Board
Members
Gary and Kathy Willmes 343-3309
Henry Olivier and Linda Splittstoesser 399-9813
Dennis and Arlene Wilkerson 255-4383
Don and Elaine Reed 343-8929
Dan and Ronalda Driscoll 348-2557
Treasurer – Dan Driscoll 348-2557
Committees
Cards: Kathy Goodrich-Willmes 343-3309
Telephone/E-mail/Newsletter & Web page -
Donald Reed
(reed_de@hotmail.com) 343-8929
Membership:
Elaine Reed 343-8929
Practice:
Linda Splittstoesser 399-9813
Public Relations: Terry Marvin 341-1285
Area Representatives
Belle Fourche /
Deadwood / Lead / Spearfish
Sturgis / Whitewood / Vale
Patrica Hofer - 644-1649
Rapid City
Arlene and Dennis Wilkerson 255-4383
Linda Splittstoesser 399-9813
The Board of Trustees
includes all elected positions at large, area representatives, and the last
past president. If your area appoints a
new representative contact the president so he/she can be included.
Advertising Rates
Business card ad (card only, no larger
than 2 inches)
Non-member $45/12 or $25/6
Business card (member) $1 per issue
Full page ad $15.00 per issue
Half page ad $7.50 per issue
Per column inch $1.50 per issue
Fliers $.03 (150 flier minimum)
Send payment
with a brief worksheet explaining your figures to Dakota Territory Dance Club,
ATTN: Treasurer, PO Box 9583, Rapid City, SD
57709.
Newsletter
article deadline is the 20th of the month previous to publication. Contact a
board member or send information to Dakota Territory Dance Club % Newsletter
Chairman, PO Box 9583, Rapid City, SD 57701
CHECK
OUR WEBSITE:
http://rap.midco.net/reedde/www
Notes From the board
Welcome to a new dance year! We hope everyone has had a great
summer. The Dakota Territory Dance Club
Board met on Monday, August 21, 2006 for a planning meeting and discussion of
proposed changes to the dance lesson format.
Henry and Linda have agreed to
continue giving dance lessons on Tuesday evenings from October through May at
the Canyon Lake Senior Citizen Center’s Viking Hall. Remember to thank them
for continuing to volunteer their time and talents!
The new format for
dance lessons this year will offer lessons on a monthly basis. We will be
offering instruction in a different dance each month. All dancers will pay for the month’s lessons on the first Tuesday
of the month. The price ($3 per person
per evening) remains the same. It’s
a wonderful value and supplies enough revenue to pay for renting the hall. That means if there are five Tuesdays in a
month such as we have in October, the lessons that month will cost $15 per
person. We also are returning to the previous schedule of offering beginner
level lessons (basic footwork and moves with lots of repetition and practice)
at 7:00 p.m. and intermediate level (no review of basic footwork and more
advanced moves, patterns and technique) at 8:00 p.m. Again, those taking the beginner class may stay for the
intermediate class without additional charge.
The lesson during the second hour, however will be at the intermediate
level with more advanced moves.
The reason for the
changes to the lesson format is to provide more continuity and to assist all
dancers in progressing within their skill level. It also simplifies the fee collection process and bookkeeping. You do not have to attend every lesson in
the month but we will be charging on a monthly basis. Although our schedule last year encouraged “drop-ins” to attend
for one lesson at a time, it did tend to take time away from others who
attended the entire month, as basic steps and moves needed to be reviewed for
new attendees. We hope you will really
enjoy the new format, no matter what level your dancing is at, as it allows you
to receive continuous instruction for an entire month.
This year our annual September dance night will be held at
the Moose Lodge. Rick Borger’s German
Band will be playing on Saturday, September 30th at 8:00 p.m. DTDC members and friends are encouraged to
come before the dance to enjoy a meal of traditional German foods served
between 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person. We hope to see all
DTDC members there!
Thanks again to Linda
and Henry for sharing their skills and enthusiasm for dance! They will be teaching basic 2-Step and
Jitterbug in October; basic footwork and moves from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. and intermediate
level from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
The next DJ dance will
be on Friday, October 13th (8:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) at the Moose
Lodge. (No charge; donations only). Be sure to mark it on your calendar! And just a reminder to singles, be sure to
attend! We need more singles to attend
so everyone can enjoy all the dances.
Don’t forget to attend
the monthly DJ dances now held at the Canyon Lake Senior Center Viking Hall
on the last Friday of each month. The
next dance is on Friday, September 29th from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
(Admission is $5 per person). A free dance lesson is held at 7:30 p.m. prior to
the dance. These dances are hosted by
Debbie Ellerton, of Heartland Dancing.
Please mark December 3rd
on your calendar, the date for our annual DTDC Christmas Dinner/Dance at the
Moose Lodge. Midnight Sun will be playing after a potluck
dinner at noon.
august,
2006 Meeting Minutes
Dakota
Territory Dance Club
August
21, 2006
The DTDC Board held a brief meeting to review
the current Treasurer’s Report and complete planning for the coming dance
year. Board members reached consensus
on charging for dance lessons on a monthly basis. The price will remain the same, $3 per person per evening. The
charge will be $15 per person for months having 5 Tuesdays. For months having 4 Tuesdays, the charge
will be $12 per person.
