Oops, sorry about this, folks. I had a very bad weekend and things didn't get settled down until yesterday, so I forgot all about updating this.
There was a pretty good turnout Saturday. Joe Bone played, Brian called. There were no fatal breakdowns in the dances, so that was good. It was like old home week, with several people showing up for the dance who had not been in quite some time.
I will probably skip both dances this weekend. If anyone is interested in going up to the Melbourne dance next Friday, I'd be interested in getting a ride up. I can help with gas if you stop by a Chevron station. I've driven the whole way from here, up and back, but that was exhausting.
I'd still like to hear from the dancers about whether or not it's worthwhile continuing the 5th Saturday dance in 2016. There are FIVE 5th Saturdays in 2016, and the first one is in January, so I need to decide soon.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Halloween
Thanks again to John Burnette for promoting the Halloween dance heavily. Unfortunately, the turnout was about the same as the previous two attempts, just seventeen people. But we had a good dance with SIX musicians playing and William Eagan calling. The band called itself Stringulation. Thanks, too, to the two new musicians who played for us, and to the two ladies for helping decorate the hall.
There is a fifth Saturday in January 2016, but I have not decided whether or not I want to continue with the dance. We're getting enough dancers to pay for the hall but not much for the band, and not quite enough in my opinion for a really good dance.
We have a couple of younger people coming to Boca Saturday (younger than most of us, anyway), so if you know some younger people who haven't been to the dance before, Saturday is a good time to bring them. The key to getting younger people coming regularly is to have other younger people attending regularly so they have someone to dance with. I know that sounds rather circular, but that's the way it works.
There is a fifth Saturday in January 2016, but I have not decided whether or not I want to continue with the dance. We're getting enough dancers to pay for the hall but not much for the band, and not quite enough in my opinion for a really good dance.
We have a couple of younger people coming to Boca Saturday (younger than most of us, anyway), so if you know some younger people who haven't been to the dance before, Saturday is a good time to bring them. The key to getting younger people coming regularly is to have other younger people attending regularly so they have someone to dance with. I know that sounds rather circular, but that's the way it works.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Shameless Plug
Six visitors yesterday and 83 in the last month! So on the off-chance that someone looks at this between now and Saturday, let me encourage, exhort, and entice you to come to the dance at the Davie Woman's Club on Halloween night. We're going to decorate, William Eagan is putting together a special program of Halloween-themed dances, and John Burnett has been promoting the dance all over south Florida and the web, so it should be a good turnout. See you there!
Monday, October 19, 2015
Elevenses
Greetings, greetings.
For those who did not go to the dance yesterday and haven't heard, the room where we dance at Michael's was double-booked yesterday, and we were bumped for a yoga class. We didn't get into the room until 4, and while the band (Stepping Stones with Robin & Norman) and caller (John Rogers) were ready pretty quickly, and we went till 6 instead of 5:30, we ended up getting less than two hours of dancing in. At least we had enough people either stick around or come back to get in a decent dance.
I was not able to make the announcement yesterday (because we didn't have any), but I have a caller now for the Halloween dance. William Eagan is going to be calling. The band is calling itself Stringulation, and there are going to be at least five band members because Ellen Stahl is going to play, too. It may even end up being six! John Burnett says that they may just skip the sound system altogether because they won't need it for that large a band, and the problems of mike-ing that many people are difficult to overcome.
It may not come to anything, but I am applying for a job in North Carolina. If I get it, then I will discontinue the fifth Saturday dance unless someone else wants to take it over.
For those who did not go to the dance yesterday and haven't heard, the room where we dance at Michael's was double-booked yesterday, and we were bumped for a yoga class. We didn't get into the room until 4, and while the band (Stepping Stones with Robin & Norman) and caller (John Rogers) were ready pretty quickly, and we went till 6 instead of 5:30, we ended up getting less than two hours of dancing in. At least we had enough people either stick around or come back to get in a decent dance.
