PRESIDENT’S TWO CENTS
The
topic of what is our club vision (or goals) and/or what is our class vision (or
goals) were brought up at a recent board meeting. Several ideas were presented, each with merit
toward creating a prosperous and successful club. Here are some of my visions
that are important to me as well as important to the success that Single
Spinners Square Dance Club that enjoys.
Square
dancing can be considered a common denominator for people from all walks of
live to meet, learn to do an activity (square dancing), share this with many
other dancers. I hope that all Single Spinners develop friendships and a sense
of caring for fellow square dancers of any and all levels of ability.
Caring
can cover a lot of different areas in our life in regard to how we interact
with other people. The way we view and
respect other people often has a lot to do with other people view and respect
us. I do believe that people who go out
of their way to help others is directly connected to caring. Ever notice that in any organization from
church to Little League to square dance groups it is often the same 10 percent
of the people who do 95 % of the work all of the time. The other 90 % are willing
to let them and often are not willing to pitch in to help share the work to
make a successful organization. If you
care, get involved with club organization, planning dances, providing refreshments,
cleaning up the hall after the dance.
Our caring board could use a bit of help from time to time.
Sharing
knowledge is a form of caring by giving something that one person has to
someone who doesn’t. A good example is
our caller, John Marus. John is by
trade a full time teacher. By day he is
a high school science teacher, by night he is a teacher of dancers and on some
weekends, John teaches people how to be square dance callers (no easy
task). You can believe that John
cares. He cares that dancers enjoy the
evening dance, he cares that new students successfully learn to dance
competently so that they may enjoy themselves and fellow dancers enjoy dancing
with dancers he has taught to dance.
John cares so much about his teaching that he becomes frustrated when
dancers both brand new as well as dancers who have been dancing for a while
make repeated mistakes on common calls they should be able to do in their
sleep.
I
think that if dancers put a little more care into being the best dancers they
can be, their enjoyment of the square dance would increase 10 fold. We all enjoy dancing in a balanced square
(everyone in the square is about equal in ability). If there is a dancer who is not very good,
the tone of the square drops before the tip starts. Attending class and workshops faithfully are
a big plus toward becoming a good dancer.
All dancers can benefit from attending workshops and clinics when
offered, most often offered at conventions and festivals.
The
above thoughts on the vision of Single Spinners are only a few of many. The thought of having 35-40 clubs in the
A
vision of a return to big dances, lots of people, lots of laughter, lot of
dancers willing to help out where needed
and interested in traveling as a group to other events and dances. A vision of
people taking a real interest in other dancers
Don’t know how
many of you remember
Happy Dancing
Dana
Recommended Travels
OTHER INFORMATION WEBSITES:
Most
of the websites have links to dancing in other locations, including overseas,
and is available via our website’s “links” feature.
SD Square Dance Association
Palomar Association
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VICE-PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS
We are
now in the third month of the summer, as you are aware; the dancing has been a
little warm in the evening. I would just ask that you pace yourself during the
warm dance nites and drink plenty of water.
This
month offers lots of fun dancing events. Sat. Aug. 11th Finest City with Ray
Holmes at the
Then our very own “Back to the 50’s Old
Fashioned Ice Cream Social” Party Night on Aug. 14th (We will need Toppings
that night, please see the sign-up sheet at the Treasures table.) Next is the
3rd Sat. Round-Up with Marshal Flippo calling and Peter Gomez cuing at the WMB
7:00 rounds 7:30 squares. This will be a
great dance I would like to encourage everyone to join the fun. On Fri. the
24th Circulators has their “Watermelon Mania” party night. It will be a
spittin’ good dance. These are just a few dance events this month for your
dancin’ enjoyment.
Next I
would like to welcome Dave Weim to Single Spinners as a new member. So, when
you see him welcome him to our Spinners web.
