I’ve been negligent in not communicating with you thru the OFN article. My bad! It’s not that I’m not thinking about the square/round dance community, I do all the time. Its the “sitting down and writing” part that gets put on the back burner.
There’s been several postings on Facebook about organizations that are available to help build strong clubs, recruiting, promotional opportunities, and dancer retention. One such group is “Square Dance Revival” (.org). Check it out and take advantage of their knowledge and suggestions regarding all the issues facing square/round dancing today.
Remember that the Federation is here to support our Oregon Clubs and dancers. Asking for help either through your Council and or to the Federation is a great way to find answers. If you don’t know exactly who to contact, start with me. My information is in the directory. If I don’t have any “words of wisdom”, I usually know who does.
Joyce Welton
Federation President
As winter blends into spring, I hope your club lessons continue to be successful.
Remember that the Beachcombers, Buckeroo, Charlie Browns, and Star Promenaders are joining together to host an open-to-all new dancer jamboree on Sunday, March 29, at 2 PM at the Buckeroo Barn in Roseburg. You're invited to come for dinner at 1 PM.
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:
The next Federation meeting will be hosted by the Interstate-Highlanders at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Klamath Falls on April 19.
The election for Federation officers for the 2026-27 square dance year is currently underway. The ballots have been delayed in order to solicit candidates for President (which is unusual). Your club secretary will receive an email with a link to the ballot.
You may find biographies of the candidates here: 2026 Nominees
The next Mid-Winter Festival, "Diamond Cir-Q-L8 and Roll to Mid-Winter" will be held in Albany on January 29-31, 2027. Click on the thumbnail to get your registration form.
There is currently no Summer Festival scheduled for 2026.
ORDTA is planning to hold a Round Dance weekend at the Emerald Square Dance Center in Springfield on August 21 and 22.
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 at National Squares.
The 75th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Waco, Texas, June 24-27, 2026.
The Washington Summer Festival will be held in Ocean Shores, Washington, July 16-18, 2026.
The 2026 USAWest Convention will be held in Cedar City, Utah, August 5-8, 2026
The 76th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Loveland, Colorado, June 23-26, 2027.
The 77th National Square Dance Convention® will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida, June 29-July 1, 2028.
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:
April 1 -- Interstate Highlanders
April 7 -- ReVuN'Q
April 23 -- Oak Hills Squares
April 23 -- Salem Swingin' Stars
April 25 -- Valley Squares
April 26 -- Independence Wagon Wheelers
April 27 -- Single Trees
April 29 -- Tri Squares
April 30 -- Chaps & Petticoats
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.
When we started working with the youth at Silver City Squares, many people asked us questions about how to attend and what to expect. So, we thought we would answer those questions and encourage you to come see what the Pacific Northwest Teen Festival is all about. This year the festival will be held at the Blanchet Catholic School in Salem Oregon. That’s right, the same place Oregon has had Summer Festival in the last few years. The dates are Friday May 1st and Saturday May 2nd. To attend you need a button which you can purchase from one of the youth dancers 2 for $5 or you can purchase at the door for the same price.
On Friday night May 1st, 7pm to 9pm there is a fun dance and everyone is invited to dance with Youth Callers and Cuers on the mic.
Saturday May 2nd is competition day. The main floor is the square-dancing competition, and the second gym is round dancing competition. They start at approximately 7:30am until they break at 11:30 for lunch, and come back for competition at 12:30. You can come anytime to observe the different events in each gym. Events such as youth Round Dance Hash where youth dancers dance to pre-recorded round moves in sequences the kids have not heard before. Youth square dancers will dance displays. Cuers and Callers will perform and be judged. In the afternoon, there is competition at different levels in both gyms, and you can come and observe as you wish unless they are dancing mysteries. If you are not seated when the mystery dancing starts, you will be held outside until the next dance starts. This is to help the concentration of the youth dancers who are being judged. There is a dinner break around 5pm and then at 6pm exhibition dancing and display dancing starts, followed by some fun dancing which everyone can join, and awards are awarded in the evening around 8pm.
