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| Subject: Here's why I am frustrated with out Region (Inside) | |
Author: DM | [ Next Thread |
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] Date Posted: 08:42:30 10/13/20 Tue The lack of transparency from our Board is astounding. In what other sport or activity is the customer not centric to decisions and communication? If you have a dancer who is competitive, the average spend on tuition/class, private lessons, feis/travel, costume, shoes, etc is on average $5,000 - $10,000 per year. This a huge investment. I've often been told we can't "ruffle feathers." When you have a 5 person board seemingly making unilateral decisions that effect my child and my time/money, then I get frustrated and I shouldn't have to ruffle feathers to get answers. Why aren't parents allowed to read Board meeting minutes? Why aren't parents allowed to attend zoom calls for an Open Session of a Board Meeting? Who was on the regional COVID Committee? Why couldn't an insurance policy be obtained? Who is the Doctor of Psychology they sought advice and what was communicated from that meeting? Without any information, I am left to make assumptions. In the end, other Regions may or may not be able to hold an Oireachtas. But they are trying to make it work. Kudos to them. Our Board seemingly looked to find reasons to NOT hold the event, as opposed to asking how can we hold an event? I have two other children in other sports/activities. The communication has been very transparent and their Boards have sought input and advice outside of their own team. Competitions look different but are happening (inside and outdoors). I feel badly for my dancer that she simply chose to fall in love with a sport whose operation is going the way of Blockbuster. TCs are running a business. The Board is elected to represent the best interests of TCs and the ID community. This Board either: failed to communicate, failed to exhaust all options for this event or failed to serve the very group they were elected to represent. Maybe I'm wrong. But because everything is one big secret, I am going to guess I'm not. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |
| [> Subject: I don't think it was unreasonable to cancel the O for 2020/early 2021. Covid isn't going anywhere. Stop complaining.. It would've been impossible to hold the O in NE probably until late next summer. | |
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Author: DM [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 09:33:10 10/13/20 Tue . [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: I read the letter quite differently. I thought it was very transparent, walking through their considerations, and even offering a FAQ section. New England states have been very conservative with respect to their approach to the pandemic. Our region's board parallels that focus on prioritzing health and safety for all. | |
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Author: thank you to the board [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 10:20:34 10/13/20 Tue My dancer loves to dance, loves to attend classes with friends. I don't want her to be disappointed, but I very much want this pandemic to be something she looks back on as a tough time to get through, not a time marred by grief, grieving over stricken family members. How could I in good conscience bring her to an Oir where she could get sick, and maybe worse? It is easy to say "If you are so scared, then just stay home." However, I believe TCs are well aware of the pressures to conform within Irish dance. The expensive dresses, crazy wigs, over-the-top make-up, and dark tans speak volumes. They would have to be blind to ignore the potential pressure parents would feel to bring their child to the Oir, regardless of the degree of risk perceived. The board made a decision for all in the interest of safety. This is no different than local and state governments making decisions re: the shut down and masks - to keep the public safe regardless of the protests of the minority that they should get a say, that their personal freedom is being infringed upon. They made a decision that might hurt Irish dance schools as small businesses. Dancers might just give up and stop coming to dance, with no competitions to look forward to. Don't say your TC never looked out for you at their own expense. The TCs are the ones who may lose business over this. The TCs are the ones who are going to take the flack from parents who would rather go to a competition that send their child to school, in-person, full-time. (These two are most certainly inter-related. The more the virus spreads, the less chance of a return to in-person learning.) Thank you, to the NE board. I'm sure this was a difficult decision. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: Kudos to the original poster. Every parent I know agrees with this 100% | |
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Author: Sad for our sport - TCs and kids too [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 10:22:37 10/13/20 Tue [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: Agreed! | |
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Author: Mom [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 11:54:39 10/13/20 Tue I always assumed this was a snooty Irish thing. They just don't care how we do things over here with regard to sports/activities/involvement as far as the parents and families are concerned. Every other sport or activity usually has some parent component. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: I'm curious on how all the other regions were able to secure insurance but NE region couldn't? And how are the other regions handling adjudicators and quarantines? There are other states besides MA & CT, with plenty of venues which were not looked at. I thought the letter was a little brusque, which implies they didn't put enough effort into making O happen, and they knew it. | |
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Author: Not a WQ mom [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 13:48:34 10/13/20 Tue [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: I am actually so proud of our region | |
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Author: Inside [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 22:09:48 10/13/20 Tue They are the ONLY region in the US or Canada with the good sense to put the health and well being of our dancers and dance families over profit. This is a no brained. No matter how much we may want to have our children dance, is it really worth the risk to them? To their parents? To their families? To their teachers? To the adjudicators and musicians? No. It isn’t. We all know it. We don’t want to admit it because we want to give our dancers the sense that things are okay. But they aren’t. This virus is real, and it’s scary, and we still need to be safe. A small feis is one thing, but hundreds, if not thousands of people together inside for a dance competition over several days is NOT WORTH IT. Regardless of the style of the communication from the NEO Board, we should be thankful that they have done the right thing during a hard time. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> Subject: Agreed! | |
