Shivani Gohel

English 3307
Tom Akbari
Unit 2 Rough Draft
May 22, 2017

I have created a reference document that will serve as a guide to the newly elected
executive board of my dance team. This non-technical document will be of
professional use to me because it will greatly assist the new board members
transition into their new positions and help organize themselves throughout their
term. This document will help encourage the members to grow and learn as leaders.
No leader is the same and there is no single way to become a great leader. This
document will organize the given responsibilities and create a strong foundation for
the new board to build on.

To: srivastav.s@husky.neu.edu

From: gohel.s@husky.neu.edu

Date: May 22, 2017

Subject: The Future of Rangila

Dear Suhina,

Even though I have retired from my role as president, I was blessed to have
you as a part of my executive board during my term and I am now proud to have you
be the next president of our team. You have proven that you have the skills,
experience, and drive to lead this team.
In order to help your new executive board transition into their new
positions, I have created a document that outlines the many responsibilities that you Commented [E1]: Include the previous method of
all must manage. The document outlines the types of responsibilities each member training new positions in the cover letter, so as to draw
comparison between this new document. Was there an
will have and provide suggestions on how to accomplish each one. It also provides old document? Were the positions simply expected to
advice on how to function as an effective executive board. know what their responsibilities were through verbal
I have shared this document with you on Google Drive with access to edit it. I questions?

hope you share this document with your executive board and work together to
modify it to your standards. I look forward to seeing how you five shape as an
executive board and push the team forward. Do not forget that I am always here to
help when you need it. Good luck! Commented [E2]: You did not include the club name
anywhere in the cover letter, only in the subject line. It
would be best to establish the club in the first few
Best Wishes, sentences.
Shivani
If this were a document that were being sent to a club
member, it wouldnt be necessary to reestablish the club
Attachment (6) name, but to someone outside the club, like myself and
Prof. Akbari, I think it is necessary.
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Commented [E3]: Great table of contents. Consider

Rangila Rhythms adding a picture at the bottom of page. That blank space
could be put to some better use with aesthetic value!

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE BOARD 2

COMMUNICATION ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.

NEU ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS 3

TEAM REHEARSALS 3

CHOREOGRAPHY 4

MUSIC 5

PERFORMANCES & COMPETITIONS 5

COSTUMES 6

FUNDRAISING 6

CLOSING NOTES 6
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Executive Board Commented [E4]: Very clearly outlines the responsibility

of each position of the club. Well done.
President
Choreography
Applying to competitions
Communicate with DJ

Vice-President
Choreography
Northeastern and Boston area performances
Communicate with team members about attendance

Secretary
Reserve studios/rooms for rehearsals
Take minutes of E-board meetings
Maintain updated calendar for term

Treasurer
Maintain updated finance document
Manage payments and collections
Communicate with Student Activities Business Office (SABO)

Public Relations
Liaise with other organizations
Update social media accounts
Create flyers and videos for promotion

Division of responsibilities is only suggested and definitely encouraged to be modified.

Members should focus on their strengths to decide which responsibilities they can take
on and excel at. Allotting responsibilities to each executive board member creates
accountability, but members should not limit themselves to the listed responsibilities. I
encourage each board member to think from the perspective of one cohesive executive
as opposed to one member.

Communication
Communication is KEY! Be prepared to be in constant communication with your fellow
board members. Collectively decide on which form of communication is easiest (i.e.
iMessage, GroupMe, Facebook messenger, WhatsApp, etc). Always let board members
know in advance when you will be unavailable because of classes, co-op or anything
else. Running into issues with communicating is inevitable, but it is important to address
the issues head on, and sooner rather than later. Regardless of difference of opinion,
remember to always be respectful to all members. It will take time to figure out how you
all communicate best, but do not give up; it will be worth it once you finally do!

It is highly recommended to connect the team email account to your phone to stay
updated. You will all have passwords and access to email and other social media
accounts. If one member opens an email, they should message the board about it and
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mark it as unread until all the board members get a chance to read it. This will ensure
that emails do not get lost in the inbox. Try your best to respond to all emails within 48
hours. Always respond promptly and professionally to emails. For the email account,
create an update signature that lists the names and contact information for board
members. Maintain consistency with emails when communicating with people. For
example, if Suhina responds to an email about a performance opportunity, she should Commented [E5]: Good job with leaving an example to
sign the email with her name and the team signature. From that point on, she will explain your advice. Examples are key to making sure the
consistently respond to all emails regarding that one performance and be the point of reader understands what you are trying to convey.
contact for the person reaching out to the team.

The conventions for email also apply to social media. All posts must be appropriate and
professional to maintain a respectable reputation for our team. Feel free to make social media
posts humorous and personal without compromising professionalism. Update social media
accounts with posts to commemorate performances, events, and show support to other
organizations. Pay close attention to Facebook messages, as people may reach out with
performance requests.

