Dear Santa
Christmas Decor found at Forest Hill Christian Church
Western Star Dancers have been really, really good this year. Monday, December 21 from 7:30-9:30 at Forest Hill Christian Church we will be having our annual holiday party, Winter Wonderland. Holiday Elf Steve will be the host for the White Elephant Gift Exchange, one of the highlights of the year. Partners, spouses (that means Mrs. Claus!), friends, colleagues, and attractive strangers are welcome. Anyone bringing a gift can join in the gift exchange.
When prodded, several dancers had a gift request for you, Santa. Here is the list. We hope it isn’t too much trouble:
- Elise–A new job
- Bob–A massage
- Richard–Good health
- Rich–Time off
- Tony–Definitely does NOT want a LCD TV
- Dan–A nice pen
- Abby–A winning lottery ticket
- David–A new purse
- Mark–A chocolate orange
- David–A winning lotto ticket
- Brandon–A pair of sensitive nipples
- Peter–A grapefruit spoon
- Marilyn–Pancake griddle
- John–Bus Stop (with Marilyn Monroe) DVD
- Steve–$1 million
- Louis–A turkey
- Fabian–Vacuum cleaner
- Tomas–A man
- Steve–Winning Lottery Ticket
- Rick–Underwear
- Daryl–Slippers
It’s Official: Dancers Less Demented
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, Dancing lowered the risk of dementia. Based on studies, the Journal rated the results from dancing higher than for those who read, played board games or musical instruments. The frequency of the activity also plays a large roll in its effectiveness. Those people who participated more than once a week in a dance activity realized a lower risk.
Read the Callerlab press release:
New England Medicine Info (09!11!06)
Somebody Pull Me Through
Most square dancers are patient and considerate enough to tolerate the occasional brain freeze or misstep or loss of concentration, and help another dancer recover to save the square from breaking down. Problems arise, however, with dancers who just can’t remember the difference between Spinning the Top and Fanning the Top, for example.
In an article that first appeared in WSD Quarterly Selections, Winter 1990, Jana Hollingsworth discusses the responsibility of square dancers to the others in the square, and suggests ways to improve.
4th Annual Bay Area Inter-Club Holiday Square Dance Social
For the fourth year, the San Francisco Bay Area’s primarily gay and lesbian square dance clubs will be joining together to welcome all square dancers for an evening of socializing, and of course, square dancing, during that time of year when so many clubs go dark.
Because of the calendar, again this year’s Inter-Club Holiday Social Dance, will not be the Wednesday between Christmas and New Years, it will be the
Monday – December 28, 2009
from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
And, the venue has changed: It will be held in the Fellowship Hall (Basement) of Forest Hill Christian Church, 250 Laguna Honda Boulevard, San Francisco. There is AMPLE FREE PARKING. (Transit: A 5 min walk from the Forest Hill MUNI Metro Subway station.)
As in past years, the dance will be called by many of the San Francisco Bay-Area’s finest callers, members of the Gay Caller Association. As always, the donation will be ‘pay what you can’, and again, any money collected will go to All Join Hands Foundation to support Gay Caller Association activities. The levels are typically Class-Level Mainstream, Plus, Advanced and a ‘High C’ star tip but are adjusted based on RSVPs.
Please RSVP at the Evite:
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/XWTYKLVOVRQGIBBQMJUT/holidaysocial
It is indeed an honor and a privilege to once again be coordinating this event. Please let me know if you have any questions.
-John Kenny
San Francisco
WSD Yesterday, Today & Forever
WSD Today was published each class night and club night from 1989 to 1995. A tremendous amount of effort went into producing these. Many contain useful square dance information and tidbits about traditions of the past (Slut of the Year was bestowed a couple times). There are lots of memories here, and long time club members can be reminded of the fun times (a high heel race), and newer members can get a taste of some of the activities of the club in past years.
Some of the fun activities of yesteryerar can happen again. All it takes is someone to step forward.
WSD Today 1989-1995
On Attending a Straight Dance Without Pretending To Be
Originally printed in WSD Today, a supplement to the Western Star newsletter. This is a collection of pointers and observations about attending a straight square dance for your very first time. Originally part of a series which Patty White prepared in April, 1989, it was
edited by Freeman Stamper
Since 1989 some things have changed, but good advice remains.
December Birthdays
Happy Birthday!
Dani Lawler December 4
Linda Turner December 4
Fabian Alvarado December 7
Randy Laroche December 10
Rich Reel December 12
Gary C December 15
Steve Miller December 19
Todd Young December 27
Craig Olson December 27
Nick Carlson December 31
Make Your Square a Happy Square
SUICIDE SQUARES:
Sometimes, especially when you’re learning a program, there’ll be a dance or a tip that you know you don’t know all the calls for. It’s really grisly to end up in a square of people who are uptight because you keep messing up; so if you want to dance, the thing to do is to get together with other people who are in the same boat and form a SUICIDE SQUARE. The object is to just keep dancing – you all know you’re going to bneak down anyhow, so you just see how fast you can recover and keep on dancing!
CHECK OUT YOUR SQUARE:
The thing that NOBODY ever admits to you is that they can’t remember who their corner is! Yet that’s often the case, and not only with new dancers, either! You have to come up with a system to help you remember who’s where in your square. For now, don’t bother remembering everyone – just start by really concentrating on who your partner and corner are, and where home is. Every time you qet home, check it out.
IT’S HANDY TO KNOW
that at Basic, virtually every time an Allemande Left is called, you’re supposed to do it with the person who was your corner the last time you were squared up. At least once every dance, a square breaks down because someone allemande left-ed with the wrong person! If you’re just slightly out of position, you may be able to save your square by LOOKING AROUND. If your corner is somewhere nearby, try to maneuver to allemande with that person, and everyone else may fall into place.
WHAT ABOUT RECOVERING ONCE WE’RE BROKEN DOWN?
Eventually, you’ll know from experience where you’d be at the end of a call if you hadn’t broken down in the middle of it. For example, Promenade usually sends you home. So if you’re wandering around in a broken-down state, keep listening! When the caller says to Promenade (or Right and Left Grand or Weave the Ring), evenyone can just get home quick and be ready to go with the next call!
--from WSD Today, November 6, 1989
WSD Election Results
All seven candidates for the Board of Directors were easily elected for the 2010 calendar year. In the accompanying referendum, the club unanimously approved a by-laws changed shifting the terms of the board members to coincide to the calendar year. Russ King is expected to be named Club Administrator.
Styling: Highland Fling
The Highland Fling is used in gay square dancing as a replacement for Do-sa-do and as an activity for the inactive couple in Couples Promenade. There is likely a long, colorful saga of the history of The Highland Fling involving clans and jigs and things Scottish. Wikipedia will have those details. Gay people like to do the fling because it is much more tactile (hence, sensual) than the alternative.
Dancers start hip to hip. The left hands can touch over head, but they don’t have to. Right arms go around your partner’s waist. Turn completely around, then step back. You will be right back where you started. All this pretty work (skirt work is appropriate here if you have a skirt) accomplishes nothing. Well, there is the thrill of touching and holding your partner, but if you get all tingly doing the Highland Fling, you may wish to discuss this with your therapist. The Highland Fling starts and ends in exactly the same place. You start facing your partner and end facing your partner.
