In the photo we have Lorraine, Avian and Fred from the Rocky Twirlers.  They’re down here for the ANDRE RIEU Concert and filling in time just trolling around Adelaide and its environs (especially the Barossa). 

 Good on you for dropping in (and braving the Adelaide weather), the concert looks like being a great event.

Our graduation night, held on Friday 7th November, was a huge success we had 8 squares dancing with at least another square sitting out; our small hall was packed.  I trust everyone attended to wish our new dancers well and didn’t come solely for the strawberries and cream?

This year we had a small (but dedicated) graduation group. In the photo below we welcome from left to right: Pat Brooks, Sue Dixon, Peter Hobbs, Roger Anastasiou, Anne Anastasiou, Bev Andrew, Danni Mandryk, Kay Conduit, Kevin Conduit, Alex Crowley and Marie Wells we hope you have many happy years of square dancing ahead of you.

Our 2008 graduates

Danni brought along a special graduation cake dark/light chocolate and cream topped with strawberries dipped in chocolate it was delicious (we will need to dance for many weeks to get the weight off).

Danni our cake provider with Tim our cake devourer!

Thanks also to our SA Square Dance Association president Heather Dandridge for coming along to present the new dancers with their certificates and a SASDS gift / information package.

Our caller Jeff with SASDS President Heather & new graduate Bev

Please click on the advert below to enlarge.

What a party, it was a fantastic celebration of the old bugger reaching his 60^th  We had 10 squares up for the second mainstream bracket with a couple of squares sitting out having a chat, it was very crowded.  For a plus bracket we managed 8 squares and at 11:30 we still had seven mainstream squares winding up the festivities.

Some really old faces appeared on the scene to wish Jeff well.  His old friend Alan Brandford who went way back to the Adelaide University “Uni Club” days (when the old bloke was in his twenties) was MC, he also called the one dance he could remember.  Peter Scott, another stalwart from Jeff’s dim distant past supported the bracket and although he claimed he was rusty did a great singing call and an interesting hoedown.

 Trevor Hunt from Shooting Stars did some excellent calling (a bit hard to hear at times - I think we need a whip round to buy him a decent microphone) and Colin, Ivan and Ian pitched in too.  All in all that made 7 callers for the night.  The evening was a bit of an eye opener for Anita (one of our learners who came along to support Jeff).

Jeff was given the usual presents suitable for a sexagenarian (scotch Viagra user manual etc) plus two very special gifts.  Often Jeff suggests we bring crayfish sandwiches for supper (wishful thinking because that never happens), this night it was different.  Jenny our club president presented Jeff with a basket containing a crayfish, bread and butter and told him “make your own bloody sandwiches”.  She also presented him with a huge montage of photos from the past (when he was a fit looking young gun) plus some photos of present club members surrounding his caricature (in support).

On the right of the photo montage, near the bottom was a photo of Jeff as a young gun with his young wife Susan,  Just take a look at the photo below (the inset picture gives you an idea how young his kids and their friend were) just compare with todays picture - gee Jeff you must feel positively ANCIENT, Susan of course has not aged one bit.

Jeff’s cake was HUGE !  It was the largest black forest cake I have ever seen, about a metre long, enough for 400 guests (I did my best to help out I did have two servings).  It had lashings of very thick full cream as a topping and a filling (from the lips to the hips).

The food mmmmm the food!!!!. 

 What a fantastic spread (why can’t we have the same spread every Friday night?).  There was lots of food, hot food, cold food, sweet food, savoury food, food and more food, we had to scour the place to find enough tables to load up.

 The wine flowed like water and for those who imbibed, the dancing just became smoother and smoother as the evening blurred into a faultless succession of squares (some of the other dancers perhaps made a few mistakes, but never those who smoothly glided along in an alcoholic haze - well if I did make a few mistakes I can’t remember them).

 Decorations were great thanks to a hard working supporting committee.  There were some great raffle prizes and a rogues gallery (photos of Jeff’s groupies) hanging at the back of the hall was dismantled by attendees to take home as a memento of the event.

 One balloon for each year?

All in all a great night, everyone had a great time

International Callers

July 10^th /11^th /12^th 2009     Tony Oxendine  U.S.A.  &   Kenny Reese   Germany

July 9^th/10^th/11th  2010       Jerry Story  U.S.A. &  Tom Miller  U.S.A.

2009 REGISTRATION:   Level of Dancing:  Mainstream___Plus___A1__A2__ Please tick

Early Bird:   $85.00 before 31st March 2009      

Otherwise $110.00 until registrations filled.

