{"items": [{"author": "Joshua", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271099926242576", "anchor": "fb-271099926242576", "service": "fb", "text": "I don't have any connections to help with the organizing, but I would attend regularly and would love to contribute any way I can!", "timestamp": "1315846824"}, {"author": "Jessica", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271110899574812", "anchor": "fb-271110899574812", "service": "fb", "text": "I would love to see a weekly dance on the Cambridge side of the river that is held in a decent hall and that's in a T accessible area!  I would definitely attend/support as needed to see this happen!!", "timestamp": "1315848465"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271111946241374", "anchor": "fb-271111946241374", "service": "fb", "text": "Jeff, I completely misunderstood your comment at first. I thought you wanted a weekly dance on a train. I'd support that.", "timestamp": "1315848607"}, {"author": "Ben", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271113729574529", "anchor": "fb-271113729574529", "service": "fb", "text": "This, very much this. To whatever extent I can, I would be happy to help make something happen.", "timestamp": "1315848873"}, {"author": "Sally", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271114332907802", "anchor": "fb-271114332907802", "service": "fb", "text": "I thought the same thing, David! :) I'm on board....and on the Board so count me in to help make this happen!", "timestamp": "1315848957"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271114529574449", "anchor": "fb-271114529574449", "service": "fb", "text": "@Jessica: halls are definitely an issue.  There's nothing as nice as the scout house, but there are a bunch of good places.  It's mostly a matter of finding a place that's a good tradeoff of size, price, and location", "timestamp": "1315848988"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271114906241078", "anchor": "fb-271114906241078", "service": "fb", "text": "@David: perhaps Guerilla Contra Boston should move to the red line for the winter?", "timestamp": "1315849038"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271116646240904", "anchor": "fb-271116646240904", "service": "fb", "text": "Jeff: Why not both? I also love the idea of an outdoor contra in the winter, especially while it's lightly snowing.", "timestamp": "1315849290"}, {"author": "Sally", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271119336240635", "anchor": "fb-271119336240635", "service": "fb", "text": "When was the last time anyone talked with the NEFFA board to ask them about any plans to move back to the city? Might be a good first step.", "timestamp": "1315849699"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271121116240457", "anchor": "fb-271121116240457", "service": "fb", "text": "@Sally: I talked to Dan Pearl on 2011-10-06.  He wrote: \"We are always willing to entertain proposals for specific locations. We have investigated several, but none have been better than where we are right now.\"", "timestamp": "1315849966"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271121522907083", "anchor": "fb-271121522907083", "service": "fb", "text": "@David: musicians have fingers, and those don't work well in the cold. Though it might be fun for 45min, just for the sheer silliness.", "timestamp": "1315850024"}, {"author": "Sally", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271123566240212", "anchor": "fb-271123566240212", "service": "fb", "text": "Well, perhaps we can find that \"better\" venue in Boston (though perhaps I'm still too new to Boston to realize you all *have* been looking and have yet to find it). I'm willing to continue the hunt and bring the weekly dance back to the city!", "timestamp": "1315850314"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271127122906523", "anchor": "fb-271127122906523", "service": "fb", "text": "@Sally or anyone: there are a lot of halls we've checked out and found wanting, but there are also a lot of churches and similar buildings that may happen to have wonderful rooms with great floors.", "timestamp": "1315850844"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271127679573134", "anchor": "fb-271127679573134", "service": "fb", "text": "Jeff, good point about fingers. I forgot that playing music in gloves is harder than dancing in gloves. The combination of drinking lots of water and eating salt (increasing blood volume and peripheral blood flow) and wearing fingerless gloves might make it work...