Great documentary on Cachao (famous Cuban musician). They do a superb job explaining musicality, counting, timing etc. How important is it to understand where you are in the dance is explained here. You also get a wonderful view of the love of music and what happens if you don't take care of the business side of the house. This is a great short film on an American legend.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/cachao-uno-mas/watch-the-full-film/1640/
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
The Universal Unit System Saves the Day
The Universal Unit System Saves the Day
By
Buford G. Collins
Today was not an unusual day for lessons the first four students to arrive were ladies training to follow. No leaders came in during this start of session. I began to strategize how I would effectively teach four ladies with no partners. I went with my first thought which was to work with them on footwork and styling. We used one “8 beat” pattern for “Free Style & Break Away” movement and four “6 beat” Steppin’ patterns to enhance their practice of rhythm changes within the dance. The 32 beats of patterns became a motion study routine that eventually was turned into a line dance called “Slow Walk”. We worked on the line dance patterns for the entire time without any leaders’ participation. The ladies found the class challenging and fun. They problem solved a lot of their own issues while supporting each other’s efforts. It was a pleasurable and educating time for all, especially me. If it wasn't for the Universal Unit System and the training from the Golden State Dance Teachers Association I might have spent the time leading all the followers that attended and trying to convince them to learn how to lead steppin’ with each other. It's not unusual in our community of social dance lessons for Steppin’ to have a large imbalance of men and women in attendance at the same time. One of things we can hopefully fix in the near future is that we can put the partnership into partner dancing. Students should arrive ready to partner with one another. When such imbalances occurs in a class an instructor with good training and foresight can plan to make the most of their class with other trainable techniques. Using the Universal Unit System allowed me to not be hindered by a problem that most social dance instructors aren't sure how to face and solve. I have put a strong focus on taking my dance from street to teach and the Universal Unit System and the Golden State Dance Teachers Association has been a great guide to achieving my goal.
Note: UNIVERSAL UNIT SYSTEM® - A method of training dancers that emphasizes connecting the dancer to the music - starting on lesson one. The system concentrates on elements of music and timing and elements of movement. (2) This system isolates the components and covers all forms of dance, social level to performance level. (3) This is the trademark for the teaching system and system of annotation that is the basis for certification through the Golden State Dance Teachers Association.
Skippy, B. (1998). "Dance Terminology Notebook" Advancing Communication in Dance With particular focus on California’s official State Dance: West Coast Swing Skippy Blair original © 1998 - Latest Edit 7-07. Retrieved from http://www.swingworld.com/dance_dictionary.htm
Thursday, October 21, 2010
ISA Economic Survey (released 25 August 2010)
CLIMATE SURVEY 2010-2011
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of the ISA climate survey was to obtain a comprehensive assessment of the Steppin community. The survey population represents an estimated 3,000 Steppers throughout the international dance community. The ISA is made up of a 20 member administrative body of members organized to support the broader interest of dancers in the Steppin community.
Steppin reflects a six beat rhythm pattern developed as a result of an amalgamation of Swing dances which matriculated into a dance style popularized by Chicago’s urban community. Steppin is seeing an increasing resurgence and predominance throughout the adult urban and contemporary partner dancing culture. The dance relies on a double rhythm and two syncopated triple rhythms which pulsate on the upbeat versus the down beat. The origin of the dance has varied over the period from the early 60s until the present however it has maintained its basic repetitive six-beat form. In an effort to bring a centralized focus to the dance the ISA has recognized the name of “Steppin” to bring the dance under one central naming convention. The ISA believes Steppin will continue to evolve as more dancers expose different movements and amalgamations over time and thus enhance its development as a robust dance form of Swing dance in the international community.
The ISA is a non-profit organization organized to represent the interest of financial members, organizations and affiliates on behalf of Steppers worldwide. All services that are the result of donations, philanthropic programs and services are given back to the community through continued improvement programs. All donations, contributions or charitable activities to the ISA or on behalf of the ISA are 100% tax deductible in accordance with federal laws. The ISA accepts all donations on behalf of youth programs, private charities and operating programs. The ISA operating fund covers the administrative efforts on behalf of its financial paid members. All members and donors are advised to seek the assistance of their professional counselors for tax
advisement. ISA is represented by Clay and Allen P.C. of Fairfax Virginia. The constitution and bylaws provide written documentation and guidance on the direction and guidelines of all members of the ISA. The ISA depends directly on individual Steppers and supporters to participate as leaders, members, affiliates or partners to ensure its robust goals are met. We encourage those who have not committed to get involved today and take an active role in its success. With your cooperation we will be able to make a collective difference in our community.