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Author: DF [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 07:18:05 10/14/20 Wed The region made a well-researched and swift decision. all the other regions are not concerned about the dancers nor safety. there is no reason to hold regional qualifiers when Worlds is not likely to happen. Also, ask your friends who play hockey and other sports about how the virus is spreading in their sports; because it is!! Continue to dance because the love of dance, not only because of competition, titles and trophies. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: Whether you know it or not, your issue lies with your TC. As a TC, I've felt very informed about what was going on, and have been realistic and transparent with my dancers as this process played out. As a professional organisation for Irish dance TEACHERS, the board has no obligation to communicate with you directly. | |
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Author: more inside [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 12:03:59 10/14/20 Wed It has always been the way in Irish dance that the regions/countries/CLRG communicate with their members, who are professionals, and then leave it to them to determine how best to inform their dance families. Every school and family group is different. For example, in my school, kids had assumed Oireachtas wasn't going to happen for months now... Just because--look at the world. So whilst this was disappointing on some level, it was the expected reality of our situation. To say this regional board didn't do enough to try to make the Oireachtas happen is absolutely absurd, and unless you have all the information that we have as teachers, you cannot comment on it. Again, this goes back to your own teacher. On the call when this was announced, even the SMALL handful of dissenting teachers were eventually satisfied that at the very least, the board had exhausted all options for making an Oireachtas happen. I know you're not getting full information from your teacher because several of your points were very clearly discussed during the call. The PsyD that was consulted is a respected member of the region. One of the venues that was extensively reviewed by committee was in NH, etc... No one WANTED to cancel the Oireachtas. People were willing to put in the work. Plenty of people stepped up to work, and help, and try to make something happen. After extensive work on the matter, this is still the conclusion that was arrived at. So please, revisit this with your TC because I don't feel the board is in the wrong here. Another teacher on the call is also a member of multiple regions, and they felt that New England had actually put the MOST work in on this so far, and the reason other regions hadn't canceled, is they hadn't waded deep enough into reality yet. Also, just as an aside, given all the hoops we'd have had to jump through to hold an Oireachtas this year, do you really think it would have turned out as any sort of event you'd even WANT to attend? I feel like when people are pining for a 2020 Oireachtas, they're picturing screaming for their classmates and favourite dance celebrities against a ballroom wall, or lobby parties into the wee hours of the morning... That was never going to be it. This was going to have be a sterile, non-celebratory, pain in the ass of an event that frankly I wouldn't have wanted to be a part of anyway... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> Subject: Thank you for proving my point. | |
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Author: DM [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 12:12:06 10/14/20 Wed “The way it’s always been...” “Would have been a pain in the ass event I wouldn’t have wanted to be a part of anyway.” I’ll just leave that here. PS—I love and respect our TC. Communicates in a very open and honest way. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> Subject: No one proved your whiney and self-centered point. With a straight face you can say that our board was LOOKING for reasons to cancel Oireachtas? How extraordinarily insulting to them. | |
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Author: SMH [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 13:07:12 10/14/20 Wed [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> Subject: CLRG/IDTANA/NEIDT are professional organisations. Until the professionals in the organistion decide on a different way of doing business, yes, that's how it's been and that's how it will stay. That second part were just my personal thoughts. | |
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Author: TC [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 13:33:09 10/14/20 Wed [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> Subject: Thank you, TC, for this thoughtful response. I don't think the whiny and entitled "DM" deserved the time you put into this response, but many of us are very grateful. Our TC, much like you, kept us well-informed, and our expectations realistic, throughout the process. | |
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Author: mom of a senior OC [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 17:05:06 10/14/20 Wed [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: Really sad that our kids have to miss another major- | |
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Author: x [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 18:33:44 10/15/20 Thu First Worlds, then Nationals, now the O- but I do think that there are going to be few regions that actually end up holding their Oireachtas - they may have plans, but the nation is seeing a steady increase in COVID-19 cases that isn't likely to slow down. I wouldn't have said this several weeks ago, but looking at the current positivity rates, the fall and winter surge seems to be afoot. SRO will probably still hold their O - FL has been wide open and stayed that way. I would think many of the others are in jeopardy. I wish that we could have held the O, but I'd much rather break this news to my DDs well in advance instead of having a heartbreaking cancellation much closer to the event which may be the fate of other regions. Time will tell if the board was prescient or not. My guess is that history will be kind. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> Subject: If it's any consolation, the O is not a major. It's only a regional championship at which we can qualify for a major. I am not sure any region will end up holding an O. Florida is a mess with rampant Covid and ignoramuses who won't wear masks or stop partying. Mid-America ran into problems today. Mid-Atlantic hasn't even got a date or a venue for their O, so chances are it's not happening. I think we will have plenty of company in having no O. | |
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Author: my 2 cents [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 20:05:25 10/15/20 Thu [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> Subject: What Mid Am O Problems? | |
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Author: Mid Am Dance Mom [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 13:32:20 10/16/20 Fri What problems did Mid Am run into with O? Curious. Thanks! [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> Subject: What's going on with MidAm? Haven't heard of any problems.... | |
