Stephen’s Square Dance Blog

Friday the 13th wasn’t a harbinger of doom.  We had three squares up until the end of the dance, then we had 1 and 7/8 for the last tip.  (I called a Plus tip at the end.)

The fun thing for me was that I used a bunch of material that we shared with the students at the callers’ school in Cle Elum.  I even turned some of what I saw at the school into a module.

Here’s some Caller Speak:

From a Zero Box:
Touch 1/4
Centers Trade
Swing Thru
Scoot Back
Boys Run
Star Thru

Takes you right to your corner.  However, the really cool part of this module is that it rotates the square 180 degrees.  I’ve got a couple of get outs that require this sort of rotation otherwise dancers end at home and don’t promenade.  I’ll post them on my website eventually.  There’s just too much to do.

It was a fun dance, and I tried to manage a balance between dancing and over heating.  I think I did okay.

I did hear that their regular club caller, Dave Knien was not feeling well.  So, thoughts and prayers for him are appreciated.  He’s a super guy and a great caller. 

Afterwards, Martha and I went out with Susan and Larry Morris for some ice cream and fellowship. 

Until next time, keep dancing!

No, I wasn’t attending as a student, I was there as an instructor.  Daryl Clendenin and I talked at the Callerlab Convention about a number of things, and among them, he asked if I might be interested in helping at his school at the Circle 8 Ranch.  I most certainly was as I have, in my ten year plan, a goal to become a Callerlab Accredited Caller Coach.  When I got home from the convention, I made contact with Daryl and worked on what I was going to present.

My topic, as it happens, was computers and digital music.  No small task and I had an hour to do it.  I had to cover a lot, and really could only give an overview.  However, a number of people did ask questions, and I think I gave a nice (though disjointed) presentation.  I’m going to work on it to make it more succinct as well as more portable. 

That was Sunday.  The rest of the week, I spent helping.  We had 11 students.  What a great bunch.  Georgia, Coleeta (and Chuck), Sandy (and Al), Marty (and Nancy), Fred (and Karla), Marvin (and Tammy), Jim, Dona, Cliff, Leo (and Joy), and Mark (and Jennie) did a great job.  Every single one of them has the potential to be great dance leaders. 

I remember how nerve wracking it was when I was attending a callers’ school as a student.  Believe me, it isn’t much different on the other side of the stage.  Everyone has different needs but everyone has the same objective.  For me, it was an exercise in reading people.  I’ve had good teachers over the years, and I let my training pay off.  Given some of the feedback that I got, I think it went well.

A few random tidbits from the week:

In talking about the dance, we rarely hear about individual calls.  When was the last time you heard “that was the best Allemande Left I’ve done all night.”  We don’t talk that way.  Instead, the entertainment value of the dance is actually perceived in its entirety.

Allemande Left and Right and Left Grand are calls that “Chicken Soup for Square Dancers’ souls.”  Use them often enough to make sure dancers feel successful.

All true stories begin with “Once upon a time.”  At least, that’s what Daryl said.

If the call Recycle is removed from the square dance vernacular, Daryl will most likely hang up his microphone.

Likewise, if Scoot Back disappears, Jerry Junck will hang up his microphone and call it a day.

 Well, maybe not, but these two calls, Recycle and Scoot Back, can do so many good things for the dancer and caller. 

Modules are about providing callers something to call as opposed to just rambling.  Have you ever heard someone speak in public without something prepared?  They ramble on for what seems like eternity, then never seem to make a point.  Know what you’re going to say, or at least have an idea, before your open your mouth.

There are only 2 formations that Allemande Left can be done.  Callers may use other formations, but dancers will morph into the two that exist. 

Square dancing is the “art of dancing with hands.”  Jerry Junck said that.  He’s right.

It was great week.  As I remember more, I’ll post it.

Until next time!

No, I didn’t call this one.  This weekend Martha and I went to dance and have a good time.  (Thank you Olga and Otto for letting us stay with you.)  The Circle 8 Ranch is a magical and spiritual place for me.  It is where I’ve found love, and really feels like home. 

The weekend was called by Daryl Clendenin, Jerry Junck, and Doug Davis.  All three working either together or alone did a fabulous job.  Their material was fun to dance and they really choose some great songs to sing.

The hall was not as full as I’d expected, but it was still a great crowd.  With the small number of square dancers these days, I like more intimate settings as it is.  If you don’t have room to breathe, it isn’t as much fun.  Oh, and it was hot, so a full hall would have been an oven.

This year, they added a “No Holds Barred” tip on both Friday and Saturday nights.  This was a step (or two) up in the level of difficulty in the dance.  While not impossible, it was hard, and really felt good to those that enjoy a higher degree of difficulty.  That said, it wasn’t for everyone, but it was for me.

In many ways, this weekend was like ”old home week” as there are a number of people we see just once or twice a year there.  One couple, Monique and Harmon Van Bergen, from Saskatoon, Canada, were there.  It was great seeing them. 

I’d like to add a big thank you to Taj and Rod Alex for their hard work, the home-made cookies, and the root beer floats.  Good show!

Saturday evening made for an intersting dance.  Cheryl Sebree and I weren’t sure who’d come on what turned out to be a beautiful day.

We had about a square and a half.  A big thank you to Leo, Joy, Bruce, Candy, Wayne, Susan, Gunter, Annie, Martha (hi sweetie!), Carol, and Al!  Your support is appreciated.  We couldn’t do this without you.

Cheryl did a great job.  She’s got a natural presence and a very nice voice.  She says she gets nervous, but you couldn’t tell.  Even when she faltered a bit, she took the best course of action.  She didn’t panic and kept going.  Kudos to you.

I called some, workshopped a bit, and cued some rounds.  When you have a small crowd it makes sense to let people relax. 

Towards that end, we ended a half hour early.  Still, we had two hours of fun dancing.  There was only one blemish on the evening.  One dancer left a tip halfway through.  She wanted to “get some air.”  It was not good form.  I’m not sure that she’s taken lessons the whole way through.  I’ve seen her at lessons that I’ve run, and others have said she’s been at theirs.  However, seeing her struggles and frustration, I totally can understand her point of view.  She, like many, want to dance, they don’t want to take classes.  I try to run my lessons as dances where you simply learn a little more every night, but sometimes, it can be frustrating.

After the dance, nearly all of us went to Shari’s in Renton.  (Al and Carol had a ways to go, so we didn’t expect them to join us.)

Until next time!

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~