Ted & Tonia Hofmeister

Tonia and I are second generation square dancers. We were introduced to square dancing by our parents. Tonia’s parents, James and Mildred Lambert and mine, Joe and Dorothy Marchese. Ironically Tonia and I both started dancing over 50 years ago at the same time and started lessons in 1969. Tonia with the Hi Steppin’ Squares and my brother Larry and I, began with the Swing-N-Teens.

It’s hard to believe square dancing was responsible for bringing Tonia and me together. We have been married for over 46 years with 4 kids & 13 grandkids (so far).

Tonia worked at Ark Children’s Hospital and served as a substitute teacher for several years; however, we have been blessed that Tonia has taken care and managed our household most of our married life. I graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Arkansas and was in the industrial gas business for 43 years. I have transferred 4 times, held various positions in sales management and operations. I have managed multiple operations in multiple states, and we believe this has prepared us to take on the task of General Chairman of the 74th National Square Dance Convention.

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Handout

Mike & Lisa Seastrom

Mike has been dancing since 1960 and calling since 1963. He has a long history as a member of CALLERLAB, including serving on the Board of Governors, is a past Chariman and a Milestone Award winner.

Mike currently teaches for the Buckles & Bows Square Dance Club in Thousand Oaks, California. He teaches the Social Square Dance program which enables him to teach two classes a year plus a Summertime Funshop of the SSD calls.

Together with his wife, Lisa, they promote the importance of Social Connections in keeping square dancing a vital part of our lives, and work as Square Dance Ambassadors everywhere they travel.

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Handout

Youth dancers are the future of square dancing! Take this opportunity to learn how USDA supports the formation and ongoing promotion of youth square dancers across the country. Dan will also share information about USDA’s Founders’ Memorial Youth Fund Scholarship Program – learn more about how your youth dancers can apply by the February 1st deadline

Dan Reedy, USDA Youth Advisor

Dan Reedy has served as USDA’s Youth Advisor for several years and actively promotes youth dancing. Dan hails from Van Buren, Arkansas. He works closely with the Youth Directors for the annual National Square Dance Convention to support activities in the Youth Hall.

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Callers, Cuers and Dance leaders: These are three important components that contribute to the success and stability of our clubs, associations, classes, and dance events. There are things that dancers, dancer leaders, clubs and associations can do to encourage and train people for these roles and increase the success and growth of our numbers and our entire activity.

Mike has been dancing since 1960 and calling since 1963. He has a long history as a member of CALLERLAB, including serving on the Board of Governors, is a past Chariman and a Milestone Award winner.

Mike currently teaches for the Buckles & Bows Square Dance Club in Thousand Oaks, California. He teaches the Social Square Dance program which enables him to teach two classes a year plus a Summertime Funshop of the SSD calls.

Together with his wife, Lisa, they promote the importance of Social Connections in keeping square dancing a vital part of our lives, and work as Square Dance Ambassadors everywhere they travel.  

Complete Webinar Video
Slides From Video 

Every square dance organization needs General Liability and Accident Medical Expense coverage while conducting and sponsoring dance activities. As closely as safety rules are followed, accidents can and will happen. This insurance program, especially designed for USDA dance groups, provides Accident Medical insurance, which helps protect club members from financial loss due to a covered accidental bodily injury, and Liability insurance, which protects the club and its members and association officials from financial loss due to unforeseen incidents which may develop into litigation against members and dance organizations.

USDA’s Insurance Coordinator Elizabeth Sanders will outline the Insurance program, including answering the questions “Which form do I use to request a certificate?” and “Which form is used to register students for Insurance?” Tune in for more on the different forms and what they are used for, as well as the proper way to enter your club or affiliate’s information into the insurance database.

Eddie & Elizabeth Sanders, USDA Insurance Director
Eddie and Elizabeth are longtime dancers from Stephens, Georgia, and have led the USDA insurance program since 2019.

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We all want to expand the number of dancers in our clubs, but so many areas have a shortage of available callers. SSD – Social Square Dance - has been a highly successful introductory dance program in many areas of the World, but what if you’re in an area where no callers are available to teach a new class? Kip Garvey is here to share how you don’t have to be a caller to teach an SSD program.

Kip Garvey, Ione, CA.
Kip Garvey began calling as a teenager in 1960. Initially he was club Caller for a teen square dance club in Andover, Massachusetts. Calling for several teen and adult clubs over the years, Kip has taught dancers every year since 1960.  Kip joined CALLERLAB, the International Association of Square Dance Callers, in 1979. He was elected to the Board of Governors for five years and served on the Executive Committee and as Vice Chairman of the organization. He worked and chaired several committees with special focus on dance programs and caller training. After a move to California in 1980, Kip worked regularly with Bill Davis in the development of much of the current day technical theory regarding choreographic structure and sight calling technique. Kip and Bill Davis were the first two test-certified CALLERLAB Caller Coaches and together conducted several caller training schools.

As one of CALLERLAB’s first certified Caller Coaches, Kip has been the feature lecturer at several caller schools across the country and in Europe. He has authored several magazine articles and technical documents, including a recently completed book on the technical aspects of square dance choreography entitled ‘Nuts And Bolts’ and another recently completed book for newer callers entitled 'Call Me Crazy'. Kip created the first online caller training facility that went live in 2017, the Central Sierra Caller School and is actively mentoring several local callers.

SSD Without A Caller
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As we all work harder to promote our square dance clubs and events, it’s more and more important that we find cost-effective and easy-to-use ways to help that effort. There is so much more available via social media, particularly Facebook, that we can use to accomplish those goals. Thom will share with us how to use Facebook Events to help us reach a wider audience as well as allow individuals to add reminders of your events to their personal calendars.

Thom Cuong M. Dang, San Diego, CA.
Thom is very well versed in square dance event planning and promotion. Is a member of the Cuesta Squares of San Luis Obispo, CA and an honorary life member of the GCA – Gay Callers Association. He lives in Arroyo Grande and studied computer science at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

Using Facebook Events to Promote Square Dancing
About Thom Dang
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