The random survey was submitted via online social sources to ensure maximum exposure to Steppers internationally. The ISA was officially chartered on 26 June 2010. The official incorporation date is 11 August 2010. It was imperative to embrace social sources such as FACEBOOK and databases that would reach communities which would otherwise be limited by time, cost, location and logistics. The survey questionnaire asked a series of 28 queries related to the climate of the Steppin community.
Based on the above information the survey registered a 95% confidence level and a 2.27 confidence interval. The researcher judged the survey as valid and reliable based on the sufficiency of the respondents and questions determined for accuracy. The survey is only to be used to baseline 2010-2011 goals and objectives based on the community responses. The social context provides bench marks to obtain an overall understanding of its membership and broader community.
The survey calculations were supported by Creative Research Systems, Petaluma California, online service.
DEMOGRAPHICS
The demographic represent respondents from the international Steppin community. The largest age ranges of 40-49 represent 48% of the Steppin community. Conversely, there were no respondents in the key development ages of 18-28.
The gender population displays a majority female ratio of 72% versus 28% for male.
The education completion rate of 52% represents those who have attained at least an undergraduate degree.
Finally, the household income breakdown begins with $40K-$60K at 30.7%. This ratio provides a superb indicator of Steppers ability to pursue leisure activities.
Steppers represent a variety of communities throughout the US. There are instances of Steppers who are overseas for various reasons. Some are either teaching or students of the dance. This study provides a quantitative overview of respondents which provides a baseline of 33 local areas captured in the survey. Future studies will compare and contrast the actual representation of actual participative Steppin communities.
Steppers are attending an average of 5.12 sets per month.
Likewise, Steppers are attending 3.37 major Steppers sets annually.
ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
From an economic perspective, the Steppin community is spending an estimated $8.8 million across various markets. On an average, it is costing each Stepper approximately $2,800 per year. Tax benefits and savings could represent over $400,000 or 3%-5% in return dollars in the community given the proper filing of IRS forms. The travel industry is benefiting to the tune of $2 million or more. Likewise, the clothing, hair and accessory industry may be achieving a robust return at the expense of Steppers. The synopsis below touches on a few prominent areas for consideration.
Annual average expenditure rate for respondents:
Air Hotel Rental Food/Spirits
$410.00 $440.00 $121.00 $381.85
Accessories Clothing Shoes/Boots
$296.00 $393.00 $362.00
Note: Figures may vary dependent on location and personal expenditure rates.
ANNUAL SALES AND EXPENDETURES
(Based on an estimated 3,153 Steppers)
Ticket purchases for Steppers events are $1,200,000.00
Airline ticket purchases: $1,305,000.00
Hotel reservations: $1,400,520.00
Rental car sales: $384,379.00
Dinning/food/spirits: $1,215,428.55
Accessory purchases: $942,168.00
Clothing purchases: $1,250,919.00
Shoe/Boot purchases: $1,152,246.00
The total amount spent annually: $8,853,090.63.
The average Stepper spends $2,807.83 annually on activities related to Steppin.
The survey reflects the economic robustness of the Steppers community. The ISA will leverage these efforts in conjunction with our corporate and business development committee chairpersons. With the help from public and private agencies, we will be able to continue supporting the Steppin community with a formal and robust program.
ISA MEMBERSHIP AND PROGRAMS
The result of the survey revealed that 73.7% of respondents stated they would join the ISA and 68.4% desired to join a local chapter.
Likewise, members desired to see a vast improvement in standardization, instructor training and certification by 61%.
This ISA is leading this effort by working directly with one of America’s finest dance organizations and instructors. The Golden State Dance Teachers Association and Ms. Skippy Blair are the first organization to partner with the ISA in codifying the dance with support from a full curriculum and annotation system recognized by the World Dance Council and World Swing Dance Council. The Steppers exclusive intensive takes place on 27-29 August 2010.
Documentation of the dance is the only way to ensure there is formal and historical validity of the dance called “Steppin.” This effort will be submitted to the Library of Congress on as Training Manual 1-1. The manual will cover the basic structure of the dance and will compliment the social progress and efforts of our legacy. Codifying the dance ensures the ISA meets its goal of standardizing and providing a core training manual for dancers internationally. The document will provide the basic Steppin principles and movements accompanied by dance phraseology and terminology as it relates to music.
