Online AGM Feb. 2017
Present: Jules Goodwin, Aziz Dixon, Daren Messenger, Cordelia Jilani Prescott, Chris Shaw, Maris Warrior, Ralph Nimman, Diane Cheshire, Shamsia Sandra Sunfire, Saadi Neil Douglas-Klotz, Elyn Mitchell, Stella Cranwell, Robert Orange, Christina Gulzar Lausevic, Matthew Heyse-Moore, Dilwara Tucker, Chris Granger, Sanghita Juliet Hilary, Kate Fielding
Q2: If you were present at the last AGM, do you accept the minutes as a true and accurate record of that meeting?
Yes – Cordelia Jilani, Shamsia Sandra, Stella Cranwell, Christina Gulzar, Chris Granger, Kate Fielding
No – Ralph Nimman
Q3: Have you read the 2017 report from the Guidance Panel?
No – Jules Goodwin, Chris Shaw
No – Daren Messenger – Contemporary Life can potentially be really overwhelming in terms of TMI and so I have to be conservative in terms of ‘what I read’. I believe that ‘The Network’ is an embodied Community that meets, mostly, at least twice a year.
All others answered ‘yes’
Ralph Nimman – Looks like no progress was made to heal the situation of not leading dancers having no organisation any more. At the AGM we felt we wanted to establish a “Friends of the Dances of Universal Peace” structure. This is the main problem in DUPUK – and it is not addressed or even mentioned 🙁
Matthew Heyse Moore – I welcome the value placed on sharing and supporting. I welcome the Retreat as a chance to deepen our connexion especially through talking about our experiences. I welcome the mention of children and the younger generation of dancers and leaders. I would like to suggest making space for further discussion of what the network is for, and in particular ways in which non-dance leaders can be included in the network, ideally as a face-to-face discussion.
Dilwara Tucker – It feels like it has been difficult to progress from the legacy of the previous structural changes and there is a sense of concentrating only on the possible and positive because of divisions in the greater group. So I am grateful to the Guidance Panel for continuing in their careful holding of this situation which I feel can only be resolved by all parties opening to compromise and healing, rather than a led solution. I totally support musicians and indeed Young Dance Leaders being included in the” Leaders Guild”, or, a branch of. I have continued to feel despairing of how their exclusion from the current organisation impacts on our ability to encourage and hold unity. Ya Shakur, Kate, Jilani and Shamsia for your dedication and love.
Sanghita Juliet Hilary – I am having problems with my internet connection over last few days and so this problem may have been connected to that. When I clicked on the link in the website to get through to the reports I got the Leaders Guild Resources Area page which doesn’t seem to obviously list these reports (or not to me). When I tried again I got a calendar with the reports.
Q4: Have you read the 2017 report from the Administrator?
No – Jules Goodwin, Chris Shaw
No – Daren Messenger, same as above
All others ‘yes’
Ralph Nimman – What shall we do to stop loosing over £1000 each year? We need a plan.
Dilwara Tucker – Grateful thanks to Stella who seems to have got a great grasp on the various aspects of this role. Its good to see that the Network currently has a healthy bank balance and I wonder if more bursaries should be made available. I appreciate this can only happen if the funds continue to flourish rather than diminish. I am curious to know if there was a plan was concerning how we fund the network when the structural changes were promoted by the previous management group? I am sorry if I have missed some information here. If there isn’t a plan then do we need to make one, could a small working party form to assess and make suggestions?
Sanghita Juliet Hilary – Thank you Stella. As one of the leaders who is not leading at present, I see it sounds as if there is a lower membership fee, which I’ve not thought about. Who wants to admit to not leading? Also, I am one of those members who doesn’t reply immediately. Sorry about this, it’s a habit which I am trying to fix.
Q5: Have you read the 2017 report from the Webmaster?
No – Jules Goodwin, Chris Shaw
No – Daren Messenger – same as above
All others ‘yes’
Ralph Nimman – thanks for the web site – hope we find a shadow web master 🙂
Dilwara Tucker – I am sorry that I generally do not refer to the website or use mailing systems. Living in a far corner of this country I have grown used to doing my own things and feel rather distanced from DUP Uk generally – this is to do with my life and is no way a reflection on anything or anybody else.
