APRIL 2013
The replay of Crossroads 1993 Favourite Singing Call nightwas a big hit, with some of the singing calls not having been called for 20years. The favourite singing call of1993 was“Why Don’t You Spend The Night”. With the lights dimmed for the final number, you could feel the romancein the air. Our newer dancers have braved the way, and swished and twirled withtheir new square dance petticoats. It’sa wonder you didn’t hear the whistles from where you were. Our condolences are extended to Tony Fox on the recent passing of his mother.
The National Convention was a great 5 days of dancing. The weather was absolutely beautiful,although a bit hot during the daytime sessions. Conventions offer a great opportunity to catch up with friends fromacross Australia. Ray and Maya haveheaded off up north for a few months. Tony & Mary are up in Queensland for a couple of weeks and Jeanette& Eileen have set sail to Hawaii – we wish them and all other travellerssafe and happy holidays.
Our ice cream night at SCP was a big success and surprise,surprise, there was actually some ice cream left over. Bowls of ice cream were decorated withhoneycomb, sprinkles, berries, lollies and multiple colours of luscious othertoppings. Several dancers headed north prior to the National Convention for theToukley A level weekend so the last couple of dance nights have been a littlequieter than normal. We recentlywelcomed Paul to our dance and hope he had a good night. We wish our travellersa happy holiday and a safe return. Ourbest wishes go to Evelyn and we look forward to her joining us again soon. On28 June SCP will be holding a Favourite Singing Call night combined with abaked potato supper. Yummo!
Hi ho, hi ho its off to work we go – Crossroads‘Occupation’ night is now fast approaching (22 May). Come along for a fun themenight and come dressed in a work outfit, be it a uniform (nurse, police,fireman), apron (chef, baker) or or any other creative idea.
The weather is now getting cooler making it more pleasant andcomfortable for dancing. On 3 July Crossroads will be celebrating its 31stbirthday, see the ad over the page.
FEBRUARY & MARCH 2013
Our Christmas break up at Crossroad was a greatnight. German couple Gerhard &Ingrid joined us for the Christmas dance. They were here on a holiday and took the final opportunity to dancebefore they went home for Christmas. It was also great to see Di &Jonathan. SCA break up was also a great night. Unfortunately Brenda was unable to dance dueto having an operation a couple of days earlier. We also had a couple of apologies from someof the dancers due to illness.
Our SCP break up was another great night, despite thehumid conditions. We had a number ofapologies for the night due to other commitments, but those who were able toattend, had plenty of fun. We alsowelcomed Trevor to his first night; hopefully, he will be back in the NewYear.
We all gathered on the second Wednesday for a social pizzaand ice cream extravaganza. It was great to have so many people able to attendin the relaxed atmosphere. The next couple of weeks saw several dancers joiningin the Christmas celebrations at other clubs. Sounds like all clubs enjoyed funand festive dance nights. We managed to get to several Christmas dancesincluding the Hunter Keller weekend. Everywhere we went people seemed to be in the spirit of Christmas andthe festive season.
Brenda & I got the opportunity to attend a couple ofother clubs Christmas break ups and really enjoyed the chance to dance andcatch up with a number of dancers on the floor.
Our first night back at Crossroads was a rocking nightwith over three squares dancing in the cool of our air-conditioned hall. We are looking forward to an exciting yearand have already welcomed some new dancers who are keen and eager tolearn. It is also great to have Deniceback dancing after several months off the dance floor. On a sad note we pass on our condolences toPaul and Vilma following the passing of Paul’s mum.
Next month we take a step back in time when we will re-livethe favourite singing calls from 1993 – should be a fun night. The questionremains – will anyone fit into the outfits from way back then? Also, in April, Crossroads will be having acouple of nights off. Brenda & Iwill be having a family holiday and, of course, the National Convention willinterrupt our dancing for a couple of weeks, so check the dates over the page.
Southern Cross Plus and Southern Cross A resumed inFebruary and we look forward to another fun filled year of dancing fun andentertainment. It was terrific to see Flo at our first night; there were lotsof people wanting to catch up with her. Thanks to Carol, Coral & Adrian for entertaining us with theircueing and Mike for entertaining us with his calling during the month. We really appreciate the support. Don’tforget that Southern Cross Plus has an ice cream night coming this month; Iwonder what toppings will be on offer. Ona sad note we pass on our condolences to Annette and her family following thepassing of her mother.
Southern Cross A is going well and we have now completedteaching the entire A2 program, over the next few months we will now start toreinforce all of the learnings from the past 12 months. We welcomed back Marilyn from her recentcruise through the Panama Canal. Due toEaster Thursday falling on our one of our club nights, we only have one clubnight in March, but what a big night it will be. March 14th is our birthday danceand this year we celebrate our 15-year anniversary. Come along and help us celebrate this specialevent. In April, due to the National Convention, we will only have one night inApril. Please ensure you check out thedates over the page.
Several dancers attended the Bronc Wise weekend inAdelaide and all reports indicated a great weekend. The National Convention this year will beheld in April, so if you haven’t had a chance to book, and you intend to go,you need to get a ‘wriggle on’.
NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2012
What a busy month October was. It started off with, apart from our regular club nights, a great weekend of dancing to Jet Roberts at Whitehorse’s 60th birthday. Janice, Des and the dancers should be congratulated for putting on such a wonderful weekend. Jet was awesome and injected a lot of energy, fun and great choreography into the weekend. Congratulations to Whitehorse and thank you for a great weekend. Then it was off to JBs to call for the night as Mike and Lorraine were holidaying in Japan.
Then Essendon Square Dance Club celebrated their 37th birthday with guest caller Graham Elliott during the month. Brenda and I were only able to go on Saturday night and it was great to catch up with Graham. Congratulations to Essendon for achieving such a great milestone. It was then back to JBs to call the next week. It was great to call for JBs on both nights.
In late October I was jet setting off to Armidale NSW for a square dance weekend where I was calling with Brian Hotchkies. Thanks to Janice for running Southern Cross Plus for us while I was away.
Apart from square dance functions and weekends we also got to help Janette & Alan Temple celebrate their 50th wedding anniversay during the month. It was great to attend and listen to the number of activities that have been part of their lives for 50 years and square dancing has been a major part for the last 33 years. Congratulations to Janette and Alan on achieving their golden wedding anniversary.
During October we had a great Movie Classics Night at Crossroads where we danced to songs from classic movies and got to hear a bit of trivia about each one. We had popcorn, choc tops and other movie food. It was another great night; don’t forget our Ice Cream Night in November. We welcomed Mike back to dancing after his recooperation from operation, it was great to see him back on the dance floor, unfortunately, Denice is back in her “boot” and won’t be dancing for a while. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Our Plus and A nights were a little quiet in October due to a number of dancers travelling to Japan and various other dance functions during the month. We did have a great night though with Janice helping out at plus. I was struggling in the latter part of the month when I lost my voice and croaked my way through a couple of club nights.
In November, the ships docked and the travellers returned and had a great time. The Cruising Country trip was successful, although the number of square dancers on board was much less than the previous year; those who did attend enjoyed a great week. After the cruise, we had enquiries from new dancers who had been on board and were keen to learn, so hopefully we will have two new couples joining us in the New Year. During the month we were happy to a welcome Jitka who was visiting from Czech Republic. It was great to have Lorraine and Lee back dancing after a 20-year absence – it’s amazing how it all comes back. Our ice cream night was a huge hit. Empty bowls were transformed into towers of icecream covered with crunchie, smarties, licorice, fruits, toppings and sprinkles. We also welcomed back Don & Sandra, who have been missing in action for a while due to health issues and a square dance trip to China. Our condolences are extended to Joe, Liz and family on the passing of Joe’s father.
As the year comes to a close at Southern Cross Plus and A, we would sincerely like to thank those who have once again offered their continued support at dances over the last 12 months. Our new A Level dancers have almost completed the A2 program. From all reports all who went enjoyed the trip to Japan and it has been great to welcome everyone back to the dance floor. During November we have welcomed Frauker & Tily from Germany to SCP and Jitka from the Czech Repbulic to SCA. We have had a number of sickies during the month and we would like to wish them all a speedy recovery.
Brenda & I have once again hit the high seas for a few days away and had a great time, as such, we were not able to attend the Dinner Dance. Those who did attend the dinner dance enjoyed the night. During the month, a number of us attended the last night of Westgate / Newport. Although it was sad to see the retirement of Frank Kennedy, the night was very upbeat, with a large crowd. Brenda & I would like to wish Frank & Joan all the best in retirement and thank them for the help and support they gave us as a new caller; it was a great experience to be a trainee under Frank.
Our Christmas break ups are fast approaching (see dates to be remembered) and don’t forget we will be having our social pizza night on the second Wednesday.
We would like to take this opportunity to once again thank all the dancers who have supported us over the year at all our clubs and look forward to another fun filled year again in 2013. Merry Christmas to everyone and hope Santa fills your sack with love and happiness.
If you would like to receive your copy of the Clubs newsletter electronically, please send an e-mail to hcockbur@bigpond.net.au and I will add you to our mailing list. Don’t forget to join us on Facebook by joining the group Crossroads & Southern Cross Square Dance Clubs page and upload your photos, comments etc.
SEPTEMBER 2012
Our back to school at Crossroads was a fun night with our Principal taking charge of the classes. We danced to songs about history, maths, driver education and even sex education. It was another great night enjoyed by all. It was nice to welcome back Denice on to the dance floor but we now send our best wishes to Mike as he makes his recovery. Don and Sandra are still recovering and we hope to see them back soon. Tony has also been suffering from the flu in recent times, and we wish him a speedy recovery. Vilma and Paul have set sail and will be back to continue their learning soon. Our up and coming Amateur Callers are preparing to entertain us all with in a few weeks. In October you will need to get your costumes out again as Crossroads have our Movie Classics Night, come dressed as your favourite character from any of the many movie classics.
Some of our travellers are back, some have just headed off and most of our sickies have recovered and have re-joined us. Its great to have almost our full compliment of dancers back with us. Quite a few of us travelled to Matamoras for the Jerry Jestin dance and enjoyed the challenge of his calling.
SCP will celebrate its 22nd birthday on 21st September. It should be a great night and we will be having a supper on this night, so please bring a plate of goodies to share. Numbers have remained steady at both Southern Cross Plus and Southern Cross A clubs and everyone seems to be enjoying the challenge and fun. At ‘Plus’ we have done some interesting choreography and enjoyed having visitors including a first time visit from Kath. We also had visitors from New Zealand when John & Karina attended both Southern Cross Plus and Crossroads. Graham has had a couple of stays in hospital recently and we wish him all the best. Reports to hand are that Flo is recuperating well and we continue to send our best wishes her way.
The newer “A” dancers have embarked on learning the A2 program. Recently we had a visit from Colin and Glenn – thanks guys. We welcomed back Keith & Kathy for the first time for a while, and it was great to have them back on the dance floor. We also welcomed back Marilyn, Ken & Doona from their respective overseas holidays. Ken was back only a couple of nights before heading off for a couple of weeks up north.
If you would like to follow Crossroads, SCP & SCA on Facebook, join the group “Crossroads & Southern Cross Square Dance Clubs” and you can add comments, find out what is happening and read what other dancers think.
AUGUST 2012
Crossroads 30th birthday seemed to go off with a bang. It was great to see Robyn Shepherd (SA) and James Reid (Qld) who had both travelled interstate especially to attend the birthday; we had heard on the grapevine that they would be there. We were pleased, surprised and shocked when Dave, Dawn, Ian & Leanne, from WA & Qld respectively, walked into the hall during the first bracket. We hadn’t heard anything about that on the grapevine! Lots of visitors from across Victoria as well as Graham from the UK and Ralph from Germany helped us celebrate the milestone. We were also delighted to have callers and cuers Janice Alexander, Mike Davey, Emily Fry, Dawn Gilbert, Peter Humphries, James Reid, Darren Taylor, Coral Wegmann, Adrian Weise, Ralph Weise and Bernadette Young on the program. Thank you for your support and for adding to the variety. Brenda & I are humbled by the support and well wishes we received for our club birthday and would like to sincerely thank all those who attended on the day as well all those dancers, past and present, who have been part of our dancing life and assisted with keeping Crossroad Squares dancing for over 30 years.
