Arkansas State Square Dance Federation

Arkansas State Square Dance Federation, Inc.

Contents

Welcome

Callers And Cuers

Clubs And Organizations

Changes And Cancellations

Square And Round Dance Lessons

Welcome

To get to the previous page, press the BACK BUTTON on your web browser. This page may also be gotten to via the TinyURL link of http://tinyurl.com/bq3zuk.

Welcome to the home page for the Arkansas State Square Dance Federation, Inc.; last updated July 3, 2009. Much of the information is taken from The Modern Square, Arkansas' monthly publication of square and round dancing.

By choosing the desired links, you'll get a glimpse of what we are. We hope that you enjoy your visit, and will come back often to keep up with the happenings of our federation clubs, callers and cuers, etc. We invite you to come see that both square dancing and round dancing are Friendship Set To Music.

The Arkansas State Square Dance Federation is the official organization of Arkansas Square Dancers. Within the ASSDF are the active organizations of the Northwest District, the Camper Dancers, and Single Square Dancers Of Arkansas Association. While mentioning square dancing, we also welcome and promote round dancing as well...and, a Fall Festival is held in a different Arkansas city each October.

Also on this page are links to the callers and cuers, the clubs and organizations, The Modern Square (the monthly magazine of the ASSDF), a list of the current ASSDF officers, and other square dance links for your enjoyment.

If you have any questions, you can contact one of the officers. If you have any other square or round dance related links, you can contact me from that page as well.

These pages are a link off of my main homepage, hosted by , and have been donated to the ASSDF to help promote square and round dancing in Arkansas.

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Callers And Cuers

There are several callers and cuers across Arkansas. While most of the callers call Basic, Mainstream, and Plus level square dancing, some callers also call Advanced, and Challenge level dancing. Round Dance Cuers cue Phases 2-6, and some are available for specials. For a detailed list of callers and cuers, click here.

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Clubs and Organizations

There are several clubs and organizations across Arkansas for your dancing pleasure. For a list of Arkansas' Square and Round Dance Clubs and Organizations, click here. Also, be sure to note the Changes and Cancellations section below.

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Changes and Cancellations

No matter whether you dance to a local club, or travel a good distance to a dance, it is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED that you contact the person listed BEFORE TRAVELING to a dance.Clubs sometimes CHANGE their locatiion, or CANCEL their dance that day, for various reasons (weather, etc.), hall conflicts, or for other clubs Special Dances.

It can be VERY FRUSTRATING after driving a long distance to find that a club is ''dark'' (not dancing)...especially with the price of gasoline nowadays!! These changes can also OCCUR AT THE LAST MINUTE, and it's better to be safe than sorry...by calling ahead before you travel. This is especially true when stormy weather (thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, winter weather, etc.) affects an area.

If your club has to make a last minute change or cancellation...either in a regular dance, or a special dance...please contact me via the ASSDF Officers page. A contact person will be listed for any updates...such as if a dance is rescheduled, plus any comments, if applicable. Again, Special Dances are NOT on the website...but CANCELLATIONS are.

The Diamond Squares are DARK (not dancing) until Sept. 14, 2009. Contact Gordon and Sue White at 501-922-0803, for further information.

The 60s Swingers will be at a DIFFERENT LOCATION on Thursday, July 16...and Thursday, July 30. On July 16 and 30, they will dance at Good Counsel Catholic Church, at 13th and Van Buren Streets in Little Rock. They will return to their regular dance location, the Bess Chisum Stephens Community Center, at 12th and Cleveland, the following Thursdays (July 23, and August 6, respectively). Please contact either Daryl Stout at (501) 227-9183, or Dorothy Pumphrey at (501) 666-8568 for further information.

The Twirling Lariats will NOT dance on Friday, July 3, 2009. Contact Vince Vinciguerra at 501-450-9252, for further information.

The Maverick Mixers will NOT dance on Saturday, July 4, 2009. Contact June Griffin at 501-455-4422, for further information.

Note that clubs that are normally scheduled to dance on other holidays...such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve, or New Years Day, may be cancelled. The exception would be for clubs that have a New Years Eve evening special dance, as they have in central Arkansas in years past. Again, please check with the club contact before traveling.

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Square And Round Dance Lessons

Square and Round Dance Lessons. Whatever your introduction was, it was the start of an incredible journey.

The thought may stir memories of dancing with the same sex in elementary school, doing a swing your partner, do-si, do, etc. You may recall the first night of class, when a friend invited you to learn square or round dancing. You might have been at a ''one night stand'' demonstration, put on by a church or other group. Or maybe you are curious as to what the wonderful world of square and round dancing is about. From a personal standpoint, I remember the first night of class in 1985, as all of these women I didn't even know were giving me hugs (yellowrocks), and I thought to myself ''What have I gotten myself into??''. After graduation, it was like waiting in line for hugs, and saying ''Next!!'' (grin!).

For a further overview of square and round dancing, as well as a list of upcoming square and round dance lessons in Arkansas, click here.

