Autumn, the time of year for a change of seasons, cooler weather, back to school and Square Dance Lessons. I am hoping everyone who has their lessons starting in the fall is having great success in the number of students this year. As we all know, this is the way we can grow and expand our dance community. Part of that is being welcoming to the new students and making them feel comfortable and at ease. And it is the first year of teaching the new list of mainstream calls. Wishing success to everyone.
Robert Swee
I wanted to take a moment to draw your attention to the flyer in advertising about the fund-raising dance for the Salem Square Dance Association which runs the Salem Square Dance Center. COVID hit them very hard, and they are running quite short of money. We can help them maintain this valuable resource by attending this benefit.
Click here to find out how to get your information into the OFN, including dances, lessons, photos, flyers, advertisements, and caller/cuer information.
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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:
October 4 -- Dancing Friends
October 23 -- High Desert Dancers
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.
One question I've heard from some dancers is whether traditional square dance attire is required at Mid-Winter Festival. The answer is simple: No.
Mid-Winter follows the same dress code guidance as the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs: Square dance attire is admired, but not required.
If you enjoy wearing western shirts, petticoats, traditional skirts, or dresses, wonderful! If you're more comfortable in pants, casual clothing, or tennis shoes, that's wonderful too. Hats are welcome, shoes are requested, and the fairgrounds do not impose any specific dress code requirements.
We do ask everyone to be considerate of fellow dancers by practicing good personal hygiene and avoiding heavily scented perfumes, colognes, or lotions.
Most importantly, we want you to join us and have a great time. Friendship, fun, and dancing are far more important than what's hanging in your closet. If traditional square dance attire isn't your style, please don't let that keep you from attending. Come in clothing that allows you to dance comfortably and safely.
As Chairwoman, my biggest concern is that everyone feels welcome, stays safe, and enjoys the festival. We hope to see you on the dance floor!
Square dancing is friendship set to music, and there's a place for everyone at Mid-Winter.
Brooke Davison
Chairwoman MWF 2027
I want to thank everyone for the cards and all those who were able to attend the memorials. Your presence was a great tribute to a great lady.
Please accept a great, great thank you.
Bob Bosch
Hello dancers, the time is here, the Heshtags have arrived. Thursday, October 1st at the Salem Square Dance Center at 12:30 pm. My original letter announcing this was pointed to dancers who cannot or will not drive at night anymore. I want you all to know that ALL dancers who are available are welcome!
If you are retired, come on out. If you are working and want to take the afternoon off work, come on out. We will definitely be dancing on the 1st, the 8th and 15th of October. Then, we will see if we have enough interest to keep going. I hope we do.
Share this with your friends who may not subscribe to the OFN.
Hope to see you in October!
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 October 2026 Oregon Round of the Month has been chosen by the Tualatin Valley Council:
"Together Hand in Hand", Phase II+1 Waltz (Interrupted Box), choreographed by Shigeyuki & Miwae Yamashita. The song is performed by Ross Mitchell and his Band on the album "25 Top Waltzes".
For more information on the Round of the Month, please contact .
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.
November 15 (3rd Sun)
November 19 (3rd Thu)
November 21 (3rd Sat)
November 30 (5th Mon)
December 7 (1st Mon)
December 14 (2nd Mon)
December 21 (3rd Mon)
September 25 (4th Fri)
October 2 (1st Fri)
October 3 (1st Sat)
October 17 (3rd Sat)
October 23 (4th Fri)
December 31 (5th Thu)
February 7 (1st Sun)
May 28 (4th Fri)
June 4 (1st Fri)Click a thumbnail to download the flyer.
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October 17 (3rd Sat)
October 2 (1st Fri)
Our next CCCA dance happens to fall on Halloween. Costumes are encouraged, and prizes will be given. So, plan now and join us on Halloween at 7:00.