We hope this gives you a little idea of what to expect and if you have a little time on Saturday May 1st stop in and see your northwest youth square dancing.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
KC and Linda Curtis
You can download this list of callers and cuers who are available and ready to call or cue a dance for you.
Callers:
Cuers:
These ORDTA members are willing to donate their time and knowledge to mentor new Cuers:
The April 2026 Oregon Round of the Month has been chosen by the Emerald Empire Council:
"Even Then", Phase II+1 Two-Step (Strolling Vine), choreographed by Susie Briggs De La Bruere. The song is performed by Micah Tyler on the album "Different".
For more information on the Round of the Month, please contact .
May 2 (1st Sat)
May 30 (5th Sat)
March 22 (4th Sun)
March 28 (4th Sat)
April 1 (1st Wed)
April 4 (1st Sat)
April 20 (3rd Mon)
May 1 (1st Fri)
May 22 (4th Fri)
May 30 (5th Sat)
July 22 (4th Wed)
August 29 (5th Sat)
September 18 (3rd Fri)
September 19 (3rd Sat)
October 23 (4th Fri)Click a thumbnail to download the flyer.
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April 18 (3rd Sat)
Our fifth Saturday dance in August will be a dance for amateur callers and cuers. So, if you even think you might want to try calling or cueing please let a member of CCCA know.
Happy calling and cueing for you,
Christina Corelli
We dance normally on the 2nd and 4th Sundays from 1:30 to 3:30 in Hall B behind the Emerald Square Dance Center at 2095 Yolanda in Springfield. Some months we dance the 1st and 3rd Sundays depending on when holidays fall. Our tentative schedule can be viewed at our website at cas-sd.yolasite.com. Please be sure to contact Fred Beisse at 541-683-2522 or Cell: 458-221-35.
Keep on Dancing, everyone.
Gaynor Hintz
We're sorry that Kris Jensen, national caller from Albuquerque was unable to join us this month. Kris's wife, TurtleBear, is having surgery close to the visit date.
Please call David Lajoie at 541-520-7311 if you wish to make sure we are dancing.
We welcome all guests! It’s always casual dress.
Happy dancing,
Christina Corelli
Roger Putzler is our caller, and Christina Corelli is our cuer.
Meetings continue concerning the proposed merger of Whirl-A-Ways and Single Trees.
We do look forward to campouts at Belknap Springs in April and at the coast in June. Those are always a lot of fun!
Happy Dancing,
Christina Corelli
Trena Worthington
April 18 (3rd Sat)
We are still in the discussion stage for a club sponsored CPR clinic. We also discussed the new and revised Callerlab listing and what clubs are doing the new list and others that will stick with the original until September.
Several of the clubs in the area are holding spring lessons in mainstream, plus and rounds. So something for everyone.
Our next meeting is in May before the end of our fiscal year.
There are several of the area callers attending Callerlab in Reno at the end of March. Lots to look forward to for future discussions.
Marilyn Schmit
We will be back from our Coast Retreat for our April dances at our usual venue.
On the 11th, we're having a charity dance, with Sandy Harris calling and cueing.
April 25th we will have a plant sale at the dance. It was a really popular event last year -- we will have a nice selection of plants at bargain prices. Come and join us for a fun dance, and take home some plants for your gardening pleasure. Roger Putzler will be calling, with Sandy Harris cueing.
Thanks to all our dancing friends who made our birthday dance so much fun.
Fran Westphal
April 11 (2nd Sat)
April 25 (4th Sat)
The club had a Sweetheart dance on the second Saturday with lots of pink and red in attendance with a backdrop provided for pictures.
We have our annual meeting on the second Saturday of March with nominations, renewing of caller/cuer contracts, and other business as listed on the agenda. We will celebrate 66 years of existence later that evening with invitations to Roger Putzler and George Hermann assisting KC Curtis for the calling duties of the night.
Marilyn Schmit
April 11 (2nd Sat)
Other upcoming special dances include our St. Patty’s Dance on March 21st, and our ever-popular Hippie Dance April 4th. We are also planning our first Club Yard Sale April 23rd through 25th. Otherwise, our regular program has us dancing every first and third Saturday, starting at 6:30pm with Plus, Pre-Rounds at 6:45pm and Mainstream from 7:00pm to 9:30pm (every 3rd tip Plus). For details, please visit: www.lebanonsquarecirclers.com.
