Monthly Archives: July 2018

National Square Dance Convention

Another National Square Dance Convention has come, been enjoyed, and has ended. It was a wonderful 4 days with lots of dancing and friendship. Some of the highlights include the following:

  • A delicious dinner on Wednesday evening followed by a wonderful show featuring Duke Mason and the Duke Mason Band. Duke sang a great variety of 50’s & 60’s music and there was lots of dancing and hand clapping and singing along.
  • A large group of enthusiastic, wonderful young people who filled the youth hall with their laughter and fun and also danced with us older dancers to give us a little more vitality to our dancing.
  • Educational sessions with panels and seminars on everything from how to recruit new students & members to making your square dances more fun to the how-to’s of insurance. And the Sew & Save Room had lots of raffle items to give away, including several ready-made dresses and a new sewing machine.
  • A Caller-Lab which ran from Sunday through Tuesday and saw more than 60 callers participating and learning more about calling from leaders Tony Oxendine and Jack Pladdys, among others.
  • A fun Flash-Mob Square Dance Party, which included stops to dance at four locations in the city—the Barney Allis Plaza in front of the Marriott Hotel, the beautiful and touching World War I Memorial, the Union Train Station, and the Art Museum. There were three busloads of dancers to show off our fun activity with great calling by Hunter Keller & Joe Saltel.
  • Also, a Round Dance Clinic with teaching sessions by Stuart Lewis & Fay Samborsky and others; a Fashion Show (Stylin’ to Kansas City Jazz); several Tours, and Trail Thru & Trail In Dances……..

And, most importantly, lots of dancing with halls for Mainstream, Plus, Advanced, DBD, Hex, Contra, Line and Round Dancing. And many talented wonderful callers, cuers and line dance leaders.

And now looking forward to another great time in Atlanta in 2019!

Please see below for a few pictures. If you have any that you would like posted on this site, please send to me, Jane Jones at janedancer55@gmail.com

Dancing to the Ghost Riders Band

Parade of States at the Closing Ceremony

Flash Mob Dance at the Union Train Station

Flash Mob Dance at the World War I Memorial

Visiting the Kansas City Outdoor Market