Christina Corelli
Our newly graduated advanced dancers are attempting to come as often as they can to master the advanced moves they all learned last spring. Once in a while with their help we get to dance two squares on the floor and of course the more people dancing the more fun is to e had. So, please consider joining us on a given Sunday from 1:30 to 3:30 in Hall B of the Emerald Square Dance Center.
We were all saddened to learn that long time advanced dancer Vonda Clayton had passed away not very long after entering an assisted living residence called The Esther. Vonda had been dancing advanced since she learned it back in the late 1990’s. With some dancers passing and some moving away we watched our numbers decrease which is why we are all so happy to have some new members join our ranks. Our continued thanks to Kathleen and Fred Beisse for keeping advanced and challenge dancing alive in the Emerald Empire.
Check our website for our tentative dance schedule—cas-sd.yola.site.com.
Keep on dancing,
Gaynor Hint Z
On September 28 the caller is Darrell Kalmbach, and the cuer is Sandy Harris.
October 23, a Friday night, the caller is K.C. Curtis, and the cuer is Julia Buchheit. This is a Halloween Dance.
On Saturday dance nights the caller is Roger Putzler with Christina Corelli cueing. September 19 is a Pirates Dance in case you are reading this in time for that dance. Come dressed appropriately if you want.
All dances are still located at the Emerald Dance Center at 2095 Yolanda in Springfield, OR 97477.
The cost for dancing is $8 a person or $20 for a family of 3 or more--a real incentive to get your family dancing! The more the merrier!
The treasurer for our newly merged club was Connie Seamans who recently had cancer surgery and is recovering. Thoughts and prayers for Connie's healing and back to dance business! She's a tireless worker and much appreciated.
Dana Heine has worked hard with so many aspects of the new club it's hard to name them all. Thank you Dana! We look forward to dancing with you and Kevin!
One of our honorary members, Joy Pitts, had a stroke recently and is at home recovering. Her niece, Janet Geiger, has moved back home to take care of Joy. Thoughts and prayers for both Joy and Janet!
Another honorary member, long-time dancer, Zola Jones ended up at McKenzie-Willamette, then rehab and finally at home with Home Health Care. It was discovered Zola had Listeria which is a blood-bone infection which comes from food. It can be any food, but thank goodness her doctor at McKenzie-Willamette was bound and determined to figure it out. Continued thoughts and prayers for Zola's quick recovery. She is still doing her job as the area delegate and even had answers for me regarding insurance for honorary members.
Another member, Melba Walker, is back to driving and helps out her sister, Joy Pitts, and niece, Janet Geiger who is visually impaired. Melba started out with shoulder surgery, followed by a broken neck, then a broken wrist and then, most recently, a broken ankle in June while at the Buckeroo Rondup. Each time she healed and recovered.
The rest of us are looking forward to a new dance season and dancing with each and every one of you!
Happy Dancing!
Christina Corelli
We had a special caller from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kris Jensen on Sept. 13.. Kris's brother, Kurt, is a member of Spin Cycle Squares and lives in Eugene with his wife Lorna. We are having another special caller, Dan Preedy, from Washington state on September 20 so if you are reading this before Sept. 20, please plan on comng to join us.
We are keeping Joy Pitts in our thoughts. Joy suffered a stroke a while ago ago and is unable to walk or stand, but her prognosis is fairly positive as Joy was always actively dancing and doing lots of other things as well. Her niece, Janet Geiger, came up from southern Oregon to be with Joy and take care of her. Our best wishes and support to both Joy and Janet.
We look forward to guests. We always have snacks and a chance to visit as well. Please come and join us!
Christina Corelli
October 31 (5th Sat)
Come to our October10th Puzzle Exchange Dance and take home some “new to you” puzzles and games. Bring one, take one! Or two, or three! IWW is also looking forward to making 2 visitations this Fall.
IWW is pleased to be hosting the 1st New Dancer Dance of the season on November 7th at 6:30.
Mainstream lessons start September 13 from 6-7:30 p.m.