Kaynor Heineck
April 4 (1st Sat)
April 10 (2nd Fri)
There will be dry camping in the rear of the center and enough time for a good lunch and dinner breaks. The cost is $25 per person and payable to ORDTA and can be mailed to Connie Clark. The flyer will be available soon.
Marilyn Schmit
The Sunday phase 2 waltz class graduated eight dancers and are now instructing phase 3 waltz with eleven dancers in attendance. We will go as far as we can with the May 17 ending date due to Memorial Day holiday the following weekend. The class will talk about a future rhythm when we are closer to being done. Phase 2 two step will come again on September 13 at 3:30 pm.
Marilyn Schmit
Our Annual Wear Red Dance was a Wonderful success. Then we had a Sweetheart Dance to finish off the month of February.
Our 1st Friday Dance in March was fun with 4 squares and lots of laughter.
Our Annual Hobo Dance with Hobo stew is March 20th. Dress down and come on in.
April 3rd will be our Fundraiser dance for our two squares competing in the Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival May 1-2, 2026 at Blanchet Catholic School. The kids will be baking all sorts of delicious goodies for you to bid on and take home. Michael Kious and George Hermann will be the callers and Randy Lewis will be the cuer. Mark your calendars and please come join us in supporting these young square dancers. They are practicing twice a week and getting better each practice. We have buttons for sale for $3.00 each or 2 for $5.00. These buttons are your ticket into the festival on Friday evening and all day Saturday.
April 17th will be our Birthday Dance and Election of Board Member Officers.
May 1st we will be DARK as we will all be at Blanchet School for the Teen Festival.
See you on the dance floor.
Sheila Machado
April 3 (1st Fri)
April 17 (3rd Fri)
We are practicing hard for the Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival. There are still spots open for volunteers to help at the Festival - if you are interested, please contact Karyn at buchheitfarmkm@gmail.com for more information.
Petrina Buchheit
Judy Russell
April 3 (1st Fri)
Don’t miss our March dance on the 28th. We’re serving Black Forest Cake in honor of National Black Forest Cake Day! We’ll even have goodies for those who prefer something besides chocolate!
Shari Schonbrun
April 25 (4th Sat)
We will have 3 dances in April.
April 1 will be our 61st Anniversary. Our caller will be Darrel Kalmbach, and our cuer will be Julie Stiers. Come celebrate with us!!!
On April 15, our caller will be Mike Kious, and our cuer will be Tami Helms.
Our 5th Wednesday dance, on April 29, will be called by KC Curtis and cued by Tami Helms.
Dances start with Plus at 7:00, followed by Pre Rounds at 7:15, and Mainstream from 7:30 to 9:30, followed by announcements.
B 'n' Bs dance at Abernethy Grange, 15745 Harley Ave., Oregon City. For more information, call Jay 503-655-7163 or Melissa 360-904-7419. Find us on Facebook: Bachelor & Bachelorettes Square and Round Dance Club.
We look forward to seeing you on our dance floor.
April 1 (1st Wed)
April 15 (3rd Wed)
April 29 (5th Wed)
Chaps dancers attended the Country Cut-ups on February 28th. Terry Halley called to three squares and Julie Stiers cued to a full floor of round-dancers.
Today, March 15, I talked to Scott Zinser, our Club Caller. He had ankle fusion surgery on February 12. He is at home doing light chores and recovering—but he’s bored. He invites you to call, and he’ll tell you all about it.
Spring begins with our March 20 Open Mic night with MCs Thomas Buchheit and Katie Marteny announcing youth callers and cuers from the floor, starting at 7:30pm. It’s their chance to have a little fun with an enthusiastic audience. This is great practice, too, for the Pacific NW Teen Square Dance Festival (PNTSDF) happening at the Blanchet Catholic School in Salem: an evening of dancing on May 1 and competitions all day on May 2, followed by an evening of dance as winners are announced. Buy a button before May and get in free.