As a result of ISA leadership and commitment to ensure Steppin is recognized internationally we are asking our respondents (over 66.7% supported) and the broader Steppin community to join us at the ISA Convention and Business Meeting in Chicago Illinois on 24-26 June 2011. Increased support through local organized chapters and individuals will continue the hard work and dedication of educating, training and standardization of Steppin. Seminars, education and training opportunities are just a few of the important activities being considered. Likewise, the focus on local community projects such as improved academics, increased educational opportunities, youth programming, scholarships, and charity programs will be discussed.
SUMMARY
In summary, the ISA report represents a comprehensive assessment of respondents who represented a random survey of dancers in the international Steppin community. The survey calculations were provided by Creative Research Systems who compensated for errors, omissions and anomalies. The survey represents a cross pollination of the typical dancer associated with the Steppin community in 2010-2011. Readers should see a corresponding representation in their community which mirrors the survey results above. Some areas where clusters prevail may show slight differences due to their proximity (distance) to a larger concentration in the industry. However, the consensus of the report is a greater indicator the overall market due to its 95% confidence level.
An area which must be improved is that of youth programming. With a 0% response from age range of 0-28 years of age and a 23% respondent for ages 50 and over, more emphasis and energy should be redirected to obtain increase participation in ages 0-28. Youth and community programs such as literacy, technology, fine arts and science efforts would be ideal and could improve existing community challenges across the spectrum. Likewise, there should be an emphasis to integrate immediately with other genres of dance through competition, youth workshops and training. The ISA is committed to pursuing this effort through youth scholarships beginning in June 2011. The ISA welcomes tax deductible donations for scholarships and programs through its scholarship program (501 c (3) non-profit submission should be completed by December 2010). Partnering with youth programs such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Urban League, NAACP, National Youth Leadership foundations and the like are ideal. Urban and inner city challenges (low graduation rates, crime and violence, drop rates) suggest clearly that action must be taken to ensure they are given the opportunity to succeed. Likewise, Steppin must prevail in the 21st Century and beyond and it is with the youth of the current generation that will be the Steppers of tomorrow.
The professional and social impact of Steppin may depend on increase participation of this age group. Likewise, more improvement in gender distribution should be addressed. This could be absolved by increasing youth participation in the future.
The success of a formalized group of leaders will not prevail without the financial, social and community support of donors, public and private. The ISA has appointed a corporate and business development chairperson to address these needs through donations at the charity and philanthropic levels. It is our hope that through their support the ISA operational and professional expenses will be met. With the support of donors and philanthropic organizations and individuals the ISA should be successful in providing continue youth programming and scholarship to future Steppers who are achieving through academic programs in their local community.
The response from across the country was extremely positive. The cross sectional participation provided a sufficient summary of internet users, social networking participation and geographic awareness of promotion, marketing and advertisement. All regions of the community were represented.
The social aspects of the Steppin community cannot be overlooked. The ISA supports the informal social equity-based Steppers community. There are many who will continue to dance, socialize and maintain the necessary social climate that permeates all night club dances (as identified by the World Dance Council). This is very necessary and valuable.
The ISA will continue to recognize and support the importance of the hard work of social instructors, promoters, organizers and social dance competitions at the local level. Without the grassroots nature of the Steppin community, the Steppin culture would not be unique. In kind, a robust organization must be supplanted on the international forefront to ensure the hard work and social effort of over 20 years is not forgotten and is nurtured by those who made it successful. The lifeblood of all formal organizations depends on social networking, traditional social culture and community development in local areas. Together, the ISA will build on both efforts to ensure that the history and culture of Steppin is documented and shared with the voices of the entire community represented.
JOIN TODAY!
The ISA is looking forward to more participation from those who would like to leverage their social experience by joining and participating in a formal organization geared toward improving the education, training and standardization of Steppers. The ISA encourages each Stepper to get involved today with the mission and goals of the ISA. The ISA needs dedicated members who are committed to moving Steppin in to the broader industry of dance. There are thousands of men and women who compete in the professional, Pro-Am and amateur ranks (World Dance, DanceSport, World Masters). International, national and regional associations sponsor dance conventions and competitions to help promote the overall body of dance. The ISA is making great strides to be a part of the industry but we need your individual and local chapter help to make this possible. We are slowly but certainly getting there. If you are thinking about joining, do so today and make a difference in the lives of future generations of Steppers who need your leadership, time and attention today.
The ISA is in need of strong leaders who have an opportunity to share their professional organizational talents. The ISA is providing a robust opportunity to make available leadership positions that will transfer to the professional environment. Whether improving present skills or gaining new exciting possibilities, one’s resume can be documented to show your leadership skills to other professionals. If you are trying to build your resume or change career fields in the future take this opportunity to get in on the ground floor and sharpen your skill set in the industry.
