October The official HE 2017 newsletter T of the crop(Correspondence Regarding Outstanding People) Farmers & Charmers Square report Dance Club https//:www.FarmersAndCharmers.com ‘All I Did Was Ask’ Club dancers, caller appear on KTLA All I did was ask. Farmers & Charmers was looking for publicity for our free Introduction to Square Dance presentation in August. They were going to be held on four consecutive Sunday nights, preceded dates and then emailed by a half hour of free what KTLA would need for line dancing instruction its live remote. and followed by the Then the scrambling club’s normal plus-level started. The dates were workshop. It would lead two weeks or less away. I up to our beginners’ contacted our class caller, class, starting Sept. 10, Dale Hoppers, first and and the beginners class asked which date worked would be mentioned at Mark Mester of KTLA-TV, above, teases to an com- best for him. As it turned each presentation. ing segment on the KTLA Morning News featuring out his Tuesday night As a former member dancers from Farmers & Charmers, Lads ‘N’ Las- class was dark that week, of the media, I reached sies, Valley Trailers, Western Weavers and other so Wednesday morning out to the KTLA Morning local clubs. Above right, the news van was parked worked perfectly. And News, since it seems to and ready to go before 4:20 a.m. then I had to break the feature events like ours, news to him. He had to be and to another local news dancing and promised to we chatted for a while there at 4:50 a.m.! station and its health get her some requested before she said, “Let’s do reporter, promoting the footage of us dancing to this.” She offered me two See KTLA next page health benefits of square contemporary pop songs. dancing. Our club had a board Within in a week, a meeting and I informed Inside producer of the KTLA them that KTLA had Quick tips ........................................................3 Morning News emailed responded and I promised Caller corner: Buddy Weaver ..........................3 to keep them in the loop. me back, asking some Square Dance Class of 2017 ...........................4 questions. I replied and After another email Your Dance Card (calendar)............................5 gave her some more exchange with the KTLA information about square producer, she called and KTLA From previous page I then asked around to see if our normal class location was available that early. It was not, and even if it was it served breakfast so we would lose some of our floor space. We ended up stepping back in history a bit and renting space at Granada Pavilion, which had been Elaine’s of California, Virginia Heidt has some a former square-dance fun with Mark Mester of clothes’ boutique and KTLA. dance hall in Granada us live. And a couple of Hills. It would work on dancers with family with many fronts as the KTLA South America said their news van could park right families finally got to see in front, it had a kitchen for them dance after years of refreshments, restrooms trying to explain it to them. as part of the facility and Besides Dale Hoppers, there would be plenty of I would like to thank and parking for the dancers. acknowledge the following Dancers. Now we dancers for helping out needed dancers. We put with the event: Virginia out the caller to our club. Heidt, Paul Kayne, Then to our sister club, Sandi Mainwaring, Terry the Lads N Lassies, and That is 4:35 a.m. on the clock as three club Parks, Tammy Parks, co-president Joyce Stillwell presidents turned out for the KTLA event, from left, Val Simmonds, Diana even called dancers from Don Krall of Valley Trailers, Joyce Stillwell of Lads ‘N’ Smith, Fred Spohr and nearby clubs to help fill Lassies and our own president, Fred Spohr. Lennie Wan of Farmers & the hall. We then reached Charmers; Bonnie Bench, out to the other club that I arrived at 4:20 a.m. Everyone arrived on Stephen Langton, Jeralynn Dale teaches at, Western the morning of the shoot time and we ended up Langton and Joyce Stillwell Weavers in Burbank. And to find the KTLA news having three squares. We of Lads ‘N’ Lassies; Eddy finally, since we were just van already there with appeared on three live Galeano, Ron Getchius, not promoting our classes its antenna raised and teaser segments and three Linda Kaplan, Gail Koulax, but square dancing in ready to go, as well as live segments, all three Nick Koulax, Don Krall general, we invited the Fred Spohr, president of which can be found on and Jan Schaffer of Valley Valley Trailers, who also Farmers & Charmers. the