Q6: Do you agree that all the current post-holders should continue for another year? The Guidance Panel members are Shamsia Sandra Sunfire, Kate Fielding and Jilani Cordelia Prescott; the Webmaster is Chris Granger; the Administrator is Stella Cranwell. (No posts are due for re-election this year):
All ‘yes’ but see Ralph’s comment below.
Daren Messenger – I love you and trust you
Ralph Nimman – Before I tick yes or no, I like to know if the guidance Panel is willing to support the abandoned dancers (not mentioned in the 2016 minutes). Quote: “We aim to create a simple, clear, transparent, less ‘top heavy’ system for the administration of DUPUK and feel that there is no need to pay to be part of our dance community. Everyone who has ever joined hands in a dance circle is included in the DUPUK, no distinctions, no differences.” OK: where can all those mentioned in the quote have their say in this AGM?
Matthew Heyse-Moore – I appreciate the work of the Panel and have a high level of confidence in how they are working together.
Sandra Shamsia – If they are willing and able! Thank you team DUPUK for another year of service!
Sanghita Juliet Hilary – Thank you for the good work you do on our behalf.
Q7: Does a virtual AGM work for you? If most people agree, we propose to run the next AGM in the same way, in February 2018
Ralph Nimman – Disagree – How can we talk and listen to each other? Can I leave a question or statement here and everyone else can see it before making decision? If not, this is not what I call an AGM, nor is it democratic.
Diane Cheshire – Disagree – I feel that there is no substitute for coming together as a community
All others agree.
Daren Messenger – When I have time I will come
Matthew Heyse-Moore – I think it’s really important too to have face-to-face chance to meet, dance and share from the heart. The retreat in Jan 2017 was a great example of this.
Dilwara Tucker – I agree this is easier. However I felt that we have enjoyed more celebration, and created a greater sense of community in coming together as a group in previously held events when we had “event organisers” particularly Ro and Neesa and feel sadness that this role although successful seemed to disappear. It would be great to re-introduce such an event maybe every 2 – 5 years,
Sanghita Juliet Hilary – Thank you for setting it up and enabling those of us who can’t attend a physical AGM to take part in the process. Do you already have the dates for Jan 2018 meeting? I am the new secretary for a local group which this year had its AGM, where I was voted in, on the same weekend as you! Most annoying. This year I have some ability to chose the date for our AGM 2018 and want to make sure there isn’t another clash.
Q8: Any other business?
Maris Warrior – Thank you for your work holding the organisation in your capable and loving hands
Ralph Nimman – I miss the public committee meetings – they were a wonderful way to bring new people in – and to dance with each other. Can I edit this survey in the next days?
Diane Cheshire – I was sorry not to get to the Leader’s Guild retreat last weekend so I do not know if there was anything discussed about somehow including Dancers in the organisation. I know that it was discussed last year and I echo Ralph’s wish that this issue remains on the table in some way. Thank you to all of you for the wonderful work you do for us.
Saadi – Of course, we are not actually a UK charity, so we don’t legally need to have an AGM. In that sense, it might make things a bit less formal if we used a less formal name for the virtual yearly gathering. Sorry, no suggestions…just a thought!
Stella – Being unable to attend the Retreat this year means I can still ‘take part’
Robert Orange – Thank you to the guidance panel for organising and running such a lovely retreat 🙂
Dilwara Tucker – Thank you xxxx
Sanghita Juliet Hilary -I feel very out of it all being based in Cornwall geographically far away and limited, due to caring responsibilities and lack of cash and transport. There are all kinds of reasons why Dance Leaders drop out and Philip is going to address this in our May DLTC (which I am praying I will be able to attend!, dependent on the first one on that list). Could there be some way of keeping in touch for those of us who are not feeling part of the action. I’m sure I’m not alone. It’s like the role of Welfare Secretary I had at college. For those of us not leading at the moment, not dancing often? And for those of us who could do with an encouraging word to kickstart us?