<br><br>Personally, I'd be opposed to moving the Thur night dance into the city. Spending 40+ hours a week in the city is already way more than I like and I don't want to spend my free time there too. I do understand why other people want it though.", "timestamp": "1315850934"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271129832906252", "anchor": "fb-271129832906252", "service": "fb", "text": "Actually, nevermind about the fingers. Cold skin cracks much more easily, even if everything underneath is warm enough.", "timestamp": "1315851076"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271130276239541", "anchor": "fb-271130276239541", "service": "fb", "text": "@David: I think at this point the thursday dance is kind of stuck where it is.  It pulled in a lot of the people that would otherwise be going to the more-convenient-to-them monday dances, and now those people like it and want it to stay out west.  So I think a different series is likely the way to go.", "timestamp": "1315851135"}, {"author": "Jeff", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271136932905542", "anchor": "fb-271136932905542", "service": "fb", "text": "@Jeff: Yes, the Thursday night dance probably is stuck at the Scout House, but it isn't as big as it was in the old VFW (which had a bigger hall), and it's harder to pull in new people who live in the city.<br>I love the Scout House, but I don't think it's healthy for the community to have most of the dances in the same place.", "timestamp": "1315852055"}, {"author": "Bill", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271155012903734", "anchor": "fb-271155012903734", "service": "fb", "text": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman, Alex Krogh-Grabbe:  There may be other options.  Lets talk.  Skype?  Thurs. at the break? YDW?  Let me know.", "timestamp": "1315854480"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271156126236956", "anchor": "fb-271156126236956", "service": "fb", "text": "I agree that there should be a weekly contra dance in the city and am frustrated that such a high proportion of the dances in the area are at the Scouthouse.  I'm willing to help make such a thing happen, but I have an ongoing conflict Sunday evenings, so I can help only a little if Sunday becomes the choice.", "timestamp": "1315854616"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271158606236708", "anchor": "fb-271158606236708", "service": "fb", "text": "I was very disappointed at the turnout for the 4 Thursday contras in a row at the WCYC.  I was hoping to see dozens of people who rarely or never dance in Concord, but that was not the case.  I don't think there is a huge pent up demand for a weekly urban contra by people with much spare time.  Therefore, establishing such a series will require a lot of work marketing, recruiting, and proselytizing.  Furthermore, a financial investment will be needed in callers, bands, and hall rental until the series is self-sustaining.  This investment will require fund raising and contacting various groups for grants.", "timestamp": "1315854960"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271159286236640", "anchor": "fb-271159286236640", "service": "fb", "text": "@Peter: I'm not totally attached to sundays, but they do have an advantage for parking: no permits or meter feeding needed.  They are also fewer dance conflicts.  Monday, tuesday, thursday, and saturday all have contra dances.  Wednesday has an english dance that we could go opposite but I would prefer not to.  Friday is mostly free and is possible, though there is the first friday experienced dance.  I'd also like to be farther from thursday than wednesday and friday are.", "timestamp": "1315855048"}, {"author": "David", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271160492903186", "anchor": "fb-271160492903186", "service": "fb", "text": "If there's only one Saturday dance left at the Scout House, how would they feel about moving to the city and becoming weekly?", "timestamp": "1315855208"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271162119569690", "anchor": "fb-271162119569690", "service": "fb", "text": "@David: the last saturday dance is debby and walter's.  I've actually talked to them about this recently.  They like the scout house for a few reasons, including the history, and were not open to the idea of moving.  I think I'll email them and talk more, though.<br><br>(separately, I know walter doesn't like the masonic hall because of its poor wheelchair accessibility.)", "timestamp": "1315855421"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271163616236207", "anchor": "fb-271163616236207", "service": "fb", "text": "@Bill: I could skype this evening if you're interested, though I actually prefer the transparency of talking here.  It means that more people can see what we've been thinking about, and it's easier to get ideas and see who is interested in working on this.", "timestamp": "1315855609"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271169326235636", "anchor": "fb-271169326235636", "service": "fb", "text": "@Peter: I do wonder how long it would take to get a self-sustaining weekly dance.  Looking at old financials it only took bida a few dances at the masonic hall to start breaking even.  This was with our older lower guarantees and sound fees, and before the recent rent increase, which together bring expenses up by $235, which is about 30 dancers.  There were grants involved, but they were for mentoring and I don't think affect the bottom line of whether the dance is losing money.", "timestamp": "1315856380"}, {"author": "Josh", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/118273920476267337216", "anchor": "gp-1315856749119", "service": "gp", "text": "For a moment there, I thought you were suggesting that the dance should happen inside a subway car. :^)", "timestamp": 1315856749}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/103013777355236494008", "anchor": "gp-1315857565430", "service": "gp", "text": "@Josh: could do.  Might be fun.", "timestamp": 1315857565}, {"author": "Phillip", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271224282896807", "anchor": "fb-271224282896807", "service": "fb", "text": "@Jeff, I was feeling poorly yesterday, I was hoping to have this discussion with you at the BIDA event.There absolutely should be a city dance. As I mentioned to you there used to be two weekly dances: Cambridge and Longwood. I actually think Friday night might be better than Sunday, particularly for the college crowd (better if it could be 8 to 11pm). @Peter, while there wasn't tremendous pent up demand, there were definitely a lot (10% to 20%) of dancers that were different from Concord. That would spread organically if the dance were there for a while.", "timestamp": "1315863988"}, {"author": "Terry", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/110796240920571504300", "anchor": "gp-1315868299633", "service": "gp", "text": "let's start one.", "timestamp": 1315868299}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271315302887705", "anchor": "fb-271315302887705", "service": "fb", "text": "I think it would be helpful to do some hall research.  Does anyone want to work on this with me?", "timestamp": "1315878554"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271319159553986", "anchor": "fb-271319159553986", "service": "fb", "text": "I can do a little hall research, but have limited bandwidth right now -- I'm pretty busy with Arisia.", "timestamp": "1315879150"}, {"author": "Phillip", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271323579553544", "anchor": "fb-271323579553544", "service": "fb", "text": "I could also do some research. We need a central list so we can see what's been done.", "timestamp": "1315879750"}, {"author": "Barbara", "source_link": "https://plus.google.com/105608359818970034946", "anchor": "gp-1315879865945", "service": "gp", "text": "Subway musicals! Yay!", "timestamp": 1315879865}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271326976219871", "anchor": "fb-271326976219871", "service": "fb", "text": "Jeff, I like wiki's for this sort of collaborating, or perhaps just a shared Google doc or spreadsheet.  Do you want to set one up?", "timestamp": "1315880303"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271327329553169", "anchor": "fb-271327329553169", "service": "fb", "text": "Also, can we define some parameters?  Does it have to be subway, or is major bus route OK?  How much walk is OK?  What about driving access and parking?", "timestamp": "1315880362"}, {"author": "John", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271359849549917", "anchor": "fb-271359849549917", "service": "fb", "text": "One of the reasons that the Thursday night dance isn't in the  West Cambridge Youth Center is that the city wanted to charge too much rent and reserved the right for several cancellations a year at short notice. I've talked to several people in the city about this and I think they could be talked into reducing the rent and eliminate the cancellation possibility.  I can pursue this if there is real interest.", "timestamp": "1315886213"}, {"author": "Peter", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271360459549856", "anchor": "fb-271360459549856", "service": "fb", "text": "I think there's a lot to be said for that hall (WCYC), but it's probably too large until the series gets on its feet.", "timestamp": "1315886328"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271462169539685", "anchor": "fb-271462169539685", "service": "fb", "text": "I've made a google doc: https://docs.google.com/.../110Dcx4PJdqtrvpMX1C5E.../edit...", "timestamp": "1315914821"}, {"author": "Jeff&nbsp;Kaufman", "source_link": "https://www.facebook.com/jefftk/posts/271091599576742?comment_id=271462472872988", "anchor": "fb-271462472872988", "service": "fb", "text": "I'll be at the mit dance tonight if anyone wants to talk in person", "timestamp": "1315914882"}]}