Minutes of SSDS Meeting
April 7, 2002

Taken by: Tania

Present: Lynn, Sally, Greg, Tanna, Steve, Tracie, Debbie, Tania, Stacey, Dave, Maria, Can, Steve Ryan

  1. Old Business
    1. General Report
      1. Weekly dance status report. Tania said that Maria is doing a great job as Hop Coordinator. Maria noted that we need to do a birthday dance for April. She said that the hops are getting more crowded and Ballybay's neighbors complain about the noise when we open the doors for cooling. We need to ask if the A/C works because we have to keep door closed. SSDS owns box fans, and we will bring them to Ballybay and store in the coatroom. Greg will ask Ballybay's Paul about the A/C and fan storage. Maria said that a few volunteers have not shown up for their shifts at the door, and she is keeping track so those who want to work have an opportunity to do so.
        Maria said that we're getting more than 60 people at the hops and may be outgrowing Ballybay. She, Can and Roseann checked out the Tyrol Club in Solvay for workshop venues, but it may be a possible site for hops because Thursday nights are available, 6 to 11 p.m. Rent initially was $125/week then down to $100/week and may go lower. We would have to rent under the name of Roseann's father because he is the Tyrol Club member. The club has a wood floor and is about 50 percent bigger than Ballybay; there is parking and we can ask for a bar at no extra cost. They have 8 to 10 tables set up that we would need to break down at the start of each week, but the club will set them back up. The club has storage. Tracie noted that our hop attendance decreases each summer. Maria said that she is seeing new faces each week and is concerned that if the regulars come back, we'll be too crowded. Greg noted that Ithaca weekly dances have twice as many people in half the space. He said that people identify the hops with a particular place and we need to be careful about switching venues. Committee formed to evaluate new hop locations and whether we need to move: Maria (chair), Dave, Tracie, Tania and Steve.
        With respect to Tyrol Club, we would like to schedule it for a summer event, maybe Jo Thompson, and see how it works, establish a rapport with the club managers. But we will not move hops there at this time. Stacey said that DJs are playing the same songs over and over. Can said he always welcomes ideas on Lindy songs, and Greg, Tracie and Stacey agreed to help him out in that area. We will include in the weekly announcements a reminder that people can bring in their music and we'll play it.
        Dance etiquette. Part of the crowding problem at Ballybay is really a problem with dance etiquette because some dancers are taking up multiple slots, not paying attention to where they are dancing and, more importantly, who is dancing around them. Tracie and Steve will talk to their classes about this. Can will send an email reminder to the list. We will make announcements at the hop to be courteous and mindful of fellow dancers, with some education about the slot/space requirements for different dances. We'll talk one-on-one with some people.
      2. Hanover Square series for 2002. - bands are hired and we'll need 8 volunteer instructors. Tania will send an email to instructors asking them to volunteer for specific dates. Tracie will contact organizer Bill Cooper for series posters to display at our hops. We need to encourage people to wear their SSDS T-shirts to the dances to increase visibility of SSDS.
      3. Proposal to Ukrainian Home regarding floor refinishing. Steve will talk to UK Home about our idea.
      4. Shoe vendor at SSDS events. Steve said that the vendor hasn't called him back since he asked for more information.
      5. Coop dance at OCC on April 20. Can reported that Tania and Mary Ellen are teaching the survival lesson between 7 and 7:30. The dance will have a wide mix of music. Can is promoting the dance to other dance groups by email. Hours are 7 to 11, cost is $7, DJ dance with SSDS loaning some of the music.
      6. Demo on June 11. Tania is coordinating demo at IRC fundraising dinner at the OnCenter. Organizers want a "show" around 7 or 7:30 after the dinner to last about 10 minutes. Maria's demo group is available, Steve will be in touch with his and Kim's last choreography class to see if they will do it. Lynn said there currently is no Lindy demo group. Tania is waiting for the formal proposal from the IRC, we expect to get a $50 honorarium and publicity in event program, table for flyers. Tania will ask event organizers for free parking for our dancers. Maria said her demo group may need as much as 40 x 26 space.
      7. Grants. Tania submitted a grant proposal to the Cultural Resources Council on 4/2 regarding a salsa workshop weekend with Diane Nardone. She circulated a copy of the grant at the meeting. The grant asked for $1000 for the $2000 event, which must emphasize diversity and take place between May and November 2002. The grant that Tania submitted to the Updowntowners was accepted for their lottery. Steve and Tracie volunteered to attend the drawing on May 7 at the Everson Museum. SSDS must have someone present in order to receive the grant or we will lose it if our name is drawn.
    2. Financial Report - Steve will give a full report at the next meeting. The current bank balance is $8,738.40. Greg and Tracie will help Steve convert the computer report format.
    3. Dance venue list - Tracie reported that Maria sent her the computer file with the list and she is almost done dividing it into quadrants geographically. We will need at least 4 volunteers to each take a quadrant and complete the list information. Tracie said she will send the list out to SSDS organizers for review before asking for volunteers. Tracie estimated that each volunteer would be checking out 8 to 10 places. She proposes to have each volunteer take responsibility for a section of town and add to the list as well as check out places already on the list. People should be familiar with the quadrant they volunteer for and may want to work in teams. Tracie said she may divide the list into more sections so that each volunteer's job is more manageable.
