We really miss square dancing and seeing friends that we have met through our own Club as well as SWOSDA dances. At some point in the near future, we will be able to resume this fun activity on a regular basis. Also, we will be able to overcome the challenges that the COVID virus has presented whether through a vaccine or some other unknown solution to allow everyone to feel safe.

There is great news ……. despite lockdowns, stay-at-home instructions, masks and other medical health edicts that we have encountered. Every Club now has time to plan and consider how to grow!

Typically, we usually never have time to put some great brainstorming ideas to work, given our busy schedules in a non-pandemic world. However, time is now on our side.

The other good news is that SWOSDA wants to help you with structuring a plan and marketing ideas that fits your unique market area with a goal to grow your Club once the restrictions on square dancing have been lifted. The SWOSDA Executive is establishing a committee with one common objective in mind – to help Clubs grow.

Together with friends and acquaintances of various club members who have been waiting to start square dancing, we believe that there is a growing pent-up market segment of people who will be ready to embrace new social activities to allow them to simply “get out of the house”!

So, the excellent opportunity to grow your Club will be present for everyone, once we have the go ahead to start dancing again. Will you be ready?

Step #1 – form a Club Committee entitled “Introduction to Modern Square Dancing”. We recommend a committee of between 3 to 8 members from your Club.

Step #2 – Communicate to all of your Club Members that you wish to grow your Club. And of course, you will need everyone to help along the way when the marketing switch is turned on!

In the next few Bugle publications, we will outline the Next Steps for your Club. In the meantime, please reach out to Tom and Jo Kahnert, SWOSDA Coordinators of ‘Helping Clubs Grow’˙ by way of email or a phone call to mention your plans. Our Committee will be ready to assist!

In the meantime, our SWOSDA Helping Clubs Grow Committee wishes you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We will meet again soon ……

Tom & Jo Kahnert (tom@teamtomandjo.com OR jo@teamtomandjo.com)
Past Presidents, Strathroy Swinging Duos
2nd Vice-Presidents, SWOSDA, 2020-2021

If things are not bad enough, winter is here with it’s blowing snow and cold temperatures. The so-called “second wave” of Covid-19 is upon us. Dancing is at a stand still. I am wondering how my dancing friends are doing. Are they running the gauntlet of this brutal attack on what was our routine, our life before Covid-19? Will we ever dance again? Will we remember how?

Mental health issues related to our lockdown and this miserable pandemic affect us all in some way. Some people are more susceptible than others, not only affecting themselves, but also those around them. Those that suffer from depression, anxiety, PTSD and other psychiatric disorders can become suicidal, angry and frustrated. These people need help. And that help is available if they reach out. (24-hour CMHA help line 1-833 456-4566)

But here is some food for thought.
It saddens me to see people miserable, complaining, blaming and criticizing others for the way they themselves feel. It baffles me to why some people allow themselves to be mind manipulated and let others dictate their own state of mind. Why do we let other people’s negativity affect us? Why do we let them bring us down and into their world?

News Flash! ! !
Only you can change this and manage where your mind goes. Only you can edit out the negative and keep the positive. The choice is, do we want to be happy? Do we want to enjoy life? Or do we want to be miserable and sad? Easy choice. right?

This is not “rocket science”. We have the ability to control what we think. We have the power and the mental capacity to make ourselves happy so why do we allow other perceptions of uncontrollable circumstances to affect us?

How do we make ourselves happy?
Happiness is a choice. You are not “stuck” where your mind is. Your mind can take you wherever you want. It is a wonderful thing that allows you freedom and can put you in wonderful places.

Dancing is one of my “happy” places; a place to forget about all the negativity that surrounds, a place to dwell into the positive. I feel the friendships around me, the closeness of my dance partner. I feel the desire to listen to and move to music. I feel the satisfaction that I can dance, that I have learned steps that have been taught me. I feel good about myself. I am meeting new people and expanding my friendship circle. A sense of accomplishment envelops me. I have involved myself in a healthy lifestyle that pleases me, and I know I can accomplish all the above every time I dance.

