Please plan to join us for our 37^th annual Maple Sugar Square and Round Dance Festival to be held March 10 & 11, 2006 at the Frederick Tuttle Middle School in South Burlington, VT.

Calling will be the excellent staff of Ray Brendzy, Tim Crawford, Steve Kopman and Tom Miller. Returning to cue will be the wonderful Rick and Rosina Wagenhoffer. On hand to round out the program will be several popular guest callers. All levels from Mainstream to C-1 with C-2 star tips will be offered. Also included will be workshops, teaches for rounds and 2 step, and a rounds party.

Claudia’s Western Shoppe will be on hand for your shopping pleasure. Our snack bar will have a variety of free munchies with reasonably priced drinks and will be open for the entire Festival except for noon on Saturday, when we will offer a delicious homemade lunch in the cafeteria. Friday night will feature our traditional sugar on snow party. There will be door prizes, 50/50 drawings and an exceptional Chinese auction to add to the excitement of the weekend.

Please visit our website, www.maplesugardance.org, for additional information. Then mark your calendar!

ASK ARTS 4

(By Del Reed)  11/07/2005 

 Dear ARTS, 

 Our caller is asking for a donation of twenty-five cents per person at all of his weekly dances that he sends to ARTS-DANCE.  I have been contributing like this for several years and I actively supported a benefit dance in our area also.  I am eager to see some results for these contributions or do you expect us to keep on donating indefinitely towards this cause?  What has been done with the money and exactly what are you doing for the dance activity now? 

 Curious in California 

 Dear Curious, 

Let me personally thank you for your donations and participation in an ARTS Benefit dance.  Many dancers are still unaware of the existence of The ARTS.  I am pleased to tell you that ARTS-DANCE has already accomplished several major projects!

 *  ARTS-DANCE has become a tax-exempt IRS 501 © (3) corporation based in North Carolina with a full slate of dedicated officers. 

 *  The toll-free telephone number, 1-866-445-ARTS(2787), is now up and running for the public to access current information on Round, Traditional and Square dancing nationwide.  It provides contact information useful to potential new dancers and also to current dancers looking for dance locations in areas where they are traveling. 

 *  A demographic survey of dancers was developed and conducted at the National Square Dance in Denver, CO, in 2004, and Portland, OR this past summer, and will be repeated in Charlotte, NC in 2007.  These contain vital information needed when we approach companies and organizations for sponsorships and grants. 

 *   In addition, ARTS-DANCE issued its first grant in the amount of $1,000 to the California Square Dance Council, Inc., for its "Teach the Teacher" program, an educational package that will serve as a pilot program for use in other states. 

 Future plans for a nationwide marketing effort will be costly, but well worth the money invested.  Don't forget to visit us at www.arts-dance.org for even more input on how your valued donations are being handled. 

 ARTS 

 Please direct any questions for ASK ARTS to Del Reed at 321-633-1306, or e-mail at delreed3@aol.com.  This column is the idea of Aileen Pichecho (new individual member of ARTS-DANCE) after attending the October 2004 ARTS meeting in Orlando, FL as a guest and observer.  Its purpose is to spread the word about the organization to all dancers. 

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     LEGACY, the Leadership, Heritage and Communication Resource Center of the Square Dance Activity, continued its mission by inviting chairmen and representatives from its Affiliate Members & all of the major national organizations to its annual Summit meeting June 28, 2002 at the NSDC in St. Paul. MN.  Representatives from CALLERLAB and its Foundation, Colorado State Council, EDSARDA, the 53rd NSDC, IAGSDC, Legacy, Lloyd Shaw Foundation, OverSeas Dancers Ass'n, Rocky Mountain Dancers, ROUNDALAB, State Council of Illinois SD Ass'n, SD Foundation of New England, URDC and USDA were in attendance.. 
     It was a time for sharing projects and questions.  The Rocky Mountain Dancers from Colorado, a youth program that uses the aerial figures of the Cheyenne Mountain Dancers in its exhibitions, wanted information about other organizations' Youth Programs.  USDA mentioned that due to its successful insurance program, credit card & new prescription card they have been able to share profits with the Handicapable & Youth committees as well as provide all their publications free.  Their latest one being on the Henzel Recruitment Plan.  They are working on a Home Schooling booklet. ROUNDALAB is evaluating ways to work with other organizations to promote the SID activity.  The IAGSDC are conducting a gay callers teaching course and developing a program to help new clubs get started.  The Lloyd Shaw Foundation has a tremendous collection of records and historical material available dealing with the many facets of the SD Activity.  They've put together several kits to help teach SD in schools.  Visitors are always welcome at their Archival & Dance Center .... as well as at the SID Foundation of New England.  The Denver area of Colorado is working on teaching tapes and has an active marketing program underway. 
     Callerlab's Chairman talked about the Phoenix Plan, the ARTS and the Foundation.  Although still in the planning stages, the major organizations have expressed their interest and their support of the concept.  The hardest part is going to be to communicate all that is happening down to the average dancer. 
     The Legacy Co-Chairman, Wendy VanderMeulen, then mentioned that the LEGACY trustees after much thought have decided their organization has accomplished what its founders set out to do in 1973 ... which was to assist other organizations covering the many facets within the Activity get established and grow.  Legacy has also achieved other goals since it began, but feels it is now time to cease operations.  The next growth phase of all these organizations is to work toqether for the betterment of the Activity.  Legacy feels the ARTS Program offers this opportunity as its membership is expected to be made up of representatives from the many facets within the Activity.  Legacy encourages all organizations to lend their support to this effort. 
     The Summit meeting ended with a special presentation of the Legacy Heritage Award.  Bob & Dottie Elgin and Doc & Peg Tirrell were honored for their outstanding contributions and distinguished service to the Square Dance Activity.