    4. Better quality workshops - Tania reported that Kim McLaughlin is drafting a guideline regarding workshop tasks and assignments that should go along with the workshop policy guideline that Tania drafted and circulated. Kim hoped to have her document done by the May meeting. Tania proposed to carry over this item until May, when we can adopt a final document with the understanding that Tania will update it periodically to reflect business meeting policy adoptions without needing to vote on the workshop document every time. Greg said that putting our volunteer compensation policy into the document would be helpful. Committee formed to review and coordinate the workshop documents: Tania (chair), Kim, Tracie, Steve, Maria and Greg. The committee will bring its recommendation to the business meeting for a vote.
    5. Marketing:
      1. Tracie reported that Tania wrote a newsletter for our next mailing, and it will be one of three sheets. The other sheets will be an event flyer (which one is to be determined) and the picnic flyer. Tracie & Steve will make the flyers. Tracie will check the cost at Kinkos for folding and Can will do the same for SU printing services. Stacey, Tanna and Debbie will help with folding and labeling as needed. Target date to send this out is early May.
      2. Maria reported that the Kallet may not go for her idea of a joint SSDS/Kallet workshop postcard mailing.
      3. Proposals for pre-registration incentives. Carried over.
      4. WCNY donation. It is too late to donate an item. Tracie reported that the minimum value of an auction item is $100. Can suggested we donate a one-year pass to our weekly dances, valued at $150. Tracie will watch for the auction announcements for next year and think of what we can donate, whether it's a good source of advertising/publicity.
      5. We agreed to buy an ad for $50 in the Syracuse Contemporary Dance Company program. Kim McLaughlin is dancing in the company and selling the ad. We did this at the last event two years ago and have purchased ads in several other dance-related programs in the past. Tania will being examples of ad copy to Tracie and will let Kim know about our decision.
      6. T-shirts. Tracie will make sure we have shirts at the Skye & Sarah workshop and will bring them to her classes this week. Greg noted that ISDN sells its merchandise at a designated dance once a month. We decided to follow this model and bring our shirts to the hop on the first Thursday of every month.
    6. Progress on upcoming events.
      1. Mario workshops July 12-14, 2002. We set a deadline of April 19 to select a venue. There is some disagreement on the numbers to expect: 100 to 150 for lessons. We had about 100 for Nunez and Kyle & Sarah. Can thinks 150 for the dance, Maria thinks 300 for the dance. Polish Home is not available. Kallet is probably out. Tracie is having trouble getting in touch with the Hotel Syracuse but will keep trying; she also will check out hotels near Buckley Road. Tyrol Club available but too small. Steve will reserve Ukrainian Home just in case.
        We had a long discussion about the fees and class schedule. Mario's rate is $200 per hour, and we prefer 1 hour, 15 minute classes. Because we don't know Mario's arrival date, we will plan only on Saturday and Sunday workshops for the all-in pass, and if we get him on Friday those classes will be a separate price. We decided as a group to spend Mario's time here on group lessons rather than leaving a lot of slots for private lessons. Most likely we will have 8 hours of instruction (Sat & Sun) for $1600.
        Maria and Tracie will work on an "intermediate" flyer (following up our save the date flyer) showing more detail of Mario's credentials, dates in Syracuse and workshop descriptions. They hope to get it done by April 13 weekend.
      2. Kyle & Sara workshops Sept. 20-22, 2002 (Steve). Tania and Steve are working on contract negotiations, but the dates are secure. Maria said that the Polish Home is available on those dates for $700, but it is not as big as the Ukrainian Home. We decided that we need at least as much space as the UK Home and will probably go there or keep working on the Hotel Syracuse.
      3. Lindy hop dance and 2 workshops with Skye & Sara April 13, 2002. ) Lindy hop dance and 2 workshops with Skye & Sara April 13, 2002. Greg reported that he has 35 pre-registrants so far (the cap is 50). He still needs volunteers for door duty at the dance in half-hour slots and will send out another e-mail. Door duty volunteers get free admission to the dance or $5 off the package price (equivalent value). Steve & Tanna are doing registration. Can will show Greg how to set up the sound system so that we can DJ the band breaks. Tracie will bring Greg SSDS T-shirts to sell during the event.
      4. Jo Thompson teaching workshop Thursday, Sept. 26 (Maria). Maria said there is nothing new to report.
      5. Diane Nardone. Steve reported that Nardone is sending him a list of her available dates in October or November. This workshop may key into the grant proposal that Tania sent to the CRC.
  2. New Business
    1. Membership proposal. Kim. Carried over until May meeting.
    2. Review classes from major workshops. We want to ensure that we have a follow-up to major workshops so that people can retain the material they learn at a workshop weekend. Committee formed to formulate proposals: Tracie (chair), Maria, Steve, Lynn. Tania will ask Kim McLaughlin if she will participate as well.
    3. Other business.
      1. Our Halloween dance will be Saturday October 26 at the Ukrainian Home. Steve will reserve the hall.
      2. Possible future Lindy workshops from Bill Borgida, who is in town over the summer, and Carla Heiney & Kevin St. Laurent of Washington DC, whom Maria recently observed and met. Greg will find out Borgida's rate. Maria said that Heiney & St. Laurent teach smooth style Lindy with WCS crossover potential. We decided to talk after the Skye & Sarah workshops about how to best grow the local Lindy community.
      3. Tania asked if we want to have another open planning meeting this summer as we did last year, and everyone agreed that it would be helpful. We will try to set a date in the May or June meetings.
      4. Can asked if anyone would volunteer to take over the task of updating photos on our web page. Tracie agreed to take the job if Can would train her.

Next meeting: Sunday May 5 at 7 p.m. at Tracie's house.

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