Linda and Henry will instruct a different dance
each month providing beginner level at 7:00 p.m. and intermediate level at 8:00
p.m.
Henry reported that the Moose Club, will be
hosting the annual German Fest on the weekend of September 29-30. The board reached consensus on having the
DTDC September dance activity at the Moose on Saturday, September 30th. DTDC members and friends can opt to come
before the dance for a German meal and dance to Rick Borger’s German Band.
Henry reported confirmation of the Midnight Sun
Band for the annual Christmas Dance to be held 12/03/06.
Henry and Linda will continue to provide DJ
music at the Moose Lodge on the 2nd Friday of each month, beginning
in October. These dances begin at 8:30
p.m. and end around 11:00 p.m.
The board reached consensus on changing the
monthly board meeting to the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. before
the dance lesson at Canyon Lake Senior Citizens Center, Viking Hall. Board members will then assist in
registering dancers for the month and collecting the monthly dance fees
Treasurer’s Report:
Dan Driscoll reported
a current balance of $891.94.
Expenses remitted:
P.O. Box rent
50.00
ASCAP dues 193.00
PRACTICE
THE DANCE CLUB NEEDS YOU & YOU & YOU! We can’t have too many people!
We hope you like our change in the lesson format this year. We will be working off a pre-set schedule of
dances for each month. October dance lessons will feature Two Step and
Jitterbug. These dances are easy to
learn yet can be danced with more complex footwork, moves and patterns as
well. The beginner level lessons will
address the basic footwork and basic moves of both dances from 7:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. The intermediate level
lessons will offer you the opportunity to learn more complex moves and
patterns. This session runs from 8:00
p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Cost for the lessons
is $3 per person, per evening, with dancers paying on a monthly basis. Our lessons are held in the Viking Hall at
the Canyon Lake Senior Citizen’s Center, on Tuesday evenings, October through
April, with a break in December.
We plan to offer Cha-cha in November;
Waltz, Polka and other “old time” dances in January; East Coast
Swing and Jitterbug in February; Cha-cha in March; 2-Step and Waltz in April
and a review of all the previous dances in May.
We need volunteers for everything!!! Speaking of volunteers if
any would like to volunteer to teach a move at the second class please get a
hold of me. If you have never done this kind of thing before and would like to
try it now is the time. Again just call me. That's all from my corner.
We need
single men and women!
Linda Splittstoesser, Henry
Olivier
Practice Chairmen
Email
We appreciate all of the E-mail addresses we have now. It has saved many hours on the phone when notifying members of club activities. More addresses can save more time. We encourage those of you who have not shared your E-mail address with us, to do so.
Send
your E-mail address to: reed_de@hotmail.com
Membership News
Membership Due Dates are printed on the
newsletter-mailing label “Membership Due” is stamped on
newsletters the month previous to and the month of your membership due date. “Last
Newsletter” is used the month after your due date. E-mail recipients
will receive a follow up memo
regarding their due date. Please use the
attached membership registration form to send your renewal ($15/ person.)
Encourage
your friends to join us.
See
you on the dance floor!
Elaine Reed,
Membership Chairman
Member
Profile
A
“motley krew” attending the Colorado Country Classic,
June 2006
UPCOMING EVENTS:
9/01 – 9/03/06 Big Sky Polka Fest
Billings, MT
9/08 – 9/09/06 Annual Polka Festival
Canyon Lake Senior Center Viking Hall
Rapid City, SD
9/08/06, 10/07/06, 11/04/06
Dance Steps, Grand Island, NE, presents Argentine Tango Lessons
with Shelley Fritz
http://www.dancestepsonline.com
9/09/06 2nd
Annual Dance Workshop
Billings, MT
9/15 - 9/16/06
Fall German Fest, with Polka bands from 4:00 p.m. – midnight
Keystone, SD
9/15 – 9/17/06
Polka Fest, Mitchell, SD
Enjoy great bands playing your favorite
waltzes, fox trots and polkas. No partner? Don't worry, singles tables are
available plus you can participate in many mixer dances. Dance on two 55 x 90
ft. hardwood floors. In addition to wonderful music and dancing you can also
enjoy our complete concessions areas serving food, beer and mixed drinks. www.cornpalacefestival.com
9/28/06 – 10/01/06
Dance Fiesta, Albuquerque, NM
9/29/06, 10/27/06, 11/24/06, 12/29/06, 1/26/07
DJ Dances, Hosted by Debbie Ellerton, Heartland Dancing
Canyon Lake Senior Center Viking Hall
7:30 p.m. free lesson
8:00 p.m. – 11.00 p.m. – DJ Dance
9/29 –
10/01/06
10th
Annual Twin cities Rebels Swing Challenge
9/30/06
DTDC Annual September Dance/Dinner at the Rapid City Moose Lodge
German Fest; Rick Borger Band 8:00 p.m. Buffet Dinner served from 5:00 p.m. –
7:30 p.m.
10/13/06, 11/10/06, 1/12/07
DJ Dances at the Moose Lodge with Linda and Henry on E. St. Patrick St. in Rapid City, SD.