Until this pandemic is over, Avril and I will involve ourselves in virtual dances and dance wherever we can find room because this is what makes us happy. How good is that?

Be happy. Dance.

Austin Hayward
(Thames Valley Dance Club, Woodstock, Ontario)

Unfortunately, square dancing is the one recreational activity that is the most severely affected by the possibilities associated with transmission of this virus. It is obvious that our activity will be one that takes some time to recover. However, recovery will come. The social distancing guidelines currently in place have served a purpose to keep us safe and we now see some signs of getting back to normal life. However, until such time as the health authorities give us the go ahead to safely socialize together in a normal manner, we will be obliged to keep our clubs shut down. But when our clubs do start up, PLEASE support them!

At the end of May, the Federation hosted a successful Zoom AGM. In addition to our executive committee, we had 36 participants – considerably more that our usual attendance! We had valuable input from the participants. Quite a few people spoke of the importance of keeping contact with our dancers in this time of social distancing and the many ways the clubs or individual members have taken this to heart. Some are holding Zoom meetings, some have their telephone tree active to keep in touch, others are sending out newsletters and other individuals are taking the initiative to call a dance friend.

Although we all love dancing, the social time at our clubs is so important. Friendships made and the support to all when they are going through rough times and the shared happy events in their lives. For many, social isolation is difficult so we should all reach out to our dancer friends!

It is possible that clubs will not be able to start up in September. Our facilities may not be available to us or there may be concerns about cleaning the halls after use. At this time, school boards in some areas are not taking reservations for space for the Fall. Should clubs not be able to open by the end of the year, the Canadian Square and Round Dance Society has agreed to pay our insurance based on last year’s membership lists. So much is uncertain at this stage so keep watching the Federation webpage for updates.

Some callers are keeping in touch sending out quizzes to challenge us; some are doing some virtual calling. We thank them for all the work involved to keep us happy!

Jeff Priest recommends going to Dancing in the Garage series
Click on the link to view the complete video listing of the “two person” dancing that was created by Bob Simpson and Darby Love. The challenge has been to address social distancing in square and round dancing. The “Dancing in the Garage Series” is specifically designed for two person squares & rounds and can be done in your basement, garage or driveway. These videos are presented as dance-along fun-shops and tutorials. Jeff Priest notes that the list is in reverse order so recommends starting at the bottom.

Two Associations will be holding zoom AGM meetings this month. Your participation is encouraged.

Be kind; keep smiling and keep safe!

Howard and Jean Lander – Federation Publicity and PR

• You need to gain buy-in from the club’s (formally) executive, (informally) callers and dancers
• Make a plan that covers an entire year, including the build-up to new dancers nights
• Use multiple channels for greater exposure, but not too many. focus on local presence and geographic footprint.
• Club websites & Facebook pages are the best anchors, and free
• Cross-link your various social media feeds, especially connecting them back to your club website.
• Set up groups or pages with multiple admins, so responsibility can be passed on. Allow others to post.
• Facebook pages are preferable to groups. They allow more control of content, better branding, and the option of paid advertising.
• Keep content fresh, at least to the past few months.
• Talk beyond the membership, and present a positive but realistic image of square dancing.
• All communications should focus on fun, and be inviting for perspective new dancers.
• Post photos. Mention when and where. Use full name of callers, and first names of dancers only. Don’t tag photos.
• Tie in with local events, neighboring clubs, related dance forms, musicians, possible sponsors, provincial and national events. Farmers markets, fall fairs, music festivals all draw people who may be receptive to your message.
• Post regularly, and at predictable times. Even things like “Merry Christmas/Happy Canada Day” can help keep your organization in mind over quiet periods.
• Aim for a slightly younger demographic than your club membership, but don’t expect 20-something to come to a Seniors Centre. Talk over your posts and ideas with non-dancers.
• Think critically of the whole dance experience. Social media will get prospective dancers to the first dance, but not back to the second.
• Club website should be very precise about when and where, with an address that can be recognized with GPS and Google Maps.
• Keep content dance-related. Avoid the impulse to politicize or editorialize. Be very careful to avoid negativity in tone.
• Take lots of pictures, and choose the better ones at home. Photographing dance in action is challenging. Experiment with camera settings, lighting, angles, panning.
• Think inclusively about square dance and related groups, such as old time, contra, 4H, Junior Farmers, LGBT, Scots & Irish set dancers. Be open to evolving perspectives on dress, partnering, traditional roles.
• Local media sources are looking for local stories. Make contact, and propose they come to an event.
• Don’t under-estimate the nostalgic value of square dancing, and also the photogenic appeal of dancers in costume.
• Promote a significant dance vent twice: 1 month in advance and 2-3 days in advance. Then post pictures from the dance shortly after.
• Don’t be discouraged, success comes slowly from persistence. You will always be overcoming a poor public image of square dancing, but it has lots of benefits to bring. Accentuate the positive.
• Don’t rely exclusively on Social Media to gain new dancers Traditional channels can still be effective.