Rosemary Grieser, Reporter
October 3 (1st Sat)
October 10 (2nd Sat)
October 3 (1st Sat)
October 9 (2nd Fri)
We will discuss as the season progresses what rhythm in Phase 3 we want to teach in February.
We have Mainstream and Plus lessons beginning on September 9th. Randy Dibble will be teaching the New Caller Lab lists
Our Annual Corn & Cluck Dance will be on September 18th. Wind up chicken races will once again be the highlight of the night. We will start the evening with a Chicken and Corn on the Cob dinner, then we will dance all of those calories off.
There will be three dances in October, including our 5th Friday Halloween Dance on October 30th. Prizes for best costumes will be awarded so get your thinking caps on, dress up and join us.
Sheila Machado
Mainstream lessons will begin September 21st at 7PM at the IOOF Hall in Albany there’s still time to attend.
Judy Russell
October 2 (1st Fri)
October 18 (3rd Sun)
October 31 (5th Sat)
Our next PAC dance will be Friday, October 30 at Oak Grove. Caller will be Mike Kious and cuer will be Tami Helms. Time to preview your Halloween costume! We dance from 7-9:30 pm.
Here’s the schedule for the Harvest Moon Dance:
7 pm Pre-Rounds Phase 2,3,4 7:15 Introduction of officers 7:30 Mainstream & Rounds 9:45 Plus tip.
Our regular fifth Wednesday dance on September 30 will feature caller Mark Wheeler and cuer Tami Helms. On October 7, Darrell Kalmbach will call, and Tami Helms will cue. And on October 21, George Hermann will call, and Tami Helms will cue. Come and enjoy dancing to this great group of callers and cuers.
B ‘n’ Bs dance first, third, and fifth Wednesdays at Abernethy Grange, 15745 S. Harley Ave, Oregon City. Our regular dances start with a Plus tip at 7:00, Pre-Rounds at 7:15, and Mainstream from 7:30-9:30, followed by announcements. We’ll have lessons on Wednesday nights from 6-7 pm. Come early and be angels.
Melissa 360-904-7419 Jay 503-655-7163
October 7 (1st Wed)
October 21 (3rd Wed)
Chaps and Petticoats next dance is September 18 with Connie Clark cuei beginning 7:30pm and Darrell Kalmback will call MS from 8-10 PM (Rounds between tips) at the Maplewood Grange.
This weekend is extremely busy as the Bachelor and Bachelorettes of the Portland Area Council (PAC) on September 19 will host the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dance Clubs (OFSRDC) at the Abernethy Grange in Oregon City. See Flyer in the September 2026 OFN under Federation Events … the Dance will include two Callers (Randy Dibble and Dan Preedy) and two Cuers (Tami Helms and Julie Stiers) and open with Pre-Rounds at 7:00pm. Come meet and greet your Federation Officers for next year at the 7:15pm introduction and enjoy Mainstream (and Plus) dancing beginning 7:30pm. What a night, then the next morning, September 20th the Board meeting begins at 9:00am - public is invited to attend this meeting.
Chaps will offer two FREE square dance Lesson nights, with Scott Zinser, from 6-8 PM at the Maplewood Grange beginning Sunday, September 27th & October 4th as well. Angels, you are welcome to bring a friend to this class, as we are getting started a little later this season, so our lesson might be review for your students.
On October 2nd Scott Zinser will open the Chaps and Petticoats ‘PIRATE Dance’ with Pre-Plus at 7:30 PM, MS is called 8-10 PM and Lane Clem will cue between tips. Ahoy mateys, come join us or walk the plank.
Do join us and have fun,
Betty Chipps
October 2 (1st Fri)
The Cut-ups have had a very busy September! We started lessons and had 15 students on our first night in class. Our Bingo at the Barn has also started back up. We also did a visitation to River City Dancers on September 12 and had a great time.
We have a club dance coming up on September 26 with Scott Zinser calling and Julie Stiers cueing.