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Author: Mid Am mom too [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 05:39:00 10/17/20 Sat Does Indiana have new restrictions? [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> [> Subject: Maybe referring to the statement on the main board that Indiana was just added to the mandatory quarantine lists for Ohio and for Chicago | |
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Author: Added late this week [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 07:14:25 10/17/20 Sat [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Yes, this is what I was referring to. Dance friends out there don't think they will have their O with virus numbers climbing and states banning travel to/from each other. | |
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Author: my 2 cents again [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 09:56:58 10/17/20 Sat [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Thanks! I wondered if it was more than that | |
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Author: Mid Am Dance Mom [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 10:48:50 10/17/20 Sat Appreciate the details. Agreed it will be touch and go. Really probably depends if Indiana decides to put it restrictions on events. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: Really Grateful that you don't have to worry about your dancers getting sick, or being the ones spreading the virus to those who are more in danger to contracting the virus. thank you New England for being brave enough to make the right decision, and to do it before parents spent thousands of dollars in preparation, and dancers sunk more energy just to be devastated. Now we can focus and heal. | |
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Author: tc [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 19:40:00 10/15/20 Thu d [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: I don’t think the poster was whining or complaining. Everyone is allowed to have their viewpoint and I agree—the board could be more transparent. This sport needs to evolve or it will lose families, which would be a shame. | |
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Author: NE [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 17:58:33 10/17/20 Sat [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: response | |
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Author: dancemom [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 18:13:44 10/17/20 Sat The letter was quite transparent. The New England State governments have set quite stringent precautions (rightfully so) that protect us all. There are other states that are not doing the right thing and so anything goes. In the moment that may seem like a lucky thing for them because they can hold large events but that comes at a public health risk. Have to say I am glad that we live where we live. And my dancer is also relieved because the science says an inside O is just not appropriate right now. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: CLRG, IDTANA, and all other related organizations have ALWAYS been poor communicators. | |
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Author: more inside [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 22:29:42 10/18/20 Sun I can't think of any other sport or activity where vital information is only provided to instructors. Especially during COVID there should be newsletters, bulletins, social media pages, and websites actively updated with information available to everyone. Thank God our TC is so good at sharing all information with us because there is no other way to receive information. Another concern is that regional and global board members are invisible. I know they are working hard behind the scenes, but it doesn't help the fact that it seems every decision is shrouded in mystery and confusion. The fact that there is absolutely no form of direct contact between dance families and board members is not good or normal. I know many board members are earnestly working for the benefit of all, but the fact that we are powerless to weigh-in, powerless to know how decisions are made, and even powerless to know what the decisions actually are is unacceptable. The fact that these Voy message boards are filled with parents desperate for truthful information indicates just how much our regional, national, and global boards are failing us. I don't know if it's the age of the board members and their inability to communicate effectively or if there truly is an effort to keep families in the dark as much as possible and just string them along... [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> Subject: Excellent points! You said what apparently I was unable to communicate before being attacked as a self entitled whiner. TY | |
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Author: DM [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 09:46:48 10/19/20 Mon [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> Subject: Ummm. Actually no. The AP wrote clearly and dispassionately about the lack of communication from CLRG, IDTANA and NEIDT. You, on the other hand, whined that the NERO board was trying to find ways to cancel Os. Huge difference | |
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Author: **** [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 17:55:39 10/19/20 Mon [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> [> Subject: This. 100% this. | |
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Author: agreed [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 19:29:37 10/19/20 Mon [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> [> Subject: You must be a ray of positive light to be around in person. Wow | |
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Author: Not the OP [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 19:48:15 10/19/20 Mon [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> [> [> [> [> Subject: Listen, I'm not the one who, in a fit of anger that my kid doesn't get to compete in a global pandemic that, "Our Board seemingly looked to find reasons to NOT hold the event." You want to call out someone for not being little miss Sunshine--it ain't me. | |
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Author: Sorry [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 20:05:18 10/19/20 Mon [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: Thanks to the board | |
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Author: Dm [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 18:31:40 10/19/20 Mon Thank you to the board for looking out for our dancers. There is no way we could safely have our dancers attend an oireachtas. Numbers are going up and who knows what it will look like in a month or 2. The board looked at holding it later but there isn't a facility that is able to commit to this kind of event. You have all seem how crazy it gets at these events so how can it be safely monitored. [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
| [> Subject: CLRG is essentially a union for the teachers, it owes nothing to dancers or parents. The issue should be with your TC who sounds like they are blaming the committee to avoid tough conversations. We get details on decisions and our TC is always available to discuss. | |
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Author: Also it’s a literal pandemic.... [ Edit | View ] |
Date Posted: 18:00:27 10/31/20 Sat [ Post a Reply to This Message ] |
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