NEU Organization Requirements

Stay updated on Northeasterns OrgSync portal and renew registration every semester.
Although the titles may not be the same as your executive board member titles, try to
stay as consistent as possible. Titles on OrgSync include President, Treasurer,
Leadership Council Representative, and Scheduling Coordinator. It is important to attend
the mandatory CSI meetings and finance board workshops. Set up a meeting with SABO
to get a faculty advisor and receive funding if you find it necessary. Our organization
code, fund code, and index number are listed in the password document. It is also
possible to put in a storage request in Curry Student Center for team costumes and
equipment. Look out for the storage request form in an email at the beginning of the
semester and keep in mind that you can only access the locker during their hours of
operation. It is also possible to try to set up fundraising through NEU, which will also be
sent in an email.

Rehearsals

Decide on regular rehearsals days and times based on team members schedules. It is
usually most effective to pick two weekday evenings for weekly rehearsals. Making a
commitment to the team means that every member is expected to come to every
rehearsal. That being said, many team members are involved in other organizations and
have other responsibilities. Try your best to accommodate to everyones schedules, but
also hold every team member to their commitment.

Team members should communicate in advance if they will be missing a rehearsal and
why. They should also make an effort to catch up on missed choreography on their own
time. Excuses for missing rehearsals can include co-op, classes, emergencies, and
whatever the board deems acceptable. Having to study for an exam is not an excuse to
miss rehearsal. Part of being on the team is learning how to manage your time and
balancing dance, school, and other responsibilities.

Make rehearsals engaging, fun and effective. Rehearsal time is valuable, so make the
most of it. Be respectful of everyones time and try not to get distracted and limit
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rehearsals to 2-3 hours. Start rehearsals on time with a warm-up and stretches. Allow
the team members to talk and bond, but not so much that it wastes rehearsal time.

Be clear and consistent when teaching choreography. Every team member will dance
and learn differently, but be encouraging while teaching. It helps to teach the arm and
leg movements separately first, then combine them after. Show the steps from different
angles (forwards, backwards, sideways) for team members to get a better
understanding. Use counts to teach the steps slowly without music first. Be patient when
teaching and do not expect everyone to pick up the choreography on the first try.
Repetition is key.

Choreography

Everyone has a different way of choreographing, so first find your styles. Be open about
which style you think is your strength and which style is difficult for you. If there is a
specific style that none of you are strong at, but you think is necessary for your routine,
try to look out for a girl that shows she is experienced with that style during auditions.

Make sure your choreography is unique and diverse. Please DO NOT EVER steal or
copy another teams choreography. It is encouraged to watch other dance videos to get
inspiration and ideas, but never take direct choreography. It is okay to reuse some
Rangila steps from the past, but do not reuse a complete segment of old choreography.

Balance eastern/traditional styles with western/modern styles equally because we are a

fusion team. Eastern/traditional styles include bharatanatyam, kathak, garba, bhangra,
lavani, belly-dancing. Western/modern styles include hip-hop, pop, contemporary, afro-
jazz. It is important to include as many of these styles as you see fit, but do not be afraid
to include any new styles that you or new team members may have experience with.

Aim to maintain authenticity when choreographing and dancing to various styles. Try to
maintain proper technique for each style. If you attempt kathak, do not bend your knees.
If you attempt bharatanatyam, bend your knees. If you attempt bhangra, keep your
knees high. If you attempt garba, your knees should be high in front of you and back
should be 90 degrees when bending down. These are just examples, but it is important
to maintain authenticity when attempting to dance many different styles. That being said,
you do not always have to do traditional steps to a traditional song. Take the artistic
liberty to choreograph a style of dance to a different style of music. Part of being a fusion
team is mixing music and dance styles that people may not expect or have seen before.
Be authentic, but do not be afraid to push boundaries of styles. Commented [E6]: Not sure this paragraph is necessary.
This document is meant to teach board members how to
One golden rule for Rangila choreography is to always have a choreographed transition. lead, not how to dance.
It is good to vary transitions to keep the audience engaged throughout the routine. Try
your best to make sure everyone is moving in the same manner and equally on both
sides of stage when entering and exiting.

It is helpful to think of formations and choreography at the same time. It will will make it
easier to think of effects, such as layering slightly different steps, adding levels, or
creating domino effects. Avoid using the same formation more than once throughout
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your routine. Try to create of mixture of formations that will look good when stationary
and while moving.

Music
Aim to keep your mix between 6-7 minutes. Contact DJs whose mixes you like and hire
a DJ in the summer. Try to keep your DJ budget around $500. Find someone that has
experience creating mixes for a fusion team, but do not work with a DJ who is making
too many mixes and will not have time to work with you. Set hard deadlines with the DJ. Commented [E7]: This reads a bit like a laundry list.
You will have several mix submission deadlines throughout the year for different Consider varying sentence structure.
performances. It is helpful to give your DJ earlier deadlines so that there is extra time to
fix any part of the mix if necessary.

Decide on songs as an entire board. Balance old and new songs to create a mix that you
will enjoy dancing to and the audience will enjoy listening to. Explore different genres
and languages when picking songs. Always pick songs that you know you can
choreograph to before sending it out to the DJ. Offer your DJ creative flexibility because
he or she will know more songs and may be able to make suggestions that you would
never think of on your own. Listen to their suggestions, but always decide what will be
best for the team.

