Editor’s Page

Welcome to the Summer, 2023, issue of the Promenader, a quarterly publication of the Western NY Federation of Square and Round Dancers, Inc.

In this issue

The Photos and Features section brings our annual focus on Dance-O-Rama. With 12 squares dancing, we welcomed this year’s 27 graduates, 15 of whom were in attendance to dance for the afternoon and march in the 2023 Parade of New Graduates.

Also introduced at DOR 2023 was a warm appreciation given by Jeff and Debbie Blood to two groups of special people: the volunteers who make DOR happen and the callers and cuers without whom there would be no dancing at all.

This issue also highlights club activities over the past spring, covering the full spectrum from class graduations to the Grand Squares’ celebration of Barb Miller’s half century of square dancing.

In a related article, the WNYF seeks to identify others in our community whose dancing careers have spanned 40 years or more.

Anne Granger and Don Naulin are honored as the 2023 recipients of the Daphne-Norma Leadership award, which was presented by Rick and Donna LaDonna at Dance-O-Rama 2023.

In other articles, Eileen Webster, Jeff & Debbie Blood and the Silver Squares each offer heart-felt “Thank You” messages to those who have helped in many ways during the year. Jeff and Debbie also introduce the WNYF’s new mascots, those well-traveled Pandas Acey and Deucy. The Village Squares “show the flag” at one their most recent dances, and the Grand Squares celebrate their club’s 62 years of dancing.

Club News

News from our clubs this quarter indicates a continued return to normal dancing, with the expansion of traditional events and classes.

Federation Website

New Promenader Club News and Photo/Feature articles are posted every three months. However, webmaster Sidney Marshall maintains the Calendar/Flyer database continually, posting flyers and changes to the schedule listings as soon as he can after he receives them. For fastest service, he recommends sending flyers (in PDF form) and schedule change notices (in the body of an email) to him directly (sidneym@frontiernet.net), as well as to the Promenader (promenader@rochester.rr.com).

In addition, for maximum distribution of urgent messages, clubs should send Sidney the text for any “Breaking News” to go on the WNYF home page (squaredancingrochester.org).

And clubs should also consider posting their news on the “SquareDancingRochester” group Facebook page.

In Memoriam

In this issue, we say fond farewells to Dick Rowe and Ruth Uhrenholdt.

Editorial Comments

As dancing recovers from the COVID disruption, we still see several clubs struggling with depleted membership and limited schedules, but it’s good to see so many clubs thriving and bringing enthusiastic new dancers into our circle of friends.

In our second post-COVID Dance-O-Rama, it was wonderful to see a full dance floor. It was especially fun to browse the “Wall of Recognition”—a row of framed photos and bios featuring our WNYF callers and cuers.

The Daphne-Norma Leadership award is more special than many dancers might think. That’s because the recipient is chosen based not on the machinations of an administrative committee but on “grass-roots” nominations and letters of support from dancers. All nominations and support letters are saved over the years. There is a Daphne-Norma Selection committee, made up mostly of recent recipients, but their role is to review and compare the accumulated nominations. Dancers determine the recipients. So, be sure to submit your nomination(s) to the committee every year. Find the form (and where to send it) by clicking the “Awards” button on the WNYF home page: https://www.squaredancingrochester.org

On a personal note, I would like to thank all of you who have been so welcoming to my new partner, Sandy Barron. We were married last Sunday, May 21, at her home near Sudbury, ON. It was a lovely spring day in northern Ontario and many of you joined us remotely via Zoom.

Quarterly Chuckle

“The Importance of Walking”

Walking can add minutes to your life every day.
This will enable you at age 85 to spend an additional five months in a nursing home at $7,000 per month.

My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60.
Now, he’s 97 and we have no idea where he is.

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.

The only reason I would take up walking myself would be to hear the sound of heavy breathing again.

I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I’m doing.

I joined a health club last year. It cost me about 400 bucks, but I haven’t lost a pound.
Apparently, you have to actually go there!

Every time I hear the dirty word ‘exercise’ I wash my mouth out with chocolate.

The long-term benefit of regular exercise is that when you die, people will say “Well, (s)he sure looks good, doesn’t (s)he!”

If you decide to take up cross-country skiing, start with a small country.

Over the past few years I’ve had plenty of exercise just getting over the hill.

As we get older, it’s natural that we get heavier.
There’s a lot more information in our heads!

You could walk this over to your friends, but why not just email it to them…?

I hope you enjoy this issue!

Peter Emmel, Editor