The NEW Clinton X-95 SOUND PROJECTOR THE NOVEL LIGHTWEIGHT TRANSDUCER WHICH OUTPERFORMS ALL OTHER LOUDSPEAKERS, FOLDED HORNS AND SOUND COLUMNS Extremely efficient — tilts to beam voice and music over a wide horizontal angle directly to the audience without echoes. Wide frequency range — faithful music, clear voice reproduction. 4.8 OHM impedance Light — only 28 pounds Molded design• permits separating column halves in use. PRICE Patent $242.00 Pending Add S5. for Shipping COMPLETE WITH STAND AS SHOWN CLINTON INSTRUMENT CO. Box 505, Clinton CT 06413 (203) 669-7548 Also order from B-ENT LINES, 216 Williams St., Huron OH 44839 — 419-433-2188 American Squaredance, July 1978 * VOLUME 33, No. 7 AMERICAN f JULY 1978 SDURRE ORNCE THE NATIONAL MAGAZINE • WITH THE SWINGING LINES * DISTAFF ISSUE • 4 Co-editorial * 6 Grand Zip * 7 By-Line Publishers and Editors * 8 Meanderings Stan & Cathie Burdick * 11 Who Roams the Ship? * 14 Professional Profile Workshop Editors * 16 The Belles of the Balls Willard Orlich • 19 Meet Me at the Crossroads * 23 The Caller Bob Howell * 27 Encore Ed Fraidenburg * 28 Grand Square Record Reviewers * 30 Feedback * 31 Straight Talk John Swindle • 32 LEGACY Spin-off Frank & Phyl Lehnert • 33 Rhyme Time Feature Writers • 35 Best Club Trick 38 Callerlab Confab Harold & Lill Bausch • 39 Hemline Jim Kassel • 40 Square Line Mary Jenkins • 41 Dandy Idea • 42 Left Allemande in Dairyland Editorial Assistants • 43 Puzzle Page Mona Bird 44 Keep 'Em Dancing Mary Fabik • 46 Dancing Tips • 47 Calling Tips Ruth Garris • 48 Easy Level Page Jo Homyak • 50 Give Eve an Even Shake Mef Merrell • 52 Challenge Chatter • 54 Workshop • 60 Universal RID Council • 61 Sketchpad Commentary • 62 People • 64 International News • 68 Product Line AMERICAN SQUAREDANCE maga- * 69 RID Record Reviews zine is published by Burdick Enter- * 71 S/D Record Reviews prises. Second class postage paid at * 76 Speaking of Singles Sandusky, Ohio. Copy deadline first of * 78 Events month preceding date of issue. Sub- * 82 Steal a Little Peek scription: $7.00 per year. Single copies: * 84 S/D Pulse Poll 70 cents each. Mailing address: Box * 85 RID Pulse Poll 788, Sandusky OH 44870. Copyright * 97 Book Nook 1978 by Burdick Enterprises. All rights * 98 Finish Line reserved. * 100 Do-Ci-Do Dolores American Squaredance, July 1978 3 COIDITOIE Thoughts written during two inaudi- ble graduation speeches: Have you ever pondered the impor- aids, these folks are perhaps the most tance of the ear? And the inexpressible acutely conscious of the importance of frustration of not being able to hear? good hearing. Every dancer at some time experi- The ear welcomes a pleasant balance ences difficulty in hearing the caller, of music and voice. Most callers are and knows the frustration of breaking careful to provide this. Dancers find it down a square because right and left hard to dance to calls without musical thru sounded like rotten lellu." background, and just as difficult to Most callers concentrate on learning material and on moving dancers through dance without the callers' signals if the intricate patterns to the proper get-out. music drowns them out. Think of the Most seldom devote time to practice complexity of the ear's job in transmit- ting the beat of the music for cadence, mike technique. Some callers have the caller's command for action, and the voices that naturally come through melody to an "enjoyment center" that electronic devices clearly and succinct- creates a happy feeling about the ly. Others find their voices distorted in the transfer and sound muffled to the dance! dancers. These callers need training Isn't it strange that while we know and practice so they may be more easily that we dance with our feet, primarily, understood. and in square dancing, with our hands, Dancers, on the other hand, rely on we seldom credit the silent ear with its alert, well-trained ears to receive the important role in the activity? callers' signals and relay them to their The center spread this month dwells brains. Of course, one responsibility of on the creation of women; let's just the dancer is to allow the ear clear mention here the human race in reception, without the interference of general. Think of all the parts of us that the mouth. This responsbility weighs are involved in square dancing and it more heavily on some dancers than becomes even more of a wonderful, others and has nothing to do with fantastic, enjoyable hobby than ever. gender. Some dancers must enhance Have a good July vacation, or at least their hearing power with mechanical a happy picnic! 