We are positively back to dancing again with gatherings being opened up without restrictions. This could change at a moment’s notice, so follow the governor’s guidelines and be safe. The Federation website has a full report on Covid 19 at the top of the web page. Please review.
For those clubs that are dark during the summer, please plan on visitations to festivals and other clubs that are dancing. Get back into the routine again. A club picnic this summer would be good for socialization, too. Gather together as a club and also make it happen for your council. Being social is what we missed while sheltering in place. Be safe in all activities that you are planning.
As I write, this the Federation has two more meetings this term. One will have already taken place on Saturday, July 17th by Zoom. On Sunday, September 12, 2021, we will meet in person for the change of officers. Please ask for a report from your council delegate on these Federation meetings during your club meetings.
I hope you all are having a good summer and getting back to square and round dancing in our “new normal”.
Swing Your Partner!
Gary Clark
I'm going to start doing the automatic "regular dance" listings in September. If your club has CHANGED its regular dance night or is not starting in September, please let me know.
Click here to find out how to get your information into the OFN, including dances, lessons, photos, flyers, advertisements, and caller/cuer information.
We have set up an email mailing list to notify people when a new edition of the online OFN is available, and for other important news about the OFN. To subscribe to this mailing list, just fill out this information:
As of July 1, there are no longer any state-wide COVID restrictions in Oreogn. As always, it is up to each individual club to decide what restrictions make them comfortable. Please honor their wishes.
https://ofn.club/content/2021-07/Covid%20Guidelines%20(210608).pdf .
The next Federation meeting will be live at the Salem Square Dance Center on September 11 and 12.
Mid-Winter Festival 2022 is scheduled for January 28-30, 2022, at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany.
There is currently no Oregon Summer Festival scheduled for 2022.
The latest news about the National Square Dance Conventions® is located in the National Squares magazine, produced by the NEC. You can find the latest issue here: (http://nsdcnec.com/flipdocs/NatSqOnline/Natsq1120/index.html)
The 71st National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Evansville, Indiana, June 22-25, 2022.
The 72nd National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Mobile, Alabama, June 21-24, 2023.
The 73rd National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 26-29, 2024.
All clubs in the Oregon Federation are required to maintain their status as non-profit corporations with the State of Oregon. The Secretary of State's office mails out a renewal notice about a month before your registration expires every year. The following clubs expire this month:
August 21 -- R Square D
August 23 -- Portland Area Council
Download a complete list of the Federation club dances this month, all sorted by date and city.
Everything in the When & Where is extracted from the state directory information. If you find that your club information is wrong, you can fix that by going to the directory information area and fixing your data.
Click on the title to see the article.
An “Old Timer” is defined by Oxford Language as “a person who has had the same job, membership, or residence, etc. for a long time”. I would argue that being a square dance caller for over 50 years qualifies that individual as an Old Timer in our Square Dance community; a nickname well earned.
As a square dance community, where would we be without our callers? Our community wouldn’t exist, would it? As dancers we rely on our callers, without them, who’s there to tell us to square thru or spin the top?! In a lot of ways, they’re the glue holding our community together! Don’t get me wrong, dancers, club, council and state officers are also very important to our square dance community, but I’d like to focus on some of Oregon’s world-class callers for a hot minute. In particular I’d like to shine the spotlight on those Oregon callers who have been calling and supporting our community for over fifty years.
Callerlab and the American Callers Association (ACA) have recognized eleven (11) individuals who have been Square Dance Callers for over fifty (50) years.
In addition to those callers in the 50-year club above, Oregon has three (3) callers who have joined the 60-year club! These three, dare I say “Super” Old Timers, are the among the most experienced callers in the nation.
And as an honorable mention, Randy Dibble has been calling for 47 years.
Hopefully you are familiar with most if not all of these Old Timers. As a fairly new ‘retread’ dancer, I know I’m familiar with most of the names on this list and have had the pleasure of being in a square while one or more of these Old Timer’s was doing their thing on the stage! And one of them even taught me to dance, not just once, but twice. If you are not familiar with any of the individuals listed, I encourage you to seek out a dance with these very talented callers. It will no doubt be a treat! These Old Timers have put extraordinary time and effort into our community. They have progressively developed their craft and continue to do so with changes to programs for more than a half century. Some have taken their talent to a national stage or even a global stage. Some have volunteered for festival committees, national convention committees, club officer, council officer or state officer responsibilities in addition to their caller responsibilities. And some have also became Round Dance Cuers.