     During the 51st National Square Dance Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota discussions were held to initiate the formation of an Alliance of the National Square Dance Organizations. The first informal meeting between members of CALLERLAB and the United Square Dancers of America was held on Saturday, June 29th in the USDA Hospitality Room at the Radisson Hotel beginning at 10:30 P.M. 
     Representatives of the CALLERLAB Foundation and the USDA Alliance Committee were present.  The initial discussion centered on establishing an understanding of the operational structures of the CALLERLAB Foundation and USDA 
     The CALLERLAB Foundation is administered by a 25 Member Board of Directors. This CALLERLAB Board Of Governors also serve as the Foundation Board. The Board is responsible for setting general policies and operating procedures.  CALLERLAB is Committee driven - consisting of 30 Standing Committees - which develop programs for presentation to the BOG and to the General Membership for adoption and implementation. 
     The United Square Dancers of America, which is made up of affiliate organizations (i.e. state and regional dancer groups who are represented by up to four directors per state) likewise functions through the actions of its elected Executive Committee - President, Four Regional Vice Presidents (Eastern, Central, Plains and Western), Secretary, Treasurer and appointed Committees. 
     Both the USDA and CALLERLAB have strong educational programs for the development of leaders within the Square Dance activity. The USDA educational program takes the form of pamphlets on various subjects dealing with the management of clubs and associations. These tri-fold pamphlets and booklets are distributed free at the Show Case of Ideas during the National Convention and may be downloaded from the USDA website at usda.org. Within CALLERLAB there are educational programs for the development of techniques to improve calling skills and to enhance dancer enjoyment. 
     Strong emphasis on youth is prevalent within each group. During the 2002 National Convention USDA released its Youth Training Video for use in schools to demonstrate the various square dance movements to facilitate teaching youth to square dance. CALLERLAB is also developing materials for use by teachers to present modern American Square Dancing to school children. A new program is being implemented by CALLERLAB is the utilization of retired teachers to return to the classroom to teach Square Dancing to America's Youth, 
     Ideas were discussed where The CALLERLAB Foundation, USDA and the other National Square Dance Organizations could work together in an Alliance. These ideas included:

• Formation of Joint Committees 
• Marketing 
• Collection of demographic information 
• Promotional Efforts 
• National Folk Dance Campaign 
• Fund Raising - Grant Development

• Fall Meeting in Cocoa Beach, Florida - Hosted by CALLERLAB Foundation 
• Winter Meeting in Washington D.C. - Hosted by USDA 
• CALLERLAB Convention Meeting - San Antonio, Texas 
• National Convention Meeting - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Grand Square Inc. debuts new square dance magazine, SQUARE DANCING TODAY 

   Charlotte, NC – July 11, 2002 - The first issue of a new quarterly square dance magazine, Square Dancing Today "hit the stands" in June 2002. 
  Square Dancing Today was to be offered free of charge to all square dancers.  For further information,  advertising rates, or to be put on our subscription list, please fill out the following and e-mail it to sqdancingtoday@aol.com or you may fax it to 704-375-7373 or snail mail at:  Square Dancing Today   1100 East Morehead Street   Suite 100, Charlotte, NC   28204   phone 704-375-0354

  International Subscription Information:    Our original intent at Square Dancing Today was to be able to ship the magazine absolutely free to subscribers all over the world. However, due to the overwhelming response that we have received from dancers  worldwide (and for reasons explained below), it has become  impossible for us to mail Square Dancing Today postage-free  internationally. We will have to charge our international subscribers  postage costs.  Unfortunately, this  discounted rate is not applicable to destinations outside of the continental US. 
   If you would like to receive Square Dancing Today, please send a check for the postage amount listed below (or more if you would like to help us defray expenses) to our Charlotte, NC office. Or, if you like, you may use your VISA or Master Card through our on-line secured  e-commerce site.                     Canada - $11 USD          All Other Countries - $25 USD 
   GSI will be applying for several US grants to help offset the postage costs. If any grant monies come through, and/or if the advertising  income becomes adequate, we will ship the magazine postage-free to all of our subscribers. 
   If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at our office or via email (tony@squaredancingtoday.com) . All of us at Square Dancing Today are extremely proud of our magazine, and we hope that you will be able to be a part of our  family.