Join the ISA today! Annual membership is only $50. Lifetime membership is $300. All membership fees are tax deductible. Please contact your tax advisory accordingly. Payment should be received at www.paypal.com.
Keyword: internationalsteppersassociation@yahoo.com.
For membership information, please contact Ms. Anissa L. Guyton at isa.vpofmembership@yahoo.com or 313-587-5065.
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
In light of the overall assessment of survey respondents, the ISA will address the following recommendations.
1. Actively communicate the progress and improvement of the Steppin community to the formalized leading organizations of international and national dance.
2. Submit formal recognition of Steppin as a Swing dance as prescribed within the rules and guidance of the World Dance Council through the World Swing Dance Council.
3. Increase support from private and public donors for improved charity and community based program specifically in the arts and entertainment and youth programs
4. Continue to foster local chapter based programs to ensure community programs are central to local awareness and cooperation
5. Encourage ISA leadership and management opportunities through local chapter organizations
6. Encourage the establishment of formal youth and young adult based Steppin programs for ages 0 – 28 which is certified by federal and state education authorities
7. Develop and support international, national and regional competition based programs to encourage professional and social networking with other genres of dance
8. Publish ISA Training Manual 1-1 (basic characteristics and attributes of traditional Steppin and Steppin 101 curriculum at a minimum) to ensure standardization of movements and phraseology and for widest dissemination to members and sister organizations review and participation
9. Establish ISA Scholarship and Awards foundation program to be presented annually utilizing membership fees and donations from Fortune 500 and minority based programs
10. Seek financial assistance from civic organizations (private and public) for institutional funding of grants to support ISA operations and mission to support increased scholarship and educational opportunities
11. Encourage legacy Steppers to aggressively partner and/or support ISA programs and committees that are needed to ensure sustained long term success in a collaborative and non-attribution forum at the national level
Appendix 1 : Invitation
Appendix 2: Thank you letter
Appendix: 1
Dear Steppers,
We are inviting you to participate in a community climate survey. Our short questionnaire asks a variety of questions about your Steppin community and culture. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes to complete.
Our mission is to improve our community through enhanced training, education and standardization. With your assistance in our survey, we are much closer to sharing our positive and collective story with the international dance community.
Your participation is completely voluntary. The ISA will share the results in our annual report and upcoming newsletters throughout the year. The survey will end on 15 August 2010.
If you have any questions or comments about completing the questionnaire, simply email us at internationalsteppersassociation@yahoo.com.
Thank you,
International Steppers Association
Appendix: 2
International Steppers Association
Join the conversation, the movement, the future!
Survey respondents 7 August 2010
Thank you kindly for participating in the ISA Climate Survey. Your responses are a testament to your commitment to improving the Steppin community. With an 88% completion rate to date we know that Steppers are concerned about the dance that we love and cherish. If we are to succeed in standardizing and streamlining the way we train and educate Steppers we have to organize and make sure what we do is documented for future generations.
Our community is over 3,000 Steppers strong and we are spending over $10 million annually on accessories that support our community. That is almost $3,400 per Stepper. At some point we need to return those resources to our youth and community through scholarships and programming. We need your participation in the ISA to make sure this becomes a reality.
The survey ends on the 15th of August but that does not mean the work is over. The ISA needs your local Steppin community to get involved. We are making some historic inputs but we cannot do it alone. We need leaders, volunteers and community planners as well. We have 18 strong members as of this writing and we hope you will join us. We only ask that you do what your strengths are in support of the ISA. We are a non-profit legal entity. The resources we garner go directly back to the community and to each Stepper regardless if they are ISA members or not. As we speak we are completing a training manual for all Steppers to use. It is being codified by ISA Steppers and the Golden State Dance Teachers Association. Secondly, we are seeking corporate donations from major dance agencies internationally on your behalf. But we need your participation to make sure programs are designed in accordance with the best interest of each Stepper.
We need your resources, assistance and most of all your participation. If you are interested in
supporting and joining the ISA, contact Ms. Anissa L. Guyton, 313-587-5065 to register today. Then join or volunteer to lead a committee program. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.
Signed,
International Steppers Association
ISA August Minutes
Date: 22 August 2010
The meeting began slowly with very few members calling in on time. Without a full quorum members had to wait until sufficient members were available to vote on issues on the agenda. There were a total of 15 persons on the call however some callers remained silent. Members are encouraged to call in each week to take care of the business of the ISA in an efficient manner.
