Helping our organization

Square and Round dancing is an activity that we all know provides us with hours of enjoyment and entertainment. Making the activity fun usually requires a fair amount f planning and organization. This President’ Corner is dedicated to the people who have contributed their time & skills to support the structure that makes the dances happen. The leadership, planning and administration for square and round dance activities is no different that of any other activity that we have in our everyday life. Some of us are natural born leaders, some of us can be leaders but it takes work, and some of us just are not. If you are in the first category, we have a job for you. If you are in the second category, I believe with help you will do fine. If you fit the third category, it’s not a problem and you shouldn’t feel bad; however, there may be a way for you to help as well. You do not need to be in a leadership position to be on a committee. Committees are an integral part of an organization in that they define all the details needed to solve the issue or accomplish the task that has been asked of the leadership. A note to the leaders here; when assigning a committee, consider all the members in your organization as potential contributors, not just the ones you see at the meeting. You might be surprised by the people who may want to help.

Perhaps you may have a particular skill that you can share with your club or Area Council that may help the organization. Are you good at marketing, maybe you can write well, or you have some killer recipes that fit well with potlucks. On a more serious side, occasionally our clubs may need legal advice; that would be something to share. If you are working, the ability to contribute may be less, but if you are retired and are looking for something to fill your free time, well this would be it. Sometimes, the best way to support your organization is to come to the dances. As this is the primary purpose of our organization, it can be said that well attended dances are more fun. People by nature are social and square & round dancing is the epitome of social activity that enhances our sense of community. That is what we are all about.

Sharing is caring,
Tim Keck
President

There are a couple of informative articles in our pages this month. Please remember to register your lessons on the same web site where you enter your dance flyers, https://squaredance.gen.or.us/ClubInfo, on the "Lessons" page. You'll start listing September classes in this issue.

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:

Federation Meetings

The next Federation meeting will be hosted by the Emerald Empire, and will be held at the Emerald Square Dance Center in Springfield on September 10, 2023. This is our "turnover" meeting, where the 2023-24 officers will be installed.

Mid-Winter

Mid-Winter Festival 2024 is scheduled for January 26-28, 2024, at the Linn County Fairgrounds in Albany.

Hi everyone. Welcome to August. Can you believe it.... Mid-Winter Festival is 6 short months away. To a planner like me that seems like such a short time. If you are a planner, have you checked out the amazing website? http://midwinterfestival.org There is amazing information on there, cool places to visit, yummy places to eat and of course the most comfortable places to lay your head. If you haven't visited then I suggest you take the time to go explore. The webmaster did such an amazing job. So start your planning and we will look forward to seeing you at the dance festival.

Summer Festival

"Sashay to Salem 2024" will be held at Blanchet Catholic School in Salem on July 12 to 14, 2024. There will be four dance halls, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced and Rounds. More details will be following, since this is just getting started.

Federation Links

• OFSRDC main web site
• Mid-Winter Festival
• Update club or dance info

Other National Events

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 2023 USAWest Convention will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, July 26-29, 2023.

The 73rd National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 26-29, 2024.

The 74th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Shreveport, Louisiana, June 25-28, 2025.

Other National Links

• USDA: United Square Dancers of America
• ARTS: Alliance for Round, Traditional, and Square Dance

Corporation Renewal Status

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.

• Dispelling a Common Myth of Music Licensing

  This is the second of three articles about music licensing, the first was in March 2023. This month, I’ll be dispelling a common myth in music licensing – that only one person, typically, either the caller or cuer needs to be licensed at a square dance (also known as piggybacking). From the research I have done, this myth is just that, a myth.

  In July 2019, ROUNDALAB stated that piggybacking is not allowed in their licensing agreements. This means an unlicensed person may not ‘piggyback’ on the music license of another. ROUNDALAB also stated when it comes to licensing, what matters is the person performing/playing the music is licensed. The key word being ‘performing’. Note, a performer is not necessarily always the person that is actually on the microphone when music is playing. An unlicensed person may be on the microphone calling or cueing moves over music, but the person who is pushing play or laying the needle down on the record (old school, I know) is considered to be the performer. The article I reference here is from ROUNDALAB, but my research shows that CALLERLAB has similar, if not the same language in their licensing agreements as well.

