We recently returned from a month's long trip. We had a great time at the National Square Dance Convention in Cincinnati. We had danced there before 25 years ago when they hosted the 41st National Convention. A small group of Central Florida dancers left Florida together. We toured and ate all the way to Ohio and continued on to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, before heading in different directions. It is always nice to get home and sleep in one's own bed. But, we will do it again next year as we head to Kansas City, Missouri.
Just a couple of weeks after arriving home was our Fifth Saturday dance held at the Ormond Beach Senior Center. What a great crowd we had. Ten squares. The Spindrifters and A-Stars cancelled their dance to attend. Thank you dancers for turning out in the middle of summer. The Granada Denim & Lace Squares hosted the dance. Rick Yates is the caller for the Yellow Rock Squares, a Handicapable Club. He brought them for a demo and to dance with the club. They did a great job. In the spring, Rick recruited some local dancers to angel the club. CFA supplied ice cream and toppings and the Denim & Lace Club brought trays of refreshments. As always our Central Florida Callers Association callers were suburb. Earle Collins did a wonderful job on the rounds.
Following are two events to put on your calendar for next year. The State Square Dance Convention February 23 and 24 with a Trail End Dance on the 22nd, and a month later the Party Weekend on April 22, 23 and 24.
CFA will have a General Meeting for all dancers at the Whirl & Twirl Hall, 6949 Venture Circle, Orlando, at 4:30pm September 30. We will have an election of officers. A brown bag lunch will follow the meeting. A dance will follow the lunch. Bev Landwehr will cue and the Central Callers Association callers will call.
Deland has an elementary school in the poor section of the city. It is always in need of school supplies. If you would like to bring some paper, pencils, erasers, etc. to the dance, we will see that they receive it. Thank you.
Where did August go? When you get this September is here and classes have started up here in the Panhandle. We had dances in August with the Seaside Squares 54th Anniversary at Ragon Hall. That is a long time and congratulations to them! They had an open House on August 25th and classes starting September 1st. They have a beginning waltz class starting September 3rd. They are now having Zumba classes at their hall. September 23rd they are having a Benefit dance for Ragon hall with callers and Cuers of NW.
Agape Squares in Niceville are having an open house August 28th and September 11th. They always have food and lots of fun dancing.
Sand Spurs in Ft. Walton Beach are sponsoring Basic and Mainstream dancing on Tuesdays, Beginner ballroom class on Wednesdays, Advanced 1 & 2 on Sunday afternoons and plus dancing on Thursday nights. For more information you can go to Sandspursdanceclub.com.
Panama City had a Plus workshop August 5th, and Wednesday night workshops for Mainstream. September is a little quieter on their schedule of events. RDCF Fall Weekend of Rounds is September 29th through October 1st so all you Round dancers be sure and come.
October 27-28th is our NW Roundup at Ragon Hall in Pensacola. Callers are Larry Belcher, Darryl McMilan, and Cuers are Terri and Tim Wilaby. We always have a good time and we are trying a new format for dancing this year so come join us.
It's September and the snowbirds will soon be flying south! We will welcome them back to join the fun!
It's been a quiet summer in the Southeast. Scotty and Marlene Sharrer and the Monday night Happy Squares happily continued to dance all summer. Jack and Ilene Lewis did some traveling, so the Monday afternoon Advanced group, A-Jacks, danced sporadically. We also had several Plus and C-1 Thursday evenings with Jack. The Friday night Castoffs danced on some Fridays. Chris Phillips held his Plus through C-2 dances in Hollywood and Wilton Manors through most of the summer and the Ryalls had round dancing in Fort Pierce. So, all was not "lost"!
Sadly, we lost Larry Fernald, round and square dancer, to a long illness. Our condolences to his friend Jerri and to his family.
We look forward to the Southeast Membership Dance and Ice Cream Social to be held Sunday afternoon September 24, at the Briny Breezes Auditorium. Scotty Sharrer will be the host caller, and Jack Lewis will be the host cuer. Early Rounds begin at 1:30pm; Squares at 2:00pm. Squares will alternate Mainstream and Plus; new graduates are welcome! The best way to improve one's dancing is to dance, dance, dance!
Membership renewal to SEA is $12; new members $15 (includes badge). Everyone should join SEA because it provides great value: FREE admission to all four SEA dances, plus insurance that is active when you attend any square dance from the time you get out of your vehicle to when you get back in. It's secondary insurance that kicks in after other coverage that one has.