Speaking
about webs our very own Web Master Chris Davis has
Single Spinners web page on the Association web
site. You can view this page at singlespinners.sdsda.org (COOL dancin’
logo Chris.)
Another,
item that needs your attention is Spinners need all the Membership Renewals in
as soon as you can get them so Dana can have the new club roster printed.
Here is
a date for your calendar. We have scheduled the Sheriff’s Picnic for Sept. 30th
2007 at
A note
about party nights, if you think of some party night themes please let one of
the board members know.
I would
like to thank all the angels for helping with the new class. Just remember,
John is the
instructor, no pushing or pulling. Angel have
your hands up and ready for the new dancers, repeat the call when you hear it,
and let the new dancers make their mistakes, so they can learn the call. Again,
thank you angels for your great helping hands.
I look
forward to a wonderful month of dancing fun with all of you and I will see you
in a square soon. Your Vice President Dennis Taylor
CALLER’S CORNER
Greetings to you
all! I hope you are trying to stay cool
in the heat and that you are enjoying all the dancing activities you can.
My calling
activities are light this month, but I, along with Andy Allemao, will be
calling our callers association’s monthly “Fun Dance” on August 25. I am hopeful that our Basic class will
complete the Basic Program sometime this month and that they will be invited to
this dance. I know it is also the same
night as Ruffles and Beaus anniversary dance, but it would sure be nice to have
a few club members accompany our new dancers to this event. I hope you can. It starts at 7:00 pm at the
Looking into
September, I am calling the Back Country Association dance on September 1 with
Bill Maisch. It will be at the
My “sermon” this
month is a reprint of an article written by Larry Cole in the March 2002 issue
of American Squaredance magazine.
Larry is a highly regarded veteran caller and accredited caller-coach
from
Until next time…
John
Is Your Attitude Helping or
Hindering Your Club
By Larry Cole
Is your attitude helping or hindering your club? We all have a personality and an
attitude. Now our personality stays
pretty much the same all the time. We
are basically who and what we are 24/7.
However, our attitude can change like the wind, from day to day and from
situation to situation. A square dance
club takes on the collective personality and attitude of its members. We have all visited clubs that were happy fun
loving and joyful people with a good attitude.
When visitors arrive they are greeted warmly and made to feel welcome. The members get out on the floor and dance
every tip. They have a great time and
foster good will and a friendly atmosphere at the dance. Guests are always invited to go to the
refreshment table first and are never made to feel unwanted. When new dancers are brought in, the
attitudes of the club members transfer to these folks in a heartbeat. They are treated as equals, made to feel
special and recruited into all functions of the club. The club grows and prospers because of the
individual and collective attitudes of its members. Attitude of this kind helps a club. Is your attitude helping or hindering your
club?
Attitude and the perception of attitude are extremely
important. Let me allow to chronicle for
you some actual circumstances (horror stories) that I have witnessed at dances
that I have called. I have waited and
watched while club members refused to fill a square that needed one more couple
and then ran out on the floor and made their own square after these three guest
couples gave up and walked off the floor.
Wow, really makes you want to visit that club again. Another club, that didn’t have the best
reputation for friendliness to begin with, announced at refreshment time, “oh,
by the way, we won’t have any refreshments tonight because we had a dinner
before the dance so you can stop at a restaurant on your way home.” Can you believe what a mountain this little
mole hill became? Their attitude should
have been more caring. Simple cookies
and punch would have made everything better.
We really need to think before we leap.
I called several times for a club whose members didn’t dance
the first two tips because it took all of them to get the kitchen and
refreshments ready. The guests felt very
uncomfortable and awkward with this situation.
Ah, worse yet, they didn’t dance the last two tips because it took all
of them to clean up the kitchen and refreshment area. Somehow I believe they were missing the point
of making guests feel welcome and putting on a good dance. Also the perception of their attitude was not
warm and fuzzy.
One more and then I will leave you to evaluate the structure
of attitude and its influence on people.
