Stephen’s Square Dance Blog

What a fun night.  Doug Coleman and I had (I think) 5 squares.  There were a number of new dancers and some angels were among them.

Doug and I worked a number of calls.  Scoot Back, Tag the Line, Half Tag, Swing Thru, and Dixie Style to a Wave were the big ones that we used. 

Doug did a circle dance, the Patty Cake Polka, which was very fun, and even did a Quadrille.  As for me, I stuck with the traditional squares.

The Hayloft is a wonderful place to dance.  It is well lit, and has nice hardwood floors. 

It was also nice to see a number of dancers from last year.  It isn’t enough to bring in new dancers, but we also need to retain our experienced ones.  Good to see you all!

 Until Next Time

Yesterday, at about 2:00 p.m. I got a call from Jim Noren at the Toe Stompers.  Dave Knien was ill and would I fill in.  I told him that I’d be happy to do so.  I called Martha and told her of the change in plans.

The question was, what to workshop?  This one is a little harder to do as I had no time to plan.  Jim said to call until something didn’t work, then fix it.  Not a bad way to go, but I wanted to present something for the dancers money.

In the end, I figured I’d work on a Left Handed Follow Your Neighbor with the Girls looking in.  The nice thing is that Jerry Junck did this exact same workshop at the WA state festival.  So, I had the setup handy.  It worked out rather nicely.  The tendency is to use a dominant hand or, at least use the hand we use most often, the right.  In a Follow Your Neighbor (or Scoot Back) the trick is to step forward first.  Then, you simply use whatever hand is presented (and is closest) to you.

Then, I chose to move on to some much harder material.  The hardest thing I did all night was a Coordinate in a 3-1 line.  We never got it down to the point that it was smooth enough to be done without prompting.  However, we were doing pretty well.  What I did find was that the ending formation, Diamonds, were Facing Diamonds and many had not seen them.  So, the next workshop dealt with them.  I’m going to work up some Facing Diamond choreo so it will be handy for the next time I do a workshop.

Finally, we worked on Extend and Load the Boat. 

Extend is a tricky call, but I didn’t play with it much.  I figured that I’d save it, too, for another time.

Load the Boat was one where I just wanted to put everyone in all the positions.  No fractions.  I’ll save that one for another time.

I figure that even as a workshop, we shouldn’t move too far away from the (or at least “a”) standard application of calls.  There are many that think everyone should be able to do every application of every call.  I’m not one of those people.  While *I* may be able to do this, or at least do most of it, I’ve found that people have comfort levels and it is important to maintain them.  A happy customer is a returning customer.

I’m going to have the 2nd Friday dances of the Toe Stompers through December.  (Except September as I’m out of town.)  Depending on how it goes, it may be extended longer.  I’m pretty stoked about it.  I’ve wanted to call for a Plus club for a long time.  The caller coordinator said that he’ll do his best to coordinate our schedules and ask the other when one of us can’t make a dance. 

I love being a Square Dance Caller.  It isn’t what I do, it’s who I am.

Until next time!

At the state festival last week someone asked if I was the one calling for CRS on the 23rd.  My immediate thought when asked was: “CRS?  Can’t Remember… Stuff?” Oh wait.  CRS = Columbia River Squares.  Why yes, I was and then I did.

After a three and a half hour drive over there, Martha and I arrived at our host’s home (thanks Dean) just in time for a nap.  I was worn out.  (The proof was in my snoring.)  Then, we had dinner and were off to the dance.

The facility was amazing.  The Richland Community Center is huge.  It has hardwood floors and floor to vaulted ceiling windows that gaze upon the Columbia River.  If you ever have a chance to visit and/or dance, I recommend it based on the facility alone.

Tina Allaway did a nice job on the rounds. 

We had just over three squares.  They stayed the whole time.  They even indulged me by singing Happy Birthday to my wife, Martha.  No break.  (Thank heaven.  I hate breaks as they stop the momentum of the dance.)  As requested, I did a Plus tip in the middle of the dance.  I prefer putting it at the end, as if people pay to dance the Mainstream program (as advertised) I hate to have them sit out.  

I got lots of kudos during and after the dance and was asked if I’d be willing to call for the Prarie Shufflers sometime in the future.  I gave them my card, and they said they’d be in touch.  

Next time across the pass, I think we’ll try to make a weekend of it.  Seven hours in the car was a long ride.  Even with satellite radio as a helper.

Until next time!

Whew!  What a wonderful time.  Even with the remnants of a headcold, the dancing was fun and it was great connecting with so many people.

The Overlake Christian Church was a fantastic place to hold our event.  That place was huge.  The Central Puget Sound Council did a great job of hosting the event.  My hat’s off to them.  Thank you!