Mary and Tony once again showed off their artistic talents with the backdrop featuring an underwater theme and pearl shell. Thanks also muct go to Evelyn and Max for their help in setting up and to band of helpers who washed, dried and cleared up in the kitchen. All these things are what make a club successful – Thanks guys.
During the day, we had a DVD playing that featured highlights and good times we have shared over the last 30 years. The supper table was filled with a lavish supply of yummy food. The birthday cake not only looked sensational but tasted extra yummy – thanks to Eileen for her culinary skills.
At Southern Cross Plus we welcomed back Mal & Lyn Walker and Bev Casey from their respective trips away, Mal & Lyn were up North for the winter and Bev was in the States at the National Convention. Chris & Graham are now heading off overseas for about 9 weeks; we wish them a safe trip and look forward to seeing the photos on their return. The SCP jackpot has been building for 25 club nights (about 12 months) and it has finally been won. Congratulations to Dennis & Cheryl on winning the $200.
We wish all our sickies a speedy recovery and all our holiday makers a fun time and safe return.
Don’t forget that Brenda will be hosting her Fundraising Afternoon Tea (for Relay For Life) on Saturday 4th August.
Be sure to check out the details of our special events coming up over the next month or so. We have a ‘Favourite Singing Call Night’; ‘Back to School’ fun and SCP birthday to name a few.
JULY 2012
June was National Convention month and the Convention is now over and most of us have now returned home where we found the weather colder than in Tassie. The Convention was a huge success and everyone was in great spirits – especially at the after parties (so I am lead to believe). Congratulations to Kay & Barry Chandler and their committee on the success of the convention.
Prior to the National we welcomed Nev & Bev McLachlan to Southern Cross Plus and what a great night we had. Janice also came along and we also had cuers Carol, Coral & Adrian. It was a night of variety for everyone and what a big night at the coffee shop that was.
We recently welcomed Ralf who is currently living in Australia and hope his studies will allow him to visit as again. Graham also returned from Tassie and came along to the club before heading back to the UK at the end of July. Kathy from Stradbroke Squaes came along for her first time to SCP. It has been great to have all our visitors along, and hopefully they will return again soon.
We have lots of regulars who are away enjoying holidays in Australia & overseas, we wish them all happy and safe travels. Keith is out of action at the moment while he recovers from recent surgery. Will there be a winner of the jackpot – only time will tell. In August we will be having our favourite singing call night, this is the first one for quite a bit of time so don’t forget to vote. I will have voting slips available during July.
At Southern Cross A we continue to go through the A2 program ‘slipping’, ‘slithering’ and ‘Motivating’ across the dance floor. Our newer ‘A’ dancers enjoyed the dancing at the National, even though they were a little nervous. We had a quiet night after the National with a few people still away.
There was no Crossroads for the first two weeks of June, and when we returned we began our beginner’s class. Although we didn’t get a great deal of new dancers, we did have one very keen couple who had previously tried square dancing on the Cruising Country Cruise last year. We welcome Vilma & Paul to our club. Graham (from the UK) came along for a visit, and it was also lovely to see Jen back for a visit recently. Denice, Don & Sandra popped in to say hello and are still recuperating; they are all hoping to be back on the dance floor some time in July. Congratulations to Tony who became a grandfather again.
We are all geared up for our 30th birthday on 8 July and even got a write up in the local paper leading up to the event. Our birthday celebrations will be held on a Sunday this year and will be at the Cambridge Primary School, see the ad later in the newsletter. Hopefully there will be a number of visitors to help us celebrate our milestone event. In August we will be having out “Back To School” night, so take out those old uniforms, jump on the treadmill and get yourself back in shape to fit in them.
We are running a survey for our clubs at the moment so you can connect and do the survey from the links below: