The Gorsedd Bardic Challenge
Join the Challenge Mailing List (Yahoo Group)
Those Who Have Completed the Challenge
Description
In an effort to promote the bardic arts, Gorsedd has decided to sponsor a challenge. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to perform a set number of pieces in a year, according to the criteria listed below. Pieces may be performed in any venue, be it bardic competition, feast, sitting around with friends at a post-revel, or any other occasion within the SCA. The year begins with the first performance.
A GBC log (in Word and PDF formats) is provided, should you wish to use it. The entrant may gather signatures from those who have heard the performances. A signatory can be anyone except the entrant. Signatories may sign more than once.
What to do when you're finished: You don't really need to do anything at all. You may now take pride in knowing you've completed the challenge. However, if you wish, you may do one or all of the following things to publicly mark your achievement: 1) Notify Gorsedd so your name may be placed on our Wall of Fame; 2) if you've collected signatures, you may place the signature sheet on your wall or on the cover of any bardic folder you may be keeping to remind you of your accomplishment.
All are welcome to participate. There are no prerequisites or registration requirements. You begin the challenge with your first performance and end with your last. Each piece must have been learned in the last two years.
The terms below are defined by the entrants. We are a chivalrous society, and entrants are trusted to perform to the best of their own ability. Have fun, and let the games begin.
Lady Kateryn Draper, challenge coordinator
Rules
To achieve Level 1: Perform 5 pieces
- At least one of these must be documentably period
- Must include at least
- one story or monologue
- one song
To achieve Level 2: Perform 7 pieces
- At least two of these must be documentably period
- At least one of these must be original
- Must include at least
- one story or monologue
- one song
- one poem
- either one physical performance (juggling, magic, dance, etc.) or one instrumental piece.
To achieve Level 3: Perform 9 pieces
- At least three of these must be documentably period
- At least one of these must be original
- At least one of these must be on SCA history
- Must include at least
- one story or monologue
- one song
- one poem
- one instrumental piece
- one physical performance (juggling, magic, dance, etc.)
Frequently Asked Questions:
What's the definition of (story, song, etc.)? We think most of these are pretty straightforward, but if there's any question, you can pose it on the Yahoo Group mailing list.
Do I need to turn in documentation? No, this is up to you. If you say it's "documentably period", we believe you.
Why the Bardic Games Log? This is entirely optional, but we felt that some might want a permanent record.
Why the signatures, if it's optional? This idea came to us because we realized that bardic activity isn't common in some areas, and you might not find many opportunities to perform. With the Bardic Games Log, you can create your own opportunities in a way that most SCAdians will appreciate and approve of. "My Lords and Ladies, may I have three-and-a-half minutes of your time? I'm participating in a challenge ...". It will also be a nice reminder of a job well done when you've completed the challenge.
How about Tokens? Members of Gorsedd and any participant in the Gorsedd Bardic Challenge are encouraged to give each other any personal token of their own choice at any time or at any event you perform at, but it is not required. These small tokens can be any object you wish to give, and will allow you to show your support for your fellow performers and the bardic arts. You can also encourage your friends who watch these performances to do the same if they wish to show their support.
What counts as "physical performance"? Remembering that the idea is to challenge yourself, it could include
- Juggling
- Tumbling
- Dance - Middle Eastern, Indian, Flamenco, European (it doesn't have to be solo), Morris, etc.
- Magic
- Puppetry
- Any performance with props (e.g., stage combat)
To join the Challenge mailing list:
Either:
1) Email a request to
Gorsedd_Bardic_Challenge-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
or
2) Go to Yahoo Groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/
and in the "Find a Group" box (not the "Search" box at the top of the page), type "gorsedd_bardic_challenge", click on the group, and request to join. You should get a response within a day.
Those Who Have Completed the Challenge
Send email notification of completion to
There's no requirement to report interim progress, but many would love to hear about what you've been doing. Post notices to the Yahoo mailing list.
As mentioned above, you now have the right to display one of our achievement level tokens, rendered in the form of your choosing.
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