  What does this mean for clubs and organizers of dances/lessons? It means that each performer needs to be licensed, whether that be though their respective professional organizations (ROUNDALAB, CALLERLAB, CLOG, ACA, etc.), or the clubs hold the licenses themselves. It also means clubs need to be diligent in making sure not just their club callers and cuers, but their guest callers and cuers too, are all properly licensed to perform music. It is a common practice to require a copy of the caller/cuer’s licensing card as part of contract execution. Remember, it’s the clubs who will be in trouble if fees are assessed.

  As a reminder, my role with the Federation as Music Licensing Coordinator is to maintain compliance with the licensing agreements the Federation is a party to and advise the Federation on music licensing related information. However, I feel it is important to share the information I learn with clubs and councils. Music Licensing can be confusing for clubs and councils to wrap their heads around, trust me I know!! That said, feel free to reach out to me if you have questions about music licensing. I will always do my best to research and provide interpretations and opinions. My role is not to police, but to inform. Happy Dancing everyone!

  Brooke Davison
  OFSRDC Music Licensing Coordinator
  davison.brooke.77@gmail.com

• Federation Insurance Issues

  One of the primary benefits that the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs offers to its member clubs is affordable liability insurance, through the United Square Dancers of America. There is a lot of confusion about what this insurance is (and is not), even among people with a long history with the Federation. Like many topics, there are so many cases of "well, everyone knows..." that just aren't so. I'm going to try to dispel some of that confusion.

  There are two parts to the USDA insurance. What most people seem to think of is the secondary medical insurance, which can help pay your deductibles if you are injured at a dance. However, this coverage is relatively unimportant. In fact, the insurance company provides this coverage to us for free as an "added bonus". The real meat of the coverage is the general liability insurance that protects the club in case of a lawsuit. Let's talk about both parts.

  The medical insurance covers your medical costs any time you are injured during a regularly scheduled and sponsored dance activity, anywhere in America. It doesn't cover you while you're walking from your car -- it has to be while dancing. (It does cover accidents during travel if you have 10 or more club members in a commercial vehicle.) However, one key point is that this is secondary insurance. You have to go through your own insurance (either private or Medicare) first. After they have paid, if there are things they didn't cover, like dedictibles or other limits, then the USDA secondary coverage steps in, up to $10,000.

  And that's all the secondary medical insurance does. It is available to every member of a club who had paid the premiums and kept their list of new members updated. Many (but not all) of the state square dance federations across the country use the USDA insurance, and dancers from any of those clubs would have the same coverage. The Square and Folk Dance Federation of Washington uses a different insurance company. The Oregon Federation has several clubs that are also members of the Washington Federation, who get their insurance through Washington. (Our guidelines require that they show us proof of the insurance once a year.) That doesn't mean they are "dancing uninsured" when they dance at your club, or that you are "dancing uninsured" when you dance at their club. It just means they would have to use the Washington insurance.

  The accidental medical insurance covers the individual dancer. The general liability insurance protects the club. This is an important point, and it's one that many people lose track of. If someone is seriously injured at one of your dances, the expenses will pile up. Even after your private insurance and the $10,000 limit of the USDA medical coverage has been exhausted, that might not be enough. The only recourse at that point is to file a lawsuit against the club. This is where the general liability coverage comes in. The USDA's insurance company has a team of well-dressed lawyers who can defend your club in court and handle the expenses of any settlement. This is the value of the insurance: your club does not have to risk bankruptcy over some simple negligence. After all, a $400,000 settlement plus legal fees would spell the end of any club or council, or even the Federation itself. And this kind of lawsuit certainly does happen. There have been several over the past 20 years.

  Let's go over some of the scenarios and see what the reality actually is. Because we have this crossover with Washington, I'm going to use the term "USDA-covered club" to refer to clubs that get their insurance through Oregon. That phrase does not include the Washington clubs who are members of the Oregon Federation.

  1. A USDA-covered club member dances at a USDA-covered club dance. This is the easy case. The secondary medical insurance applies here. If the injury is severe enough, the dancer can file a lawsuit, and the general liability coverage will step in to protect the club.

  2. A USDA-covered club member dances at a non-USDA club dance. The secondary medical insurance applies here. If the injury is severe enough, the dancer can file a lawsuit, but it will be up to the club's insurance to handle that.

