The new Jan/Feb 2012 PSDC newsletter has been completed and ready for your reading enjoyment!
This is the first newsletter in nearly 2 years, so we have included articles covering board activities for the past year. You will also see some familiar features of past newsletters as well as new articles and information. Also included in this first issue is a color pictorial of last year’s PSDC events and dances.
Enjoy !
Steve Klein
Newsletter Editor
Start 2012 with a blizzard of dancing and workshops January 28 and 29th with our guests Nick Jay and Joanna Meinl!
Already planning your outfit for competitions at Bridge Town Swing? If you want to pay by credit card, please pre-register for your competitions online before September 23!
Start planning your awesome weekend at Bridge Town Swing with the preliminary event schedule!
We’re only three months away from the biggest WCS party in Portland! Bridge Town Swing is bringing in top talent to teach workshops, showcase inspirational competition dancing, and take your dancing to the next level. Make sure to reserve your spot and don’t miss out dancing with the stars of Bridge Town Swing!
PSDC invites champion Patty Vo to Portland, June 11th and 12th, for ladies styling, movement, and technique workshops with champion Patty Vo! Guys are welcome too!
For Friday and Saturday, March 25th & 26th, 2011, the Portland Swing Dance Club is hosting its annual Newcomers’ West Coast Swing Workshops! Join us for a value-packed weekend introducing one of the most exciting modern swing styles.
Conveniently pay for Swing Blizzard 2011 and PSDC membership online! It’ll save you from bringing out your checkbook and get your spot at the weekend with Ben and Patty.
Mark your calendars for the weekend of January 22nd and 23rd for Swing Blizzard 2011 with Ben Morris and Patty Vo!
See the preliminary schedule and pricing for Swing Blizzard »
Seattle Swing Dance Club is hosting Christopher Hussey for a series of workshops and private lessons this weekend.
Learn more about workshops with Christopher Hussey in Seattle »
Dear PSDC members,
It’s a wonderful thing to have lots of members—342 as I write this—but such large numbers mean that many of you are “occasional attenders” rather than “regulars.” What’s great about that, in my mind, is that a much wider variety of people with lives full of many interesting hobbies and passions are trying West Coast Swing and including PSDC dances in their weekend plans. We’re getting many newcomers and beginners which is what any dance community needs to thrive. However, the downside, of course, is that it is harder to get to know each of you as individuals (something that has always been my favorite part this club) and it is a challenge to draw you into seeing club membership as an opportunity to contribute a little bit of your time to help at the door, provide refreshments, take photos, work on a committee, volunteer for BridgeTown or Swing Blizzard, attend monthly Board meetings, or serve on the Board, etc. These things also need to happen if we are to continue to thrive. It also means that sometimes many of you are not aware of how and why some things at PSDC happen the way that they do. Keeping so many new (and seasoned) members up to speed on PSDC’s history and encouraging them to be a part of creating its future is a bit like wrangling cats! On the face of it, that’s OK, because, from the Board’s point of view, setting the stage so that members regularly enjoy themselves at a dance with few to no noticeable problems is our number one priority. However, when something isn’t going smoothly, it might be helpful share some nuts and bolts with you so you know what happened or why the Club operates as it does.