The meeting produced only one voting activity due to not having a quorum until later in the call. The minutes will be ratified as approved at the 19 September 2010 meeting.
Roll call produced the following member activity.
Members present:
1. Timothy D. Wilson, President – Washington DC **
2. Crystal Johnson, Treasurer - Virginia Beach, VA **
3. Donna Crite, Odenton, MI
4. Deborah Hunt, Virginia Beach, VA
5. Andrew W. Smith, Sergeant of Arms - Miramar, FL (Chicago IL) **
6. Jim Berry – Miami, FL (Chicago, IL)
7. Anissa L. Guyton, Vice-President of Membership – Romulus, MI **
8. Mary Laidler, Secretary, Atlanta GA (Chicago IL) **
Members absent:
1. Patricia Alexander - Detroit, MI *
2. Tracey Sisco - Boston, MA *
3. Bonita Williams - Detroit, MI **
4. Anthony Dunn, Olney, MD (Chicago IL) **
5. Darryl Wilder - Miramar, FL **
6. Pamela Dunn – Olney, MD (Chicago, IL)
7. Demaris Wooten, Upper Marlboro, MD **
8. Oswald Cooper – New Orleans, LA
9. Zakeeyaw Toney, Vice President of Public Relations - Las Vegas, NV (Chicago, IL) **
10. Buford Collins, Ferndale, MI *
11. Seanta Williams, - Melbourne, Florida
12. LC Henderson, Chicago, IL
* Charter Member
** Life Member
Officers Report:
Treasurer’s report: The treasurer’s report was read as of 19 August 2010 and will be forwarded to the auditing committee at the next ISA meeting for approval. There are a total of 20 members financially. The scholarship committee has raised $200 as the result of contributions from membership dues. The balance from all activities is $284.12. As of August 11, 2010 we are officially incorporated by the state of Virginia.
ACTION: Crystal Johnson, Treasurer
Public Relations report: No report was provided: ACTION: Zakeeyaw Toney, VP of Public Relations
Membership report: A membership report will be submitted to all perspective members who maintain an interest in joining the ISA. Respondents from the ISA survey will receive membership information to join the ISA. We continue to encourage new members to join and help support the International Steppers community goal to provide standardization, education and scholarship programs. ACTION: Anissa Guyton, VP of Membership
Education and Training report: The upcoming intensive is scheduled for 27-29 August 2010. The ISA has four members who will attend. Buford Collins will attend arriving a few days early to work on the syllabus planning. Notable US Open Swing Dance champions and professionals interested in the ISA’s efforts to codify Steppin are Lance Shermoen and Mary Ann Nunez. The primary outcome is to provide written documentation in the form of the ISA Training Manual 1-1. Sis Donna Crite will be donating her ISA Intensive fee to the youth scholarship program. That will increase the scholarship award opportunity to $455.00. ACTION: Buford Collins, Bonita Williams, Donna Crite and Darryl Wilder
Committees: The following persons are identified as new committee chairperson
Jim L. Berry – Corporate Development – Bro. Berry will be spearheading an aggressive effort to attract donations and program funding from private and public sources.
Deborah L. Hunt – Business Development – Sis. Hunt has recently joined the ISA and is heading up the business and vendor development which will further support ISA programs and services.
Seanta McClendon – Scholarships and Awards - Sis. McClendon is developing the scholarship and awards criteria for the upcoming 2011 submission. Applications for top scholastic performers will be available for submission by 1 January 2011.