So as we all get back to this Square Dance Community that we love so much, remember to thank the Old Timer callers when you see them for their longevity, hard work, patience, and service to the Square Dancers of Oregon! They deserve our appreciation.
Brooke Davison
Have you ever wanted to learn how to clog dance? Well, there is no time like the present. The Cherry City Cloggers are offering an “Intro to Clogging” Class beginning Tuesday, September 14, 2021 thru Tuesday, December 28, 2021, and the cost for all 16 classes is only $50 if you pre-register or $60 if you sign up at the door. The class, which is open to men, women and children from age 8 on, is from 5:45pm – 6:30pm at the Salem Square Dance Center, 3695 45th Street NE, which is located close to Chemeketa Community College.
Clogging, is an authentic and distinctive form of American folk dance with roots in traditional European dancing, early African-American dance and traditional Cherokee dance. It is a fun and energetic activity that can be enjoyed as a family or solo. The Cherry City Cloggers was established in 1989 and we have dancers ranging in age from 12 to into their 80s, who get together weekly to laugh, socialize, move their feet and respond to the beat.
Registration forms and more information about the Cherry City Cloggers and the Intro to Clogging Class are available on our website: www.cherrycitycloggers.com, or you can call Mary Ellen Ramseyer, President, at 503-689-3733.
Hope to see you on the dance floor!
MARCH 15, 1946 – JUNE 25, 2021
Al "The Boss" was born March 15, 1946 in Portland, OR and passed away June 25, 2021 at the age of 75. He graduated from Benson High School, June 1964. Al is survived by his wife Barb of almost 52 years of marriage, his 14 year old beagle Maggie, his brother David, nieces, nephews, & cousins.
Al had many jobs over his life time, he was a welder, draftsman, square dance caller, owner & printer at Complete Wedding Printing Co. and wedding show producer for 39 years - The Portland Bridal Show.
He will be remembered for his sense of humor, love of black olives, and the 5 beagles he had over the years. He liked to travel in his motorhome.
A small service will be held on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at 10AM at Finley Sunset Hills Mortuary and Memorial Park.
There will be a memorial at The Dallas City Park in Oregon on Sunday, August 29, 2021 at 12PM at the Old Gazebo.
Lela Mae McCall passed away, peacefully in her sleep, on June 9, 2021 at the age of 93 (born 2/18/1928). She joins her husband, Bob McCall, who passed away on October 9, 2015 (born 5/5/1927).
Lela & Bob were members of the Country Cut-Ups Square Dancers, of Boring, OR. They were also former members of the Checkerboard Squares who disbanded sometime after July 2013.
Lela’s one profession was decorating Hallmark Cards, in Kansas City, Kansas. Lela, Bob and two children moved from Independence, Missouri to Sandy, Oregon in 1965. Lela was happy as a wife and mother, was a homemaker, loved to can foods, enjoyed jigsaw puzzles and she & Bob loved to travel often.
Lela was preceded in death by her Husband, Bob, and Grandson, Matthew Elders (who passed in 1994). Lela is survived by: Brother - Sam Cassidy; Daughters: Lela Darline Rutledge and Roberta Kathline Elders and their husbands Richard and Jesse, respectively; five Grandkids; seven Great Grandkids and three Great-great Grandchildren.
Lela and Bob are greatly missed, but we know they are happy to be reunited at the greatest square dance of all - Heaven.
1938-2021 La Grande
Donald Lloyd Berry, 83, of La Grande, died July 11, 2021, at his home. A graveside service will be held July 15 at 10 a.m. at the Island City Cemetery.
Also known as Don, he was born Feb. 17, 1938, in La Grande, to Merton Albert Berry and Golda Joyce (Beck) Berry. He was the fifth of eight children. A life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Don was sealed to his sweetheart, Bonita Christine Hug, in the Idaho Falls Temple in 1968.
Don served in the U.S. Navy, studying missiles. He had a brilliant mind that could fix anything mechanical or electronic. He used those talents successfully throughout his life.
Don also enjoyed camping and picking huckleberries with his family. He was very proud of the early off-road vehicle christened “The Berry Bug” that he designed and built.
In 1985, his wife, Bonnie, suggested they take square dance lessons. He enjoyed it so much that he went on to become a successful round dance cuer who others loved dancing with. He and Bonnie continued to go dancing at least once a week for most of the last 35 years.
Don loved three things more than anything else: his family, soft-serve vanilla ice cream and Ford automobiles. His patience and optimism were unmatched, and he never said an unkind word about another person. His quiet sense of humor and quick wit will be deeply missed.
Surviving relatives include his wife, Bonnie; children and their spouses, Lloyd and Rachel Berry, Christine and Scott Landers, Michael and Tia Berry, and Melinda and Jared Contreras; 17 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and siblings and spouses, Maxine and Vic Shinsel, Bob Berry and Wes and Teri Berry.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Raymond and Glendon; and sisters, Thelma Jean and Luella Mae.
You can download this list of callers and cuers who are available and ready to call or cue a dance for you.
Callers:
Cuers:
THe Central Oregon Council has selected the August Round of the Month: "Under This Old Hat", Phase II+1 Two-Step (Fishtail), choreographed by Janet Cook, music by Chris LeDoux.
For more information on the Round of the Month, please contact .
Please note that, due to the coronavirus, there will probably not be any square dance lessons this fall.
Everything in this section is taken from the state directory information. If you find that your class information is wrong, you can fix that by going to the directory information area and picking to the "Lessons" tab.
October 15 (3rd Fri)
October 15 (3rd Fri)
October 16 (3rd Sat)
October 22 (4th Fri)
January 9 (2nd Sun)
April 8 (2nd Fri)Click a thumbnail to download the flyer.
Please support our advertisers, since they help support the magazine. Click a thumbnail to see the full advertisement.
Click a thumbnail to see the full-sized picture.
Click a council name to go directly to that section.
We aim to please!
Christina Corelli
We are all happy to be back doing advanced in Hall at the Emerald Square Dance Center. We dance from 1:30 to 3:30PM on a couple of Sundays a month depending on schedules and weather. Be sure to call someone or check the website to see if we are dancing on any given Sunday. You can also call Gaynor at (541) 7414149 or Fred Beisse at 458-221-3564 (cell). Our website is hyyps://cas-sd.yolasite.com.
We hope to have a dance on July 18 and then possibly July 25, Aug. 15 and Aug. 29.
Fred Beisse always chooses very good recorded material for us to dance to unless we manage to get a live caller passing through like Kris Jensen or Dan Nordbye.
Those dancing right now have all been vaccinated and we are requesting only those vaccinated participate at this time. Also for the time being we are asking that no food be brought to be shared. Please provide your own drinks and snacks. Thank you.
Happy dancing, everyone!
Gaynor Hintz
George Hermann called our June 25 dance and his wife Patty cued as Jackie was unable to be there.
We were so happy to have them both and appreciate their willingness to travel so far to call and cue for us.
Our next dance will be on the 4th Friday, Aug. 27 with Darrell Kalmbach calling and Jackie Gale cueing. We will have a Hawaiian Luau for the theme of this dance as it is summer after all. We also are hoping by then we can have food on the break bar (no formal breaks scheduled).
We are looking forward to a new dance season starting in September when we will be dancing on the 4th Fridays with Jim Hattrick calling and Jackie Gale cueing. We are hoping as more and more people get vaccinated and we see less and less of the dreadful COVID-19 virus running amuck that we will see more of our local dancers out to join us. New lessons will begin on Tuesdays at 7PM with Roger Putzler teaching on his new knee after replacement surgery in July. So happy to see things are returning to normal!
See you in a square,
Gaynor Hintz
Christina Corelli
Our club is interested in hosting lessons in the fall, taught by Bruce Lowther. Bruce and one of our members will investigate the possibility of offering lessons in conjunction with Linn-Benton Community College as we’ve done in the past. We discussed the pros and cons of offering social square dance lessons or mainstream lessons.
We are hoping to have an in-person gathering maybe in August to reconnect before our dance year. We are grateful to our presidents Jean Goul and Ken Corwin for hanging in there through a very unusual year. Wishing you all a relaxing last month of summer! Stay well! Karen
Golden Squares is going to start back up on Monday, August 2. This will be our anniversary dance and is a Pajama Party dance.
We dance first, third and fifth Mondays at the Woodburn Estates Auditorium, 1776 Country Club Rd. in Woodburn from 7:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. We have Pre-rounds followed by Mainstream and every third tip is Plus. We have air conditioning and a nice wood floor. Randy Dibble is our caller, Julie Stiers cues on the first and fifth Mondays and Sherri Clark cues on our third Mondays. The fifth Mondays are Pie Nights and great homemade pies are served. This month has a fifth Monday so we hope you can join us for pie and ice-cream. We really need to have a good turnout. We are low in membership and will not be able to support ourselves for too much longer if we cannot build up our attendance. Please come check us out. Thank you, Teija Danskey
classes going soon.
We are doing West Coast Swing for the summer, and everyone seems to be
doing OK. Randy was gone for a week in July while he and Debbie went to ICBDA in
Kingston, Tennessee. We had a guest cuer with Leonard Snodgrass.
We are in the discussion part of putting together an easy rumba or cha class to
start one hour before our regular class/dance time on Thurdays. Hoping to have a
decision before the end of July.
Come see us and have a relaxing couple of hours dancing at intermediate level
rounds
August 21 (3rd Sat)
We are also planning to begin Mainstream lessons on Wednesday September 8. It is so nice to be able to dance again and be together. Hopefully, food will be added to the lineup once again but for now, individually wrapped snacks are great.
We hope you will all join us in congratulating Randy Lewis who has been chosen to be our Club Cuer. Welcome to the Salem Swingin' Stars, Randy!! See you on the dance floor. Sheila
Willamette Squares plans to continue with its dances every fourth Saturday at the Salem Square Dance Center, beginning at 7:00 p.m. and ending at 9:30 p.m. Please take special note of the time change from what it used to be: it will now be 7:00 till 9:30! We hope to see you in a square. Jodee Howard
August 8 (2nd Sun)
August 28 (4th Sat)
Surprisingly, on our first dance, we had more problems with the cues than with the squares. Others comment that our club is well known for very seasoned dancers – those who have danced for many years, and not likely to forget the choreographies.
Our club has nothing against the new SSD format; however, we haven’t graduated a class in two years, and our clientele is used to mainstream or higher.
Jim
August 4 (1st Wed)
August 18 (3rd Wed)
August 25 (4th Wed)
C & P will continue to be a MS Club, however, Social Square Dance (SSD) will be taught up-front so students can enjoy dancing with other clubs instructed in SSD. In August, we will fundraise (as a food vendor), at the ‘Slice of Summer’ in Canby, OR on AUG 15 & AUG 29 - profits earned will support lessons.
We elected Sundays to be our Lesson nights. We will host Dances every 1st and 3rd Fridays AND a Workshop/dance every third Sunday (after lessons).
- Lessons begin SUN, SEPT 12th. from 5-7pm, and each Sunday thereafter - the first 12 weeks will teach SSD moves then continue instruction thereafter in MS.
- Beginning FRIDAY, SEPT 17th - Dances will be held each first and third FRIDAYs, 7:30-10pm..(Format will include student tips, MS, Plus and Rounds). Door is Adults $7, youth $3 and family $20.
On SUN, SEPT 19th (after lessons), and every third SUN thereafter, a Workshops/dance from 7pm-9pm will give students floor time to dance what they have learned.
If you want to be entertained, come listen to the ‘Slice of Summer’ concerts at Wait Park in Canby beginning AUG 15th (bring a folding chair) and check out the Chaps and Petticoats food booth AUG 15th and AUG 29th - will serve hot-dogs and Italian Sodas.
Happy Feet,
Betty Chipps
August 7 (1st Sat)
August 28 (4th Sat)
We will have only one dance in August (which will NOT be free). It will be Saturday August 14. The dance will be from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM with no break. Darrell Kalmbach is our caller and Tami Helms is our cuer. Masks will be required for unvaccinated dancers.
Our dance schedule will return to normal in September. The dances will be every second and third Saturday.at Milwaukie Community Club in Milwaukie.
Hope to see you in a square.
Carol Mendenhall
August 14 (2nd Sat)Some Charlie’s will be headed to Diamond Lake to enjoy a fun festival with Mike Haworth calling and Christina Corelli cueing. Always a fun festival!!
We look forward to seeing everyone on the dance floor soon.
Several TVC clubs have not resumed dancing because of questions regarding masks or the requirement of being vaccinated. Others, Hoedowners, Eager Beavers, Sunset Promenaders, Oak Hills Squares, Promenaders Plus, and Valley River Dancers are dancing now, most with restrictions, but with no after dance snacks. Some clubs are asking attendees to bring their own drinks/water. Toe Draggers are returning to dancing in September with no restrictions and will include theme dances and after dance snacks with visiting. See individual club flyers for more information.
On SSD... Toe Draggers and Sunset Promenaders have both decided to NOT go with SSD. The two Plus clubs, M 'n M's and Eager Beavers have much the same opinion about it since it does not really apply to them.... they are both concerned about the transition from SSD to Plus. TriSquares are planning to adopt SSD in their upcoming lessons. Other TV clubs have not stated their intent.
The TVC Picnic has been scheduled for Sunday, August 15th, 3:00 pm, at Noble Woods Park in Hillsboro. Everyone is welcome. TVC is furnishing the park, you bring your own food and beverage, chairs, games, etc. The restrooms are open, nice lawn with shade trees and trails throughout the park. The picnic will be in the lawn area at the south entrance to the park, 475 SE Century Blvd, Hillsboro, OR 97123.