Prepared by Niall O-Reilly for Toronto & District Association
noreilly@sumpatico.ca

Ideally, all connections should be easily released but still provide a sense of unity in the movement. The simplest way to achieve this is to connect using a flat or cupper hand with the thumb adjacent to the hand being relaxed and inactive. Elbows should be bent to provide a springy interaction. Mutually exerted gentle pressure towards the other person’s hand or arm should be enough to provide the desired contact while allowing either dancer to disconnect when they desire. The thumb-lock grip should be strongly discouraged. If that type of hand connection is being used, simply unlock the thumbs and show the dancers how to place their thumb adjacent to their own hand so that each hand cups the base of the other persons thumb.

For those with arthritis, it is important that hands are never squeezed. The human hand has two sets of opposing sides. The palm and the back of the hand is one set, the side with the thumb and the side with the little finger is the other set. If opposing sides of the hand are being touched at the same time, that hand is being squeezed. This is independent of the force being applied. The force applied determines how hard the hand is being squeezed.
It is equally important not to squeeze arms because it can often cause bruising. Although there are not clear sides to an arm, squeezing occurs anytime the thumb and the fingers are on opposite sides of the arm. These factors apply to all the various regional differences in handholds.

Discussing and demonstrating these recommended connections with your dancers and other callers in your area will help promote comfort for all dancers. With awareness and reminders, most dancers will make an effort to adjust their hand connections. This in turn will increase sociability and improve the dancing experience.

( By Dottie Welch )
Editor’s note; Dottie began calling in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1983. She calls and teaches beginners to challenge, as well as contras, school children and seniors. Her goal is interesting and smooth Choreography melded with the music.

The Press Release
One of the best ways to reach a mass audience is by seeking free publicity in the press. In this case though, we recommend a different approach than inviting a reporter from the media to cover an event. Many times, things are left up to a visiting reporter. On the rare occasion that they do come, they will often prefer to focus on a human-interest aspect that might not be favourable to our image and probably won’t tell of the benefits of our dance form that you’d like to see.

Several regions have seen exceptional, favourable response from both print and online media upon submission of ready-to-print press releases with accompanying photos. The online media outlets are generally considered “community internet portals” and they serve communities with news and events information and much more, like an electronic newspaper. The method that has been followed is to write press releases in the style of a press reporter and submit them unsolicited by e-mail. A little research into your local media web sites should reveal the email addresses of their editors. The topics have varied from detailing a club event to the special activities of dancers. The distribution by email is the easy part. Taking photos, gathering information about an event and writing the release is the hard part.

In seeking free publicity, we have little control over what the media editor will actually publish, if anything. You cannot expect 100 percent success with every press release, but some persistence can pay off. Keep submitting! Dance news is “soft news” and your story might get “bumped” by some serious hard news.

If you wish, you can contact the various editors of your local print and electronic media sources and ask about their preferences regarding the submission of press releases. It can’t hurt to establish a good relationship with the press. If submitting to a newspaper, leave it to the editor to select where to place your story. They’ll gauge whether it’s suitable for the “About Town” section, the “Travel” section, etc. You might even discover your material is on the front page.

