Gender Balance Charter for Warmwell November 2021
Requirement for
(1) all female group lodges
(2) all lodges which have more female than men.
GENDER BALANCE RATIOS
We face situations that could go out of control if we didn't control ratios, that would upset peoples dance enjoyment.
Are ladies fully aware of the situation that affects a dance weekender where there are lots of ladies but only a few men?
Do ladies care about the situation when they book that they may have only a couple of dances a night?
What do we do to control the Gender Balance Ratios, its by working together.
Our target has been achieved each year at the past ten MJRoc Dance November weekenders and this is between 47-48% men to 52-53% females. (Sadly 2020 was cancelled due to Covid National Lockdowns) It takes a lot of mutual work from everyone to achieve this.
The problem ladies face (only you know why) is that Men like to book late and until they do, any gender balancing ratio is badly unbalanced, i.e. creating a situation where the ladies would be chasing the men for a dance and creating what many would call "a toxic atmosphere). Who wants that?
There are a lot of solo men who are interested in coming and they tell us when they book, is because they found out when people they knew were going. If you speak with them early to tell them you are going and how important you are with your booking. Let them be proud to book as well and enjoying a dance friendship.
High numbers have rebooked for Warmwell 2021 and new bookings are coming in from equal mixed gender groups and females snapping up remaining rooms in the female "Stranger" only lodges.
Over the years more and more demands are for all female lodges or more females than men in a group.
This event sold out for every year it operated, ten years in a row from 2010-2019.
Why not ask the men at your dance club/social media friends to book early too. Make up small or big groups, amazing fun times.
If you do not want men in your lodge, set up two bookings, one for the men in one lodge and the females in another.
Or men can book into our male shared lodges, where males come together as "Strangers" but have their own bedrooms, with their bookings directly linked to yours.
But if you don't mention to men join up with others, the men will tend to book late and many miss out when event is later sold out. Men can make a huge difference to your booking, by linking up for Gender Balance Ratios.
BUT if the men are not persuaded, it could affects your chances of booking.
Many females groups or groups with mainly ladles are held back on standby lists until gender balance ratio is back on track then allow them to book?
So what can you do to improve your chances to book?
Alternatively MJRoc could only take a very limited number of groups where there are more females than males (and no all female groups) on a first come basis? (For 2021 Warmwell, these lodges have already been filled by re-bookings from Warmwell 2020)
Do we abandon taking any bookings for Female only or more females than men Groups?
Unlike other known events, for MJRoc Events its about the success of the event and not to fill our lodges at any cost, i.e. not caring about gender balance ratios and just filling lodges with mainly females, creating a massive headache at the weekender.
A Solution is offered.
If we take female only groups or more females than male group bookings, then there has to be a joint effort on part of those groups to ensure they get men to book into male groups or male stranger lodges to improve the gender balance ratio.
Without this consideration by the groups, we (MJRoc) cannot consider taking their bookings.
Based on experience:
We had a disaster dance weekender when we had too many females, purely only for gender balancing reasons, in April 2012 when trying to establish a spring Warmwell through demand. We had almost 400 dancers in attendance. Sadly it was discovered at check in, how many females had booked in as men in group lodges, shocking crew on the desks with their attitudes to any gender balance ratios. And some females had deliberately booked into male only lodges under male names, so they could get into the weekender, which caused many issues and MJRoc having to purchase extra lodges (at MJRoc expense) to control the unwelcomed situation so ladies were not in male only lodges. Never again, lesson learned the hard way.
So we only achieved a low 40% to 60% (male to female) ratio for that event when on paper entering the weekender, a really good gender balance ratio. We had complaints from females that there were not enough men to dance with and would you believe, many complaints from the females who had booked in as men!
On that occasion not as many Men booked late for this event which was the "rule" at other events, so that set concern for all future events and how they were planned.
Men also only book if they find the event doesn't have too many ladies overbooked, because they want to also enjoy the weekender and not be "hounded" for dances when they want the occasion social sit down.