One of those “not-so-smooth” times occurred at the 4th Saturday dance in September at Norse Hall. PSDC has an agreement with Norse Hall to rent the “best available space” for around $335 a month. We usually get the downstairs for that price plus $50 for the bar which is a bargain for a venue that size, BUT the Norse Hall does have the option to bump us to the Lodge Room upstairs if they need the first floor for Grieg Lodge activities or a singular event such as a wedding reception that allows them to change a MUCH larger rental fee. Norse Hall appreciates our consistent business, but, clearly, being able to book their venue on one of our Saturdays for a high-dollar event helps their bottom line and indirectly helps us if it enables them to continue to offer us the space at our much-lower-than-market-value rate the rest of the year. PSDC agreed with compromise with the stipulation that Ray would let us know via email when we would be moved upstairs so that we could inform the PSDC membership in advance, as we know that some of you will choose not to attend when we are in the Lodge Room. For the most part, this agreement has worked, but, last month, that key piece of information was not conveyed to the Board until we arrived at Norse that evening and saw that the downstairs was full of wedding attendees. The communication breakdown left us scrambling to adjust our dance set-up—my apologies that the beginner’s lesson was held in the anteroom to the ladies’ lounge and that we did not have any fans set up to deal with the heat we usually expect to encounter when we go upstairs—and gave us no time to announce tothe membership that we would be upstairs. We were unhappy about it, and those of you who were also unhappy about it certainly let us know! The Board has also let Ray know that, although we will continue to work with Norse and move upstairs when needed, we MUST be notified well in advance. We believe in the good faith of the folks at Norse Hall, that the lack of timely communication was an unintentional oversight, and that they will do a much better job by us in the future so that we can do a much better job by you. The one upside is that, despite the warm conditions, those who decided to stay had a lot of fun because the intimacy of the room and the openness of the seating make it easier to strike up conversations and grab partners. Call me an optimist—it’s a characteristic of the counseling profession—but I choose to cope with what’s thrown at us, learn what’s needed to improve things in the future, roll with the things I can’t change in the present moment, and enjoy what is working now.
The other venue question or issue that tends to crop up is the big question of “Why Sunnyside?” Some of you love that we have a dance there because it’s close to where you live, is appropriate for all ages, has a large meeting space downstairs, and has a certain down-home, rustic charm and intimacy. Others complain that the place lacks ambiance and is too far out to drive to from where they live. In my 20’s, I spent my weekends clubbing in hip hotspots all over L.A. If you’d asked me then if I’d ever see myself spending a Saturday night at a Grange hall…but the place has grown on me in direct proportion to how much I have enjoyed the people I’ve met there. Who knew? For those of you who still have your doubts about Sunnyside, the Board is looking at the possibility of a temporary move to an air-conditioned space during the month of August. It was heatstroke hot at the Grange this August, which dropped attendance to an all-time low and brought much misery to those who did show up. We sure don’t want to put you through that again next year. Please keep an eye out for a membership survey or poll as we figure out our options and ask you to weigh in on what we should do on this one. I’d also like to add a real “biggie” to the plus column of our assessment of Sunnyside Grange when it comes to non-profit club economics: the rent on the Sunnyside Grange is cheap, and I mean really cheap, so cheap that 9 out of 10 times we make a modest profit at Sunnyside. That modest profit generally subsidizes our Norse Hall dances so that we stay “in the black” each month. Finally, because neither of these venues is a “studio,” renting space from Sunnyside Grange and Norse Hall helps PSDC remain a neutral supporter of West Coast Swing in Portland. While we sometimes need to rent space from a local studio for smaller events like Swing Blizzard, we generally strive to keep regular club dances in venues that welcome students and teachers from all of the studios and businesses in the greater Portland area dance community. PSDC is lucky to exist in a community that has a large variety of quality dance instruction and we encourage our membership to get out there and find the teacher and location that keeps them learning and fired-up about dancing.
Regular PSDC Board meetings are usually held at either 4:30 or 5pm before the 4th Saturday dance at Norse Hall unless there is a scheduling conflict that necessitates moving the meeting to the same time before the 2nd Saturday dance. Please feel free to attend these meetings and/or to call a Board member to confirm the meeting time. Also, if you would like to be formally added to the Board meeting agenda, please contact the President.