Old Business:
1. Climate Survey: The ISA developed, produced and completed the first comprehensive climate survey to the International Steppin community. The final executive summary report was submitted for BoD review. The comprehensive report provides an in depth look at demographics, economic assessment and ISA topics of interest. According to the survey of respondents, the Steppin community is spending almost $8,800,000 per annum. Likewise, individual spending is approximately $2,800 per year across all markets. The survey is attached to the minutes. The next 2011-2012 survey will be submitted on 1 August 2011. ACTION: Board of Directors (BoD) CLOSED
2. Codification: The ISA will be represented by four ISA members in Downey CA. The GSDTA will host several professional teachers and students to help continue the work of codifying and submitting the documentation for national publication of the ISA training manual 1-1. The document will identify the basic movements and characteristics of Steppin. The Steppers only intensive takes place 27-29 August 2010. Registration is now closed. ACTION: Executive Body, Education and Training Members Buford Collins, Bonita Williams, Darryl Wilder, Donna Crite ONGOING
3. Business meeting: The semi-Annual meeting will be held during the US Open Swing Championship weekend on Saturday 27 November 2010 in Burbank California. ISA will attend as observers in an effort to prepare for future participation. Information will be gathered in an effort for a collective package to be presented for ISA members to attend as a collective group. VP of Public Relations will look in to getting a block of rooms for ISA Officers to attend together. ACTION: VP of Public Relations
4. Chapter affiliations are now being accepted. There were a number of questions on the payment of Chapter membership. The fees are $100 per chapter. There must be seven (7) paid ISA members per chapter. The additional fees chapters charge will be subject to local bylaws which are approved by ISA HQ. The chapter fee is an annual fee. Fees can be raised at the discretion of local chapters (Steppin event, car wash, food sales, donations etc). Chapters are separated by 80 miles. The goal is to have one chapter per city distance and encourage local cooperation among Steppers. Each chapter will receive an associated level of delegate voting dependent on the size of each chapter membership. ACTION: Executive Members
5. Strategic Planning and Development, Dance Competition and Community leaders are needed to develop and execute plans for the 2010-2011 year. Plans are underway to host the 2011 ISA International Convention in Chicago. ISA will provide the strategic outlook to the over body based on your ideas and committee suggestions. ACTION: Executive BoD ONGOING
6. 2011 ISA INTERNATONAL CONVENTION. The city of Chicago Illinois will host the 2011 International Steppers Association international convention and business meeting on 24-26 June 2011. The members unanimously voted Oaklawn Hilton the host hotel. The recommended airport is Chicago’s Midway which is 10 minutes away. The ISA is looking for energetic Steppers to host and volunteer to assist with several committees (Scholarship, Youth Programs, Dance Competition, Vendors, Tickets, Job Fair, and Health Fair). We do not have a committee chair and if there’s no volunteer, members present will be the committee. Members are encouraged to contact local Chicago Steppers to make recommendations in additional functions accordingly. The agenda is now being developed. Invitations to all international dance organizations will go out by 1 January 2011. Invitations will also be extended to the state of Illinois, Oaklawn and Chicago national, state and city leadership. There are roughly 10 months remaining. Motioned and approved that Oaklawn Hilton will be the host hotel. ACTION: Executive Board, Awards Committee
7. Website development: This is on hold until more funding is acquired to purchase a robust account. In the interim, ISA will begin using the free website offered by Madam Secretary Laidler. Continued usage of FACEBOOK and other social websites to market and advertise activities will supplement efforts. ACTION: Executive Board
8. Legal: The ISA is now a legal incorporated entity as of August 11, 2010. The ISA legal representation is CLARK & ALLEN, P.C. of Virginia. All efforts by the ISA and its members fall under the purview of the ISA and are subject to legal copyright and are not for individual use or financial gain. We are a not for profit entity and all revenue must comply with the articles of incorporation, constitution and bylaws now ratified. ISA will comply with proper filing procedures to ensure receipt of future corporate and/or charitable contributions. ACTION: Executive Board ONGOING
9. On 23 July 2010 a formal letter of support was forwarded to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton’s effort to recognize the National Dance Day. The event was a success with over 3,000 dancers and over 12 genres of dance represented in front of a national audience. The flash mob line dance showcased over 250 dancers on the national lawn. The ISA will continue to support this national event in the coming future. ACTION: President, Executive Board CLOSED
10. ISA bank account will be established in Virginia by our next meeting. The legal ISA address will be posted on Facebook.
The meeting adjourned at 8:10 pm with closing prayer lead by Bro. Andrew Smith, Sergeant at Arms. The call was recorded and can be heard by dialing: 218-862-1099 307375# , #. Please use *1 (rewind), *2 (fast forward) and *5 (pause/resume). There are 48 minutes recorded.
The next ISA meeting will be on Sunday, 19 September 2010 at 7pm. Please dial in by 6:40pm so that we can start on time. The dial in number is 1-218-862-1000 ACCESS CODE: 307375#.
Sincerely,
Mary Laidler, ISA Secretary
Attachments:
1. Climate Survey Executive Summary
ISA October Minutes w/Certificate of Incorporation
Date: 17 October 2010
The meeting began with prayer by the ISA Sergeant at Arms Andrew Smith. The September minutes were approved by the voting body. There were a total of 13 callers. A total of 77 minutes was recorded for review. Members are encouraged to call in each meeting to take care of the business of the ISA in an efficient manner. If you are unable to make it, we ask that you provide a written committee report to the Secretary three (3) days prior to the meeting. This will ensure we have a report to provide to the members who are taking the time out to attend the meeting.
Roll call produced the following member activity.