Dances begin at 8:30 p.m.
10/27
–9/29/06
Paradise
Country Dance Festival,
San
Diego, CA
12/03/06 DTDC Christmas Noon Potluck Dinner/Dance
with Midnight Sun Band (1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Moose
Lodge, Rapid City, SD
All About
Dancing:
SOCIAL - WHY BALLROOM DANCE
General Benefits
You will find many profits, many benefits, and many enhancements to life if
ballroom dancing is your avocation, pastime, or hobby. You will find an
enhanced appreciation of music and its rhythms. You will experience an
increased sense of balance, and a more fluid movement in walking and
running.
Dancing with a partner in harmony with good music
will help you develop a more open, understanding, responsive, and supportive
relationship with your partner and with others. Your outlook on life will
become more positive.
While all dancing has its value, there will be
several completely memorable dances in one's life. A time when the
partner, the music, the movement all come together in a sense of achievement
and pleasure that stays in memory.
Physical Benefits
Physical exercise is essential to maintenance of good health - especially your
heart. Ballroom dancing is a great body conditioner, even if done on a
near-weekly basis. If done on a regular basis, such as two to three times a
week, it becomes quite a beneficial activity. It will increase that
mid-afternoon stamina needed on the job, it will develop that circulatory
"second-heart," strengthen your legs, and will generally tone the
body over all. As mentioned before, walking and body movement will be
easier, more balanced, and more fluid, with greater flexibility in axis of
movement.
The healthful exercise produced by dancing will
help you reduce weight or avoid obesity and the two most common risk factors
associated with obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Frequent
ballroom dancing will build and maintain your physical stamina to a level equal
to that of avid athletes.
Mental Benefits
Mentally, dancing serves as a wonderful stress reliever.
A busy day of pressure melts into the background when evening brings dancing in
the arms of another and pursuing the muse with dance? Sleep that night is
sound and relished.
Becoming a competent dancer will provide an
excellent learning experience in planning, goal setting, discipline,
achievement, self-confidence, assuredness, and pride in your
abilities. These favorable attributes will transfer to other aspects of
you life as well.
Visit http://documents.usabda.org/1019/
for published articles on how ballroom dancing will help prevent
Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia such as from strokes.
Social Benefits
A good dancer is a definite plus to social occasions - especially the men. If a
man takes the time to become a skilled and confident, but not overly forceful
leader, every lady in the room will appreciate his presence. A good
dancer does not need to be handsome to be popular. Similarly, a lady who
is a good dancer radiates grace and charm, regardless of whether she is a
physical beauty.
Good dancing and good dancers heighten the
atmosphere of an event. The whole affair goes more smoothly when there is
competent dancing.
In business and professional life, a person can
lend to their acceptance and belonging by the ability to dance. Dancing
well labels you as a leader. On many social occasions it is almost essential to
be able to dance well.
As a ballroom dancer you will make many new
friends and will find that ballroom dancers are wonderful people.
Ballroom dancing will add a new and very beneficial dimension to your
life. It is a lifetime social skill that will provide much joy during
your entire life.
The Joy of Dance
Words cannot explain the joy of
ballroom dancing. It must be experienced!
.
DANCE
BASICS:
Leading and Following in West Coast
Swing By Skippy Blair
Both partners are responsible for making the
partnership look good and feel good.
Here are some guidelines for Leading and Following to consider:
Leading:
Asking someone to dance is the same as starting a
conversation. The dance must start at a
beginning point, with something easily understood.
Like a conversation, the dance should move
naturally from one basic pattern to another, without leaving gaps in the progression. Shocking surprises are difficult to
handle. Familiar conversation is the
easiest and most comfortable. Familiar
patterns are the easiest and most comfortable.
Make sure that you understand the basic principals
of movement when you are leading someone into a new pattern. The following principals are more important
than fancy patterns:
* Know how to match the resistance, rather than a
strong “arm lead”.
*Understand that the lead takes place on the
“&” count before the beat.
*Feel the center of your body connect to her
center, through the hands and arms (no arm leading).
*And last, but not least, don’t propel every turn
into a spin.
Always assume that you can fix any problem from your side. Lead a basic step and if it is not followed, lead it again with
more attention to detail. Don’t skip
around to fifty different variations.
Consistency pays off, one step at a time.
Following:
Becoming aware of what following means is the
first step. Start by being sensitive to
indications of direction, by giving the right amount of resistance.
Establish a frame where you can tell that all of
your body parts are lifted and held together and are not just loosely
connected. You will be able to feel
frame from the fingertips to the toes (practice triples holding on to a door
knob).
Always look in the direction of a turn. Keep your Center Point of Balance over the
Unit Foot. When the man’s right hand is
in contact with your body, place your body into it. Resistance is a 50/50 responsibility. You are responsible for
your own anchor. Keep your Center Point
of Balance centered over the left foot, behind your right heel for the entire
anchor.
Always assume that you can fix any problem for your side. You can’t fix him! If there is no Anchor from the leader, back up
and make one. If he leads early, make
sure you have enough flexibility in your arm to allow it to stretch and then
follow on time.
