KMU Course Selection: Ritual and Performance

The following is a blog post highlighting a specific department that will be offered at KeyMan University this summer. Today's post is written by PA DeMolay Executive Officer, "Dad" Gregory Schaeffer, who will be the Department Chairman for the Ritual and Performance Department. 

The Ritual and Performance Department wants YOU to join us at KeyMan University!  On staff are 3 Senior DeMolays, who are all veterans of DeMolay Ritual, and will guide you through a week-long journey of learning, teamwork, and brotherhood.

Are you a new DeMolay who doesn't have much ritual experience?  No problem!  We start off by covering the basics of DeMolay ritual and public speaking.  We'll help you find the most effective way to memorize speeches (each person is different); we'll show you how to navigate the floor work and understand how a Chapter room should be set up.  We'll help you learn your Obligations.  And you'll get to work in a fun environment with other DeMolays, working together to learn and perform new ceremonies.

Are you a DeMolay who is nervous about public speaking?  We were too... we will give you individual attention throughout the week, to understand your strengths and weaknesses, and help you exit KeyMan as a more confident speaker.  This will help you not only in DeMolay, but at school, and for your future career!  You'll also get to work with Jurisdictional Officers throughout the week who will be like older Brothers, helping you 1-on-1.

Are you a DeMolay who is an experienced ritualist, and is looking for more knowledge?  We'll help you learn how to coach DeMolays in your home Chapter, to improve the quality of their ritual.  We'll teach you about ritual competitions, and how to maximize your scores.  You'll get to see the original 1st Edition of the DeMolay Ritual, read through some of those passages that the DeMolays had in 1919, and participate and discussions and debates about the history of the ritual, and what its role is in a modern DeMolay setting.

No matter your current skill level, we can promise a fun week, where you will come away excited about the ritual, and a more experienced public speaker.  We look forward to seeing you at KeyMan 2017!

To sign up for KeyMan University, visit the website at keyman.pademolay.org.

Super Ritual Brothers? Grand Theft Ritual? Final Ritual VIII: The Gong?

Alright, we all know that DeMolay ritual can be boring. Heck, even people who really enjoy ritual can find it mind numbing at times (although this usally only happens when it's performed poorly.) So what can you do to help your Chapter get a bit more excited about ritual? How about ritual as a video game? Impossible? Not at all! Thanks to "Dad" Greg Schaeffer, it's now available to you at the low, low, cost of free!

That's right folks, "Dad" Schaeffer wrote a nifty a little program that can show where people are supposed to walk, and how they should move during the presentation of DeMolay ritual. While it's not Duke Nukem' (for the older gamers out there) or Call of Duty, it is an easy and effective way to help DeMolays grasp the floorwork in the ritual.

Head on over to http://code.google.com/p/demolay-floorwork-simulator/ and grab the program. It's really easy to use, and simple to install. Give it a whirl-- you might find ritual a little less boring next time!

Frat! ~ "Dad" Seth Anthony