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March 2006 Blog
Rick Hampton Square Dance Caller
March 1st
Last nite was "all singing calls" Fat Tuesday- I picked out ALL OLDIES
(Square Dance oldies)
If you were not there you missed "Little Girl" "Summer Sounds" "Great Afternoon"
"Locomotion" "Down on Bourbon Street" "When the Saints Go Marching In"
"Y'all Come back Saloon" and More!!!- If you want to DANCE on a weeknight, You
can't beat the Sequoia Squares Last Tuesday
parties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-Great Food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This weekend 3/3-5 is the Wing Ding- GO!! Dan Nordbye, Johnny Preston and
Eric Henerlau will entertain- Pre Register for 2007 with Rick Hampton (Oh
Yeah-ME) Jet Roberts and Michael Kellogg.
Rick
March 2nd
A GREAT Workshop tonight- I am so proud of these guys, Dancing at speed to
some tuff A2- All right in time for the Festival season!!!!! Thanks to the
group for coming out in force last Sat. for Plus-And it was Fun!!!! One more
thing I must thank this group for is the fact that we can
LAUGH..................Just ask the Rickytitty tickler- A new way to show
the luv. LOL
Rick
March 2nd Continued
So the neighborhood is getting better (I hope) The house across from the
Hampton mansion has been a sad/strange locale especially after the Mom over
there died at 42. Anyway today all hell broke loose again and I had to "babysit"
(So no one went to CPS undeservedly) a few young'uns till the aunt got here.
Bottom line she was arriving later than I needed to leave for Mountain Squares,
I don't really trust them-So I had to cancel. Meanwhile They're borrowing my
power and water to work on the house, I'm out tonight's salary- AM I NUTS?, or
just a "sucker" as Mrs. Rick says I am with teens.
AGGGGHHHHHHH
Rick
March 3rd
I'm sure glad that the neighborhood is calming-Things are better-the kids
are OK!. Anyway I had to be the worrywart tonight (oldest daughter celebrating
18th Bday w/Friends)- She's safe and will likely have a headache. Mom (AKA
Mrs. Rick) is on the coast at a retreat and likely laughing at me........ Square
Dance wise I hear that some folks in some groups are choosing to remove/improve
negatives and try to be on the side of "The Good Of Square Dancing"- Good for
them!!!!!!- It's a pain but worth it. Now I ain't talking about any particular
club- I have info from 3 different clubs in 3 different areas-If I wanted to
shine a light on a club-I'd name them but ,so far, even the one that doesn't
honor agreements gets that much focus. I still will praise clubs by name who do
well, so maybe the thing to worry about is me NOT mentioning your name. Hmmmmmm
Rick
March 4th
Is it possible that " icky caller B" has figured out his Laptop? Can
you believe that I was asked to straighten out a sudden s/d misunderstanding in
Northern Ca. by a phone call from Southern Ca. while I was cooking Chicken Soup
in Central Ca. All this and more on the next HARD EDITION............If only
tabloid TV covered S/D................. I'm sure of one thing in this s/d world-
Nothing surprises me. Speaking of the actual dance part of square- I hear
Orange County Dances this weekend were down due to weather and the Wing Ding in
Merced is having fun-No attendance info yet. I'm glad that the s/d
weekend is going well-The fires are out and my Chicken Soup ain't done (Not
really glad about that LOL), I'm back to 5 days calling each of the the next 2
weeks then 18 days in a row. C1 This Sunday starts the week off.
Rick
March 6th
A lot of laughter at the C1 class Sunday -Also a lot of "headaches"- I
introduced a pretty tough concept and worked it pretty well. I'm so PROUD of
this class-They're doing wonderful and my Bride Lynn is loving the chance to
learn this level with friends...................Thanks
Gang!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At Home the Hampton's became the proud
parents of an ADULT at a little after midnite. sheez, I have an 18 year old---AGGGGGHHHHHHHH
Mrs. Rick seemed a lil dazed too.
A new dancer hoedown at Whirlaways tonight and it's off to the races for another
week. 2 more festivals this month-GO
DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rick
March 7th
A GREAT MS Dance last nite- Fast, Fun, Casual and Food- I'm really glad the
new folks are Dancing out- Now at the callers discussion group I belong to-
They're rapidly regressing into the mindset that got s/d into the mess it's in.