Hey man, the Hippie Dance is what’s happening on Friday, April 3. Come move those feet to Terry Halley, Caller Dude. Stephanie Lozano, our Flower Power Cuer, opens the dance at 7:30 pm. Why don’t you come clad in wild psychedelic attire. Peace, man. Costumes (admired but not required) deserve prizes. We’ll award prizes in the categories of nature-loving gal, dude, and couple. Our dancers are the judges. Sure hope you can join us!
Our third Friday dance on April 17 will feature Caller Shaun (& Lila) McKamey and Cuer Connie Clark. They will entertain you!
We take you back to the 60’s with the Hillbilly Dance on May 1. Go ahead and wear your jeans with a rope belt. You’ll find our cuer, Tom Klug, wearing his torn/floppy hat with a straw in his mouth. It is his favorite theme. I wonder if Scott will open the dance in suspenders and wearing a long-john tee. Of course, there are always Granny glasses and Eli Mae’s braids for the ladies. Join us starting at 7:30pm.
Happy April,
Betty Chipps
April 3 (1st Fri)
We had a great visitation to the Independence Wagon Wheelers for their Anniversary Dance, and some of us made it out to see Dan Preedy at the Checkmates! We have a club dance on March 28 with Daryl Clendenin and Julie Stiers, followed by a dance on April 4 with Terry Halley and Julie Stiers.
We are hosting the Spring Fling at the Boring Barn with Andy Allemao May 1-3. Prepaid tickets are $35 for the whole weekend, or you can pay at the door: $12 per session or $40 for the whole weekend! If you have never danced to Andy, he's a lot fun, and we encourage everyone to come and check him out!
We will also be having our Barn sale on April 17 and 18! Come on out and see if there is anything that may catch your fancy! I look forward to seeing you all in a square soon!
Lisa Coen
April 4 (1st Sat)
April 25 (4th Sat)
“Irish eyes are smilin’” as we “jig” our way through March! Guest caller, Roger Putzler and guest cuer, Julie Stiers, put on a fun and festive dance on March 7. Lots of green to be seen!
The Happy Hoppers are "over the rainbow" to have Adam Christman on the 3rd Saturday, March 21. He will be calling this Mainstream dance with some Plus and cueing Rounds. What a wonderful way to welcome SPRING! Grab your dancing shoes and join in the fun from 7:00-9:30 pm.
Happy Hoppers are providing March and April lessons on Monday nights: 6:30 Plus and 7:30 Basic/Mainstream. Club caller Craig Abercrombie started our new class on March 2. Due to Craig’s absence during the rest of the month, George Hermann and Terry Halley will continue the lessons. Craig will return in April to finish up. We plan on hosting a Beginner Dance on April 27: Plus at 6:30, Beginner/Mainstream at 7:30 pm. Everyone is welcome; bring your new dancers.
Our club will be "hopping" right into April with Craig Abercrombie calling and cueing our Plus dance on Saturday, April 4. He will also be calling and cueing on April 18, 2026 at our Mainstream with some Plus and Rounds dance. Both dances are 7:00-9:30 pm. Hop on over for a visit! 🐰
Our club continues to visit as many square dances and festivals (even cruises) as possible. We will be traveling to R Square D for their anniversary dance on April 11. Our club will dine together before kicking up our heels. Also, lots of our dancers are eager to attend the Spring Sashay, April 24-26. A great weekend is always had! Our website is happy-hoppers.com
See you dancing ... Denise and Roz Buddenberg
April 4 (1st Sat)
April 18 (3rd Sat)
We had a pie night on March 14, with lots of yummy pies for break. It is ood to be a Square Dancer!
April 11 (2nd Sat)
April 25 (4th Sat)
Happy dancing!
April 4 (1st Sat)
The Council highly recommends that all TVC dancers attend the anniversary dances held by other member clubs. In April we have two clubs celebrating an anniversary. On Friday, April 10th R Square D will celebrate their 73rd Anniversary, featuring the calling and cueing of Craig Abercrombie and Susan Healea. This dance will be held at Catlin Grange in Kelso in order to accommodate the expected greater attendance. Their website has a map link for the Catlin Grange. Then on Monday, April 20th the Eager Beavers will celebrate their 51st Anniversary at the Aloha Grange. This is an afternoon Plus dance with Darrell Kalmbach calling with Tami Helms and Lane Clem cueing. See the respective club websites for additional information.