Members present:
1. Timothy D. Wilson, President – Washington, DC **
2. Anissa L. Guyton, Vice-President of Membership – Romulus, MI **
3. Demaris Wooten, Upper Marlboro, MD **
4. Buford Collins (Education and Training) - Ferndale, MI *
5. Crystal Johnson, Treasurer - Virginia Beach, VA **
6. Mary Laidler, Secretary, Atlanta GA (Chicago, IL) **
7. Andrew W. Smith, Sergeant of Arms - Miramar, FL (Chicago, IL) **
8. Seanta Williams (Scholarships and Awards) - Melbourne, Florida
9. Oswald Cooper – New Orleans, LA
Members absent:
1. Zakeeyaw Toney, Vice President of Public Relations - Las Vegas, NV (Chicago, IL) **
2. Sarah Teagle – Atlanta, GA **
3. Tracey Sisco - Boston, MA *
4. Anthony Dunn - Olney, MD (Chicago, IL) **
5. Darryl Wilder - Miramar, FL **
6. Deborah Hunt (Business Development) - Virginia Beach, VA
7. Jim Berry (Corporate Sponsorship) – Miami, FL (Chicago, IL)
8. Bonita Williams (Education and Training) – Detroit MI *
9. Patricia Alexander - Detroit, MI *
10. Donna Crite (Education and Training) - Odenton, MI
11. Samuel Parker – Los Angeles, California
12. Lloyd Henderson (Education and Training) - Chicago, IL
13. Pamela Dunn – Olney, MD (Chicago, IL)
Guest callers:
1. Tasca Carroll – Miami, FL
2. Victor James – Indianapolis, IN
3. Sonia Harris – Boston, MA
4. Nicola Thomas – St. Louis, MO
* Charter Member
** Life Member
Officers Report:
Treasurer’s report:
The operating fund balance has been adjusted accordingly to include fees deducted for each membership transaction and each payment for the August Intensive totaling $116.73:
-Operating Fund Balance $497.39
-Scholarship Fund Balance $475.00
ACTION: Total deposit to be made to new account $922.39 by Mr President, Timothy Wilson on October 18, 2010
-Reimbursements Payable $700.00 - Timothy Wilson
-*Reimbursements Payable $286.80 - Buford Collins
*waiting for more receipts from Buford.
These reimbursements will be made at the June 2011 convention.
Approved to move financial Report to Auditing Committee
ACTION: Crystal Johnson, Treasurer
September meeting minutes were approved as submitted
Public Relations report: No report was provided. Mr. President will contact VP of Public Relations to submit current report. ACTION: Zakeeyaw Toney, VP of Public Relations
Membership report:
Sis Anissa Guyton reported that the ISA will utilize the upcoming ISA website as the formal means of registering new members. A registration form will be attached for members to review and complete for membership. This will be supported by increase effort to reach out to existing ISA members who may or may not have volunteered to work on a committee. This approach is a continued effort to encourage paid members to find their area of specialty and participate actively in the ISA mission. The tri-fold membership pamphlet will be developed by 31 January 2011. This will provide the basic membership information and registration format for those potential members at events her team visits.
Membership fee structure as of 18 October 2010:
Life Member: $300
General membership: $50
Chapter membership fee: $100 per organization (must have 7 voting members)
ACTION: Anissa Guyton, VP of Membership
Education and Training report: The ISA Training Manual is schedule for release by 31 January 2011. This will be the first international product from the ISA. It will standardize the basic elements of Steppin providing definitions on timing, rhythm, movement, partnering, beginners’ syllabus, six beat/eight beat basic patterns, annotations, initial 10 patterns and several starter steps. The manual will be available to anyone who wants a copy FREE of charge. The full publication manual will be sold by the ISA on our website. It will provide more of an indepth background of Steppin, informative articles and history along with the basic ISA manual. This will be published and submitted to the Library of Congress and other international dance community archives. More to come on prices for the full ISA pamphlet.
ACTION: Buford Collins, Bonita Williams, Donna Crite and Darryl Wilder
Committees: There were no committee reports due to the absence of committee chairperson on the call. We need volunteers to assist the committee chairpersons below. This will help the ISA maintain a report from the committee in the absence from the chairperson.
*Jim L. Berry – Corporate Development – No report submitted.
*Deborah L. Hunt – Business Development – No report submitted.
*Seanta McClendon – Scholarships and Awards – No report provided. However Sis. McClendon did report that the scholarship criterion is in draft and a report will be provided as soon as possible. The level of scholarships will be dependent on how much money the ISA is able to collect from corporate and individual donations (see Treasurers report).