On October 3, we will have our 66th Anniversary Dance with Scott Zinser calling and Julie Stiers cueing.
Our club will be dark on October 24, as we will be attending Seaside Sashay! And Bingo will not be held on the 23rd.
Bingo at the Barn will be held September 25, October 9, and October 30.
Looking forward to seeing you in a square soon!
Lisa Coen
October 3 (1st Sat)
October 31 (5th Sat)
Our club plans their first session of (New Dancer) Mainstream and Plus lessons on Monday, September 14. Plus is at 6:30 pm, followed by (New Dancer) Mainstream at 7:30 pm. We are excited to welcome new people into our club to learn about Square Dancing. A big thank you in advance is extended to our members for being so supportive and encouraging. We hope to fill the dance floor with new lesson students, returning students, and club members.
October will be fast approaching, and Happy Hoppers will be hosting our first and third Saturday fun fall dances. Craig Abercrombie will be sharing his talents for the October 3 Plus dance with Rounds. He will also be with us on October 17 for our Mainstream with some Plus and Rounds. Mark your calendars ... both dances go from 7:00-9:30 pm. Fall-ow your hearts and come dance with the Happy Hoppers of Vancouver, WA.
We encourage our members to continue to travel and visit other clubs and festivals. Dance flyers are sent through club emails and are available in our flyer notebook at dances. Members are also encouraged to check social media sites to see current dance availability.
See you dancing,
Denise and Roz Buddenberg
October 3 (1st Sat)
October 17 (3rd Sat)
Once again Erin and Darrell Kalmbach hosted the River City Dancers annual Summer Potluck. Lots of good food. A fun time was had by all, and the weather was very nice!
The club’s Mainstream lessons will have started on September 20.
Please join us for our September 26 Western Dance. Wear your cowboy outfit and come have fun with the River City Dancers.
In October, we will only dance on the 10th. We will be dark on October 24 to attend the Seaside Sashay in Seaside. Hope to see you there.
Pat Young
October 10 (2nd Sat)
Happy Dancing!
October 30 (5th Fri)
October brings with it more dancing opportunities for us as a club. On October 3rd we have our “Let’s Go Nuts” dance to celebrate the Peanuts comic strip origin. This is a Mainstream dance with Plus tips with Chuck Simpkins calling. There are no Rounds this evening. Squares start at 7:30PM. On October 17th at 7PM we have our Black Cat Boogie dance with Elaine Funk cueing the Rounds and Chuck Simpkins calling alternating Mainstream & Plus squares starting at 7:30PM. Then we have the Sunday Stomp that the Charlie Brown Squares are sponsoring with Chuck Simpkins. This is a Mainstream & Plus dance that starts at 2PM on Sunday October 25th.
If you’re in the area, please come dance and have fun with us, we’d love to have you!
The TVC 5th Saturday dance, 'Dancing In The Park', was held at the Harleman Park in Cornelius on August 29th. The 46 attendees helped George Hermann celebrate his birthday as he called the event with Julie Stiers cueing. The picnic prior to the dance was enjoyed as the weather cooperated nicely. Depending on reviews we may do this on an annual basis.
The Council highly recommends that all TVC dancers attend the anniversary dances held by other member clubs. On October 3rd the Sunset Promenaders will celebrate their 41st anniversary featuring Darrell Kalmbach calling and Tami Helms cueing. Held at the Hillsboro IOOF Hall, a ham dinner will be served prior to the dance. Then on the 17th, Mix 'N Mingle will celebrate their 42nd anniversary at the Winona Grange. There will be cake and M&M's with Darrell Kalmbach calling and Stephanie Lozano cueing. See their OFN flyers and reports below for details.
Two TVC clubs, Hayshakers and Sunset Promenaders, are sponsoring the annual Seaside Sashay on the weekend of October 23-24th. It is held at the Seaside Convention Center and features callers Hunter Keller & Steve Noseck with cuer Tami Helms. See OFN flyer for details.