I called in three slots.  I’ve determined that the beginning and end of the day are poor times to call.  Friday morning, we had a square, but had to wait for it.  Then, had a second one to finish the half-hour.  Saturday morning, I thought I’d have a bunch of dancers as it was right after the Pagent.  Sadly, the pagent ran into extra innings, so I barely had a square to start, and then almost had three square for my final singing call.  (The cuer I was working with picked some long songs, so I had to cut mine a little short.)Friday, when I called at 4:30, I figured I’d have plenty of dancers, but people got a head start on dinner, and for those of us that had been dancing the whole day to that point, we were tired.  I was very thankful to have my friends stick around.  I really appreciate you.

Jerry Junck was fantastic.  I envy his style and presentation skills.  He really is a master.

Next year’s state festival is in Longview.  Tom Miller, from Pennsylvania, is calling.  He’s another caller that I’d put in my list of favorite callers of all time.  He’s got a beautiful voice and can really command his dances.  I’ll be signing up sooner than later.

 I’ve got a list of suggestions for next year’s festival (small, I assure you) so I’ll be in touch with my council delegate.  However, I’ve got few (if any) complaints with how this festival was run. 

Until next time!

Martha and I had another wonderful time with our friends at Puddletown. 

It was a small dance and we were blessed with a visit from one of my regular Fern Bluff Square dancers, Carol, who brought friends visiting from New Zealand, Terry and Jan.  They were fun to have with us, and Terry is a real story teller.  I’m envious of his skill.

For me, the odd thing is that this club dances on, or slightly faster than the beat of the music.  As much as I might emphasize moving to music, the age of some of the dancers I call for prevents them from moving as fast as they’d like.  At Puddletown, they really seem to enjoy the motion of the music and had wonderful timing.  It was very nice.  (Even with the extra flourishes.) It brought to mind of complaints of dancers I’ve heard about callers that regularly call to teen dancers.  Calling to the music and the phrasing is something that everyone strives for, but sometimes it gets lost in the extra twirls or older joints.  It isn’t better or worse, nor is it right or wrong, it is just knowing your audience.

It was good to see everyone and a fun time was had by all!  (Though, some friends are moving to California and that is sad.  However I can feel a road trip coming on!)

Until next time!

~S~

I’ve got a “temp to perm” offer to call for the Toe Stompers.  (My term, not theirs.)

I got a call this morning from Jim Noren from the Toes asking if I’d be interested in calling in August.  They needed someone to call for their second Friday dance, the 10th.   He then asked if I’d be interested in calling the second Friday dances through December with the possibility of continuing the arrangement after that.

(It was a little more than that, and the conversation happened over two phone calls, but that’s the gist of it.) 

I can’t do September as my beautiful wife and I are going to Walt Disney World that week with some friends.  There are 11 of us going and we’ll catch up with my Aunt Carolyn and my Grammie. 

The July and August dances are going to be Mainstream, I think, as a number of clubs go dark in the summertime and the goal is to give all the new dancers someplace to dance and keep their new found skills.  (The Mount Baker Teachers and Callers are aiding in this effort by conducting workshops on Wednesday nights.)

Come fall, the Toe Stompers are going to run a Plus class instead of the usual Mainstream class they’ve had.  Dave Knien will be teaching it, and I’ve heard some great things about his skill.  I’m hoping that we’ll be able to work together at some point.

Until next time!

~S~

For the Samena Square’s dance, we had 3 squares of dancers with a few left over.  Robin Alex was the cuer.  She did a fantastic job and I very much enjoy working with her.  She’s incredibly skilled and she’ll do great things in her career.

I had all three squares up nearly every tip.  We had a mix of new and experienced dancers.  Some struggled a bit, and we worked on a few moves.  The two that saw the most work were Turn Thru and Scoot Back from a left hand wave.  I don’t do a lot of crazy workshops at dances where I’m a guest.  As such, I didn’t do something like a Scoot Back from a Left Hand Wave where a boy and a girl were looking in to the center.  While I’m confident they would have done it, my goal is to keep people moving and having fun, not seeing how far I can push them until they crack. 

I did a Plus tip at the end.  I save it until the end as it is a Mainstream dance and want to give people what they pay for. 

Afterwards, we went to Lee and Lorna Barnhart’s home for ice cream.  It made for a late night, but it is fun to be out with friends.  Martha and I wish we could entertain more, but our little condo is barely large enough for us an our cats.  Someday.

A funny aside is that on the way to the dance Martha and I couldn’t decide on dinner on the way.  Calling a dance on an empty stomach isn’t easy, so we weighed our options.  In the end, we decided that a Chinese restaurant that we’ve eated at (on the way to the dance) in the past would be the best.  We’d gone there before with our good friends Susan and Larry Morris.  It was at that point that I’d wished that I’d thought of it earlier and called Susan and Larry so they could join us.  When we walked in, as luck would have it, there was Larry.  Susan walked in shortly thereafter.  What great fortune!  It was great to have them at the dance.  They are wonderful friends and great people.  (If you don’t count an electrical engineer as a friend, you don’t know what you’re missing!)