Speaking of anniversary dances, the Valley Squares were scheduled to have their 77th in April. But alas the scheduling department failed to recognize that the date chosen was Good Friday. So, the date has been changed to May 1st. Details next month.
Ferrous Steinka
Our two dances this month are on the 4th and 18th. Daryl will be calling and hopefully Renee’ will be cueing (depending on how her healing is going). My thanks go out to Paula and Jan for the decorations. They make the Grange look so much nicer.
Hope to see you in Yakima at the Spring Sashay. See you there in a square.
Nick Johnson
April 3 (1st Fri)
April 17 (3rd Fri)
Our February 9th dance doubled as a Valentine’s celebration where we crowned our King and Queen of Hearts, Jim and Leslie whose picture appeared in the March OFN. The fun continued on the 16th as we decked out in red, white, and blue for our Presidents Day Dance. Lately, we’ve been averaging four to five squares.
In April we’re preparing for a very special celebration: Eager Beavers’ 51st Anniversary Dance on April 20th from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., with refreshments to follow. (We will not have a lesson that day.) Darrell Kalmbach will be calling, and both Tami Helms and Lane Clem will cue our rounds.
Come help us celebrate 51 years of friendship, fun, and fancy footwork, we can’t wait to dance with you! You’ll find us every Monday at the Aloha Grange, with Darrell Kalmbach calling and Tami Helms and Lane Clem cueing on alternate Mondays. For current dancing information, please see our website at https://EagerBeavers.info. (see link above).
Alice Hendricks
April 13 (2nd Mon)
April 20 (3rd Mon)
Mainstream lessons run from 5:00 to 7:00 pm and are almost complete; these are followed by a short Mainstream dance for Angels. On the fourth Sunday of the month, we celebrate with a class level dance followed by a potluck dinner.
In five short months 15 Mainstream calls will disappear from Mainstream and be moved up to Plus: Allemande Thar, Circle to a Line, Cloverleaf, Dixie Style to a Wave, Do Paso, Eight Chain Thru, Pass to the Center, See Saw, Shoot the Star, Slip the Clutch, Spin Chain Thru, Turn Thru, Walk and Dodge, Walk Around the Corner, and Wrong Way Thar.
The Hayshakers is an overwhelmingly Mainstream club with a restricted subset of Plus danced from time to time. Now for a while we’ll be dancing 15 of the 56 calls of the new Plus.
Within the last two months, two active long standing members have died: Steve Rutherford and Cornelius “Corny” O’Quinn. They are missed.
Craig Holt
• 76th Anniversary Lasagna Dinner & Valentine’s Dance on February 14th. Our 76th Anniversary celebration, and a Sweetheart of a dance, was a tremendous success! The lasagna dinner was delicious, the hall was full of joy, and we were honored by visitations from both the Sunset Promenaders and Oak Hills, thank you for celebrating with us! A heartfelt thank‑you also goes to Roger Putzler, who stepped in at the last minute to call this important dance while our Caller, Michael Kious, was in the hospital.
• Chinese New Year Dance on February 28th. The ‘Our Year of the Fire Horse' celebration was a standout night! We had 20 Hoedowners and 10 guests, including dancers from Sunset Promenaders and TriSquares. We extend special gratitude to George Herman, who helped call while Michael was recovering from surgery, and to Michael himself, who amazed us all by attending and calling just four days after back surgery. What a trooper, and how blessed we are to have him in our Hoedowner family! The energy was high, the turnout was fantastic, and the many fortune cookies provided some fun amusement. Overall the night was a huge success!
You still have time to plan on attending our Chicken Sock Hop on March 28th. Get ready for pure fun as Michael dons his famous chicken costume “just for the cluck of it.” We’ll celebrate spring with your favorite baby‑animal themes, bunnies, chicks, lambs, and add a splash of 1950s flair with poodle skirts, leather jackets, and sock‑hop spirit
Spring is calling… and the Hoedowners are answering with two fabulous April dances!