Now referring to "Will the men book late, what happens if they do not?". Many have decided to book late (from feedback) because at past events they did not enjoy the "hounding" at events where organisers "where all about £'s" and not worried with any concerns with gender balance ratios. If they find out the event has "gender balance ratio policy", they will book late, if though they may not know anyone else going.
When it was established who was doing the most complaining at April 2012, this was mainly the all females lodges and when asked if they had encouraged any men to come to Warmwell, its was almost a NIL response!
Men traditionally are slow to book early because they want to know others going. Once they do, they book and have a great time.
If we are down on the numbers of men booked at any stage during the year, its why females groups/more females than men groups will go on standby lists if the ratio men to women is not on target we require, left hoping enough will book on their own, to improve the gender balancing.
So you as females (and men within your group) to avoid "standby lists/missing out", have very important roles, to attract the men to go to weekenders.
They often just need to know friends/local dancers are also going.
SO HERE IS A WAY TO GO FORWARD
If you want to be booked at Warmwell 2021, you are required to be in agreement THAT you agree to participate in efforts encourage men to book and that men will be booked and paid via your recommendations. You tell us their names, we track their bookings and link their confirmed bookings to yours.
As the lead name you need to let the ladies/men know within your group lodge, that this is the booking condition and why you have been allowed to book.
By paying your deposits confirms this too. You risk loosing your deposits if you state you have agreed to finding the men who are "confirmed" bookings but do not get the men before your Balance is due.
You have to accept that risk as a group if wishing to book early on these terms, to get that better lodge or maybe closer to the venue sta?
Everyone in that booking is to be in agreement to “do their bit” to ensure men to book either in all male groups or into male “stranger lodges” and drive up the male to female ratio linked to your booking.
MJRoc alone cannot reach into your local dance communities without your efforts too.
WIN A HOLIDAY PLACE?
If you recommend any male who books into Male Stranger Lodges ALLOCATED TO YOUR BOOKING, you enter the free draw for the chance to win back your place for 2022. The more men that book into these lodges, the more chances of winning the value one person place at 2022 Warmwell.
RECAP
WHAT DOES GENDER BALANCING MEAN IF I ACCEPT THE TERMS & CONDITIONS ON BEHALF OF MY GROUP.
IF YOU DO NOT MEET THESE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, YOU HAVE AGREED TO FORFIET YOUR BOOKING AND ANY MONEY PAID UP TO WHEN THE FINAL BALANCE IS DUE, CONCLUSION OF YOUR BOOKING WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED. SADLY BECAUSE PEOPLE "ABUSED" THE SYSTEM IN THE PAST, THIS RULE IS NOW IN PLACE.
MJROC MUST GIVE PRIOR PERMISSION TO BOOK so if you are in agreement, we will be pleased to accept your booking.
THIS IS BASED ON YOUR GROUP MEETING THE TERMS & CONDITIONS WHICH HAVE ALLOWED YOU TO BOOK EARLY AND WILL FUFILL THAT COMMITTMENT MADE BY YOUR GROUP.
Applies to: All FEMALE ONLY GROUP OR TWO or MORE FEMALES THAN MEN within GROUPS.
As an acceptance of this booking you fully understand your Group MUST promote and find men who book and have paid into Male Only Referral Lodges (Linked to your female lodge) to counter balance your booking for the Events Gender Balance ratio.
We need men who clearly state on their booking forms, they were recommended by people in your Group by 31/7/21. Balance is due 21/8/21.
Two ladies over - 1 male referral required.
Three ladies over - 2 male referrals required.
Four ladies over - 3 male referrals required.
Five ladies over - 4 male referrals required.
Six Ladies over - then 5 male referrals.
If you are a ALL Female only group, then whatever the number of females in that group, you need that number less one, Male referrals. ie 6 ladies need 5 male referrals.
If in doubt speak to MJRoc.
The minimum Gender Balance ratio at Warmwell is for successful dance ratio has proved without complaints is 47 men to 53 ladies, as its known some ladies like to dance occasionally as "Leaders".
If you wish to continue on this understanding with these conditions and book please complete the following: