September 2005 Blog Rick Hampton Square Dance Caller

First week of September
A very busy time of year- Lynn and I got to dance for a change in Los Banos over Labor Day to 2 very good callers, Jet Roberts and Bob Baier-both of them very good friends for over 25 years now-wow-They're getting old LOL. I'm back in college and Lynn is teaching
all 3 of my beginners classes start this month and I've worked closely with the clubs on publicity-Signs, Demos, Radio ads and more-I hope we'll have a good crowd at each-I hope they don't run into Square Dance negatives (Politics, Mandatory Dress, Cliques) too soon I hope they'll love the dancing before seeing the "Dark Side". I got a letter from a fellow caller on the dress issue :

"... called for a demo .... last week. All of the dancers were in "proper" square dance attire. When I made comment about it, I was told that the group wanted to show the complete idea of what square dancing was all about, (more on this later). After calling a couple of tips, to get people coming over to watch, we persuaded some audience members to get up and try square dancing. It was received very well, and after we finished teaching them a few moves, they went to their friends and told them how much fun they had. Their friends decided that they wanted to try it, so we got them up to dance. People were actually coming up and asking us for flyers, instead of trying to force them to take a flyer, (only to wind up in the nearest trash can). We had people from their early 20's to 60 something years old. Back to the square dance attire...I was asked by two of the women that participated, (one about mid 20's the other early 40's), if they had to wear the "big dresses" to join square dancing. I told them I did not know what the policy of some clubs were, but I just wanted them to come and enjoy this great activity regardless of what they wore, (in good taste of course).

.... "but we have never done it that way" or, "this is the way it has always been done". I leave you with this final thought...is what you are doing now working?
I still haven't received any persuasive reasons to keep the dress code but quite a few good reasons to change it. Can anybody come up with a good reason besides "It's tradition and Men's arms are sweaty"?
Have a great day
Rick

Sept 11 2005
A great day to square Dance- What better way to tell Osama and the Fundamentalist Idiot Murderers to Kiss our $#@$#@$#- We had a 2 hour Dance today at the Visalia Mall and used the opportunity to pass out class coupons- Just think a square Dance in the VASD area on a weekend and not a special/anniversary, Just a dance and a chance to showcase our activity. Attire ranged from Casual to Modified Traditional to The Full slip outfits- WE SHOWED THERE IS A VARIETY OF APPROPRIATE ATTIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone Looked GREAT!!- I'm saddened that Tim and Linda (Vice Presidents) had a loss of a close family member. Tim showed up to make sure we had enough boys-We did and I sent him home. This speaks Volumes of the quality and level of leadership the Sequoia Squares have had in recent years-All Officers (During my Tenure) of this group have had the best interests of this club at heart-I've had occasion to "Butt Heads" with most of them on occasion because a BIG part of my job is to show this group (area) there's more to S/D than just the Weeknite Meeting-We have to dance-We Did today and it was FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's do some more, on a weekend night or afternoon!!!!
Rick

Sept 13th 2005
We had our 1st class at Whirlaways last nite-Not Bad 12 people (I was looking for more) but they were paired up and in their 40's or younger (save one older man). It appears that our radio campaign may help attract a younger new dancer- Now as long as no one tells them the HAVE to buy an outfit -bring a dish a week or run for office-things look good. Visalia class starts tonight-we did the traditional publicity-flyers, signs word of mouth-I don't know if a promised article ever made it to the newspaper-We'll see what we get tonight- In years past this has been an older group but I hope younger will come
Rick

Sept 14th 2005
35 People 1st nite as Visalia- We were sweating it a bit because at 6:55pm there were maybe 8 there-Whew!!
2 Kids, a fair amount of 35-55 and the rest older-Also a few re-treads who've moved to the area from So Cal.
The club dancers for the most part did not wear s/d clothes and that really helps during the first few weeks to create an "US" environment instead of the "US and THEM" that has prevailed. I know the Lancaster group uses this approach as do literally ALL of the big Bay Area clubs. Hmmmmmmmmmmm Let Me Know Your Class successes and your clubs approach EMAIL
Rick

Sept 17th 2005
A fun weekend trip to Ichabods and Joaquin Squares- Cool weather and some NEW Dancers at both events
(Jan. 2005 classes) I was saddened to hear an announcement at both dances "Square dance attire-Please" for a future dance-There was no need to announce that it was clear on the flyer! Now listening to these announcements One of the NEW Dancer Couples (The lady) was in (Brace Yourself) a Short Levi's Skirt-She Looked good, danced well and was probably 45 tops. (At the other dance someone actually yelled out WHY??-Good for them!!!) I wonder if she will plan on visiting that club- FOLKS PLEASE STOP THE ATTIRE PUSH---- THEY WILL LIKELY DRESS IN S/D if will don't cram it down their throats and out the door forever!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's 45ish How old is your club???? Statistically your club members will likely be dead before She reaches their age- I would like some dancers in 10 years-STOP PUSHING OUT THE 45 year old crowd PLEASE for the good of your clubs future. If you want only "Properly Dressed folks" then have an invitation only dance. And keep that away from NEW DANCERS
Rick
Sept 20th 2005
Good classes the last 2 nites- Lotsa young folks -We did lose the older single ladies-Oh well....... Stuff happens Frazier Park starts Thursday and I hope it will be as good as the Visalia and Bakersfield groups.So far Nobody is pushing the Foo-Foo outfits at either group and they're having fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!-I hope your club has enough sense to realize that they are a BIG TURN-OFF to what we need ....A younger crowd !!! Now let's give these guys a place to dance (1st Mondays in Bakersfield will be a Class level Hoedown starting November thru April (at Least)-How bout your group?

Rick
Sept 21st
Well here's some other ways how NOT to attract and keep newer dancers-NOTE: This club is NOT in the VASD or USDA areas The email came from a "traditional Square dancer-eastern style"-This Eastern S/D is more similar to Contra than Modern Western Square Dancing (MWSD) which is what we are all familiar with (MS/Plus etc.)
....... checked out a "Fun Night" Free MWSD lesson last Wednesday
just to see what is going on today - I hadn't done ANY MWSD since 1974 -
and I'm sorry to say that Fun night just WAS NOT fun!!   15 min. of demos by club
members; then they each got one of the beginners up to dance with them
(maybe 10 new people),   and we stood up,   listened to lecture and
explanations for maybe 15 min, and danced for 4 min at most in little dribs and
drabs.... Next time up, we learned Rollaway with a half sashay and square thru, in
only 20 minutes! Including maybe 3 minutes of actual dance practice. And Oh
Yes, the most important thing we learned all night was "DON'T ANTICIPATE!!!"
This continued to intermission,   but I couldn't take it any more and left!
The email came to me as part of a discussion on how "Angels" should Angel-This writer felt that this club was catering to
the Angels and not the New class. Angels who blend in with attire , smiles and actions like NEVER TALKING /TEACHING in or near a Square provide the help-Those who Talk/Teach/Push should GO HOME-It hurts not helps
And what fool came up with the Southern Ca approach to having an "Angel" standing by each square directing traffic???? Callers who allow this should have their Hilton shoved up their MiniDisc.
Just got another email is response to above
"......Can you say "malpractice?" The club ought to be disbanded and the caller arrested. With angels or without, it's ridiculous. No wonder some of the traditional folks have such a low opinion of MWSD..."

Have a great Day
Rick

Sept 22nd
A small class on the first nite but we did have an Earthquake-so hopefully better luck next week-The Weather for The Oakhurst weekend is pretty near perfect and looks like a fun event. I'm saddened to hear a nearby association has decided not to continue supporting the good job Jim Penrod has been doing for the area website-After all no one in the dancer association ever stepped up to the plate until he had for quite a few years. This is why this website is not affiliated with ANY association..... instead it's actually for seeing MORE folks participate in Square Dancing-Even without pettipants or the "reading of the minutes" that seems to be the focus of SO MANY alleged s/d associations.
People PLEASE get a life

Rick

Sept 25th
Gosh what a fun weekend in Oakhurst, The crowd was up and we're looking forward to 2006. It was sad to see the
local workshop crowd choose not to participate. I guess some just will show up on a weeknite to find out if they're having class or not and repeat week in and out-Meanwhile those who actually have gone to classes/workshops to be able to go dance are baffled- Must be a Fresno thing-after all no body dances in Fresno they just class/workshop repeat ad-naseum-I wonder what class those folks will take after s/d dies in the VASD area- This is why over 30+ years I've been smart enough to travel to call, and only attempt to persuade and suggest this area to join the rest of Earth in enjoying Square Dancing -Not Square classing- If ALL my Vasd area stuff ceased to exist today I guess I'd have to settle to only call 250+ dates in 2006- I really hope this trend changes but I doubt it-By the Way I had Squarama flyers out in Oakhurst and those folks said "What's this-We've NEVER seen this festival advertised in ( San Diego, North Ridge, Sacramento, Monterey..............etc.) I also had to purloin these flyers as (apparently) no one in the area want's this festival to be anything other than the best kept secret in California-Go Figure

Rick

Sept 26th
A wild day- My oldest daughter had a car accident (She's Ok-Car is not as good) This was the topper to a day of frustration . I spent a lot of time today re-evaluating by consulting with folks as to what I should attempt to do here to for a FINAL TIME to try to jump start actual Square Dancing in Fresno or just say screw it-(That's how I'm leaning) I cannot understand why the VASD area is so out of touch with square dancing- We don't have more than 10 Saturday dances a YEAR (More like 3 in recent years) in the 5th LARGEST city in California- Bakersfield has at LEAST 3 Saturdays a MONTH, Hanford 1, Mariposa (pop what 2500?) has 1 a month. I wish Visalia had followed the Kern County example and continued 2x Month Sat dances but it didn't happen that way. So now the Fresno Metro has 3 weeknight classes/workshops and NO WHERE to dance (Except the 3 or so MUST GO anniversaries that lose most of whatever crowd was there by 9:30pm-Could it be the MUST go instead of the WANT to go????????????? My immediate decision is to quit trying to persuade new folks into the Adv Dancing from the Adv Workshop So I've stopped all A1 dances (Which were only put on for the last 10 months as a way to hope some Fresno folks would try a DANCE) All the programs will be A2 (Which is the level that the actual dancers who come enjoy)- This sadly is a shame because what little Advanced that happens on Mondays is dying and will most likely go away- be it the hall selling or caller issues-Probably a good thing since "perpetual workshoppers" really don't help the s/d activity much anyway. Speaking of halls selling will that kill the ONLY Fresno "plusish" Club Left?? Clovis Senior Center ain't Fresno. I hope that folks who enjoy DANCING speak up now before the so-called leaders wipe Fresno off the S/D map-If not.............Somebody turn out the lights when you leave By the way The thing that made me the maddest and prompted all of this was that some very nice people actually believed what they were told-"Yes we're coming to the Oakhurst Weekend" I personally would've known that was more of the usual BS but for the nice people who believed-THEY WERE HURT and that's what pi&%ed me off.

Sept 27th
A FUN party nite and closing nite of class- I even had some of my Monday Bakersfield NEW CLASS come up to dance-Wow if the atmosphere is dance oriented at a group, folks will travel-Even folks who started 3 WEEKS AGO.
The Bakersfield Whirlaways came up (as they do monthly) in fact this club (My Monday Group) averages 12 dancers per visitation and they have at least 3 per MONTH - Nobody from Fresno (Except for 3 class members who did not want to wait till January to start class- Good thing as they'll be able to DANCE at Squarama, Bakersfield Fiesta, Wing Ding, State Convention and Nationals-January class members will (if still around) cant do those until 2007-17 months from now is the first Squarama they can attend. I hope all the Fresno area clubs will take the "Club Health Check" I wrote in this Month's VASD Newsletter and the powers to be will take me up on my suggestion to all meet and fix this area before it's karaoke and bridge for entertainment. Sept Classes are the way 99% of the world teaches-The rest do Multi cycle (Which has a Sept/Nov/Jan/Mar Start) Folks we MUST get with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sept 30th
So I sometimes have to wonder who actually is in charge. Imagine That you're scheduled to call a dance the Next day when you notice that the hall listed on the contract is different than the one posted on the area's website. Imagine you call the contact and they say..."Yes we changed halls"...(Now you're thinking why didn't these people tell me this) and they go on to say "....That's why I called you" (Quick mental check-nope I called him) Imagine that-I don't have to it just happened. The lesson to learn- Always touch base with the callers you hire a couple of weeks prior to the dance!!!!

Feeling Befuddled
Rick