An important thing is to know exactly what geographic area each media outlet serves. In the case of newspapers, where do they distribute? Again, those that are “community focused” will be disinterested in content that doesn’t relate. An exception could be persons from the community going somewhere, in which case the story is about them and their experiences. Also, your dance group wants to be seen in media where there’s reasonable chance that the readers/viewers can interact with you. Concentrate on the media that serves the immediate community where the dance club operates and where the members live.

Photo Submission
A selection of three to six photographs are generally attached to each email press release. Each photo has a suggested caption, naming the persons pictured and/or detailing what’s happening in each shot. You want your photos to relate to the subject matter of the press release. Providing the media outlets with several photos makes it less likely they’ll all publish the same picture. In the case of competing newspapers, they want to look a little different from each other. Sometimes it’s a “photo release” that is furnished to the media. That is valuable to maintain awareness in picture form where a full written press release is not appropriate. Again, the photos should be sent with suggested captions.

Resolution of Photographs
Newspapers need higher resolution photographs than online media. Photos for newspapers are usually requested at 300 dots-per-inch. A photo file-size of 1 megabyte or larger should ensure that. Pictures to be seen online can be furnished in low resolution (100 kilobytes or less). A simple approach is to issue the photos in high resolution and let those who don’t need them that way make the appropriate adjustments.

Editor’s Note
OK, so now it’s time to put into practice some of these tips and ideas for new articles. Most SWOSDA clubs have been writing articles all along for publishing in the “Bugle” along with accompanying photos, so this should not be very difficult. While sending your articles and photos to your local media, send a copy to the SWOSDA Bugle to be shared with other dancers as well. Lets do this!

It will be a great opportunity to enlighten the public as to what “modern” square dancing is all about.

Our marketing subject for this month is SELLING, the most important part of marketing the benefits of square dancing – FUN, FITNESS & FRIENDSHIP SET TO MUSIC!

We will cover the common mistakes most square dancers make as they talk to a prospect who called them in response to one of their ads or publicity efforts.

The first mistake is calling your new dancer dances “lessons”! The word “lessons” imply a class room setting, etc. and is interpreted as a negative experience. Please call them what they are – new dancer dances – because that is what they are in the real world. A good square dancer teacher-caller will have the new dancers dancing to a popular song within ten minutes of being on the floor for the first time. A Caller from Wausau, Butch Danielski, is an expert at this. He has the rare talent of being able to call a singing call with only the calls that he has taught within the first ten minutes of being on the floor. He emphasis with the new dancers to have loads of fun learning how to dance. Each new dancer dances has to be a fun experience for your new dancers.

The second mistake most square dancers make when talking to a prospect is that they talk too much. The secret is to get the prospect to talk what is important to them – not what is important to you. Often, the best way to answer a question from a prospect is to ask a relevant question.

Your job is to truthfully answer their questions and concerns with as few words as possible as you try and determine what their HOT BUTTONS are, namely what is their desire and what is important to them. The most common need of your prospects is the desire for a positive social experience! Take a close look at your club dances and you will see that the social aspect of your dances is as important if not more important than the actual dancing.

Your goal is to get their name, phone number, email address and street address (for the Dancer Prospect Data Sheet that you have previously prepared) and to close the sale by inviting them to your next new dancer dance or your club dance to see the fun that happens at your club dances.

The third mistake that most square dancers make when talking to a prospect over the phone is that they don’t know when to stop selling. Again, most square dancers talk too much when talking to a prospect. When you realized that they are “sold” you switch into the brief information mode.

The fourth mistake that most square dancers make when talking to a prospect over the phone is that they are not prepared to answer the questions coming from a prospect. Here are a few of the most common questions and comments that you will receive from your prospects;
My husband (or wife) does not like to dance.
I have two left feet.
Is square dancing hard to learn?
How long does it take to learn to square dance?
Do I have to wear those old fashioned square dance costumes?
Can we bring our kids to the dances?