Finally, and I know this has been a long one, elections are upon us again. Please consider serving on the Board in 2011. New energy and bright ideas are always welcome, and, as many of you noticed, we had some vacancies as well as some “dropping of the ball” by members who were either unclear or unable to meet some of the meeting attendance or task responsibilities of their position. Some board positions require more time and commitment than others. All offer the rewards of community, a chance to support dance, and the opportunity to grow. Also, in regards to the Annual meeting, the Board heard you when you said you didn’t want to have the Annual Meeting and Election on Thanksgiving weekend. Please expect to see an important ballot measure asking your to approve changes in the wording of our bylaws that will allow the Board to select a different meeting date and timeline in those years that our 4th Saturday dance does coincide with Thanksgiving, along with candidate descriptions (there is still time for nominations from the floor at our October Norse Hall Dance this coming Saturday) and a ballot in your mail the first week of November. This year, the 4th Saturday dance and meeting is the weekend does fall on Thanksgiving weekend. Please get there early, enjoy some pizza, and know that there will be no lesson that night so that we can get down to business as soon as we reach a quorum. Food, dancing, a meeting, and more dancing— that’s the ticket!
So those were some behind-the-scenes issues that needed to be communicated more clearly. Thank you to those of you who are taking the time to read this epic message. Please know that the Board works to serve the membership and we want to hear from you when things are working and when they are not. See you next week and keep dancing!
Kristy Brehm
2010 President, PSDC
A big thanks to Clark and Mary Wachsmuth for taking photos at Bridge Town Swing. You can see the full gallery of over 600 photos online now!
Want to improve your dancing in one hour? Contact us for private lessons with the pros at Bridge Town Swing 2010 » Sign up for a private lesson at the event!
A note about parking at the Doubletree: Guests who are staying at the Doubletree and have reserved a room in the BTS room block have free parking with unlimited in and out privileges all weekend.
If you’re staying elsewhere, we will have a stack of parking passes at the event registration table that will allow you to get out of the parking garage once per day, so go ahead and park in the structure and just pick up a pass on your way out.
We’re under two weeks away from Bridge Town Swing 2010! It’s going to be great event with exciting pros and fun dancers from all around.
Just a heads up, we will not be accepting credit or debit cards at the event this year. There will be several ATM machines nearby for cash withdrawals. If you want to pay for your event or competitions, you will need to do it online before the event.
Here is the latest from BTS 2010:
Stay tuned and we’re stoked to see you all on the dance floor!
Competing at Bridge Town Swing? Be sure to review the competition rules and we look forward to seeing you all on the dance floor!
Get the preliminary event schedule for Bridge Town Swing 2010 and start planning on spending an exciting weekend social dancing, attending workshops from top pros, and watching or participating in competitions!
Purchase your Bridge Town Swing event passes online and get access to Portland’s biggest west coast swing event of the year. We’ve got an updated location this year, all-star instructors, and exciting competitions!
Get your early-bird event pass to Bridge Town Swing 2010 and get the Saturday Midnight Buffet for free! This special offer is only available through September 1st.
Learn more about Bridge Town Swing or purchase an event pass now!
It’s that time of year again. Volunteers for Portland Dance Festival Needed! Portland Dance Festival is July 8 - 11 at the Sheraton Hotel near the Portland Airport.
If you’d like to volunteer this year, we’d love to have you! Volunteers are needed in several areas for the Portland Dance Festival. Prior experience not necessary, but we also love to have those that have participated before and would love to do so again. We need volunteers for the following areas: Door monitors, decorations (put up and take down), floor installation and take down, dinner show attendants, tickets collectors, and more!
Volunteers are needed Thursday through Sunday, days and evenings. Please e-mail Michelle Dodge at michelledodge@msn.com or call me at 503.317.1637.
The Norse Hall is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year! Unfortunately, that means that the Grieg Lodge is having a celebration of music and dance in the main ballroom this Saturday from 1 pm until midnight.
That means that the PSDC 4th Saturday Swing Dance will be held upstairs in the Lodge Room, and this time, we get our own private bar set up in the library! Chris Jones will teach an intermediate lesson at 7:30, and Bob Smith will DJ from 8:30 to midnight.
PSDC is once again offering a Newcomer West Coast Swing Workshop series April 23rd and 24th. If you have friends or family who have never tried west coast swing, this intensive course is designed to cover about the same amount of material as a beginning WCS series—all in one weekend.