Contact phone numbers:

Alana Klibbe Mobile:   0438113447

Anita O’Pray 07 4942 5141

Dawn Klibbe 074959 7350 Mobile 0427597350

Email: dawnklibbe@bigpond.com

Payment: Cheque/ Money Order/ Direct Deposit:  SUNCORP BSB 484799 Account No: 046290906 “Mackay & District Square Dancing Club”  P.O. Box 296 MACKAY   QLD    4740

Mackay Tourism 1300 1300 01 info@mackayregion.com

 Click to enlarge

John and Lynette operate Willowbrook Cottages bed and breakfast accommodation in Naracoorte, so if your looking for a break why not stay there and drop in to on their square dance night. Visit  http://www.willowbrookcottages.com.au/ for more information

 They attended the combined Wild Frontier / Shooting Stars Barmera trip earlier this year.  We hope you can make it to Victor Harbor in 2009.  Although not interstate visitors, they warrant a posting under that category.

Wild Frontier 2009

Jan:
Fri 16th Reopening

Feb:
Sat 21st 36th Birthday

March:
Fri 27th – Sun 29th Combined Weekend Away Victor Harbor

April:
Sat 11th Easter Dance NO Dance Good Friday
Wed 24th ANZAC Dance

May:
Wed 6th Combined May Dinner Dance

June:
Fri 26th Soup Night

July:
Sat 25th Charity Night SA Police Dixieland Band (See Charity Night link at top of page)

Aug:
Thur 6th “Come & Try Square Dancing”
Thur 20th New Learners Class

Sept:
Fri 18th “Footy Night”

Nov:
Fri 13th “Spooky Friday”
Tues 24th Combined Christmas Dinner

Dec:
Fri 18th Christmas Break up
Thurs 31st New Years Eve Dance

Kannella Squares 2009

Jan:
Tues 20th Reopening

The following Sat Dances “A” 4.30.p.m.
Basket tea 6.p.m.
“Plus” 7.p.m.
Please bring a basket supper each night

Feb:
Sat 14th A & Plus

April:
Sat 18th A & Plus

June:
Sat 20th A & Plus

Aug:
Sat 8th A & Plus

Oct:
Sat 24th 34th Birthday

Dec:
Sat 5th A & Plus

Tues 15th
Christmas Break Up A’s 7.p.m. Plus 8.p.m.
Please bring a basket supper

A big thankyou to all club members who attended the 34th State Square Dance Convention held at the William Light School over three days Friday 29th to Sunday 31st August, especially those who also worked as convention committee members.

Although there were few dress sets, their quality was excellent.  Kanella Squares was represented and there was a combined dress set from Wild Frontier and Adelaide Outlaws, many dancers in that set being members of both clubs.

Whilst on Saturday night there were about 12 squares up with many people sitting out, Sunday had a few less.  The afternoon dances / workshops were excellent but unfortunately not as well attended.  If you wish to improve your dance standards, I suggest next year you make every effort to attend these events.

That reminds me if you want to brush up on your mainstream, come along to our Thursday learner’s classes at 7:30 PM.  Our dancers have advanced well into the mainstream program; you may find it a bit of a work out.

Back to the convention; the level of calling was of a high order, Richard Muir really challenged the capabilities of our dancers.  Jeff, and our all time champion Colin Hudson ably supported Richard, with Graham Elliot and Les Tulloch pitching in to give us a varied and colourful dance/program.

The black and white theme for the Sunday evening dance was well supported. Jeff wore a black shirt and white tie.  He looked more like the Godfather or a hit man than a square dance caller, thank goodness he didn’t spill his pie and sauce down that pristine tie.

Once again congratulations to all those involved.

If you know anyone who is interested (young or old) and they have an e-mail address, please pass it on to Jeff, Roger or Robert so we can place them on our email distribution list.  We can then keep them informed about what is happening and they may even like to “come and try” at one of our future fun nights,(currently in the planning stage).

If you are a visitor to this web site please send us your information by adding a comment below and we will put you on our list.

We had songs from someone who looked like a Rusty Springfield, we had Batman in an Elvis suit, they literally bared their soul in the colorectal surgeon song.  We also had someone who looked like a lame Edna who as a finale, with all members of the cast gave a good rendition of We Are Australian.

Afterwards the Tones and members of the audience all had a good laugh trying to do that stuff we call square dancing.  All in all, a successful and thoroughly entertaining evening.  Well done the Strolling Tones, Jeff and the committee members who helped organize the show - and the food mmmmmmmm.