GREETING DANCE BUDDIES

 attended the ACSC Workshop the last week in February and as usual it was lots of fun with good dancing and full of information you may find interesting. This workshop was to bring all the clubs up to date on old and new business going on in the organization for the next quarter. I feel that it is important to report back with what goes on at these meetings and I consider it a privilege to represent our club at these meetings.  

We had an election to replace two positions on the ACSC board that had expired.  Don David and Hector Phifer both SOS Board Members were re-elected. 

 The ACSC is celebrating its 20 year anniversary, it started out with 5 clubs and now we have 96 full member clubs.  The board gave all attendees an opportunity to ask questions relating to club business and any suggestions that would enhance the organization.  One new club was voted in and we spent time discussing what the requirements to receive the Icon Award should be.

 Information about the parade was passed out and Dave Mitchell will pass this information on to the members.  Judy Vick (Vice Chairman on ACSC) is keeping up with club charity information and feels that it is important to publish this information in the Carefree Times.  We are not competing but want to share this special information as each club feels appropriate.

 The Carefree Times has a new Editor, Larry Jones 843/399-0105, DUCKSDJ@SC.RR.COM

 On a different note, I would like to express a large THANK YOU to all our members that worked so hard at the Smoky Mountain Boogie to make it the huge success it was again this year.  We have already started making plans for next year and will pass along information as we make our final plans.

 And remember to have fun and keep dancing.

 Sandra Barker

President
 

  RESULTS OF SURVEY

t our January General Membership meeting we reviewed briefly the results of the survey that was taken in November 2003 and listed below is the outcome.  The Board members together with our members have worked together to resolve some of the concerns and issues that were voiced from the survey.  It appears for the most part that we seem to be doing something right based on our current participation on Sunday nights. As always, if you have comments or suggestions you would like to identify, please let me or one of the Board members know. Our goal is to represent and provide the best fellowship and dancing for all members.

  1)  Everyone who responded wanted to have a quarterly membership meeting.

  2)  Everyone who responded agreed that our present location is acceptable.

  3)  Two-thirds who responded agreed to pay an admission fee if we moved locations.

  4)  Half who responded agreed to take club funds to cover the cost of a facility if we moved locations.

  5)  Two-thirds wanted to add the Re-up Party as an annual club event.

  6)  Two-thirds wanted to learn some new line dances.

  7)  Two-thirds felt we should put more emphasis on promoting club membership.

 The issues from the comment section addressed were 1) Update the Web-Site,

2) Change the dance lesson structure, and  3) Put more emphasis on membership publicity.

 Resolutions to comments:  Tom Marsh is our new web-site representative and has already made updates and changes to better keep the members informed.  Thanks Tom for taking on this long overdue task.

 We have changed the structure to better suit our current members by offering intermediate dance steps the first hour on Sunday nights and have changed basic lessons to Monday night in order to be able to give new dancers a better opportunity for learning without all the noise and interruptions.  These changes have already proved to be a success. Another added feature to our team is George Groom using email to notify members about club business, this seems to be working for everyone and helps with the phone committee.  If you are not being notified by email and choose to, please let George know.

 Thank you for your interest in the club.

 Sandra Barker

President
 

  A LETTER FROM KAREN SPARKS

 would like to thank all of the Smokey Mountain Shaggers for the support of hospitality with SMB.

 I would like to especially thank Hugh Walker as my co-host, for all the hard work and many things that are behind the scene activity that he does. Hugh is involved in more than just hospitality, 50/50, decorations and the best P.R. person we could ever ask for.  Hugh is a great asset to our club.  Hugh keeps you up even when you are down.  Without Hugh a lot of things would not get done in a timely manner.

 Hugh made many reservations for hotel rooms when friends would call.  We made arrangements for tickets for several people at the last minute and they all seems to be happy.  As a team we are great as a club.

 Thanks to all of you in the club for the garden parties, balcony parties and many more I am still hearing about.

 Our club showed great host to all. Thanks again and we will be there next year.

 Karen Sparks

Foothills Winter Boogie
 

n the road again. _ this time to Hickory, NC. Fourteen members of SMS went to the Foothills Winter Boogie held at the Holiday Inn Select on February 6-8. As usual, we had one of the best club representations. Friday night started with food and lots of great dancing from 7:00- 1:00. Ellen Taylor conducted a workshop Saturday morning followed by more food and then dancing from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am. The Unusual Fashion Show was a hoot with the Fab Five doing a complete makeover on one of the men. Sunday morning’s full breakfast is always a big hit ,then more dancing from 1:00 to 3:00. The DJs –Gene Hensley, Norman Mills, Clyde Waller and Farrell Watts did a great job. We all heard some new tunes that enticed us to get out on the floor. Lake Hickory Shag Club hosted another great event!

 I encourage everyone to go to at least one away dance. You meet lots of great people, get to dance with some terrific Shaggers, and get to know your fellow Smoky Mountain Shaggers better.

 Cassie Quinn

ill Rogers, who died in a plane crash with Wylie Post in 1935, was
probably the greatest political sage this country has ever known.  Enjoy the
following:

   1.  Never slap a man who's chewing tobacco.

    2.  Never kick a cow chip on a hot day.
  3.  There are 2 theories to arguing with a woman...neither works.
   4.  Never miss a good chance to shut up.

    5.  Always drink upstream from the herd.

    6.  If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.

    7.  The quickest way to double your money is to fold it and put it back
in your pocket.

    8.  There are three kinds of men: The ones that learn by reading.  The
few who learn by observation.  The rest of them have to pee on the electric
fence and find out for themselves.

    9.  Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from
bad judgment.

