June 2004 Newsletter

a monthly publication

in this issue...

Dance Calendar Who's Who Board Meeting From the President Offices for Nomination Thank You New or Renewed Members Guests

Confessions of a Swingaholic July Swing Workshop Upcoming Events Salsa Southern Style Fancy Feet Dancers Snacks and Refreshments Places to Dance Room to Mention Our Website

DANCE CALENDAR

GCC-USABDA dance, 2nd and 4th Saturday of the Month, 7:30-11:00 pm, at The Barn, 680 Cherokee Lane, Columbia, SC. Admission is $8/non-member, $5/member, student discount. Refreshments. Appropriate attire required.

June 12 - dance lesson 8:00-8:30 by Robert Seay teaching Samba.

June 26 - Red, white & blue cookout, 6:30. Dance lesson 8:00-8:30 by Robert Seay teaching Samba.

WHO'S WHO

BOARD MEETING

The next Board meeting is scheduled for June 13, 2004, at 3:00 pm, Bank of America conference room at the Richland County Library, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC. Please contact Tom Savage with agenda items.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Mike Verdone will have hip replacement surgery on June 17th at Palmetto Northeast Hospital. Send cards to his home. Grace will take the cards to Mike. Contact her if you want to telephone or visit Mike in the hospital.

Come one, come all to the chapter's annual Independence Day picnic that will take place on June 26th at 6:30 pm. Show up in red, white and blue and enjoy the free hot dogs and hamburgers with all the trimmings. Bring a side dish such as coleslaw, baked beans or potato salad or furnish some chips or soft drinks. There is no charge for admission to the dance for members of Chapter 632. Guest admission will be $8 for adults and $4 for students with an ID.

Contact Jo Morton about the food and Ron Morton about helping him with cooking. 

Doris Wood has resigned as the secretary. In her resignation statement, she says that she will continue to be involved with USABDA and give as much support to the chapter as she can. She also says that she might be interested in chairing a committee in the future. Thanks Doris for the time and effort that you have devoted to your secretarial tasks since last January. Thanks for your many contributions to the operation of the chapter, especially the cash box that we now use at the front desk and the initiative you took to begin recording our board meetings. I also appreciate your willingness to come in early on Saturday afternoons to set up the table and chairs and for almost always remaining after the dances to do the necessary clean up.

Deborah Thomas has resigned as chairperson of the publicity and newsletter committee. She will do the June announcements to the newspapers and the June newsletter. I appreciate her willingness to do these two tasks in order for me to have some time to find someone to fill her position. Thanks, Deborah, for finding two members for the election committee and for the good job you did as editor of the newsletter since February.

There are three elected offices that need to be filled: Vice President, Secretary and Member-at-Large. If interested, see Jeane Mader, Lee Minghi, Jo Morton or Ann McNett of the election committee. The deadline for nominees is Friday, August 6th.

The president appoints the chairperson of the publicity and newsletter committee and the chairperson of the outreach and youth programs committee. Contact me if you are interested in one of these positions for the remainder of this year or for next year.

The newsletter will not be published again until we have a chairperson of the publicity and newsletter committee. A one-page information form about our dances has been developed by me to provided to guests. Additional information about the chapter will be published on our web site.

Tom Savage

OFFICES FOR NOMINATION

Dear Lover of Ballroom Dancing,

If you are interested in one of the following elected positions please see Jeane Mader, Lee Minghi, Ann McNett or Jo Morton.

Nominations will be closed at 6:00 pm on Friday, August 6th. In order to become a nominee you need to be current in your local chapter and National USABDA dues.

You need to be prepared to spend 10 hours a month doing any of the following jobs, plus a two-hour board meeting each month. you will be expected to make an on-going commitment to assist with the set up or the clean up at most of the dances you attend.

I am having a wonderful time as the president. If it was any better, I could not stand it. The current board members Edna, Naomi, Bob, Ron and Jo are a terrific group to work with. Please consider joining us next year to provide leadership to the provision of ballroom dancing to members and non-members, and to the Greater Columbia Area in general. You will find yourself in a challenging and rewarding job.

If you would like to know what I am interested in accomplishing as the president, look at my nine goals on our web site.

Tom Savage

VICE PRESIDENT

1. Serves as the chairperson of the hospitality committee.

2. Strives to enable members to volunteer to serve in the capacity of greeters for new guests.

3. Works at the front desk for admissions from 7:15-9:00 pm when no member is willing to do this task. Seeks to develop a small group of members to work at the front desk on a rotating basis.

4. Receives payment for dance attendance and for local and national dues. Provides a receipt for cash and checks received. Pays the professional dance instructor for the group lesson and exhibitions if any.

5. When the front desk is closed at 9:00, completes a financial report that is given with the cash received to the treasurer.

