Howdy! Daryl,
Hi, Ed...
When did You get interested in Squaredancing?
Were You in Florida when the idea occured or in Arkansas?
My late parents (my Dad died in 2007, my wife died 2 1/2 months after
he did, and my Mom died 5 months ago), got into the hobby from some
friends, who eventually became my employers. I regret that I didn't get
into it sooner.
When I was in elementary school over 50 years ago, we danced same sex (boy-boy, girl-girl), and we thought nothing of it. Helping at a "demo"
years ago, this caller tried to put this little boy with the little
girl, and he wasn't going to touch her!! As far as he was concerned, she
was poison, and full of cooties. <G>
The first night of class, I had all these women I didn't know, giving
me "yellowrocks" (friendly hugs). I thought "What have I gotten myself into??!!". But, after graduation, it was like "Next, please!!". <G>
I've danced every level...Basic, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced, and a
little bit of Challenge. I attended every National Square Dance
Convention from 1986 to 2002, and several Single Square Dancers USA
Labor Day Dance-A-Ramas. I've even done some amateur calling, but it's
not as easy as it looks.
I took a bit of a hiatus from the hobby from mid-2002 to
mid-2007...because I was working overtime at my job, and couldn't get
off to dance. Then, I got married in mid-2003, but the work contiued. I
had to resign my job in mid-2004, due to disability...then lost my wife
in early 2007. Five months after my wife died, I found out that the
National Singles Square Dance Convention would be in North Little Rock,
and I've been back at it ever since.
At one time, we had over 100 clubs in Arkansas, with at least a dozen
in the Little Rock area. Now, we don't even have 20 clubs in the state,
and only 2 remain in Little Rock. At one time, I was a member of 5
Little Rock area clubs, and Club Reporter for 4 of them. Now, I'm part
of only 1 club, and am their Club Reporter...the same club I was
originally part of.
In 2008, I became the Circulation Chairman to track the subscriber
database for The Modern Square, the publication of the Arkansas State
Square Dance Federation. It was originally was a print edition, but an e-Edition was added a few years ago. When I got into the hobby, we had
over 1200 print subscribers. Now, we don't even have 50. I also became
the Webmaster, and had a basic website. Last year, I hired Zooma Web
Design to help create a "fancy website". And, I'm now the Editor of The
Modern Square.
So, just like there are 4 couples in a square, I'm wearing 4 hats in
square dancing.
Daryl Stout, Webmaster, Circulation Chairman, Editor
Arkansas State Square Dance Federation
http://www.theassdf.org
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