Performances & Competitions

Competition boards will send out applications for at different times throughout the year,
so it is important to research annual competitions beforehand. Each application packet
varies, but will include fees, rosters, and audition videos. Pay close attention to each
competitions requirements when deciding, which are best to apply to. Also communicate
with the whole team when accepting a spot at a competition to make sure all members
are willing to pay for the associated travel and stay fees.

Performances that we have regularly participated in on campus include Dance for me,
Nataraj, Lunar new year, Relay for life, Huskyfest, and Dance marathon. Many Commented [E8]: New Year should always be
organizations will email you asking you to perform and it is important to accept most if capitalized, but also fully capitalize other even names:
not all invitations unless the team has prior commitments. Try to maintain existing Dance For Me, Relay For Life, etc.
relationships with organizations as well as form new ones. Always support other
organizations because they will support you back

There will be opportunities to perform at summer orientations and Welcome week.

Contact team members that are in Boston for the summer to see if they are available to
perform. Aside from performing, activity fair tabling during orientations are crucial. It is
essential to respond to emails regarding tabling for freshmen because4 this is where Commented [E9]: 4
youll find girls who are interested. There is a team poster board made, but feel free to
make a new one. Be friendly and somewhat aggressive when promoting the team. Show
off the team, but also be considerate of the new freshman as they may be nervous and
overwhelmed.

Lighting cues will likely change for every performance. Try to have a rough idea ready
for every segment when you choreograph. Lighting is meant to enhance and support
your theme, song choice, choreography, and formations. Choose colors, brightness,
effects and blackouts accordingly. The tech people are extremely knowledgeable so use
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them as a resource to see what will work best. It is important to communicate your ideas
clearly to them, so make sure there is just one point person who handles lighting.

Costumes Commented [E10]: DEFININTELY include some pictures

of the costumes. It will serve to make the guide much
more colorful than its current state, and itll keep the
Costumes enhance your routine exponentially. The team has an enormous costume reader engaged.
inventory, so feel free to reuse older costumes. Choose costumes and incorporate
costume changes or use of props based on the choreography, formations and effects.
Do not buy costumes that will not flatter the team members or look good on stage.
Costumes can get extremely expensive, so consider buying from abroad if getting them
custom made. If buying premade costumes be extremely aware of sizing and how long
shipping will take.

Keep a look out for groups that may want to rent costumes from the team. This can be a
main source of funding for the team. The renters MUST sign contracts in the chance that
a costume gets damaged and must be compensated for.

Fundraising

No team can function without money. The team does not currently receive funding from
the university, so be creative with fundraising. Aside from costume rentals, T-shirt sales
and restaurant fundraisers are extremely helpful. Design a team T-shirt to sell for the
semester. The board will buy T-shirts for each team member with team money. Each
team member is also expected to sell 10 T-shirts. You have to option to order from a
website such as Customink.com or to work with an individual vendor. Keep in mind that
the more shirts you sell, the cheaper each unit will be. With restaurant fundraisers, it is
helpful to pick a place close to campus. Your biggest supporters will be friends and
members of organizations that the team works with. You can set up a fundraiser through
an organization such as GroupRaise or reach out to the restaurant individually. The Commented [E11]: I recommend creating a list for each
biggest key to fundraising is promoting the event or sale as much as possible. method of raising money. Instead of this large paragraph,
you can make a bulleted list of each method and
elaborate further on each method under the bullet. As is,
Closing notes this paragraph feels a bit disorganized.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. I am more than happy to help.
Be confident! You are all here for a reason, and I have full faith that you will lead the
team to be better than it has ever been. You are now leaders so team members will be
looking up to you and depend on you to make decisions. Remember to always lead by
example, smile, be positive, and have fun. Best of luck!
Commented [E12]: Include method of contact. Either
phone number of email.
Again, this something else that would usually be
unnecessary, but Im sure its something that Prof. Akbari
would like to see.

RA RA RANGILA!
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Shivani,

Great work with this comprehensive guide. This guide is very in depth and
thoroughly explains the transition of the board members into their new roles.

There was only one list: the list of responsibilities for each board member.
However, some of the paragraphs in this document would likely work better as list,
and Ive added some of my suggestions in the margin comments.

There is some unnecessary information in the document. Remember the goal

of the document, it is to teach the board members to lead. Specific information on
how to dance does not fit here.

I was disappointed to see that there are no pictures/visual aids throughout

the guide. The nature of your guide does not require any visual aids, however it
could be greatly improved with pictures. The reader will be left entertained, and will
urge the reader to continue. Pictures of some performances, or any other gatherings
of your group members would be ideal here. Prof. Akbari has also recommended
these aesthetic improvements in his screencasts. I would try to include at least one
visual aid/image per page.

Your cover letter is focused and explains a need for the document you
created. It was a great set up for the reference document to come. Overall, great
work. With some minor changes, this document will be spectacular!

Sincerely,
Eric