I was not able to make the announcement yesterday (because we didn't have any), but I have a caller now for the Halloween dance. William Eagan is going to be calling. The band is calling itself Stringulation, and there are going to be at least five band members because Ellen Stahl is going to play, too. It may even end up being six! John Burnett says that they may just skip the sound system altogether because they won't need it for that large a band, and the problems of mike-ing that many people are difficult to overcome.
It may not come to anything, but I am applying for a job in North Carolina. If I get it, then I will discontinue the fifth Saturday dance unless someone else wants to take it over.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Post Number Ten
Is your tenth post an anniversary of some kind?
I see I had a couple of visitors yesterday, so my apologies for not having anything new to read. Saturday's dance featured Southern Atlantic Muse (Kevin & Dorothy) playing and Brian calling. We had an okay turnout, not great, but several regulars and several of our better dancers (not always the same) were not there. I hope no one was bothered by the little kids; one parent was there at my invitation and her friends there at hers. They liked the dance and want to come back, so we may have a new, younger, social circle become regulars, which would be GREAT. And of course if the kids take an interest, we'll have a whole new generation taking up contra dancing.
Just a reminder to anyone seeing this who does not already know, HALLOWEEN is a 5th Saturday, and there is a dance in Davie at the Davie Woman's Club from 7:30-11:00 p.m. I hope you will come.
I see I had a couple of visitors yesterday, so my apologies for not having anything new to read. Saturday's dance featured Southern Atlantic Muse (Kevin & Dorothy) playing and Brian calling. We had an okay turnout, not great, but several regulars and several of our better dancers (not always the same) were not there. I hope no one was bothered by the little kids; one parent was there at my invitation and her friends there at hers. They liked the dance and want to come back, so we may have a new, younger, social circle become regulars, which would be GREAT. And of course if the kids take an interest, we'll have a whole new generation taking up contra dancing.
Just a reminder to anyone seeing this who does not already know, HALLOWEEN is a 5th Saturday, and there is a dance in Davie at the Davie Woman's Club from 7:30-11:00 p.m. I hope you will come.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Sunday's Dance
Hello, all. Looks like I need to post sooner after the dance if I'm going to get any readership, eh? There was a good turnout for a Sunday afternoon dance. Stepping Stones with Robin and Norman played, Brian called. For those who are only obliquely involved with the dance, you should know that Francine is looking for someone to take over hospitality for either or both of the Boca dances, so if you're interested, let Francine or someone on the board know. (Hospitality means bringing a tablecloth, napkins, cups, and so on, and then cleaning up the table at the end of the dance.)
I'm not sure why anything on the left or right diagonal throws everyone off, but that certainly seems to be the case. Otherwise the dance went well.
I'd like to see 25+ people at the Halloween dance, so please come and please bring someone. If that someone happens to be single, female, and attractive, and you'd like to introduce her to me, so much the better. If you or someone you know is interested in me, you pretty much have to point it out to me; genius and social skill are inversely correlated, generally speaking.
I'm not sure why anything on the left or right diagonal throws everyone off, but that certainly seems to be the case. Otherwise the dance went well.
I'd like to see 25+ people at the Halloween dance, so please come and please bring someone. If that someone happens to be single, female, and attractive, and you'd like to introduce her to me, so much the better. If you or someone you know is interested in me, you pretty much have to point it out to me; genius and social skill are inversely correlated, generally speaking.
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
Octopost
Saturday's dance was well attended and we had good music with Cornbread playing. Brian did a fine job calling. I wasn't feeling too well, so I didn't have as much of a good time as usual. Thanks to everyone who expressed concern, but I was fine about three hours later. It was good to see Cliff there even if he didn't dance. If you didn't get here from his newsletter and want to be on it, you can write to cliffpbc@gmail.com. Happy Birthday to Ted. I forgot to mention it to Brian, but Ted turns 70 this week. The Davie dance is this Saturday.
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