• Saturday, April 11th Spring Fling: Shake off the last of winter and twirl straight into spring! Think bright colors, happy feet, and that “the world is waking up again” energy. Michael Kious will be Calling, Randy Lewis Cueing at the Aloha Grange beginning at 7PM. The whole night will feel like a bouquet in motion. Come ready to dance, laugh, and celebrate the season Hoedown‑style!
• Saturday April 25th Night at the Movies: Lights… camera… square dancing! We’re rolling out the red carpet for a blockbuster night where YOU are the star. Dress as your favorite movie character, wear your best Hollywood glam, or just show up ready for a night of cinematic fun. With Michael Kious Calling and Randy Lewis Cueing, at the Aloha Grange beginning at 7PM. Join us as the choreography will be smoother than a classic film reel and the fun guaranteed!.
Sarah Richmond
April 11 (2nd Sat)
April 25 (4th Sat)
Join us for a fun time. Check our calendar for updates at https://mixandminglesquares.org/ (Link above)
Lindie Noonan
The Hoedowners Club in Aloha celebrated their 76th anniversary dance on February 14th. Although we did not take home a banner, we did have enough dancers to form a square and celebrate with them. Happy Anniversary Hoedowners!
Oak Hills Squares continues to dance every Monday night at the Oak Hills Community Gym, and we’ve been having a great turnout! It’s been wonderful to see so many dancers coming out, some for one class, many for both, and all bringing plenty of smiles and good energy to the floor.
At 6pm, our Square Dance Lessons with Mark Wheeler are going strong and will continue through April. Each week our dancers are learning new calls, building confidence, and discovering that square dancing is a lot more fun than sitting on the couch wondering where Monday evening went.
Then at 7pm, our Round Waltz Lessons with Lane Clem, which began in February, glide smoothly across the floor and will also continue through April. The waltz steps are coming along nicely, some dancers are already floating, while others are still negotiating peace treaties with their left feet.
Classes are $6 for one class or $10 for both, which may be the best entertainment bargain in Beaverton. Lite refreshments are provided, giving dancers a chance to refuel, socialize, and compare notes on who turned the wrong direction during the last figure.
At 8pm, the evening continues with Mainstream Square Dancing called by Mark Wheeler. The music is lively, the squares are full, and the laughter is proof that everyone is having a great time.
All the fun takes place at: Oak Hills Community Gym, 2400 NW 153rd Ave, Beaverton, OR. Whether you’re dancing, learning, or just trying to remember if it’s the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time you’ve heard that call, Monday nights with Oak Hills Squares are a great place to be.
Looking forward to our May 4th Cinco de Mayo dance with all its festivities. For more information, visit oakhillssquares.com.
Lynne Fonner
Our February 28th “Wild, Wild West” dance was preceded by a chili feed at 6:00. We had crock pots with different kinds of chili, plus cornbread, crackers and fruit to accompany the meal. Our current students were invited to the dance and Craig called it at their level, with Plus every third tip. We had 61 dancers in attendance that night. Susan Healea again had one round where everyone was invited to the floor to dance the steps she had taught at our earlier February dance. It was great to see the smiles on the dancers faces that night!
Lessons that began in January are continuing with 8-10 new dancers each week and are expected to finish by early May.
R Square D’s 73rd Anniversary Dance will be Friday, April 10th, with Craig calling and Susan cueing that night. Please note that this dance will be held at Catlin Grange in Kelso, instead of our usual location. The grange will accommodate more dancers, as we usually have a much larger attendance for our anniversary dances. We hope to see many of our dance friends there!
We will be dark on April 25th and are encouraging our members to attend the Yakima Sashay that weekend.
For additional information check us out on Facebook and Instagram, or see our website: https://r-square-d.info/. (see link above)
Chris Poole
April 10 (2nd Fri)
• The club’s Mainstream Square Dance Lessons with Darrell Kalmbach instructing us, we have lost a few students, but the active students are doing great, and we do appreciate the angel dancers that are helping.
• We decorated the hall for Valentines, and the dance was enjoyable.
• Our dance on February 21st was for the Presidents Day, and we had pies and other food at the break. We had a variety of pies including two pizzas, and a good time was eating them.
• Check out the non-profit organization http://www.squaredancerevival.org. They are trying to bring back Square Dance and Round dance to what it was years ago. They are pointing out the benefits like fitness, brain health, social interaction, and other factors.