Most of the Working Callers who once belonged to this discourse had said Bye-
Too many newbie (with out any guidance) and Wannabies- And the beat goes on-
Let's all try to not go anything bad for the activity today-One day at a time
said the first step is admitting it crowd- Who, at least at Norris road CAN'T
PARK A CAR IN A SINGLE SPACE
Rick
March 8th
The difference in the dancing attitude in the VASD area and other areas is
astonishing. Maybe that's because not a lot of actual dancing goes on in
the area. Lots of classes, Few Dances. So why do I keep trying here?-Oh yeah I
live here...........
2 of the clubs have scheduled anniversary dances opposite "approved and nearby"
festivals in the next month-The rest have decided to use the same caller- A good
caller but 3 anniversary dances in 3 weeks in the same area with the same "fresh
meat" I will be sure to go-to which one-can't decide--screw it I'll watch HBO-
Oh yeah I'm talking the VASD anyway after these 5 dances are over-There ain't no
more save the outlying areas- 1 Mountain club about ready to self destruct from
within and one valley club hanging on with the same caller doing all weeknites
and almost all of the dances- Wow 60 + times a year to dance to this
caller-Don't miss it (which one?-there 60 or so more) The Mountain club is so
self destructive that maybe it wont be so bad when they go bye-bye, The Valley
club is merely stuck in old habits. Meanwhile I call all over heck and back-Good
crowds, lotsa fun and still 90% of the BULLS&*T is local (VASD Area). I am local
in at least 2 areas-and it's mostly the V area-Sheez they allow a cuers wife to
be association VP??????????????? Maybe I'll run for prez-after all I actually am
at a few area events. Maybe all is needed is to be sure to vote in the slate of
"leaders" proposed-in the V area That should kill the area and we can start
rebuilding in a few years. Meanwhile the Friday Fresno Group is proving
that some GREAT door prizes trump actual dancing to attract crowds- Yet they
hire the fired caller to fill in for the hired caller. Oh yeah don't matter as
not much actual DANCING will happen (Class/Star tip/Food Announcements/ad
naseum/ Good grief this is the screwiest "V"area -Kinda sounds like a disease
AGGGGHHHHH
Rick
March 9th
A great class tonight-ahead of the snow, I hope the dance Sunday wont get
snowed out-But ???. Back in the valley it's raining a chance of snow (yup
snow) and cold. I hope Los banos Turns out well- Lynn and I had a BLAST
last year!!!
So I hear the V association may have a tit in the wringer due to a lack of
attention to the reality of running an actual, productive and functional
association- I hope it's an attention getter and not the end of the V-but then
again , perhaps the V has run it's course. Come to think of it a change in
hierarchy would be just fine with me. Yup, Just fine
Rick
March 10th
I called for Steppers Tonight as RB was snowed in. Nice class, I had to ask
that folks not talk in the square-This is becoming more common and less
helpful-Oh well It was a fun but rainy nite
Rick
March 13th
A wild weather weekend- Lotsa folks stayed home- Dances were cancelled but
all clear for the Fiesta. I'm so glad the September Classes are ready for
it. I wish that in the V area, more effort had been put into a Sept schedule, I
suspect the whole lot of nice people I called to Friday would have come out in
Sept, January starts leave out all opportunities to dance.