Ferrous Steinka
Next month I will hopefully be able to tell you when new lessons will begin both for square and round dancing. In the meantime look for one of the clubs that are dancing.
I urge everyone to get their Covid shot so we can dance without a mask.
Nick Johnson
Several Eagers Beavers are dancing at the State Fair including me. I will also be at the State Fair as part of The Beat Goes On Marching Band. We usually make about two tours around the grounds every day. If you are there please look for us. You will hear us coming.
For up to date information go to our website www.EagerBeavers.info
Sally Duyck
August 2 (1st Mon)Craig Holt
Then by golly, it was time to transition to our regular, traditional square dancing on June 10th. Thank you to all who came despite all the graduation and wedding celebrations. All those on the floor made it abundantly clear that they are ready to dance, dance, dance.
Mother Nature decided to remind us not to be complacent. Our June 26th dance was cancelled due to weather. Weather cancellation in June? Unheard of since the Grange installed air conditioning. Alas, the air conditioning was not equipped to handle the record breaking 108-degree day but then, who was? It is a “non-dance” everyone will remember.
As we head into the rest of the summer, I hope you will join us as we resume our traditional dance calendar, dances on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays at the air-conditioned Aloha Grange; August 14th, Dan Nordby, August 28th, Mark Wheeler
Krystal Laas
Lindie Noonan
I think we did well considering we have been closed longer than some members have danced in our club. If you didn’t make this dance, you missed an event we never hope to repeat with the “hottest dance in town!”
We had ten members in attendance dancing. This dance was in memory of one of our charter members, Joanne Switzer, who we lost on June 15th.
We will be dancing on Mondays from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Recreation Center on 158th in Oak Hills area. Lane Clem is our Club Caller. We dance mainstream with some round dancing. We will have beginning classes in the fall which will occupy our first hour of dance.
Mike Duyck
Chris Poole
Thank you to Darrell Kalmbach and Tami Helms for calling and cueing our dances throughout the summer! Darrell will be calling the mainstream and plus dances through August; Tami will cue most of the dances, with guest cuers filling in as needed.
The 2021 Seaside Sashay is still tentatively scheduled for October 22-23. A final decision to go ahead with the festival will be made very soon. The callers will be Ray Brendzy and Darrell Kalmbach, with Debbie Taylor as the cuer. More information will be passed along as it becomes available.
The Sunset Promenaders and the Promenaders Plus are under no restrictions at this time. Everyone is welcome to our dances. Masks are not required but if you feel like you need to wear a mask that is fine too. Our dances are the first and third Saturday for mainstream and first, third, and fifth Thursday of the month for the plus dances. Sorry to say we are not supplying any food or drink at this time so bring your choice of drink and we will supply the fun. If things change we will let you know.
Mike St.Clair
August 5 (1st Thu)
August 7 (1st Sat)
August 19 (3rd Thu)
August 21 (3rd Sat)We hope to see you at our Berry Happy 46th Anniversary on September 17th. KC Curtis & Darrell Kalmbach will be calling & Connie Clark will be cueing.
Kathy Degman
Gloria Davis
The Dance Under the Stars dance on July 23rd will be held at the tennis courts by Renne Field on E. 6th Street, Newberg, Oregon. It is our usual location for this dance and gives us a chance to introduce people to square and round dancing. It will be Mainstream with Darrell Kalmbach as our guest caller and Leonard Snodgrass as cuer. The 5th Friday Advanced Dance will be on July 31st at the Woodburn Estates auditorium at 7:oo pm. Randy Dibble will be there to call. We hope many will join us for these dances.
Our August dances will be August 15th for our Plus dance and August 23rd for our Mainstream dance with Randy Dibble as caller and Leonard Snodgrass as cuer. Dancing begins at 7:30 pm at the Chehalem Community Center, 502 E 2nd St. Newberg, Oregon 97132. The hall is air conditioned for pleasant summer weather dancing. We hope to see everyone there.
Judy Zimmerman
Carolene Siebert
Bob Allen
We moved our round dances from 4th Fridays to 3rd Fridays from here on out in hopes of accommodating dancers who want to come dance with us on Friday and stay over to dance with the Buckaroos (and sometimes Timber 8s) on Saturday.
Scheduled Activities
Month of July: 3rd Friday Round Dance July 16, 2021, 6-9pm
Month of August: 3rd Friday Round Dance August 20th, 6-9pm
See you on the dance floor soon!