All of us are looking forward to another great season of dancing in the Southeast!
August is here. Schools are open. Snowbirds are planning their return. Clubs and Callers are busy planning the next round of lessons and dance schedules are finalized for the coming year. The cycle begins again. The West Coast is getting ready for another great season of Square dancing in the premier region of Florida to square dance!
On a sad note, everyone in the West Coast sends our prayers and condolences to Penny Green and her family for the sudden loss of Rachel Gunter, Penny's daughter. This tragic event reminds us all the we should appreciate our loved ones every day because we never know what the future holds. It is times like these that the square dance community comes together in support of a fellow dancer and we realize how lucky we are to participate in such a great activity.
Many clubs in the West Coast have moved to a condensed lesson program for new dancers. This new 12 week program focuses on key Mainstream calls and allows dancers to get on the floor quicker. It also allows clubs to run two classes during the Florida square dance season. If you have any friends or relatives that have been eager to try square dancing, send them West! We have classes ready to go. Be sure to check FloridaSquareDance.com for a club near you. The WCSRDA also wants to remind clubs and callers of the Associations $100 reimbursement for new dancer classes.
Clubs in the West Coast are still following their summer schedule. Full schedules will be starting soon. Until then, the premier dance facility in Florida, Strawberry Square, holds an Advanced Dance every Friday evening and also holds a Saturday Plus dance with Rounds. Buttons & Bows in Lakeland, Shufflin Squares in Lake Wales, and Temple Twirlers in Tampa to name a few, are clubs that dance year round. There's always a dance coming up in the West Coast.
Membership in the WCSRDA remains the best value in Square Dancing. Our membership fee of $12 for a new dancer including badge, or $6 for renewal includes admission to all six Association sponsored dances. A truly great deal! We at the West Coast are busy getting ready for our annual Association Dance, the Fall Funfest. This year we have Don Moger from Montreal, and Bob Stern, President of FCA, with round dance activities headed by the Griffins. We hope many of our Canadian friends will take advantage to see one of their own! Don Moger is a great caller and puts on a fantastic dance. Mark your calendars now for this great event the second weekend of November. Ribbons are on sale now!
Terry and I recently returned from the Northeast. On the way back we stopped at the Tennessee State Convention. This event is one of the best State Conventions in the country. We hope to take ideas from Tennessee and try to incorporate them into the 2019 Florida State Convention. This convention is going to be one to be remembered. It's early, yes, but start planning now. It's going to be huge!!!
There's always a lot going on in the West Coast. We are the premier region in Florida to square dance. I encourage everyone to give us a try. From Strawberry Square, to Lake Ashton, to Lakeland, or all down the Gulf Coast. Whether you are a new dancer or a veteran, there is no doubt the West Coast is the place to be. The callers, facilities and dancers make the West Coast what it is today. For Square Dancing in Florida, you gotta go West!
Ok, I've had enough Summer! Fall, please hurry!
What does Fall mean? It's time for the West Coast Association's 43rd Annual Fall Fun Fest at the Bartow Civic Center on November 10-11, 2017! If you've been to the Fall Fun Fest before, you know how much fun it is and what great staff we have. If you've never been, you don't know what you're missing!
We start with a dance on Friday night; one hall for Mainstream, Plus, and Phase II–IV Rounds, and a separate hall for advanced with computer squares. Saturday morning we start with a round dance teach, followed by a square dance workshop, then a square and round dance. Saturday evening is another dance. We have a very impressive staff of Don Moger (Canada), Bob Stern (Leesburg), and Jimmy and Carol Griffin (St. Pete).
Advance ribbons are available now for $18 per person for the entire weekend (that's 12 hours of dancing!). Full ribbons for the entire weekend are $20 per person at the door. If you can't make it for the whole weekend, split prices are available; Friday or Saturday after 6:00pm is $10 per person or Saturday all day is $15 per person. Split ribbons are only available at the door.
Heads up! There's going to be a consignment sale at the Fall Fun Fest! Stay tuned for details.
The host hotel is the Holiday Inn Express at 863-533-8070. The alternate hotel is the Stay Inn & Suites at 863-533-0711. ALERT: The restaurant at the Stay Inn & Suites used to be a Denny's; it is now a Bread Board.
The flyer is at www.floridasquaredance.com, www.dancergram.com, or www.shufflinsquares.com. Please be sure you have the version dated May 11, 2017. The registration form is on the flyer or there may be someone in your area that is selling ribbons.