HAPPY HOPPERS NEWSLETTER

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1 HAPPY HOPPERS NEWSLETTER March PRESIDENTS MESSAGE February has been a good month for your presidents. We had people step forward to form a nominating committee, Jim and Brenda Martinez, Tom and Liza Halpenny, and Rod and Cindy Lunde. They will have a slate of officers elections at our April 5 dance. We had a very successful Puerto Rican dinner hosted by Jim and Brenda Martinez with their three ladies helping, Laura, Kimberly and Corey. There were 36 Hoppers in attendance and they enjoyed a meal of rice and beans, marinated beef, super good potatoes, salad and rolls. It has been suggested that we do this once a quarter. Something for the board to pursue. We are also on our way to finalizing plans for our Anniversary Dance, Spring Things. We may need a few items, but we will members when plans are final. The second clothing sale of the season was very successful. We made over $700. As a result of two very prosperous sales this year our supply is dwindling. If you have plans for some spring cleaning (or summer, or fall) we could use some new donations. Your Presidents, Ron and Emily Chase and Don and Joanne Oja HAPPY HOPPER IRISH POTATO DANCE March 15 Sign up sheets for potato toppings are in the kitchen or see Bev Poland We need your help in the kitchen and on the door at the Hopper dances. Please consider volunteering at one of the upcoming dances and receive HALF OFF the donation cost of the dance, $WHAT A DEAL$ Sign up sheets are in the kitchen at each dance or call Bev Poland at (360) Thanks!!

2 UPCOMING DANCES & EVENTS Mar 1 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC Bring Finger Food and Canned Food Donation Mar 3 New Session Hopper Lessons Begin Mar 15 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC Irish Potato Dance Bring Potato Toppings Mar 16 River City Riders Benefit Dance Milwaukie Community Callers: Front Porch Trio Center 42nd & Jackson Mar 28 B51 New Dancers Dance Hazel Dell Grange Caller: Jim Hattrick 7:30 pm Mar 29 Tri-Council Dance CCSDC Sponsored by Tualatin Valley Council Mar 30 Dance-O-Rama Fairway Village Apr 5 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC Bring Finger Food Apr 19 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC Ice Cream Social Bring Ice Cream Toppings May 3 Happy Hopper Anniversary Dance CCSDC Spring Things May 17 Happy Hopper Dance CCSDC Bring Finger Food

3 Regular Dance Bring Finger Food Hosting: Randalls and Bays Bring Canned Food Donation Irish Potato Dance Bring Potato Toppings Hosting: Bennett/Gruol and? Regular Dance Bring Finger Food Hosting: Caines and? Ice Cream Social Bring Ice Cream Toppings Hosting: Harlands and Polands Dauntless Dancers by Tom Halpenny I began learning Square dance five years ago, after Scottish dancing for the previous twelve years. I began keeping a fun list of "Tom's Enlightened Dancer Friends who have danced both Scottish dance and Square dance with Tom one time." We can access the latest version that currently has fifty five names over the past four years. This past year I expanded my interest to explore Irish Ceili dance, English Country dance, Contra dance, and International Folk dance. My son-in-law, Hans, invented the term "Dauntless Dancer." Since "dauntless" means "fearless", and given my interest in additional dance forms, I thought of a new list of "Tom's Dauntless Dancer Friends who have danced any three folk dance forms with Tom one time, from a list of folk dance forms with partners in a set." We can access the latest version that currently has nine names. The file also lists Future Dauntless Dancer Friends who have danced two folk dance forms, and displays which two dance forms were tried. These friends include all the Enlightened Dancers who have danced Scottish dance and Square dance, as well as other combinations. What is the value of trying another folk dance form? I have observed that practicing multiple dance forms with their related music provides more variety and interest, compared with a single folk dance form. The skills learned from one dance form carry over to another. Dance groups share common interests, and we can learn ideas from others, in the areas of enhancing social friendships, planning dance classes and events, and teaching. There are opportunities for dance groups to collaborate and support one another, as overall folk dance popularity declines in the United States. However we need ideas like this article in order to neutralize the tendency for a dancer to become entrenched in a single dance form as their experience increases, and they lose their curiosity to explore new folk dancing ideas. I have observed that the "Enlightened Dancers" and "Dauntless Dancers" lists are less likely to include the leaders of dance groups, and are more likely to include new dancers. Please let me know when you want to try something new for two hours, and I will look forward to dancing with you and adding you to my Enlightened Dancers and Dauntless Dancers lists.