Until next time!

~S~

Last night I filled in for Ray Gallagher who was filling in for Dave Knien at the Toe Stomper Workshop.  Martha had taken the day off of work and was able to get me my laptop bag with music and we were able to go to the dance together.  This was the first workshop of the summer and the goal really was to ensure that dancers (fairly new to the Plus Program) were comfortable dancing at the state festival.

We had two squares and we worked a number of calls from standard formations as well as some “Extended Applications.”

I think the trickiest call of the evening was Follow Your Neighbor with the Ladies facing In and the Men facing out.  Cast Off 3/4 is *so* important.  Far too many people, in general, fudge it.  Jerry Junck had a teach that I use to this day.  From a mini-wave, a Cast Off 3/4 is 5 steps.  It works every time.

 Other calls that we worked included:

Spin Chain and Exchange the Gears.  (From Right Handed Waves only, but had both the Ladies and the Men as leaders. )
Spin Chain the Gears
Track Two
Ping Pong Circulate
Crossfire (from 2 faced Lines only)
Linear Cycle (From Parallel Ocean Waves *and* a Tidal Wave) 

Some callers believe in showing every position at a workshop.  I don’t think that really works because, by the end of the night, it is hard to tell which end is up.  So, I like to work a variety of moves and stretching them a bit.  It is important that the motion of the dance is there.  I enjoy the puzzle part of the dance as much as the next guy, but I think it is more important to dance. 

Though, sometimes a pure puzzle dance can be fun.  Diversity is what makes the world go round and the trip worthwhile.

Until next time!

~S~

It was a small turnout.  Not unexpectedly as it was both a nice day and still very hot.  We had one square and some spares.

Linda Nold, who is one of my favorite cuers, is starting to use a laptop computer to do her dances.  She’s only got songs in it from her library in the A and B categories.  That means every song had to start with the letter A or B.  Too funny.

I’ve had some extra noise with my equipment lately.  It comes and goes.  About six weeks ago, my amplifier was making strange noises.  This week, my portable mixer was giving me fits.  Nuts.

One dancer asked me about hearing assistance.  I have it, but I don’t have the receivers.  I don’t even know where to buy them, so I’m going to look into it and at least have some info handy on the subject.

On my main page, I’m not sure where, I’m going to make a note that I am *NOT* going to be calling in the Advanced Hall during the state festival.  I only signed up to make sure there’d be enough coverage.  So, I’m going to call my 30 minutes in the Solos hall on Friday at 10:00 a.m. and that’s it.  I was hoping, as I call for three Mainstream clubs (one of which is in the Central Puget Sound Council) that I’d get a little more exposure, but alas, it is not to be.  Oh well, it will be fun to dance to Jerry Junck.  I always enjoy him.

Friday I’m calling for Samena Squares and then Saturday, I’ve got a gig with my friends at Puddletown.  Martha and I always enjoy both groups. 

Our friends at Puddletown threw Martha and I an impromptu wedding shower with a dance titled “A shotgun wedding at the Hamptons.”  Better friends you cannot find.

Until next time.

~S~

Martha and I just breezed in from Wenatchee.  We had fun, but it was a long ride.  Shortly, I’m going to get ready for my Solo Squares dance.

 The dance last night was small, but everyone was enthusiastic.  We got to see a number of folks that we usually see only at Circle 8 Ranch.  It was great to see fellow caller Tom Clymer and his wonderful wife Chris.  Also, it was my first time working with Wendy Syrstad.  It was good to catch up with her and her husband John.  It felt like old home week.

The first hour was the Plus Program.  4 tips with 1 Round Dance between them.  From 8 until 10 (we ended a half hour early) was 2×2, Mainstream tips with 2 Phase 2 Rounds between them.  There was a very short break for announcments and split the pot.  The “Ice Cream Social” was held AFTER the dance. Smart move.  Otherwise it’d have been all ice cream an no dancing.

In talking to Sheila Ogle, it turns out a lot of the decorations came from Target a few years ago.  Apparently, when they creat a display, it is only used once.  Luckily, she picked it up when they were finished with it.  So there were lots of old time decoration around the hall.  Very nicely done!

We had 3 squares, which was smaller than expected, but it was HOT.  The high, I think was 95 degrees.  They said it was a dry heat, but I think it was just too much heat.  I don’t know that I could live over there.  It was great to visit though.  (This morning, it was much cooler.)

Martha and I stayed with Randy and Sheila Ogle.  They fed us before the dance, gave us lodging afterwards, and treated us to breakfast before we left.  Such hospitality!  They made a fun night into a wonderful weekend.  We are very thankful to them.

I’m ready for a nap, but don’t know if I’ll get one before we go to Solos.

 Until next time!