Hello Dancers,

WOW! I’m so happy to welcome March in along with the beauty of spring. This month is always full of St Patrick’s Day antics and that brings out the Irish in all of us. It also brings Daylight Savings Time. I love the extra hour in the evenings and hope one day soon we will actually stay on DST throughout the year.

Be sure to check for location changes before heading out to dance. Some of the clubs have changed locations as well as days they dance.

On February 5th, NORTEX dancers descended on the historic Stagecoach Ballroom in Fort Worth. The audience was thrilled with the energy of four squares taking the dance floor. Four squares quickly expanded to eight when the dancers selected a partner for audience participation. We have been invited back and will be sharing updates as we have more news. A big thank you to Vernon Jones for calling this event. He did a wonderful job of keeping the momentum going and calling to the floor. See page 61 for more exciting news. Vince Matej is working hard to take square dancing to the community. None of it is possible without the NORTEX DANCERS. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL.

Mary Moore Elementary gave us an opportunity to reach out to young children and their families with a demo. Vernon Jones again called for the evening and had a BIG circle of audience participation where young and old alike danced together. There is a whole page devoted to showing just how much fun this was in this edition of the Promenade.

Our clubs are starting to graduate new students. Be on the lookout for the New Dancer Dangles in your square. Make sure these new dancers feel welcome and pull them through, should they get lost. Remember what it was like when you were the new dancer.

The Rebuilding Seminar was very well attended. Takeaways: Be upbeat. Talk, Talk, Talk! Smile! Teach both man and woman position so dancers get more floor time. No plus tips at New Dancer Dance. Hoe Downs for students during lessons. Fiesta Dances. Put QR codes on all advertisements (flyers, business cards, Facebook). Share your lesson information with other clubs so they can recommend you to those looking for lessons. Demos: hand out information, have a drawing for cash, set of lessons or discount on lessons. Collect contact information on drawing slip. Sell your dancing passion! Tell everyone you come in contact with. ADVERTISE!

I hope you will round up all your dancing friends and come to the Homecoming Dance at Swingtime Center on March 18th. Give them a call or write a special invitation letting them know how much they are missed and remind them of the fun they are missing out on. This dance is free and is geared toward bringing back those that may have been sidelined during COVID and just haven’t made it back to dance yet. See the flyer in this edition of the Promenade.

Those attending the Quarterly Meeting helped to name the new NORTEX history book – “NORTEX Then and Now”.

Take our favorite pastime to the community and Dance Like No One’s Watching!