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Dance Admission Fees

Just like much of the country, most, but not all, of the square and round dance clubs charge a fee for visitors. This is to help pay the caller/cuer fee, the hall rent, etc. Fees usually range from $3 to $5 per person, whether for a regular dance, or for a special, unless otherwise noted. Check the ASSDF Clubs And Organizations listing for more details.

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The Modern Square

The Modern Square is the ASSDF's monthly publication, containing reports from the various square and round dance clubs and organizations across the state...as well as information on upcoming special dances across the state. Subscriptions are $15 per year. For a printable form, and a list of upcoming Subscription Dances...where dancers can sign up for, or renew their subscription to The Modern Square, click here.

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Officers

The ASSDF has several officers, both elected and appointed. For a list of these individuals, and a brief description of their jobs, click here.

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Festival

The ASSDF has a yearly fall festival dance in a different Arkansas city each October. The Friday night dance features a national caller for the square dancing...and Arkansas cuers for the round dancing. Saturday activities feature workshops, the ASSDF meeting (where bid presentations for future dances are made), and the evening dancing to Arkansas callers and cuers. Details on the 2009 Fall Festival, to be in Mountain Home, in north central Arkansas, near the Missouri border...with national caller Gary Shoemake...are here. That festival will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the ASSDF. The 2010 ASSDF Dance will be held at Mabelvale, Arkansas...just southwest of Little Rock. Further details will be posted on that dance as soon as possible.

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2009 Cookbook

In celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the ASSDF, the ASSDF has prepared a cookbook, chock full of over 450 delicious recipes from appetizers to desserts...provided by square and round dancers across Arkansas. Further information is available here.

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History

The ASSDF was formed in 1949, by Otis A. Higgins, and Richard Dick. Max Smith was appointed in 1949 to plan and promote the first Federation Dance, and he was elected as the first president in 1951.

The ASSDF is actually 2 years older than the National Square Dance Convention (NSDC), which is overseen by the National Executive Committee...composed of past NSDC chairpersons. The NSDC is held the Wednesday through Saturday, up to and including, the last weekend of June each year, in a different U.S. city. It is billed as ''The World's Greatest Square Dance Event''. For a list of past ASSDF presidents, past National Square Dance Conventions, as well as a poem I wrote for the 40th birthday of the ASSDF, and a tribute to one of the greatest callers in Arkansas square dancing, the late J.D. Kerr, click here.

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Membership Meetings

The ASSDF has membership meetings; where the state square and round dance clubs send at least two (2) delegates to the meeting, to discuss various issues related to square and round dancing, and with the ASSDF. The Fall meeting is on the Saturday afternoon during the ASSDF Fall Festival, and other meetings may be held at other times during the year. There are two remaining membership meetings coming up in 2009.

1) During the ASDCI Convention, Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26, 2009...there will be a meeting the afternoon of Saturday, July 26 (meeting time to be announced). The actual dance location has been CHANGED from the Carmichael Community Center in Searcy...to Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock..because of air conditioning issues. The meeting will discuss Arkansas' planned bid for the 2014 National Square Dance Convention, among other items. Registration opens at 5:30pm Friday (dancing starts at 7pm), and 9:30am Saturday. Cost per person is $6 per person for EITHER Friday or Saturday ONLY...or $10 per person for BOTH DAYS.

Lodging wise, the DoubleTree Hotel has a room rate of $99 per night, for the weekend...but, you MUST MENTION that you are a Square Dancer or Round Dancer, when booking the room(s), to obtain the special rate. Take note that only 23 rooms are available for the weekend. Also, RV camping will be available via the North Little Rock Service. For details on pricing, location, etc. please call 501-340-5312, and ask for Ron. A 15% discount is available for members of AARP, Good Sam Club, etc.

2) The Fall membership Meeting will be on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, at the 60th ASSDF Fall Festival in Mountain Home, Arkansas (hotel and dance information is on that page).

While votes on issues may not always be unanimous, it is a chance for dancers to have their voices heard...and to discuss how to keep the hobby of square and round dancing alive. Because of my involvement with Amateur Radio License Exams on Saturdays in the central Arkansas area, I likely will NOT be able to attend the weekend...sorry for any inconvenience.

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Square Dance Links

There are many square and round dance links for your enjoyment on the Internet. I've included some of the most popular ones below, last updated July 3, 2009.

If you note any bad links, or if you have one you'd like added, please contact me from the listing from the officers page.

Square Dancing Poem

Square Dancers Bill Of Rights/Graduations

Square Dances and Emergencies

Square Dance Attire/Commandments

Jamboree USA Square And Round Dance Weekend, Pine Bluff, AR

Animated Square Dancing - Definitions And Diagrams

National/International Square and Round Dance Directory (use 55-6677 as temporary logon code)

Square Dancing Today Magazine

National Square Dance Convention (NSDC) National Executive Committee

2010 National Square Dance Convention, Louisville, Kentucky

2011 National Square Dance Convention, Detroit, Michigan