Oh well I'll be sure to have Visalia put a hoedown on for them. Speaking of the
V area-It turns out the reason that 2 VASD clubs are holding Anniversary Dances
on Festival nights (Including State) is that the calendar didn't have those
events listed correctly-Who was in charge????? Hmmmmmm and this politico persona
has Council aspirations- Better Check your calendar. Meanwhile to clubs- Check 2
sources for Statewide dates BEFORE scheduling your anniversary against either
The California State Convention or the largest festival in the State 1 hour
away- How???? Could ask a pro Caller instead of an amateur politico wannabee who
is in charge of something............anything,,,, Just as long as there's a
meeting. S/D ? It's secondary let's have us a Meetin'
See you at Fiesta
Rick
March 15th
Many Callers got their Calling Assignments for the nationals- It's not
pretty and it is typical of what happens when well meaning folks do what they
know not how to do. Oh well, I thanked them and will be there, I suspect
that many callers will tell the organizers- ^%$^%$ off - Hopefully that will
translate into better spots for me. I know 3 callers who have already done just
that-I can't say I blame them. Fortunately the Wed Nite FINETUNE/LOUMAC Trail
end Dance and The Extreme Focus Callers School I'm teaching will make the trip
worthwhile-I might as well call my 10:50am Thursday Spot and chill till
Friday-My next assignment-I'll see y'all at Fiesta if I don't drop dead from
whatever is killing my sinuses-YUCK
Rick
March 16th
I guess the answer will be for all callers to stop doing freebies when there
is more focus on the organizers than on the event. The National calling
situation this year will be a bigger version of the San Diego Debacle. Well at
least that situation translated into a truly well thought out and workable Ca
State 2006- Maybe the nationals will get it right by Long Beach- Here's the
bottom line- When one programs a Festival of Volunteers, One MUST consult with
knowledgeable folks, One HAS to put aside their personal favorites and One HAS
to be fair to the needs of the Festival AND the needs of the Calling Staff-Who
Pay for registration, flights, rooms (Do the politicos?)- The committee
gets a night slot-Shouldn't some of the poor schmucks that are there to call?? (
This is why I'm doing a Trail End dance prior to and Teaching a Callers Clinic
afterwards-in Texas-Otherwise I would not be there-It make NO sense.
Portland did a great job even after losing a sizable segment of the callers
profiles- Texas is not "Remembering the Alamo" Wasn't that a lost cause too?
Rick-Chat after Fiesta
March 19th
Happy Birthday to ME- Thanks for all who said hey over the weekend- Speaking
of the weekend- A near MONSOON and still damn near 1500 dancers- (1473 I THINK
was the count) anyway recollections are that 1487 attended last year with no
monsoon-So that means fiesta is TRENDING UPWARD!!!!- I got my first of Many
reams of flyers for 2007, I've got my 2007 Wing Ding Flyers- PRE REGISTER and
Dance with ME, Jet Roberts and Michael Kellogg in Merced the first weekend in
March. I looked at every flyer outlet and was unable to find any for the 2007
Tulare Event- I was told 2nd hand that a few flyers were there- Should've had
more-It's hard to again assemble 1500 dancers to publicize to. One could a lot
about publicity from these 2 central Ca. Festivals- If one chose too- Oh well
I'm booked out of town that February weekend next year-Not my event-Not my
problem-Sad.
Rick
March 20th
Judging from the feedback from the NEW dancers- Festivals likely need to pay
a lil bit more attention to who calls where.
I think the programming should look at The Plus floor first- Mainstream 2nd
(Those could be reversed) A2 Next A1 follows and finally C+-In other words
programming/callers chosen etc. MUST be for the best interest of the entire
festival-Not just the vocal? minority- I still am curious about how the C+ has
poorly influenced lower (bigger) levels now 2 years running-Not a big deal in
2006-could become one if the trend continues- I call all the above mentioned
levels and would like to be considered to call this festival- after all another
local club caller does.
Rick
March 23rd
Another good A2 workshop Wed. Tuesday I finally just had to say-"If you
don't want to be here-Don't come back"- I've never seen a class like this one-
we have some who attend regularly, try and are nice people and some who attend
regularly and don't seem to care if they want to be there- It's a problem, A big
one-AGGGHHHH Anyway tonite will be cold in them thar hills-Then a full
weekend-all 3 days calling-then a full week-then another full weekend then a
full week and then 1 nite off
Rick
March 26th
A Fun Trip- Nice crowds at both dances- GREAT Weather!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sunday it was cloudy and cool but so Nice to see some new "regulars".. I see the
V area is asking non-programmed callers to sell the 50th weekend and will give
them free ribbons if they sell 2 squares- I am flattered it was noticed the bump
in sales that my efforts did in 06 and I can't wait to get offered that
deal................................How CLUELESS can it get here- Besides I'm
booked and have the weekend I'm calling 2 weeks later to sell. No thanks on the
offer I WONT BE THERE
Rick
March 29th
A GREAT 3rd Grade graduation dance. 10 Squares+ A fun morning (I hate
mornings) a weird Hampton day- my oldest (adult) teenager and I had quite a tiff
today. Damnit I'm not the best dad.
Rick