Fiddlin' Owls Square Dance Club Graduation

Congratulations! After putting in many long hours of hard work learning the basics of square dancing, your graduation has finally arrived. Now you are ready to reap the benefits of all those lessons by joining an organization -- a square dance club -- where your skills will be sharpened to perfection by practice, practice, practice! We are so proud that you have decided on Fiddlin' Owls Square Dance Club as your home club.

We say "home" club because we feel that a large part of square dancing is visiting with other clubs, hearing other callers, and getting to know dancers who belong to different groups. It will also reinforce what you already suspect -- that Fiddlin' Owls is a great club and that Harold Kelley is great caller.

The Fiddlin' Owls Square Dance Club was formed by the merger of the former White Owls Square Dance Club and the former Foot 'n' Fiddle SquareDance Club on January 1, 1997. The club operates under BY-LAWS established on March 28, 1998, and approved by the membership.

The purpose of the club is to afford an opportunity for its members and guests to participate in square and round dancing, to maintain proficiency in dancing, and to have wholesome fun.

Fiddlin' Owls has maintained a prominent position in the Atlanta square dance community and has a history of strongly supporting the Metropolitan Atlanta Square Dance Association, the local dancers' federation. Many members have served as MASDA officers as well as members of the Board of Directors of the Georgia State Square Dance Association (GSSDA).

Below on this Web page are some questions and answers about square dancing in general which we hope will be helpful. It is our hope that you will feel right at home here and will participate in the organizational life of Fiddlin' Owls.

Again, we congratulate you on the successful completion of your lessons and look forward to many happy times together. You will sometimes feel that you haven't really learned anything! We all feel that way at times and this is perfectly natural, but regular attendance at all club dances will be the best possible way for you to become proficient at square dancing. We urge you to be present each dance night if at all possible.

Q. What committees does Fiddlin' Owls have?

A. Refreshments:

The Vice President is chairman. Couples take turns serving, as assigned by the chairman. We usually have only coffee and punch, but there are special occasions when all members are asked to bring finger food.

Telephone:

This committee is appointed by the President. Volunteers are always needed. The committee is responsible for calling about a visitation or any other message that needs to be conveyed to the members.

Visitation:

Visitations are scheduled by the Vice President after consultation with other members. Suggestions for future visitations are always welcome.

Q. What are the club dues?

A. The dues are $50 per quarter per couple and $25 for single members. Dues are payable in January, April, July, and October.

Q. What is MASDA?

A. Metropolitan Atlanta Square Dancers Association. This is the "parent" organization for all square dance clubs in the Atlanta area. There are five officers (couples) and eight representatives -- all of whom work very hard for square dancers. This is, of course, a non-paid position. We consider it an honor when any MASDA officer or representative visits our club, and always give them a special introduction.

Q. What does it cost to join MASDA?

A. Annual dues are $30 whether a couple or single. This includes up to six free dances (usually four splash dances with Atlanta area callers and two bonus dances with out-of-town callers) as well as a yearly subscription to "Footnotes".

Q. What is "Footnotes"?

A. "Footnotes" is the square dancers' local magazine, published monthly by the MASDA officers. The subscription price is included in the MASDA membership fee. Among many items of interest in the magazine are a listing of all clubs, special dance notices, and ads and news items of interest to square dancers.

Q. Do we have a state organization?

A. Yes, GSSDA (Georgia State Square Dancers Association). Each year, this organization sponsors a state convention in September. It is held in the Macon Coliseum and staffed by callers from all over the state. There is a Trail End Dance on Thursday night and dancing all day and night Friday and Saturday. In addition to dancing, there are workshops for squares, rounds, and clogging, a fashion show, panel discussions, and exhibition dancing.

Q. What is the Callers' Memorial Benefit Dance?

A. Formerly called the "Ruy Camp Festival", this is an annual one-day square and round dance event held in Atlanta on the third Saturday in March. Sponsored by the Atlanta Area Callers Association, it originally honored Ruy Camp, a popular local caller who had a great impact on square dancing from 1955 until his death from cancer in March 1969.

With the deaths of Jamie Newton and Paul Pate, who were also much loved, it is now a memorial to all deceased callers. Incidentally, Ruy Camp was the uncle of our own caller, Harold Kelley.

On alternate years, the proceeds from the Callers' Memorial Benefit Dance go to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Free Cancer Home, Ruy Camp's favorite charity, or to the Shrine Burn Center. Our Lady of Perpetual Help Free Cancer Home operates solely on donations, and there is no charge to any of the patients, regardless of their ability to pay.

The first Ruy Camp Festival was held in June 1969, only three months after Ruy's death. That year $500 was received and donated to the cancer home. From that date, the festival has grown steadily, both in number of participants and in the amount of money donated.

This festival is a beautiful tribute to the memories of these callers and is eloquent testimony to the generosity and dedicated community spirit of all Atlanta square dancers, callers, round dance leaders, and their friends who support this event each year.

I. THOU SHALT honor thy caller and harken to his voice -- for thy success depends greatly upon his words.

II. THOU SHALT exchange greetings and be friendly to all in the group lest thee be labeled a snob and unworthy of thy title -- square dancer.

III. THOU SHALT NOT ridicule those dancers possessing two left hands but endeavor to help them distinguish one from the other.

IV. THOU SHALT strive to dance in different squares, thereby giving to all the benefits of thy fine personality and great experience.

V. THOU SHALT NOT anticipate nor dance ahead of thy caller for he is of fiendish nature and possessed of evil powers to foul thee up and make thee appear an idiot in the eyes of thy fellow dancers.

VI. When thee has goofed -- THOU SHALT NOT moan and belittle thy caller, thy partner, nor the slippery floor for thine own stupid mistakes.

VII. THOU SHALT bathe diligently before the dance, thereby creating a pleasant aroma for thy partner and leaving the more earthly smells to the factory and the barnyard.

VIII. THOU SHALT remain silent while thy caller gives advice and instructions lest he go berserk and mumble to himself and offer to break records on thy unworthy head.

IX. THOU SHALT NOT partake of strong drink before nor during the dance lest thy mind become befuddled and thee ends up with thy foot in thine own large mouth.

X. THOU SHALT strive to observe these commandments and thy reward shall be great. Many friends shall thee have and thy name shall be listed among the finest people --THE SQUARE DANCER!!!