Editor’s Page

Welcome to the Spring, 2020, edition of the Promenader—a quarterly publication of the Rochester Area Federation of Round and Square Dance Clubs.

Well, here we are in the twenty twenties, and numerologists have already noticed the palindrome potential of dates like 02022020 that just passed.

In This Issue

The “Photos & Features” section of this issue includes a heart-warming story of love blooming among the Copy Kittens, and a rundown on the many callers who will fill the Cloverleafs’ hall with music while Mike is away.

The Village Squares honor Carl and Susan Thomas with the Circle of Service Award, and RAF VPs Jeff and Debbie Blood preview the upcoming Dance-O-Rama.

Silver Squares reporter Anne Granger shows how she provides her club with a complete hardcopy Promenader for the flyer table—go Anne! She also submitted a gallery of portraits to help us all meet the Silver Squares.

We also present a fresh look at dance demos, with encouragement from Amy & Kris Aeckerle and the RAF Promotions Committee.

Carl Webster’s TIP SHEET contribution explains why dancer positioning is so important.

If you would like to see your club’s events posted in the Promenader, simply send full-resolution photos (or a link), with a few sentences of explanation, to promenader@rochester.rr.com.

In Memoriam

In this issue we say goodbye to colorful former area caller, cuer and Hip Boot Boys member, Bob “Slick” Schlenker. Bob would have liked to hear you say that three times, fast.

RAF Website

Be sure to browse the rest of our website for complete dance schedules and information from the Rochester Area Federation—such as forms and explanations for club reimbursement programs, club insurance information and forms, and for the RAF meeting schedule and minutes.

Note that our “Breaking News” section is located—when needed—on the RAF Home page, between the buttons and the Open House listings. Check it, or the SquareDancingRochester Facebook page for news of cancellations and other urgent messages.

And please follow this link for the quarterly message from the RAF President, Jim Gotta.

Daphne-Norma award

Nominations are due by end of February, but if you get them in right now (early March) it won’t be too late. Now is the time to consider nominating worthy folks for the highest honor the Rochester area dance community can bestow. For guidelines, along with a listing of past recipients and to download the nomination form, please click HERE.

Federation Officers

In April of each year, the Rochester Area Federation of Round and Square Dance Clubs will elect officers to fill this year’s vacancies. One unfortunate side-effect of the electronic distribution of dance flyers is that it has reduced attendance at RAF meetings.

It used to be that club reps came to every meeting, bringing packets of their flyers, labeled for each of the other clubs. They laid them out on the table and picked up all the “incoming” packets with their own club name on them. It was a very efficient person-to-person swap. Even better, you got to meet the reps from all the other clubs, and you took part in the various planning steps that help coordinate square dancing in our area. Nowadays, without the incentive of avoiding flyer mailings, participation in RAF meetings is more limited.

That means fewer dancers are aware of the dedicated folks who work behind the scenes. It’s an inspiring group of dancers just like you, who give an hour or two of their time for about nine meetings a year, to keep in touch with dancing throughout our area. A few take on the manageable responsibilities of officers. This year the RAF will be electing new Vice Presidents and Secretaries (plural because these posts are often filled by couples).

I encourage you to consider giving back a little of your time and attention by volunteering for one of these positions. The nominating committee is Eileen Webster and Peter Emmel, so all you need to do is contact one or the other of us to express your willingness. Thanks in advance for your help!

Quarterly chuckle: The Family Tree of Vincent Van Gogh

• His dizzy aunt—Verti Gogh
• The brother who ate prunes—Gotta Gogh
• The brother who worked at a convenience store—Stop N Gogh
• The grandfather from Yugoslavia—U Gogh
• His magician uncle—Where-Diddy Gogh
• His Mexican cousin—A Mee Gogh
• The Mexican cousin’s American half-brother—Gring Gogh
• The nephew who drove a stage coach—Wells-Far Gogh
• The constipated uncle—Cant Gogh
• The ballroom dancing aunt—Tang Gogh
• The bird lover uncle—Flamin Gogh
• The fruit loving cousin—Man Gogh
• The little bouncy nephew—Poe Gogh
• A sister who loved disco—Go Gogh
• And his niece who travels the country in an RV—Winnie Bay Gogh
• I saw you smiling—there ya Gogh. . .

Keep dancing!