6. Provides escorts to members in getting to their automobiles late in the evening.

7. Acts on behalf of the president in his absence.

8. In charge of the provision of food and drink at our dances.

9. Attends the majority of the monthly board meetings and provides a written report for inclusion into the minutes by the secretary.

SECRETARY

1. The secretary prepares an agenda for the monthly board meetings that is forwarded to board members via E-mail at least three days before the board meeting.

2. The secretary tape records the board meetings in order to facilitate his/her participation in the group discussion and decision making.

3. After the board meeting, the secretary prepares a hard copy of the meeting and distributes them to the board members via E-mail. The secretary then erases the tape recording.

4. When unable to attend a board meeting the secretary arranges with a board member to record the meeting. The secretary is responsible for preparing and distributing the hard copy of the minutes.

5. As stated in the by-laws the secretary co-signs contracts with the president.

6. The secretary attends the majority of the board meetings.

MEMBER-AT-LARGE

1. Serves as the chairperson of the membership committee.

2. Maintains current membership and guest lists and mailing labels.

3. Correlates chapter and national membership lists.

4. Furnishes information to editor of the newsletter.

5. Provides membership and guest lists for use at the front desk for dances.

6. Sends a reminder to members six weeks before their membership with National will expire unless a renewal payment is made.

7. Manages the video tape library in accordance with the by-laws.

8. Attends the majority of the monthly board meetings providing a written report for inclusion into the minutes by the secretary.

THANK YOU

Thanks to our May dance instructor Uriah Heben for teaching foxtrot.

Thanks to our DJs, Stephanie Muga, Mike Verdone and Al Jayne.

And a huge thanks to all who helped set up tables and chairs before the dance and who stayed to help clean and put tables and chairs away after the dance.

NEW AND/OR RENEWED MEMBERS

Support your organization. Get your dues in!

GUESTS

List not provided.

CONFESSIONS OF A SWINGAHOLIC

I have a confession to make. This newsletter doesn't normally include confessions, but this might be of interest to you. I am hooked on swing dance. No, I am addicted to swing dancing. My affliction began when I attended the Charlotte Swing Dance Society's January, Saturday dance.

I just happened to choose the Saturday that the CSDS had a workshop. Paul and Ansley Hoke were the teachers for the workshops. I did not attend the workshops because I wasn't sure if I would like that style of swing. Then Paul and Ansley taught the group lesson before the dance. Looking back, this is where my problem began.

The Hoke's enjoyed teaching and it showed. They went well past their scheduled lesson time. The band was not set up and they just kept on teaching until the band was ready. I have been dancing for several years but had difficulty doing the single step swing. Not after the lesson was finished. Plus, I learned several new steps. I was impressed with the teaching style of Paul and Ansley Hoke.

The band played and the dancing began. I have not seen a more energized group of dancers. There were dancers from beginners to advanced and they were having the time of their lives and it didn't take me long to be in the swing myself. I danced until my feet wouldn't take anymore. I had to leave, but I wanted to keep on dancing. I was hooked. I signed up for Saturday morning lessons with Denise and Joe Polgrove. (Paul and Ansley have lessons in Greenville on Tuesday night, which I could not attend.) I took lessons for two months. The weather got nice and participation by others fell off, but I still go to the CSDS Saturday monthly dance. I dance until my feet can't take anymore and then I reluctantly go home.

The Greater Columbia Chapter is bringing Paul and Ansley to Columbia for a workshop. There will be dancers attending the workshop from around the state. Your board members have had the foresight to offer to you an opportunity to learn and experience a dynamic swing style. They are offering outstanding early registration prices. These low prices may never be offered again, and you will be hard pressed to find better prices anywhere in the U.S. Fill out an application and send in your money. Your only regret will be not attending the workshop and dance. 

One final thought regarding my addiction...I don't want to be cured.

David Tammen

JULY SWING WORKSHOP

July 31, the GCC-USABDA Chapter is presenting a swing workshop at The Barn, 680 Cherokee Lane, Columbia, SC. Instructors will be Paul and Ansley Hoke. For more information, click here.

"We have to go back to the Ragtime and Hot Jazz music of the 1920's when the Charleston was the popular dance of the day. The dancers began to create new moves and inter-mix moves from other dances.... In 1927, New York City was in a frenzy after Charles Lindbergh had completed the first transatlantic flight. Newspaper headlines read, "Lindy hops over the Atlantic." People were dancing in the street. A reporter looked on and asked a dancer, what he was doing. "I'm hopping like Lindy," he said.

"Jazz music changed in the 1930s to have more of a swinging beat. And, as it grew in popularity, it brought Lindy Hop along for the ride.

"By the 1940s the smooth dancers on the floor started calling the bouncier dancers Jitterbugs. This name stuck. Dean Collins was entering the dance scene. Dean found favor with local dancers and Hollywood, alike, and soon found himself in several movies. 

