Greetings Friends and Dancers:

It is good to see all the classes and clubs in full dance mode. I have been getting favorable reports from all the clubs with classes currently running and look forward to dancing with these new dancers as we start getting into class/club dances. I strongly urge all the class members to take advantage of the opportunity to dance at the club dances. First, you more than likely will be dancing to a new caller … this is very good. Second, you might meet some new club members … this is really very good, and finally, you might have even more fun … and that is what dancing is all about. So, I encourage you to get to these class/club dances. Don’t be shy. Come and have some fun and show off what you have learned.

I would like to say a few words about the Federation’s fantastic website. Now I know you must know how to get there if you are reading this column. But look around at all that it has to offer. You can find the listing of all the Federation’ clubs listed in “Our Clubs.” under the RAF website’s Home Page. There is a wealth of information ranging from Who’s Who to RAF Forms and Documents to Dance Schedules. There is a tab for Dance Schedules on the Home Page, and then there is a tab for The Promenader, our quarterly newsletter. Click on that and find Class/Club dances, Photos and Features, Ads and Flyers, a list of Callers and Cuers, and Dance Schedules. When you are on the Main Page for the PROMENADER, you can scroll down to see the Calendar of Coming Special Events. This lists the special theme dances, and some out-of-our-area dances. These dances are listed chronologically for ease of looking for new and exciting dances to attend.

I do want to say a few words about dance schedules. Most all the clubs have a specific day of the week they dance on. For example: Village Squares is Wednesday night, Cloverleaf Squares is Sunday night. Typically, the Special Dances are on the same night the club dances on. It is important that clubs get all their special dances listed as soon as they can, but more importantly that you look at the schedule and try not to book a dance on the same night that another club is doing a special dance. We all compete in some respect for a limited number of dancers to attend these special dances; and we truly want to support the clubs that put on the special dances. So when scheduling dances, please use the calendar of dances, both special events and regular dances, to help ensure we don’t have overlapping events.

Finally, as the holiday season is upon us, I would like to say have a Merry Christmas and Joyous New Year, and that you dance a lot, have a good time and be safe.

Warren Olson—President