LANCE is a growing troupe and, as you might imagine, it takes a whole lot of effort from a whole lot of talented individuals to create the best opportunities for our members. With that in mind, I'd like to spend this post telling you about LANCE's committees.
LANCE committees exist to support the troupe in various areas and to help us develop over time. There are many ways to lend a hand, and so there are a bunch of committees that cover a broad range of interests. Let's talk about 'em!
LANCE committees exist to support the troupe in various areas and to help us develop over time. There are many ways to lend a hand, and so there are a bunch of committees that cover a broad range of interests. Let's talk about 'em!
Safety Committee
Michael "Nella" Corinella chairs the Safety Committee. Affectionately known as "Safety Dad" by the troupe, Nella and his committee's jobs are to keep our troupe safe. They keep a sharp eye out at Training to make sure everyone stays hydrated, takes breaks, and wears the appropriate training attire. The Safety Committee also maintains our med kits and brings water for the troupe to share. If you're injured or even just not feeling so good, talk to a member of the Safety Committee, and they will take care of you. If you're not sure if a particular move or technique is safe to incorporate into your fight, the Safety Committee will work with the Training Committee to ensure you're in the clear.
Are you a Caretaker type? Do you relate to Bubble Boy on a spiritual level? The Safety Committee might be a good fit for you! Contact Nella to join!
Are you a Caretaker type? Do you relate to Bubble Boy on a spiritual level? The Safety Committee might be a good fit for you! Contact Nella to join!
Training Committee
The Training Committee, chaired by AJ Harrett, has two subcommittees. Yes, we love fighting at LANCE and stage combat is a big part of what we do, but character work and improvisation are also integral to our performances. We have, therefore, two kinds of Trainers at LANCE: Character Trainers and Combat Trainers.
Combat Trainers teach our stage combat classes and workshops as well as help develop the LANCE Training curricula. They have a good bit of experience fighting with our troupe, and they've probably got a weapons specialization or two under their belts. Questions about stage combat safety, technique, and aesthetic can go to Combat Trainers, all of whom are also on the Safety Committee.
You might think that Combat Trainers have all the gumption, but it's the Character Trainers who are truly dauntless. Character Trainers teach improv, character development, and other acting workshops, and they're excellent at coaxing even the most timid fledgling performers out of their shells. With just a few workshops under your belt, you can really tell a difference in your confidence as a performer. That's the magic of making a fool out of yourself in public!
Interested in becoming a Trainer? Any member of the troupe can voice their desire to become a Combat or Character Trainer to any member of the Training Committee. If the Training Committee Chair thinks you're ready, then you'll attend Trainer Training and get signed off to start teaching students in classes and workshops of your own. If it's decided that you need some more time to gain experience, the Training Committee Chair will talk to you about the best way to go about achieve your goal to become a Trainer with LANCE. Let AJ know you'd like to be considered for a Training position!
Combat Trainers teach our stage combat classes and workshops as well as help develop the LANCE Training curricula. They have a good bit of experience fighting with our troupe, and they've probably got a weapons specialization or two under their belts. Questions about stage combat safety, technique, and aesthetic can go to Combat Trainers, all of whom are also on the Safety Committee.
You might think that Combat Trainers have all the gumption, but it's the Character Trainers who are truly dauntless. Character Trainers teach improv, character development, and other acting workshops, and they're excellent at coaxing even the most timid fledgling performers out of their shells. With just a few workshops under your belt, you can really tell a difference in your confidence as a performer. That's the magic of making a fool out of yourself in public!
Interested in becoming a Trainer? Any member of the troupe can voice their desire to become a Combat or Character Trainer to any member of the Training Committee. If the Training Committee Chair thinks you're ready, then you'll attend Trainer Training and get signed off to start teaching students in classes and workshops of your own. If it's decided that you need some more time to gain experience, the Training Committee Chair will talk to you about the best way to go about achieve your goal to become a Trainer with LANCE. Let AJ know you'd like to be considered for a Training position!
Documentarian
Marissa Kraatz is our Documentarian, and she has many minions. You might have seen them taking pictures and recording video. You might even have had them help you scribe your fights. Archivists go about the business of documenting LANCE's memories with phones and cameras, editing and archiving everything for posterity, and occasionally shouting "MURDER BUDDIES" at showcase. Scribes learn LANCE formatting and abbreviations for writing fights out and help transfer handwritten fights to our online database. The Chronicler of Arms keeps track of the histories of our weapons in our online Armory. In short, the Documentarian and members of her committee are the guardians of LANCE's culture. Sound like something you'd like to be a part of? Contact Marissa now!
Quartermaster
Our Quartermaster is Charles Hale. The Quartermaster and his helpers care for and catalogue LANCE's properties, weapons, and costumes. Proper storage is hugely important, not only to keep our property safe and organized, but also to ensure that the Florida heat and humidity doesn't rust our weapons or mold our fabrics. Charles and his committee members ensure that everything is in its proper place. The Quartermaster also orders our weapons and other necessary items for LANCE.
If you are a natural organizer, if expanding LANCE's assets is important to you, or if you just really love to clean, consider contacting Charles about lending a hand with Quartermaster duties!
If you are a natural organizer, if expanding LANCE's assets is important to you, or if you just really love to clean, consider contacting Charles about lending a hand with Quartermaster duties!
Outreach Committee
Amy Bowman is the Chair of the Outreach Committee, which means she spearheads a ton of awesome projects for LANCE. She and her merry band of committee members run LANCE's online presence, including all social media platforms as well as the LANCE website. In fact, our social media presence is so far-reaching that we have a subcommittee dedicated to it, the aptly-named Social Media Subcommittee. If you a Facebook Fanatic, an Avid Instagrammer, or want to help out with any other aspect of our social media, let Amy know!
Outreach also handles all fundraising and marketing for LANCE, so if you've ever wanted to get in on helping to spread the word about LANCE or raising money to help us out at events or at Training, then this is the committee for you. Free-Spirited Creatives and Detail-Oriented Planners will both have a great time with Outreach because there's a whole lot of opportunity to dream big, and then make your ideas a reality with a team of awesome people behind you.
The other amazing aspect of Outreach is the Activities Subcommittee, led by Liz Burke. Activities organizes member outings, parties, and learning opportunities. Have great ideas for fun stuff LANCE members could do? Liz is all ears! Join the Activities Subcommittee to help grow and strengthen LANCE as a community!
Outreach also handles all fundraising and marketing for LANCE, so if you've ever wanted to get in on helping to spread the word about LANCE or raising money to help us out at events or at Training, then this is the committee for you. Free-Spirited Creatives and Detail-Oriented Planners will both have a great time with Outreach because there's a whole lot of opportunity to dream big, and then make your ideas a reality with a team of awesome people behind you.
The other amazing aspect of Outreach is the Activities Subcommittee, led by Liz Burke. Activities organizes member outings, parties, and learning opportunities. Have great ideas for fun stuff LANCE members could do? Liz is all ears! Join the Activities Subcommittee to help grow and strengthen LANCE as a community!
LANCE functions always with the Three C's in mind: Combat, Community, and Character. Our committees reflect and reinforce each of the Three C's as much as possible. In this way, we lay a solid foundation on which to build our troupe for many years to come. You, our members who volunteer your time and talents to make this organization great, are the backbone of our culture. We can't thank you enough!
Thanks for reading!
--Casey, Webmaster
Thanks for reading!
--Casey, Webmaster
RSS Feed