• The Sunset Promenaders earned $131 for helping the TVC putting on the New Years Eve Dinner and Dance, and the Club decided to give it back to the TVC because the TVC has extremely limited income since the Pandemic.
April Club Activities:
• Clubs’ April Plus dances are on the 2nd, 16th, 30th and the Mainstream dances are on the 4th and 18th.
• Mainstream lessons are continuing through April into May on each Sunday, “Angels” are welcome; the times are 2:00 to 4:00 at the IOOF Hall in Hillsboro.
• The Club’s Mainstream dance on April 4th is our Easter Dance with Gospel Songs, and we will have Randy Lewis as a guest cuer.
• April 18th dance theme is “Hillbilly Hoedown” and we plan to have biscuits, gravy at the 9:30 break.
For current information, please see our website: https://sunsetpromenaders.com/. (see link above)
Tom & Janice Sminia
April 2 (1st Thu)
April 16 (3rd Thu)
April 18 (3rd Sat)
April 30 (5th Thu)
Our Mardi Gras dance on February 27th was another highlight, with ten clubs represented. The evening was full of festive energy, with costumes, masks, and plenty of beads. We hope you’ll come visit us soon! Here are our upcoming dances:
• Spring Fling – March 27th – Wear your best spring colors
• Grace Notes – April 10th – Enjoy some of the best gospel music
• Rock the Night – April 24th – Share your favorite artist
If you’re able to join us for Spring Fling, we will be accepting donations for Good Neighbor Center in Tigard. Here is a list of items they currently need.
We also have our annual meeting planned for April 19 at Murrayhill Taphouse in Beaverton. This is when we elect new board members and enjoy a fun day together as a club.
I hope to see you dancing soon!
Renee Ramig
On Friday, February 6th, we welcomed Mark Wheeler to the microphone with Connie Clark cueing. The dancers had a great time stepping through the calls, and the music kept toes tapping all evening.
Then on Saturday, February 21st, Scott Zinser returned to call, once again joined by Connie Clark cueing. It was good to have Scott back, and the floor stayed busy with lively squares and plenty of smiles.
Looking ahead to April, please note that our Friday, April 3rd dance is cancelled. We’ll be dark for Good Friday, so enjoy the evening with family, friends, or perhaps a little extra practice in the living room (furniture permitting).
But don’t hang up your dancing shoes for long! Our Saturday, April 18th dance is still a go, with Scott Zinser returning to call and Connie Clark cueing. That should be a great night to gather the squares again.
And mark your calendars now: our 77th Anniversary Dance will be on Friday, May 1st. Seventy-seven years of dancing is quite an achievement, and clearly we’ve had plenty of practice swinging our partners!
As always, everyone is welcome to join us for an evening of fun, friendship, and a little exercise disguised as dancing.
We hope to see you in a square soon!
Carolene Siebert
A quick tip for visitors: there is no on-site parking and very little street parking at the center. However, the very large Safeway parking lot directly across the street has plenty of space and is only a short walk away. Think of it as a good warm-up before the first “circle left.”
We usually dance every Tuesday afternoon, and we’re pleased to have Terry Halley calling on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays each month. Terry keeps the dancers moving, the music lively, and occasionally reminds us which way is actually “left.” We are still working on finding callers for the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, but the search continues, after all, square dancers are patient people. We can wait through a long promenade, a couple extra swing-thrus, and sometimes even a missed call or two.
As always, food and snacks are part of the Wavesteppers tradition. Some dancers claim they come for the exercise, but the snack table seems to stay just as popular as the dance floor. Rumor has it that a few people can hear the words “refreshment break” from three calls away.
If you’re in the area on a Tuesday afternoon, come join us. Whether you glide through every figure smoothly or occasionally create a brand-new move the caller didn’t plan, you’ll find friendly faces, good music, and plenty of laughter. Around here we believe square dancing is great exercise for both the body and the memory, especially when trying to remember which hand you’re supposed to give next.
We hope to see you in the square soon!
For up to date information see: https://www.wavesteppers.org/. (See above link)
Lynda Sherman