Since the OFN is published on the 20th of the month, you still have time to plan on attending the TriSquares 28th anniversary on September 25th with Terry Halley & K.C. Curtis calling and cuer Sandra Pinion. It will be held at the Kinton Grange with Rounds at 7:00, Plus at 7:15, Mainstream and Rounds at 7:30 with 4th tip Plus.
Ferrous Steinka
As previously noted, the coming square dance season will be interesting to all dancers, both old and new. The recent changes in Caller Lab will require better listening skills, I believe. The “and” calls seem to make even us old timers pause. However, that makes dancing all the more fun and challenging.
The Columbia River Dancers will be having our Dances on October 2nd and the 16th. Since Daryl has been previewing the new calls, come and expect some fun. Just remember that it always is better to keep moving rather than stand still and get run over.
My wife and I will be cruising at the end of the month and will miss the Seaside Sashay for the first time in some years. Just because we are gone does not mean that we don’t wish that the weekend be a GREAT success. So if possible get there and dance one tip for us.
See you in a square.
Nick Johnson
October 2 (1st Fri)
October 16 (3rd Fri)
Eager Beavers who attended the TVC Dance in the Park on August 29th had a wonderful time, enjoying both a picnic and some fun dancing.
In October, we’ll celebrate two holidays: Columbus Day on October 12th and our annual Halloween Dance on October 26th. We’re looking forward to seeing lots of colorful Halloween costumes, as this dance always brings out the creativity in our club!
Many of our members will also head to the coast for the annual Seaside Sashay Festival on October 23-24th. It should be a fun and memorable time.
The Eager Beavers dance Plus every Monday at the Aloha Grange with Darrell Kalmbach calling, and Tami Helms or Lane Clem cueing Phase II and III Rounds on alternate Mondays. For current dancing information, please see our website at https://EagerBeavers.info. (see link above).
Alice Hendricks
October 5 (1st Mon)
October 26 (4th Mon)
We also had a wonderful time at our Hayshakers Club Picnic on August 23rd! Randy Pope was busy at the grill, flipping burgers while everyone enjoyed an amazing assortment of side dishes and plenty of yummy desserts. Good food, great friends, and square dancing, what more could we ask for?
Now we’re looking ahead to another exciting weekend, the Seaside Sashay on October 23rd & 24th at the Seaside Convention Center! We’re looking forward to dancing the weekend away with guest callers Hunter Keller & Steve Noseck and Cuer Tami Helms. It’s sure to be a fantastic weekend filled with great music, lots of dancing, and even more fun! Weather permitting; we’ll also take the dancing outside on Saturday morning at the Turnaround in Seaside, followed by more dancing Saturday afternoon at the Seaside Outlet Mall. So shine up those dancing shoes, grab your friends, and come join us at the Seaside Sashay!
We can’t wait to see you there!
Kathy Liebowitz
On August 22nd, we enjoyed a tropical getaway during our Hawaiian Luau Dance, where the Aloha spirit filled the hall from start to finish. The Grange turned into a festive island retreat thanks to the decorations and festive transforming the evening into a tropical getaway. A huge mahalo to all the volunteers who arrived early and stayed late, they make every dance possible. And of course, special thanks to Michael Kious for calling and Randy Lewis for cueing, who brought the rhythm of the islands to every tip. We were also delighted to welcome several familiar faces we haven’t seen in a while; it truly warmed our hearts to see our ohana together again.
October promises crisp autumn fun and a playful mix of seasonal spirit. We’ll kick off the month on October 10th with our Monster Dance, a lighthearted celebration of spooky charm and Halloween fun. Costumes, cobwebs, and creative flair are all welcome as we fill the hall with October magic. Michael Kious will be calling and Randy Lewis cueing, bringing all the lively energy needed to make the night spirited, colorful, and full of Hoedowner energy.
