Number of Clubs each respondent belongs to: 78% belonged to one club, 8% belonged to two clubs, and 8% belonged to three clubs.
5. Dancer Percentages:
   Square Dance only = 71%
   Mainstream Dancer = 100%
   Plus Dancer = 73%
   Advanced Dancer = 4%.
   Round Dancer only = 3%
   Line Dancer = 43%
   Round and Square Dancers = 29%
   
   Round Dance Phases
   Phase II = 53%
   Phase III = 47%
   Phase IV = 29%
   Phase V = 12%

6. Membership in MASDA: 98% are members.
7. MASDA’s Responsiveness to dancers: 88% replied yes, 6 % said no, & 7% unsure.
8. Attend MASDA dances regularly: 75% yes and 25% no.
9. Line Dancing at MASDA dances: 81% yes , 19%
10. Like two Mainstream and one plus tip at MASDA Dances: 79% Yes and 21% no.
11. Enough time on styling: 60% yes and 40% no
12. Square Dance Workshops at MASDA Dances: 78% No and 22% yes.
13. MASDA Dance Times: 85% want change to earlier.
14. Satisfied with Round Dance program at MASDA Dances: 62% Yes, 38% no.
15. One high and one lower level round at MASDA Dances / Pre-rounds: 77% Yes; 23% No
16. MASDA Membership to $ 40.00 per year: 50% yes 50% no
17. Mini and Dixie Jamboree to $ 30.00: 34 % yes and 66% no.
18. USE more local callers at the MASDA Dances: 74% yes and 26% no.

Part II

ACTIONS TO IMPROVE MASDA DANCES, RECRUITING, AND RETENTION:

Open-end questions were placed throughout the survey to allow the respondents to share their own views in their own words. This part of the survey addresses actions that MASDA management can do. In accordance with current research theory, like questions are grouped together to provide a more accurate statistical analysis. Suggestions offered more frequently are grouped at the top of each section.

• Make new dancers feel welcome at MASDA Dances and support them better by recognizing new dancers at the MASDA dances.
• Improve the social atmosphere at the dances and make the MASDA dances more fun and relaxing by advising the guest callers to watch the speed etc.
• Recognize local club callers/cuers and club presidents at MASDA dances.
• Teach that it is rude to pass a forming square for another.
• Slow down the speeds of the tips by advising the callers to monitor the speed of their calling each tip to increase the enjoyment of the dancers.
• Begin MASDA Dances earlier and end earlier at either 7:00 or 7:30 PM.
• Dance levels are too high at MASDA dances for new dancers.
• Encourage experienced dancers to invite new dancers to join their square
• Advise the membership that MASDA will help clubs in financial trouble when asked in writing.
• Provide a safe environment (Fencing)
• Find out why people are quitting square dancing.
• Discourage "PAT" squares at MASDA Dances
• Encourage club to club visitations by setting up a visitation program etc.
• Look for ways to recruit younger dancers
• Offer Family orientated dances.
• Make the 5^th Saturday dances for new dancers and new callers.
• Advertise square dancing on television.
• Require dancers to dance a year before taking plus.
• Set up an Internet site like Birmingham. *
• Print Club lessons / classes dates in MASDA Newsletter.
• Mix the squares with Scatter Promenades.
• Work to get square dancing into the school programs.
• Set theme square dances like sweet heart and hobo dances, etc.
• Publish expenditures of MASDA funds and the treasurer’s report.
• Publish the results of this survey in MASDA Newsletter.
• Run this survey every two to three years.
• Improve the availability of cleaning supplies

Note: MASDA has a web site already. MASDA will publish information on the Website in the MASDA Newsletter. Instructions: Type in MASDA in Yahoo; Click on Additional Web Pages, Click on Montgomery Area Square Dance Association. The web address is http://www.spacegrove.com/masda/

Part III

Club Actions to Improve Club Recruiting, and Retention

This part of the survey includes the positive suggestions and specific actions that are the prerogative of each club. The MASDA board supports and encourages each club to look at these suggestions and comments and take positive action. In accordance with current research theory, like questions are grouped together to provide a more accurate statistical analysis. Suggestions offered more frequently are grouped at the top of each section.

Club Recruiting Suggestions

• Increase Club Recruiting Activities.
• Increase planning for New Dancer / Beginner Classes.
• Target and Recruit youth.
• Offer more open houses / new dancer dances at different times during the year.
• Increase Church Demonstrations
• Offer square dancing exhibitions on Maxwell/ Gunter AFB
• Offer Square Dance Lessons more frequently
• Offer Square Dance Demonstrations to Schools.
• Target and Recruit New Dancers from Specific Neighborhoods.
• Conduct Mall Square Dancing Demonstrations.
• Encourage Club Dancers to Recruit New Dancers

Club Retention Suggestions

• Eliminate / Discourage Pat Squares
• Encourage Experienced Dancers to dance with New Dancers.
• Improve Support to New Dancers by inviting them to Dance with Experienced Dancers.
• Relax Dress Code at Club Dances
• Conduct Workshop Tips at Club Dances to Help Dancers Learn.
• Teach Women the Men’s Part
• Extend the Length of the Classes
• Teach Plus with the Mainstream
• More Combined Club / Class dances
• Provide more Refreshments at Club Dances
• Conduct additional Social Activities for the Clubs apart from the Dances.
• Contact dancers who are missing and Find Out why etc.
• Dance Mainstream One Year Before Plus Lessons

• Use local club callers and cuers at some of the MASDA Dances
• End the MASDA Dances at 10:00 PM versus 10:30 PM.
• Study ways to include Line Dancing in the MASDA dances.
• Recognize the MASDA Callers, Cuers, and Line Dance Instructors at the MASDA dances.
• Eliminate square dance workshops at MASDA dances.
• Place Phase Requirements in the Round Dance Cuers’ contracts similar to those in the square dance callers’ contracts.

A very special thank you to all the people who responded to the survey and offered so many good suggestions. Also a special thanks to the people on the Survey Committee: Chairman Wayne Nicholson, Pat Demerath, Les Snow, and E. John Williford and to Russell Long, Ken Green, and Don Camp. MASDA will continue to implement more suggestions as time goes by. Together we can all achieve so much more.

Raymond Mathis

President

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