Get all the details for the PSDC Newcomer’s Workshop Weekend »
Are you coming to Seattle’s Easter Swing this year? If so, we really could use your help for an hour or two. We still have lots of volunteer positions we need filled to throw this four-day party for 700+ people.
If you want to lend a hand, check out this list for the positions that need to be filled. Then, contact Pat Garrett at volunteer@seattlewcswing.com to tell her what you want to sign up for.
Thanks in advance for your help and we hope you have a great weekend at Easter Swing.
The Seattle Swing Dance Club
We have a location change for this month’s 4th Saturday Swing Dance. Due to the jazz festival taking place at Norse Hall that weekend, we will be holding our dance on Feb. 27th at Lenora’s Ballroom on the third floor of the Melody Ballroom building at 615 SE Alder.
Please use the entrance on the 6th Avenue side of the building to access the ballroom. This late change in schedule was unfortunately not reflected in the February flyers that have already been distributed, so please remind your dance friends about the change!
Due to the weather conditions worsening tonight, we are canceling our December Second Saturday Swing tonight for the safety of everyone. We apologize for this inconvenience and hope to see you out dancing with us in January!
Please note that there is no PSDC dance on the fourth Saturday of December, the 26th, but there will be a FREE Christmas Dance organized by the Friday & Saturday Night Fever crew (Bob Smith, Michelle Dumas, and Chris Jones) at the PPAA on December 26th!
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Portland Swing Dance Club!
The Portland Swing Dance Club is pleased to announce our first workshop weekend of 2010: Swing Blizzard with Terry Roseborough!
Saturday and Sunday afternoon workshops plus our regular 4th Saturday Swing Dance, January 23rd and 24th, 2010.
A national WCS champion, Terry has recently been a featured instructor at Seattle Easter Swing and Sea To Sky, and is a crowd favorite for his smooth moves, his sense of humor, and his willingness to social dance with anybody who asks him.
Looking for a great way to plug in and/or give back to the Portland WCS community? We’re recruiting for next year’s board of directors to lead the Portland Swing Dance Club in 2010!
PSDC Board of Directors 2010 Vacancies:
Any member of good standing (a member for at least 6 months) may run for any position. The positions listed above currently have no candidates.
If you enjoy the dances AND Bridge Town Swing, please consider serving for a year. Learn more about each PSDC Board of Directors positions »
Contact the Nominations Chairperson, Sarah Spathas, if you are interested or have questions.
Want to find out who won what? We’ve got the results up! We’ll get the professional Jack & Jill and Amateur Overall awards listed soon! [Updated 9/22: All competition results are up.]
Thanks to everyone who competed and made it fun for their partner and the audience.
We’ve added a Sunday night dance to our event schedule, so if you haven’t had enough WCS this weekend, plan on coming back to the Doubletree Lloyd Center (1000 NE Multnomah) for some more social dancing with the locals and our out-of-town guests!
After awards finish up around 4 pm, we’ll have a dinner break and then re-open the Cascade Ballroom at 7 pm. This dance is free, to express our appreciation for all of the support that we’ve received from the community. We’ll dance until 10 pm, and maybe later if there’s still a good crowd at that time.
Hope to see you there,
Trina
BTS Event Registration will be open on Thursday night, so check in and avoid the lines. Registration hours:
Thursday, 7 - 10 pm
Friday, noon - 1 am
Saturday, 9 am - 1 am
Sunday, 9:30 am - 2 pm
Also, we’ll be selling video passes for the Prelims and Semi-Finals for all of the competitions. Video pass is $20 if you also buy an event video, or $30 without. The pass will be attached to the dancers’ video cameras. Please let dancers know that they will be able to purchase video passes so that they can bring their cameras to the event. Only 50 passes will be available and may be purchased at the Event Video table.
The early bird dance is Thursday (tomorrow!), with a lesson taught by Kyle Redd and Sarah Vann Drake at 8 pm, followed by dancing from 9 pm until 2 am. It’s at the Doubletree Lloyd Center, 1000 NE Multnomah, and admission is $8 for PSDC members and BTS weekend pass holders or $10 otherwise.