4 March Birthdays 5 Bob Bosch 6 Toby Cole 6 Glenn Driscoll 6 Shirley Steadman 9 Hogan Bays 13 Daniel Danielson 13 Mary Fulton 14 Jean Tolstrup 16 Wayne Warne 21 Kathleen Cole 23 Bev Poland 30 Ed Hollo B51 DANCE March 28 Hazel Dell Grange 7:30 Round Dance Teach 8:00 Dance Jim Hattrick Caller/Cuer Please plan to attend and support our new dancers! March Anniversaries 6 Michael and Elsie Cain 15 Ed and Geri Hollo 18 Randy and Jackie Amundson 20 Victor Gruol and Jill Bennett 27 Toby and Kathleen Cole PLUS and a LITTLE MORE Tuesday Nights Hazel Dell Grange Waltz Round Dance Lessons 6:00 pm Plus/Workshop Dance 7:00 pm All Dancers Welcome A-1 Lessons 8:30 pm For Experienced Plus Dancers Jim Hattrick Caller/Cuer Dues are Due Dues.Yes it s that time again. Dues are $15 per person, $30 a couple. Dues can be paid to Club Treasurers, Randy & Jackie Amundson, preferably by mail. Send check made out to Happy Hoppers. Mailing address: R. E. Amundson N.E. 64 th Ave Vancouver, WA A new session of Hopper lessons begin on March 3. Be sure to invite your friends, family and neighbors. Check out several fun photos from our last session of lessons at this link:

5 Dance-O-Rama A Dance-O-Rama will be held Sunday, March 30, 2014, 2:00-4:00pm, at Fairway Village Ballroom, Vancouver. The event will introduce participants to several folk dance forms. The main goal is to show Fairway Village residents the benefits of dancing. Dance-O-Rama will introduce participants to moderate physical activity and social friendships. There will be a square dance demonstration, and we hope several Happy Hoppers will participate. You can contact Elsie Bartling for more information at The schedule is: River City Riders performance (Square Dance on Horses) Cloggers Scottish Dance Square Dance Audience Participation Square Dance Refreshments Hoppers Friendship Dinner a Delicious Success by Liza Halpenny 45 Hoppers gathered for a Friendship Dinner hosted by the club before the dance on February 15. With no charge for the meal, members had an opportunity to get together to break bread, chat, and get to know each other better. The main dishes of the delicious Puerto Rican meal were generously provided by Jim and Brenda Martinez, with abundant assistance from Kimberly Israel, Laura Bonacorsi, and Korrie Matta. Added to the savor of Jim and Brenda s offering was the spice of heroics. Having started preparations Friday afternoon, they unexpectedly spent the entire night in the hospital due to Brenda s low hemoglobin (a complication from her surgery the week before). Back home Saturday morning, Kimberly, Korrie, and Laura came over earlier than planned to help get things done on time: Rice and Beans; Rellenos de Papa (stuffed potatoes); and Bistec Encebollado (beef and onions). A kitchen-full of food was transported to the Square Dance Center where the team of five continued preparations. The rest of us tried to stay out their way while helping with set-up. Dinner was served on the dot at 6:00. Amazing. Many thanks to the Team of Cooks, and to all the other Hoppers who helped put on this fine affair. Everyone enjoyed the meal and enjoyed socializing. We were well fortified for the dancing antics which followed. This fun event bears repeating.

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9 Visitation to Hoedowners by Tom and Liza Halpenny Hoedowners square dance club hosted three squares of Happy Hoppers for its 64th Anniversary dance on February 22. A delicious chicken dinner before the dance provided a pleasant social time for the dancers. The Aloha Grange dance floor is beautiful with its parachute canopy and lights. Caller Daryl Clendenin noted the Hoedowners club was founded in 1950, and he taught the "Grand Spin" move that was called in the early days. The track is similar to "Grand Square", with some unusual variation that includes "Spin The Top". The head couples dance the most complex sequence and become side couples, while the side couples dance a simpler sequence to become head couples. Definition: From a normal Squared Set, ends in a Squared Set. Heads: Pass the Ocean; Spin The Top; blending into a Star Thru; walk forward and California Twirl. Sides: Face partner; back up 3 steps as in Grand Square; Face in, walk forward, and dosado (to face); then Star Thru. Repeat the above movement with new Heads and Sides. Daryl and his cuer wife Yvonne were honored for their many years of contributions to Square Dance and the Hoedowners club. We made significant progress to retrieve Hoedowners' collection of six Happy Hoppers friendship banners. Jean Tolstrup led a visitation in 2013 and retrieved two banners. The latest visitation was able to retrieve three more banners. So Hoedowners only has one banner remaining for us to retrieve in the future. We would like to thank Hoedowners for their hospitality and for their continuing friendship and support of Happy Hoppers dances. Many thanks to our impressive cloud of Happy Hoppers who particpated in the visitation. Newsletter Editor: Cindy Lunde - Send submissions by mid-month to rlunde@q.com

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