I am sure that you can think of more possible questions and comments. The key to successful selling is to be prepared to answer the prospect’s questions and concerns. You will not be able to perceive all the expected questions and comments. For those questions you will have to “wing it” but always TELL THE TRUTH.

Thanks for reading these few marketing tips.

The Federation has also award recruitment bursaries to some clubs. There are funds available to assist clubs in recruiting new dancers. For information about applying for assistance, please go to the website: http://squaredance.on.ca/

An amount of $500 has been allocated by the Federation for square and round dance promotion. This year we will be advertising in the program at the Havelock Jamboree and also in the program of 4th Line Theatre, Millbrook, ON. If you know of places where you think we could advertise next year, please contact Howard and Jean Lander at hjlander@gmail.com.

It is getting to that time of year when all clubs are thinking about recruiting new dancers. There are people out there who would love to square dance but how do we reach them? You best advertising is via your current dancers. We survey our new dancers each year and 80% come by word of mouth. In many communities, there are a number of free advertising opportunities through radio and TV community notice boards. Use all the free publicity you can find; ask all your members to help. Give them business cards to hand out wherever possible.

Talking about new dancers, clubs should advertise for singles. According to the 2016 census, 28.2% of households in Canada are occupied by single people. (In 1951 this was 1.8%). Compare that to 26% which are couples with no children. Unfortunately some clubs still have a mindset that square dancing is a couple activity. You are losing out on recruiting wonderful potential dancers and club members.

Now that you have decided to recruit singles it is a good idea to plan how to successfully run your club. Our personal experience is from running our basic and mainstream club, Otonabee Squares in Peterborough. Our attendance each week is 8-10 squares and 52 of our dancers are singles. (Total membership 113). When our new dancers attend their first night we gather them together (men and women) and request that half dance on the left side (the man’s side) and half on the other side. We have seen some clubs put all their new lady dancers on the ladies side for the first year and then end up not having partners for them down the road. (Some women are willing to give up their partners for the basic teach but when it come to mainstream they want their partner back so all these new dancers are left sitting out.) If your force singles to pair up with the same person on a regular basis and they are not compatible, you may lose them both.

Another tendency in some clubs is that they want the singles to pair up. In other words they are willing to accept singles only if they become a couple with another single, thereby sending a message that they are valued only if the “couple up”. We teach all the dancers to quickly square up when asked. Singles get into a square raise their hand on the side they want a partner. They often are paired up with another single but are not forced to dance with the same person every week. This way everyone gets to meet more people and couples can stay together if they wish. Fortunately many of our couples enjoy dancing with a variety of other people and getting to know everyone better; those couples who do not wish to be separated will not have to split up. One caller mentioned that singles don’t last long. This is not our experience and I think it is caused by poor management by the club.

There are computer square dance rotation programs. See this site: https://www.ceder.net/sqrot.php. We do not use this at the basic and mainstream club level but at plus and higher it has its advantages. It will put everyone into a square including assigning a partner for the singles. It is often the higher level clubs which tend to be couple focussed.

We hope all clubs will have a successful recruitment for the Fall start-up.

Howard and Jean Lander
Ontario Square and Round Dance Federation
Public Relations and Promotion

We as Canadians are a very diversified and unique society exposed to many, many cultures and dances. We all listen to music and regardless of whom you are, we all feel some urge to dance at one time or another, or are expected to dance on occasion.

Dancing isn’t something that can be explained in words. It has to be danced.
Why? Because dancing is far easier to feel than to explain.

If you already dance, it may be interesting for you to read, the many reasons listed in this article that may pertain to your desire to dance, and some of these may surprise you. No, it is not because dancing is an inexpensive date, or because you have nothing better to do. So, lets be realistic. Dancing makes me happy. It is said that there are many short cuts to happiness, and that dancing is one of them. I know that dancing makes my wife happy, and anything that puts a smile on her face is something I want to be doing.