    10.  If you're riding' ahead of the herd, take a look back every now and
then to make sure it's still there.

    11.  Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier'n puttin' it
back.

    12.  After eating an entire bull, a mountain lion felt so good he
started roaring.  He kept it up until a hunter came along and shot him.  The
moral:
    When you're full of bull, keep your mouth shut.

    ABOUT GROWING OLDER...

    First ~ Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your
age and start bragging about it.

    Second ~ The older we get, the fewer things seem worth waiting in line for.

    Third ~ Some people try to turn back their odometers.  Not me, I want
people to know "why" I look this way.  I've traveled a long way and some of
the roads weren't paved.

    Fourth ~ When you are dissatisfied and would like to go back to youth,
think of Algebra.

    Fifth ~ You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or
leaks.

    Sixth ~ I don't know how I got over the hill without getting to the top.

    Seventh ~ One of the many things no one tells you about aging is that it
is such a nice change from being young.

    Eighth ~ One must wait until evening to see how splendid the day has
been.

    Ninth ~ Being young is beautiful, but being old is comfortable.

    Tenth ~ Long ago when men cursed and beat the ground with sticks, it was
called witchcraft.  Today it's called golf.

    And finally ~ If you don't learn to laugh at trouble, you won't have
anything to laugh at when you are old.

 Finding The Rhythm Part Of Rhythm and Beach Music in THE SHAG
 

ow many times have you said, “My partner has no rhythm,” or, “She just can’t ‘feel’ the music. Has it crossed your mind that maybe, just maybe, your partner would never be able to learn shag — the proverbial “two left feet” scenario?

                 Sound familiar, girls and guys? Eventually, we all encounter a situation in which one of the above statements apply. There’s hope for the worst, however, according to Steven Halpern, Ph.D., composer, educator and author of Sound Health. A lack of rhythm is many times due to the lack of training In literally feeling the music. According to Dr. Halpern, if a child is continually exposed to music and encouraged to move with the music, he can usually feel the beat. More likely than not, it’s a matter of paying attention rather than lacking rhythmic techniques. However, what does this do for those of us who have moved beyond childhood, at least physically, and still “have no rhythm”?

                  Most women love to dance or want to learn, but unwittingly, they may be doing everything possible to discourage their partners. According to Dean Constantine, a dance instructor for 40 years to over 100,000 students, many females visualize their partners becoming divinely inspired by the music and beginning to dance overnight.  When the woman takes the poor  guy cut on the floor, in front of other people tells him to relax and feel the music, he’s usually ready to pack his bags for the house!

                  Learning to dance is rewarding but it takes both time and practice. Feeling the music is a major part of the pleasure and patience and realistic expectations will help. Just as our instructors, Rodney and Laura Williams have shown, most people need to learn the basic mechanics before they can concentrate on the beat of the music. This is why Rodney will walk you through three steps over and over again before you ever hear a note of shag music. It’s doubly hard on the guys, who have to concentrate on leading as well.  Many men will come to the dance floor self-conscious, wondering If they will make fools of themselves, when in fact, all they have to learn are the actual steps.

                  According to Constantine, non-dancers are not born without rhythm. They Just don’t know what to do with their feet. Let a partnerr learn the steps, then introduce the music. When the dancer doesn’t have to think so hard about where the feet go and what they do, he or she can listen more to the beat of the music. When Laura or Rodney repeats the step repeatedly, it’s not because the step is difficult. It’s because repetition helps people to relax. Too often, we approach learning with tension. It’s important to try to relax, laugh, have fun during the learning process and don’t take yourself too seriously.

              Learn the steps first without a partner. Walk through them over and over again. Count the rhythm aloud ... one and two, three and four, five, six ... the unmistakable count of The Shag. Walk through the steps, counting aloud, with your partner. Counting together helps you both stay on the beat of the step. When you finally add the music, the partner with the stronger feel for the beat can count aloud to help his or her partner hear it. If one of you gets off the beat, continue counting again. More than anything else, do not frustrate your partner by pushing too hard.

                  Another excellent way to learn to feel the beat is by dancing in the dark, according to Nancy Sheppard. Another  professional dance Instructor. Try taking a good beach/shag tape home. Find a room where you won’t be disturbed. Turn the lights down low and perhaps light a candle or two. Turn an the music and relax. Try to feel the rhythm in your body and just start moving. Don’t try to do any particular steps or even move your feet, just make an effort to sense the rhythm somewhere in your body and go with it. Before long, that sense of rhythm will emerge. You can probably pick up the beat by concentrating on the simple rhythm of our shag music. When you’ve already learned the steps with Rodney’s and Laura’s help, putting it together will became more simple than your realize Above all, be patient and have fun, and keep counting ... one and two, three and four, five, six. That’s what Shag I. all about!

                  (Condensed In part from “How to Hear the Beat!” by Maggie Spilner in Prevention Magazine)

 Photos from the RE-UP Party  (Click to view)

And Smoky Mountain Boogie (Click to view)

Since photos reproduced by copy techniques are very poor at best. we are going to “publish” them on the Smoky Mountain Shagger Website :

 www.smokymountainshagger.com

 Our talented Webmaster will have those photos that I have carefully “doctored” and added words of wisdom and will be displayed for your enjoyment.

 If any of you would like to have a CD with the photos of the Boogie I will “burn” copies for a nominal price of $3.00. Please let me know by email how many copies you want.

 You know that I have a weird sense of humor.  Enjoy.

 EMAILS

 If you haven’t been receiving our frequent emails about the happenings of our club and would like to, please make sure that I have your CORRECT email address. There were a number of them that had typos or had changed since you registered at the beginning of the year.

 George Groom

wudwrkr816@chartertn.net