Nocturnes and Impromptus

Balisage uses the conference meetings rooms in the evenings for less formal sessions than those on the regular program.

This year, in response to comments and suggestions from attendees at previous Balisage conferences, the procedure for selecting Nocturnes and Impromptus will be significantly changed. This year, there are four evening slots available on Wednesday and four on Thursday. Anyone who wishes to present in one of the evening sessions should sign up a the desk before the end of lunch on that day. Just after lunch, each applicant will be given two minutes in which to tell the conference audience what they want to talk about and why it would be interesting. The audience will then indicate, by applause, which presentations they would like to attend that evening. Advised by the audience response, the chair will select the four evening sessions for the day. (The decision of the chair will be final, even if especially if it appears arbitrary or incorrect.)

The schedule of Nocturnes and Impromptus and their locations will be posted late each afternoon.

What are Nocturnes and Impromptus?

Nocturnes

Attendees who would like to make a presentation to the Balisage attendees but who were not selected by the conference committee to be on the regular program may apply to make presentations in the evenings, after the regular conference program. Any conference attendee who wants to give a Nocturne presentation should put their name and the topic on the Nocturnes and Impromptus application list.

Impromptus

Impromptus are discussions, meetings, or presentations on any topic of interest to conference attendees.

Impromptus are often follow-on discussions from conference papers, for example, if there are more questions for a speaker than there is time to accommodate during the day. Any conference attendee who wants to organize an Impromptu should put their name and the topic on the Nocturnes and Impromptus application list.