MEDSOK home page » History » 1986 Questionnaire

Mid-Eastern Dance Society of Kentuckiana Questionnaire
January 1986

Why do you think membership is declining?

Club is being divided into two units, 'your club' and 'our club.'
Older members are finding new interests and drifting away for one reason or another.
Not many classes are being taught and those that are obviously not informing them about the club or encouraging them to join.
Times are hard for some, and unknowingly, it (the depression) is carried with us everyday. A lot of people are giving up on life.
Lack of interest and enthusiasm.
MEDSOK is not active enough to keep interest of new members.
Decline of new membership and member participation.
Decline in interest in belly dance.
General decline in interest in belly dance.
Publicity and classes not as evident.
Anti-arabic sentiment a la Akhadafy.
There is a decline in the popularity of MED, but there are problems in our club, such as lack of unity among the members and places to perform.

No, waste of my time to drive 40 minutes for a 15-minute meeting.
Usually, but I, like most members, want a bit more than just a business meeting.
Yes.
Yes. However, it would stimulate more interest and enthusiasm to have more interesting programs.
OK.
The meetings are too repetitious, new ideas should be brought up and to try out.
Business meeting too long because meetings lack order.
I don't enjoy them, I don't not enjoy them, they are meetings not parties, a place to accomplish the tasks of the club. When we have fun it is icing on the cake.
Yes, otherwise I wouldn't come to them.

Programs pertaining to OUR dance.
Maybe some type of short instruction in one basic area (15-20 min) at each meeting in addition to a regular program.
Stick to the subjects) during the meeting and socialize before and after the meetings.
More interesting programs.
Move location to a more convenient place for all members, hopefully with facilities for coffee and etc.
Management of the Hafflis. More participation in the old members as well as the new. Enthusiasm in recruiting new members.
Occasional snacks and social affairs other than Christmas.
Some emphasis in programs on political and social issues of the Middle East. We seem to be closing our eyes to the reality of this area of the world.
No public backstabbing or bitchiness. If a problem arises as it will the parties involved settle it privately unless it involves a beach of the club's by-laws or ethics.
I would like to see more times and places we could get together just to have a good time and perform, not necessarily for an audience, just for fun.

Yes, except for all the free advertisement of individual business.
Yes, most of the time.
Yes.
Have not been able to attend due to business.
I enjoy them very much. But the repetition in the set u is what is our main concern at this time in participation of members and dancers and audience.
OK
Yes.
Yes, although we need to find out why we lost so many people who used to attend them.

More advertisement prior to show and Advance sale of tickets
I wish we could bet back to only MEDSOK members participating. I don't think it is fair to have others participate when they don't pay dues like the rest of us!
Have them in places where the ceilings are not so high. A low ceiling helps to create more of an intimate atmosphere.
Vendors. Extra entertainment - Gypsy with Crystal ball? Maybe bake sale. More atmosphere. Dressed MC and attendants. Improve props. Distinction between informal haflas and professional shows for public. More publicity. Flyers. Advance tickets.
Go back to the real theme of MED and enjoy the atmosphere of the true feelings that dancers had at one time.
1 a year instead of 2.
Wider range of dance styles within or closely related to Middle Eastern; a distinction between haflas for club membership and high-priced shoes for general public related to caliber of performers.
Maybe a dinner and hafla combination? Possibly some guest dancers form other areas with different styles and dances besides our own.

Yes
Possibly.
Sure!
No.
yes
Again this would give us more public awareness and we are helping others at the same time.
Nothing except 'Dance for Heart' in February.
Yes.
If we could come to an agreement in the club so that everyone would participate.

Any charitable non-profit organizations.
Special benefits for Heart Association (Dance for Heart) or special Olympics, Crusade for Children, etc.
MDS, Missing children, street people centers, anything to help the elderly, homeless, handicapped and missing.
White elephant sales, dance, Monte Carlo nite, booths at festivals.
School development. Special education.
Dancing for Dollars for Kosair or similar. One workshop with nationally known instructor per year.

Fund raising events.
Come to Ft Knox as a Club. Go to the other out-of-town hometowns of our members.
Dance more in public, malls, benefits, nursing home, demonstration at women's clubs, schools, other dancing institutions, boots at festivals.
Dance in different location throughout Kentucky and Indiana to give us more exposure and possibly new involvement.
Flyers in dance studios, etc about the club and its activities, maybe some brochures.
Fund-raising event to be publicized with everything being done in the best of taste, of course.
Activities of the club sent to national dance publications.
Try to get into more community projects for the recognition. I realize it is time consuming to do freebies, but we could use the renewed interest in the art, and let people know that we are still a group and open for new members.

To bring OUR club together as one unit.
Possibly a bit less back-stabbing and boycotting directed towards certain individuals. It doesn't make for a very friendly atmosphere.
Maybe a prayer before each meeting or a moment of silence where we hold hands in a circle - like Scouts - we need more UNITY.
More members taking part in the program..
We should sponsor 2 members for every nearby workshop to build support from other clubs and increase knowledge.
The location of the meeting is too far out of the way. A more central location would be convenient to most of the members. This could be one of the reasons participation in the meetings is down.
I think the idea of paying for a member to attend workshops is great.
More of the club membership attending classes and workshops so our dancing styles will expand and improve.
More unity among the members!