[Perform-Talk] A Higher Standard

Dennis denmaster77 at gmail.com
Fri May 20 14:58:26 UTC 2016


I echo the words of David and Jordy.  Having served as division president 
for 6 years, I was around when the division first took over the talent show. 
To be honest, I do not think all of the recordings were bad quality.  Having 
said that, I rarely if ever remember you coming to me, or anybody in 
leadership for all those years about truly helpping the division.

The people that complain the most, do the least amount of work.




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Dennis R. Sumlin
Communication/Self Development Coach and Speaker
WWW.LifeThroughStrength.COM

President, Harlem Toastmasters Club
VP of Education, TIC Toastmasters Club
Club Mentor: Y.E.S Toastmasters

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-----Original Message----- 
From: Peter Donahue via Perform-talk
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2016 2:24 AM
To: 'Performing Arts Division list'
Cc: Peter Donahue
Subject: [Perform-Talk] A Higher Standard

Hello Julie and everyone,

This post comes from someone who halled 50-pound DJ packs to national 
conventions to record various break-out meetings some of which are still 
allowing the NFB to reach blind people around the World. It was a pleasure 
doing this until the organization began to compromise my ability to produce 
these recordings to a standard that honored the abilities of the blind and 
portrayed the kind of image of blindness we clame to want to be held by the 
general public.

There are a number of other issues and situations where the organization 
says one thing but does another. I once called this division to the carpet 
for posting substandard recordings of its talent shows to the Web. Then 
blind people wonder why they can't find jobs including positions within the 
performing arts fields.

We noticed other inconsistancies between what the organization promotes 
concerning the capabilities of the blind but the actions don't always 
conform to the philosophy. Mary and I are not the only ones that have 
observed this phenomenon. It was for this reason that we along with a number 
of other long-time federationists said "Enough is enough" and decided our 
time was better spent on other pursuits and in organizations who wish to 
maintain high standards of excellence in the execution of their programs and 
activities.

This is hwy we have not been at recent national conventions and don't 
anticipate coming in the near future. For us putting additional income 
streams in place so my wife can retire in style in a few years is a higher 
priority especially if our talents and abilities are not being appreciated 
by those in the NFB. We have had our share of spats with various individuals 
within the organization concerning its lack of inconstancy between its 
philosophy and the execution of some of its programs and activities. Some of 
this is the result of our demanding that the organization conduct its 
activities to a higher standard of excellence than what we have seenin the 
past such as what Julie is proposing.

For God sakes if I could hall that recording equipment on planes to help 
preserve federation events load up your musical instruments, by all means 
get them insured, and help Julie and the show organizers put on a 
first-class act something I suggested a few years back but was met with 
hostility, anger, and excuses!

If anyone wants to say that we caused our own issues we've observed that 
this hostility towards does not occur in our other church and business 
activities. We've told federationists and others that we feel more welcome 
in these circles than in the NFB. We've found that the groups in question 
conduct their programs and activities to a standard of excellence superior 
to what we've experienced in the NFB.  If the kind of treatment of us by NFB 
Members does not occur in our other endeavors it's proof positive that the 
issues do not reside with us. We are the only ones qualified to make such a 
determination.

Mary and I wish to urge you all to get behind Julie's idea and make this 
year's talent show worthy of being a broadway production. A few less nights 
on the town will give you the funds needed to covery the insurance and 
shipping for valuable instruments just as it did for the recording equipment 
I flew around the country for several years to capture NFB meetings that are 
still changing the lives of the blind today. Go get em Julie!

Peter Donahue



-----Original Message-----
From: Perform-talk [mailto:perform-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
Julie McGinnity via Perform-talk
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2016 12:36 AM
To: Performing Arts Division list
Cc: Julie McGinnity
Subject: Re: [Perform-Talk] Flashback Friday: Talent Show

Hi all,

O, the talent show...  Hmmm.  Not sure about that...  :)

Haha sorry guys.

I have enjoyed performing in the talent show and hearing my fellow 
federationists share their talents.  When I joined in 2010 and came to my 
first convention, I was amazed by the showcase of talent.  And then a few 
years later, I found myself helping to run it.  It is such a priviledge to 
serve as performing arts division president and to have served previously on 
the board in a position that allowed me to be involved in the planning of 
the talent show.

The opera singer in me loves the idea of live accompaniment.
Something I would love to do is get a list of division members attending 
convention who would be willing to accompany singers on piano or guitar.  I 
hate the expression about killing birds with stones, but...  Well, it 
applies here.  We would be supporting and encouraging the collaboration of 
our members and giving our singers accompanists.  As a singer I would much 
rather sing with an instrumentalist than a track.

We do strive to develop a variety in our line-up for the talent show.
In addition, we work with those who get to us first.  Seriously, it's all 
about timing!  We are fair, inclusive, and attempt to be as organized as 
possible.

On 5/20/16, Darian Smith via Perform-talk <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Don and all,
>   I worry that setting such a requirement or standard would
> functionally limit the participation of others?
>   What of those who cannot or decide not to bring their  expensive
> instruments to convention?  What of those who would have to carry those
> instruments along with the things they bring to convention.   I have a
> difficult time traveling light to convention as is and  I suspect I’m
> not the only one out of the thousands of people that come to convention.
>   Then I suppose one might suggest the possibility of asking the
> division to rent instruments.  This might certainly solve the problem,
> but that would be a costly venture for the division.
>
>  Personally  I think that the talent show is a great opportunity for
> those who are \ seasoned performers to get on stage and show off their 
> polished
> passion and for    those who might want to   stand up and fight their 
> stage
> fright to get their bravery rewarded by loving applause from their
> federation family.
>  In short I see this as an inclusive show of talent of all types, and
> I hope that it stays that way.
>   Respectfully,
>   Darian
>> On May 19, 2016, at 8:53 PM, Don Mitchell` via Perform-talk
>> <perform-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I have performed many times. I like the performances best that are
>> live performances with live accompaniments, not canned back tracks. I
>> would like to see the performance division give preference to live
>> performances.
>>
>> Don Mitchell, Chairperson piano technology group
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Perform-talk [mailto:perform-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
>> Of Darian Smith via Perform-talk
>> Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2016 1:42 PM
>> To: Performing Arts Division list
>> Cc: Darian Smith
>> Subject: [Perform-Talk] Flashback Friday: Talent Show
>>
>> Good afternoon all,
>>   Have you gone to the annual showcase of talent put on by the
>> Performing Arts Division?
>> Have you performed? watched someone perform? what was your favorite
>> act or acts?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>  Darian
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--
Julie A. McGinnity
President, National Federation of the Blind Performing Arts Division, Second 
Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri "For we walk by 
faith, not by sight"
2 Cor. 7

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