"Single time swing, also known as Jitterbug in this area, is the easiest place to start because if you have rhythm or not, you can be up and dancing the basics in just under one hour. That is a known fact that comes from teaching for five years and hundreds of students claiming to have two left feet."

Excerpts from SwingReview.com, Paul Hoke

UPCOMING DANCE EVENTS

Ann Durocher, President of Louisiana DanceSport and member of USABDA, announced the USABDA Chapter 531, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State DanceSport Championship will be June 5, 2004 at the American Legion Post 38, 151 S. Wooddale Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, E-mail fliprann@aolcom, website www.usabdanola.org for rules, entry form, events and additional info. Entry fees for as many events as you want to dance are $100 including lunch. Deadline for entry is May 3, 2004.

June 11-12, Dockers, Greenville, SC. Shag contest.

June 12, UPSTATE INVITATIONAL, Greenville, SC. Minimatch and exhibition will be held at Starlight Ballroom and arranged similar to a USABDA competition (ie, one set fee gets you into anything you want to dance). There will be a dinner/dance and show that evening. Emily and Valery are going to perform for the show. This event is being organized by Jeff, Scott and Ted. For more information, contact Jeff Strait, 864-676-2457 or zstrait@charter.net.

June 13-18, Las Vegas Dance Camp, Las Vegas, NV, 800-851-2813, www.dancevision.com/camp.

June 19, Charlotte Swing Dance Society, Covenant Fellowship Hall, Charlotte, NC presents a workshop and dance. Workshop is 10:00-2:45. Stompin' At The Savoy dance 8:00-11:30 featuring Charlotte's A Sign of the Times (13 piece) Big Band. Jitterbug lesson at 7:30. For more information go to charlotteswingdance.org.

July 4, USABDA Carribean dance cruise. Jim McCown, usabda1@juno.com.

July 17, Chicagoland USABDA Chapter is sponsoring the Chicago Dancesport Challenge 2004, at the Center at North Park Sports Arena, Franklin Park, IL 60131. The competition is open to only USABDA member amateur dancers. A full slate of American Smooth and Rhythm and International Standard and Latin are planned with age categories of preteen through senior. Visit their website at www.chicagousabda.org.

August 8, USABDA National Championships, St. Paul, MN. Jim McCown, usabda1@juno.com or www.dancenationals.com.

SALSA SOUTHERN STYLE

The Salsa Southern Style salsa congress in Charlotte is now open for early registration. The registration form for the 1st Salsa congress in Charlotte is ready on their site, www.salsasouthernstyle.com. July 10th is the deadline for the early registration! You save lots of money by registering early. While you are at the site, check out the list of performers and instructors. It's going to be a great congress.

"Salsa Southern Style" is coming September 9-12, 2004 to the Charlotte Uptown Adams Mark Hotel.

FANCY FEET DANCERS

If you are interested in joining the Fancy Feet group for future performances in nursing homes and retirement communities or if you know of any such facilities that would like to host a performance, please contact Barbara Kubodera or Tom Savage.

SNACKS AND REFRESHMENTS

Our USABDA chapter provides snacks and refreshments at each of our dances. Your contributions of soft drinks and snacks are always welcomed. Please remember snack foods must fit into the category of finger foods. 

Volunteers to help set up the refreshments are also welcomed. Contact one of your board members if you have any questions or would like to volunteer for a specific evening.

PLACES TO DANCE

Looking for someplace to dance those times when we don't have a GCC-USABDA dance? Visit the "Places To Dance" listing on our website or pick up a copy of the handout at the GCC-USABDA dances.

ROOM TO MENTION

Big Band dancing Thursdays, 6:00-9:00, Adam's Mark, 1200 Hampton Street, Columbia, SC 29201, 803-771-7000.

Fridays, Capital Senior Center, Maxcy Gregg Park, 1650 Park Circle, Columbia, SC, 803-779-1971.

Wednesdays, 7:00-9:00 pm, Sumter Ballroom Dance Club, Sumter County Recreational Department, 155 Haynesworth Street, Sumter, SC, Bob Wall 803-469-4014

Monthly Dance, 7:30-11:00, Palmetto Ballroom Dance Club, Florence, SC, 803-393-6206, palmettodanceclub.org

First Saturday of each month, 7:00-11:00 pm, USABDA Greenville, Starlight Ballroom, 108 Trade Street, Greer, SC, Ginger 864-292-6750, odellgirl@aol.com

OUR WEBSITE

Be sure to check out the GCC-USABDA website to stay in-the-know about what's happening with our organization. If you don't see what you are looking for, you may post a message or send an E-mail message. Someone will get back to you.

Nobody cares if you can't dance. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique. They are great because of their passion. Martha Graham