4 American Squaredance, July 1978 Since Days of Old IT'S BEEN A TRADITION TO HONOR THE LADIES. FORSOOTH, THEY'RE STILL FOREMOST. NOW AND FOREVER. P Box 788 AMERICAN SQUARE DANCE Sandusky OH 44870 Please start my subscription NOW. My check (or money order) is enclosed. 0 One Year at $7 0 Two Years at $12 Canadian and Foreign add V. per year postage. NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP CODE American Squaredance, July 1978 5 callers who want to establish them- selves as an authority on the square dance movement. In truth, too many complicated movements thrown on a 6taftd, Zip group tend to drive people away. It is my opinion that people go to dances to relax and enjoy an evening of fun and fellowship. If the Callers Associations would explore the idea of dancing a whole evening of basics with improved choreography, I think the movement would be better served. Most dancers are confused with arm turns and I see no need to get them through relay the deucey only to lose them on a simple arm turn call three or four movements down the line! Thanks for your magazine. It is the Re: Sketchpad Commentary, May 1978 greatest and I think it serves our needs Handsignal of Recognition well. Keep up the good work. For Square Dancers Charles H. Hughes Hurrah! Hurrah! I was so glad to see Clinton, SC this idea and accompanying sketch in I enjoyed Mr. Trimmer's mythical your very fine periodical. Please conversation in "Calling Tips" (May remember with me the idea that was ASD). churned-up out of my mind and He made a good point about the use published in your same fine periodical of roll, and I would like to pat him on the back in July, 1972. I rejoice that this has back for mentioning the length of surfaced again in this manner— surely classes. it will catch on this time. The article I did get a kick out of his analogy titled "And This Shall Be A Sign " between rotary ferris wheel and couples appeared on page 52 of the above scoot back. (Hey, did you ever hear of mentioned issue. The response then couples trade? Maybe we should do was interesting— both pro and con— away with but I do agree with you that this could scoot back too.) be bigger than "yellow rock". It is our Damon Coe intention to use this handsignal of Chapel Hill, NC yours, and are looking forward to your Ever wonder why so many couples returning it when we see you at the 27th drop out of square dancing? Well, my National Convention in Oklahoma wife and I loved it for the fun and City— soon, if not sooner! excercise. But one night our illustrious Nellebelle Eblen president asked us to resign from the Wichita Falls, Texas club, Jolly Promenaders of Trenton, The Luncheon-Fashion Show Com- N.J., because we were always messing mittee of the 19th New England Square up the squares. Is not square dancing & Round Dance Convention gratefully for fun and enjoyment, not for perfec- acknowledges your door prize donation. tion? I am age 68; my wife is 65 and we The cooperation we have received really enjoy square dancing. But when from interested merchants and the you get old no one wants you any more. community in general assures us this Frank W. Ballard Convention will long be remembered as Trenton, N.J. a happy and successful event. With deepest regret, cancel my Ray & Adele Floyd subscription. The proliferation of convo- Danvers, Mass. luted maneuvers in square dancing negates all aspects of neighborly I agree that sometimes it seems we enjoyment. After purchasing the ency- are manipulated by Callerlab and some Continued on Page 90 6 American Squaredance, July 1978 July, for ten years, has been "Distaff" month for American Squaredance. 1978 is no exception, and we present a conglomerate of features by and about women. Appropriately, our first female caller to be profiled appears on this month's cover and again on page 12. Orphie Easson is one of the finest callers we know, a true professional at the mike, and her delightful personality has endeared her to square dancers all over North America. Did you ever think of the caller's taw as a nautical crew member? Al Eblen does and his metaphor is apt. Al's articles appear often in American Squaredance and no two articles of his have been similar — he is a caller-writer of great imagination! "Belles of the Balls" is the first in a series of historical articles highlighting dancing figures of history. Dave and Ann Robeson have been interested in historical figures and the dance for some time. Remember Dave's research of Stephen Foster's music as used for dancing? Humorist Valerie Titus has written an episode that surely reflects the experiences of many dancers who have searched for dances while the evening passed. Jack Leicht writes for the Washington State Footnotes every month.