  3. A USDA-covered club member dances at a state festival, in Oregon or in Washington. Again, the secondary medical insurance applies here. The medical insurance follows the DANCER, not the club.

  4. A non-USDA club member dances at a USDA-covered club dance. The secondary medical insurance is not involved, because the dancer is not covered. If the injury is severe enough, the dancer can file a lawsuit, and the general liability coverage will step in to protect the club.

  5. A non-USDA club member dances at a Federation festival. This is just like the previous bullet. The secondary medical insurance is not involved, because the dancer is not covered. If the injury is severe enough, the dancer can file a lawsuit, and the general liability coverage will step in to protect the club.

  6. A non-USDA club member dances at a non-USDA club dance or festival. USDA is not involved here, so it depends on the individual club.

  There has been a nonsense notion that we should post a warning at our dances saying that "non-Federation members are dancing uninsured and at your own risk". Why is the "at your own risk" disclaimer so silly? Either the person has insurance, or they don't. There's really no point in telling an uninsured person that they don't have insurance. They should already know that, and reminding them of that fact does not relieve your club of liability. If they are injured at your club dance, your club is liable, whether or not the person has insurance, and whether or not they signed a disclaimer.

  I hope that helps clear things up. When questions arise, contact your Federation Insurance Chairman, currently Marilyn Schmit. She has an "inside line" to the insurance contacts at USDA, and can get your questions answered.

  Tim Roberts

• National Dance Day
  

  Dance organizations of all kinds from all across the country will be participating in “National Dance Day” on September 16, and the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs would like to thoroughly embrace this opportunity to shed a light on all things dance while promoting our clubs! Therefore, we are calling all Dancers to participate in some way with the National Dance Day on September 16, 2023. Let’s flood Oregon and Washington with dance demos and community dances to promote our favorite activity: square dancing, round dancing, line dancing and clogging! Work with your clubs and councils to come up with a creative venue to strut your moves on this “groovy” day which celebrates all kinds of dancing. If you need help coming up with new places to dance, here is a list for your consideration:

  Community colleges
  Private schools
  Rural schools
  Halftime at a football game
  Beaches
  Campgrounds
  RV parks
  Local malls
  City centers
  American Legion
  Elks
  VFW
  "Flash mob" demo in malls or city centers

  Chamber of Commerce Events
  Restaurants
  Bars
  Hop & Heritage Festival (Independence, OR)
  Breweries
  Wineries
  Pendleton Roundup (Pendleton, OR)
  Casinos
  Oktoberfest (Mt. Angel, Canyon City)
  Craft shows
  Church bazaars
  Other church events

  
  
  Remember to check with the venue management for permission and for their assistance. Take your lesson information with you to the dances. Contact your local newspaper or TV Station and invite their Features Editor to attend or even participate if you plan to have a time to teach. Once you have determined where you are going to dance, be sure to complete a Notification of Event Form: https://squaredance.gen.or.us/insurance/NotificationOfEvent.php. Let your council delegates know your plans so they can share your dance plans with the OFSRDC during their report at the OFSRDC September 10 meeting. And, most importantly, HAVE FUN!

  History of National Dance Day: In 2010, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton started National Dance Day while working with Nigel Lythgoe, co-creator of, “So You Think You Can Dance” and the co-founder of the American Dance Movement. They determined that dance was a creative and artistic outlet that can be used to promote a healthy lifestyle by improving muscle tone, bone density, balance, flexibility, and strength. In 2020, working with the American Heart Association, the National Dance Day was moved to September in an effort to provide new dance contents for their “kids’ health initiative, the Kids’ Heart Challenge encouraging students to participate. Dancing improves mental and physical health and relieves stress while building healthier bodies.

  If you have any questions or need assistance, contact Kathy Roberts, OFSRDC Publicity and Education Coordinator, kathy@4roberts.us. National Dance Day information is from: https://nationaltoday.com/national-dance-day/

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 Interstate Highlanders Council has chosen the August Oregon Round of the Month:

"Jukebox Jump", Phase II+1 Waltz (Suzie Q), choreographed by Bev Oren. Performed by Si Cranstoun on the album "Old School".

Download your cue sheet here.

For more information on the Round of the Month, please contact .