I was calling the last tip of a dance and the club members began to take
the chairs up and put them in the racks.
Now, I have had this happen many times and while it is not a good ending
for a dance there is more to this story.
There were some guests, who were not dancing the last tip, sitting and
waiting for their friends. The club
members requested them to stand and took the chairs away and put them in the
racks. These folks were left to stand
for the remaining time and went home with a very negative reaction to their
evening of square dancing. Oh yes, there
is more, two club members then came and stood beside the table that my
equipment was sitting on and waited there while I finished calling the last
tip. They were very impatient as I told
everyone good bye (no, I had not run over the ending time) and thanked them for
coming to the dance. As I was packing up
my equipment, they actually lifted the table and held it while I finished. Was their attitude helping or hindering their
club?
Your may read these occurrences and say, “That never happens
in my club!” You are probably
right. They are extreme. But look at the smaller things in your
club. How does it treat guests? The caller?
His/her partner? The club
officers? Think about it. Does your club have a collective positive attitude
in all areas? If not, be sure that others
will notice. I say again, attitude and
the perception of attitude is extremely important. Is your attitude helping or hindering
your club?
Until next time…
John
Rey started a
“new” Round dance class on March 1, 2007 starting with two rhythms, the Rumba
and Salsa. Please watch for those fliers
also. Salsa and Rumba are similar in
foot work but Salsa is very fast and really gives you a workout. Other rhythms are also being taught.
The new class is
held between 8:00 pm and 9:30 pm. and the existing class from last year
continues from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. If you
wish to improve your round dancing ability or learn from scratch, drop by on
Thursday evenings.
Well, it is Summertime !! And August 14 is our “Back to the 50’s Ice Cream Social!” Dress up in the 50’s style and bring a favorite ice cream topping (the club is providing the ice cream) – Sign up sheet for toppings will be on the treasurer’s table (Hope our favorite Ice Cream Scooper will be on hand!!) Our September 11th party will be “Lunch Buckets here we go” It is back to school time and fall is on the way. Sign up to bring your favorite Lunch Bucket treat!! (I hope brownies are on the list) October brings us two parties! Our very own private birthday party for our caller October 9th !. . . that’s birthday cake and ice cream for the big guy – We get out the teddy bears and bring them to our dance. The idea is to cover the caller in bears – Please remember to take the bears home with you!!!!! And Spinners turns into “Spooky Hallow” on October 23rd. COSTUME time - with prizes for costumes and sign-up to bring your favorite spooky treat!!! We will be going dark October 30th and November 6th for the church to host the homeless shelter for two weeks. Jane Marus
Decorations Chairwoman )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Our Anniversary Dance was a huge success. Some of that success is because of the many
nice prizes from the local business community.
Here is a list of the contributors of prizes;
VIEJAS ENTERPRISES
PARKWAY BOWL
H & M LANDING SPORTFISHING
MIMI’S CAFÉ
SOUPLANTATION
MARIE CALLENDER’S
SQUARE UP FASHIONS
SAN DIEGO HALL OF CHAMPIONS
DAVE & BUSTER’S OF
SYCUAN RESORT & CASINO
MARITIME
HORNBLOWER CRUSES & EVENTS
SAN DIEGO REPORTORY THEATRE
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MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL TIME
MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL IS GOING ON.
Have you renewed your Spinners
membership for this year? Cards were
included in the May newsletter.
Membership was $5.00, Newsletter $5.00, and insurance is $5.00, unless
you are also a member of another club and pay your insurance there.
If you are not actively dancing, but
would like to keep receiving the newsletter, please send in $5.00 to help cover
the cost of the paper and stamps. We
always like to receive notes from our members, and those that have moved
away.
If anyone has a joke or article they would like to see printed in the “Homespun News”, please see Lynn or Chris Davis at a dance. The articles must be in our hands no later than the 3rd dance of the month, for consideration for the next month’s newsletter. Thanks, Lynn (Ed)