Farmers & Charmers’ Trailers; Michael Brodie dance at the Wilkinson Treasurer Terry Parks website, https:// of Western Weavers; Ken Center in Northridge. had a dangle created FarmersAndCharmers. Kemzura of Associated Being a recent for the event and each com. We even got Mark to Square Dancers; Tom graduate of the club, I was participant dance a little. Sunderland of Buckles & humbled by the outpouring received one as One of the Bows; Harold Struthers, of support from everyone. they arrived. benefits of being on Woody Hughes and Ron Even if they could not Mark Mester KTLA is the station Black. make it, I was offered of KTLA went over is broadcast not And all I did was ask. words of encouragement with Dale what just in Los Angeles. and thanks for what I was he needed and Theresa Spohr, — John Garcia, Editor, doing to help our club and expected to happen in who was visiting family in The CROP Report square dancing in general. each segment. Colorado, said she saw 2 Caller’s corner Buddy QUICK TIPS club’s six elected Shuping. position is open through Weaver Oct. 22. Holiday Luncheon Buddy A notice has been Since you dance at Weaver sent by email and, for the Wilkinson Center, started those without a valid you are all invited to calling email address, U.S. mail. Valley Area Holiday in 1977 If you are interested in Luncheon on Friday, while still running for one of these Dec. 1, from 11 am in school, position, please respond to 1 pm in Arleta. The living in Halloween class party to the email or inform cost Is just $2 but we Honolulu, Hawaii. IThere will be a Fred or Teresa. need your name and He is a third- Halloween-themed class money by Nov. 10 to generation square dance party on Sunday, Oct. 29 Keep in ‘Plus’ shape Sandi Mainwarring, caller who lives with his at the Wilkinson Center. Now our Senior Federation family in San Diego. Costumes are Buddy became an that representative. You encouraged but not accredited member of classes can catch Sandi at CALLERLAB in 1981 and required. It will be a have class or email her at is currently Chairman potluck so make sure resumed, rm10150sandi@aol. of the Music Producers to sign up on the sheet if you com. Committee. He is an class to let everyone want C experienced coach in else know what you are to stay practice for the the art of calling and has bringing. Plus-level dances, you done seminars in the More details to come. can join the Lads ‘N’ United States, Japan and Lassies on Monday Europe on many square Call for nominations nights at the Wilkinson dance calling subjects. The Center from 7:30 to Buddy also writes a call for 9:30 p.m. for a plus- monthly music review nominations column along with an level workshop with Rod ( for the article on making square dancing better for the T dancers. Buddy Weaver is Betty Slack to be remembered the first American caller to teach and call in A Celebration of Life from 2 to 4 p.m. post-cold war Poland and sharing of memories Those interested in and the first American for Betty Slack, a attending should RSVP caller brought to both longtime member of to Diane Kredell at 818- Tasmania, Australia and Farmers & Charmers 825-7508. Takagawa, Japan for a and supporter of square Besides helping out square dance festival dancing in general, will Farmers & Charmers He has called be held Saturday, Oct. with the newsletter and numerous times in Japan, Denmark, 28, in West Hills. website, Betty, along Sweden, Holland and Betty passed away in with her husband, Don, Germany as well as 29 September. served as presidents of U.S. states. The celebration will the Associated Square Buddy will be calling take place at 22955 Dancers from 2009- our dance on Nov. 4. Arminta St. in West Hills 2011. 3 Nine graduate from square dance classes Eight of the nine graduates of the recent square dance class pose for a photo before graduation in June. The Class of 2017 are, back row from left, Laura Garcia, John Garcia, Mike Doot, Judith Toomey and Russ Kidd. Sitting, from left, are Val Simmonds, Kay Goeden and Lennie Wan. Carole Nony is not pictured. After nine long months of instructions from Dale Hoppers, nine students were awarded their BSDs, “Bachelor of Square Dancing,” in a Looney Toons-themed ceremony at the Wilikinson Center. We are happy to report that all nine graduates have joined Farmers & Charmers as members and three of new members are already serving on the Teresa Spohr, our co-president and class coordinator, leads the recent board of the club. graduates and others in a Bunny Hop following a Looney Tunes-themed graduation ceremony.