Minutes of SSDS Business Meeting Sept 30, 2001

Taken by: Tania

Present: Tania, Can, Mike, Alice, Illona, Andy, Maria

1. Old Business
   • General Report - (1) Review of purchases. Tania has ordered 500 business cards; Can will purchase headphones compatible with sound system for $125-150. (2) Review of Hanover Square series. Time period of 7 to 10 great, good mix of bands, good mix of volunteer teachers to give free lesson. Tania will write thank-you letter reinforcing SSDS role, suggesting that Downtown Committee consult with us first about dates to avoid potential conflicts, i.e., with Rochester swing dances. (3) Can set up invitation-only web page for organizers, which allows sharing of calendar information, flyers and other forms with new software. Eventually put SSDS files in one spot for mutual access. Current invitees are Kim, Steve, Maria, Tania, Can, Tracie, Greg & Lynn. Can will ask Mike & Alice, Steve & Tanna.We adopted a policy re: the web page that only the owner of a flyer can change/update it. Can will post this policy on the web site. Maria intends to set up a separate group for a regional dance calendar.
   • Financial Report - Tabled because Steve not present
   • Review of Diane Nardone workshops September 14-16. Specific review of ease/difficulty in recruiting volunteers. Tabled because Kim and Steve not present. Maria noted that workshop attendance for six workshops was: 31(Friday night), 31 & 36 (Sat. day), 22 (Sat. night), 26 & 28 (Sunday day), which is lower than average.
   • Welcoming newcomers. Kim & Maria will work on developing mixer dances, probably in the form of a snowball dance with change of partners. Mike & Alice will announce snowball dance at Oct. 4 kick-off party for Thursday dance. Maria noted that having someone at the door (collecting admission) is helpful to newcomers because he/she acts as a greeter and points out flyers, free lesson information.
   • Excess shirt inventory. Tracie reported via email on inventory. We only have 30 shirts left and about 105 tanks. Tania provided original ordering information. Tracie will compare inventory with original orders to see what sells and suggest whether we want to re-order more T-shirts. We want to make sure we have a plan to sell the shirts before we buy more. There was some consensus that the first design sold better than the second design.
2. New Business
   • Move to Ballybay. Review of recent decision to move to Johnston's Ballybay from the Locker Room. We pay $50 per week (instructors will kick in for the portion of evening they use for lessons) for use of space and storage of equipment. If USABDA has a good turnout at a dance, they give extra $ for rent; we may consider doing the same. We need to emphasize security during announcements, and announce odd-even parking rules on side streets. We agreed we liked the venue so far. Kick-off party October 4. Tania will order pizza and buy snacks. Mike & Alice will announce snowball dance. Free admission to newcomers, otherwise $3.
   • Dance venue list. We agreed that we need to flesh out the master list of dance venues that Tracie created and not let this slide. Can will post on organizers' web page as a starting point. We may put it in spreadsheet format so we can search by different categories.
   • Grants - Tania is writing grant. Deadline for next cycle of CRC grant applications is October 11, 2001. We agreed to propose series of free WCS workshops at venue such as Southwest Community Center in order to target African-American community. Emphasize that we dance WCS to hip hop and R&B, African-American roots of swing dancing.
   • Weekly swing dance. Maria reported on her two months as "hop coordinator." At the Locker Room we were breaking even, lost money one night or only made $1 to $10 above rental cost of $75. Maria kept track of leaders/followers and it was about even. After discussion we decided that students taking lessons Thursday nights that stay for the hop will pay $1 (currently they get in free). New policy to take effect October 11, announce it on October 4. Decide to charge nominal admission to Thursday students because other nights' students don't get a break, SSDS needs to make some money from hops to fund known money-losers (but good events) such as holiday party, annual picnic, and dances. We will make a half flyer with new policy from SSDS.
   • Maria proposed volunteer policy (attached). We felt that the ISDN volunteer policy was too complicated. Even Maria's policy sounds complicated, but we will use it as a starting point and continue to discuss idea of coordinators and non-monetary compensation/point system for volunteers. It is important to acknowledge the work of volunteers, keeping points may have the effect of showing other people how much the few volunteers do. We will make some immediate changes re: weekly dances and volunteers. Maria will continue as hop coordinator. We will have definite slots for working the door - half hour shifts from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. People working the door get in free that night but cannot dance during their shift because we want a visible presence at the door for newcomers, etc. Alice, Mike & Tania will work the door for Oct. 4 and 11.
   • Halloween Dance. Date is October 27, venue Ukrainian Home, band is Ron Spencer (for $600). Need volunteer captains: Andy & Ilona for clean-up, Tracie for refreshments, Kim for contests, Alice & Mike for housing, Steve & Tania for decorations, Mark to transport sound system. Need captain for door duty volunteers. We discussed prior ideas about expanding dance to an exchange, involving regional teachers and decided that it is too late to set up workshops. Instead we will offer private lessons with regional instructors, and Steve will coordinate times/places for lessons.
   • Better quality workshops. Tania will work on checklist/general plan.
3. Other business
   • Andy & Ilona proposed joining SSDS and USABDA for New Years Eve dance. Heffron had dance last year at Knights of Columbus, State Fair Blvd. with 65 people for catered dinner, but ballroom and swing crowds may not mix. Steve & Ilona will check if Ballybay is available/interested in our business. Last year SSDS had 40 people at NYE dance and lost $130, but it was too much work to transform train station venue, bring in all of the food, etc. SSDS will join on if someone else does the catering, major set-up work is not required.
   • Maria mentioned that Adam, activities director at LeMoyne College, is interested in having series of swing lessons there for students. He would help us get the space. Students will increase our base for SSDS activities.
   • We need to think about the annual Holiday party, probably on December 13. Damon's may be too small. Maria will check on VFW in Mattydale as venue.
   • Next meetings: Sunday November 4 at 7 p.m., Sunday December 2 at 7 p.m., both at Tania's house.

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