On October 24th, the Hoedowners will be dark as many of us head to Seaside, Oregon, for the Seaside Sashay. We’ll trade the Grange for ocean breezes, coastal charm, and a weekend full of dancing with Hunter Keller and Steve Noseck Calling and Tami Helms Cueing. We look forward to gathering again in November with more Hoedowner fun!
We look forward to seeing everyone on the dance floor as the Hoedowners continue making memories one tip at a time.
Sarah Richmond
October 10 (2nd Sat)
October 24 (4th Sat)
Lindie Noonan
October 17 (3rd Sat)
As of this writing, looking ahead, new dancers can join us for lessons on September 21st and 28th. The fee is $6.00, except for Oak Hills residents who pay $5.00.
In October, we are planning a Halloween-themed dance from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, which will include a split-the-pot raffle.
Lynne Fonner
Lessons that began in September are well underway and it’s great to see a room full of smiling faces as some attendees are learning to square dance and others are brushing up or are there as angels to help our new dancers feel welcome.
For additional information check us out on Facebook and Instagram, or see our website: https://r-square-d.info/. (see link above)
Chris Poole
October 9 (2nd Fri)• Our Caller Darrell Kalmbach is continuing teaching the new plus and mainstream calls that became effective in September. These changes are new to many and dancers are trying to learn them during our dances.
• Club Picnic August 15th at the Kalmbach home was a fun event with about 30 club members attending. Johnny and Tim cooked hamburgers furnished by Darrell and Erin as we all enjoyed the time relaxing and visiting. Thank you to Darrell and Erin for your hostility.
• August 15th dance theme of wearing your favorite T-shirt of places in the Northwest.
• We attended the TVC dance on August 29th, outdoors in the Cornelius Harleman Park.
October Club Activities:
• October’s mainstream dance is on the 3rd, and it is our 41st Anniversary celebration with a dinner before dancing. We are planning to have ham at 6:30 and the round dance at 7:00 and square dance from 7:30 to 9:30.
• Our normal mainstream dance on the 17th of October is DARK so we can visit the M and M’s club anniversary.
• We will be having Plus dances in October on the 1st, 15th, and 29th.
• Our Club dances are from 7:00 - 9:30 PM in Hillsboro at the Odd Fellows Hall, 167 E. Main St. We have a great dance floor, air conditioning, hearing enhancement, and an excellent dining hall. There is street parking and parking at the bank parking lot across the street. Besides having talented team calling and cueing, we have great cooks who furnish refreshments after the dance. Hope to see you soon.
For current information, please see our website: https://sunsetpromenaders.com/. (see link above)
Tom & Janice Sminia
October 3 (1st Sat)
October 23 (4th Fri)
We talked about the upcoming season of lessons and dancing and encouraged everyone to share the many benefits of square dancing with friends, family, and neighbors. We always love to welcome new dancers to our first two free introductory lessons.
We’re looking forward to a very special celebration, our 28th Anniversary Dance on September 25th! We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate another wonderful year of dancing, friendship, and fun with the Tri Squares. It’s sure to be a great evening, and we’d love to see you there!
Looking ahead to October, we’ll have just one dance, on October 23rd, our always-fun “Come as You Aren’t” Costume Dance. We’ll be dark on the second Friday, so mark your calendars now and start thinking about who, or what, you’ll come as!
There’s plenty to look forward to, so grab your dancing shoes and come join us. We can’t wait to see everyone on the dance floor!
I hope to see you on the dance floor soon!
Renee Ramig
October 23 (4th Fri)
We did a demonstration dance at the Tillamook County in August and Terry Halley did the calling for us.
The address of the Tillamook Senior Center is 316 Stillwell Avenue, Tillamook. Located on the corner of 4th and Stillwell there is no on site parking and little street parking. The huge Safeway parking lot is directly across the street. Our dances are held weekly on Tuesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 and we always have food and snacks.
For up to date information see our NEW webpage: https://www.wavesteppers.org/. (See above link)
Lynda Sherman
October 6 (1st Tue)