Exercise for your mind?
Absolutely. Scientific studies have proven that dance has been shown to improve motor function, mental symptoms and overall quality of life in both people with and without Parkinson’s disease or dementia.
(Ten ways dance strengthens the brain www.nicabm.com )

We dance for emotional stability
“While I dance I cannot judge, I cannot hate, I cannot separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole. This is why I dance” (Hans Bos)

George Bernard Shaw once wrote…
“ if you can’t get rid of the skeletons in your closet, you’d best teach it to dance”

We all have circumstances in our lives that demand our attention and leave us with emotional highs and lows that consume our thoughts. When we dance, all our thoughts amalgamate to our dancing, leaving us free to experience the pleasures of friends, partners, music and dance.

We dance to express ourselves
Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion. I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what is too deep to find in words.
“The truest expression of a people is in it’s dance and in it’s music. Bodies never lie.” (Agnes De Mille)

Dancing makes you more interesting as a person
“Dancing insists we take up space, and though it has no set direction, we go there together. Dance is dangerous, joyous, sexual, disruptive and contagious. It can happen anywhere, at any time, with anyone and everyone. Dance joins us and pushes us to go further.” (Eve Ensler)

Personal artistic expressions draw attention to us as dancers. There are so many ways one can dance. Artistic expression can be unique to you as an individual and create interest in those that wonder where your creativity comes from. Is it your cultural background, your ethnic heritage or simply your love of dance?

It is said that dancing is all fun and no pressure
Now I realize that not everyone enjoys dancing as much as I do, but I really believe that you feel better when you dance. Some people feel nervous, or self conscious or maybe even shy? For us, life really is so much more fun when you throw all of that out the window and just live in the moment and dance. No one cares if you are a good dancer or not. “Dance like nobody is watching” is a common phrase with deep meaningful roots.

Dancing cures the “working is no fun” syndrome Fact. (www.dancewithmeusa.com)

Eight reasons why dancing will enhance your mood and boost productivity while you work.
1: Dancing makes you smarter
2: Dancing encourages team building
3: Dancing improves your energy level and wellness
4: Dancing improves your health and fitness
5: Dancing boosts your confidence
6: Dancing improves your creativity
7: Through dancing, your perseverance and dedication are noticed and valued.
8: Dancing is fun.

Dancing provides us the opportunity to exercise, socialize and share our love of dance with friends. We would never have dreamed that dancing would expand our friendship circle to the magnitude it has become. How exciting it is to know that we can dance anywhere from Yuma, Az, to Halifax, NS to Vancouver Island and many, many other places in between, meeting new friends and renewing old friendships.

Travelling to dance conventions in Canada and the U.S. provides the perfect opportunity for us to see old friends again.

There are far too many reasons why people dance. For me to expand on or to justify any one person’s specific reason is not necessary, only that they dance.

Some will tell you that it is excellent exercise for the body and mind. Some dance for mental clarity. Some dance to show the world who they really are and project an image, or to overcome fear, improve relationships, decrease anxiety or to help them cope with daily stressors. Some dance because it makes them feel beautiful and powerful.

Jamie Benson explains how dance can replace your physical and psychological burdens (both chemically and emotionally) with pure joy. (www.thoughtcatalogue.com/jamie-benson

The best part is that literally, anyone can dance for whatever the reason.

Why do we dance?
Perhaps a better question would be …….. Why would we not?

See you at the 2018 Canadian Square and Round Dance Convention in London, Ontario, July 19, 20 & 21

“Make The Scene in 2018”

It’s All in the Timing… Did you know that a typical square dance has the same number of tips, regardless of whether or not round dancing is offered?

According to our callers, they need about seven or eight minutes to rest their voices between tips. Whether dancers use those minutes for socializing or round dancing or another type of dancing, the amount of square dance time is not affected.

Square and round dancers: Let’s work together to ensure the most dance time possible! When you hear dance music, that’s your invitation to get on the floor. When dancers get on and off the dance floor quickly at the end of a tip or rounds segment, the next type of dancing can begin promptly. That means more dancing fun for everyone.

Non-round dancers, please socialize on the sidelines to enable the cuer to be heard easily.

Everyone, let’s respect the time allotted to each type of dancing to ensure a great event for all dancers.

Jan Thompson
[reprinted from Grand Square 52.2 – January 2010]