Old Business:
Codification: This process continues as the Education and Training team develops the ISA Training Manual 1-1. The next proposed Steppin intensive will be in 24-27 June 2011 during the ISA International Convention in Oaklawn, Illinois. The GSDTA will continue to assist us in codifying the dance. We anticipate two representatives at the upcoming international convention in June.
ACTION: Executive Body, Education and Training Members: Buford Collins, Bonita Williams, Darryl Wilder, Donna Crite ONGOING
Business meeting: The semi-Annual meeting at the US Open Swing Championship will be postponed until November 2011. The November meeting instead will take place on the regular telecom on 21 November 2010.
ACTION: Zakeeyaw Toney ,VP of Public Relations
Chapter affiliations are now being accepted. There were a number of questions on the payment of Chapter membership. The fees are $100 per chapter. There must be seven (7) paid ISA members per chapter. The additional fees chapters charge will be subject to local bylaws which are approved by ISA HQ. The chapter fee is an annual fee. Fees can be raised at the discretion of local chapters (Steppin event, car wash, food sales, donations etc). Chapters are separated by 80 miles. The goal is to have one chapter per city distance and encourage local cooperation among Steppers. Each chapter will receive an associated level of delegate voting dependent on the size of each chapter membership.
ACTION: Anissa Guyton, VP Membership & OPEN Executive Members
Strategic Planning and Development, Dance Competition and Community leaders are needed to develop and execute plans for the 2010-2011 year. Plans are underway to host the 2011 ISA International Convention in Chicago. ISA will provide the strategic outlook to the over body based on your ideas and committee suggestions. ACTION: Executive BoD ONGOING
2011 ISA INTERNATONAL CONVENTION.
The ISA will sign on the contract with Oaklawn Hilton not later than 20 October 2010. The contract requires at least 10 rooms are reserved with the Oaklawn Hilton by 1 January 2010. If 10 rooms are not reservations the contract will be null and void and the ISA will lose the date and space. In addition to the 10 rooms, there’s a $2,000 banquet fee. We took a vote and queried 9 members on the call (1 guest) who agreed to register. We need to hear from the remaining 14 members to determine if they will be attending. (THIS PROPOSAL HAS TO BE APPROVED BY THE HOTEL FIRST)
Members who agreed to attend:
1. Timothy Wilson *
2. Crystal Johnson *
3. Demaris Wooten *
4. Mary Laidler *
5. Buford Collins *
6. Anissa L. Guyton *
7. Andrew Smith *
8. Seanta McClendon
9. Sonia Boston - Guest
The contract registration price for Single and Double occupancy is $129.00. Registration after 31 January 2010 will be at the regular hotel market rate. ISA members are encouraged to register upon reading the minutes so as not to lose the registration price. This effort is decided in an effort to mitigate the possible loss of ISA funds as we only have a limited amount of funds to date. The contact information is: www.hilton.com or call direct at 708-425-7800. The address is 9333 South Cicero Avenue, Oaklawn IL. The cost of the conference will be presented on 21 November 2010 (Registration, Steppers Intensive, Scholarship and Awards Banquet, ISA Business Meeting).
Need volunteers to help out with the convention. Sarah Teagle has volunteered to do some of the social networking.
All details will be available on the ISA Website. ACTION: International Convention Committee
Website development: The ISA has accepted a bid from a company out of India for the website at $250. Completion of website will be 30 November 2010. The ISA is looking for volunteers to assist with inputting data in the various categories (Membership, Info, About Us, Pay Cart). The website will be fully functional to express all of the ISA activities and updates.
ACTION: Executive Board
NEW BUSINESS
Certificate of Incorporation
The President forwarded a scanned copy of the ISA charter from the Commonwealth of Virginia. The ISA is the only organization formed on behalf of all Steppers. Our Non-profit status will allow us to implement programs at the international level and document efforts of Steppers to the body of dance. The historical significance of what the ISA is doing will be guaranteed in the history books because of the efforts for each full member. The ISA members are taking charge of the African-American contribution to vernacular dance which has yet to be formally documented in the Library of Congress archives. Please see attached formal certificate. It will be included in the ISA Manual publication in June.
ACTION: Executive Board
Constitution and Operations Instruction:
The current ISA constitution is a matter of record. Clark & Allen P.C. completed an updated copy of the constitution. The existing .PDF submitted during the chartering ceremony will become the Operations Instruction (OI) as it should be flexible and come in line with the constitution which cannot be changed without review from the attorney’s. This process can be cost prohibitive so we have to review the ISA OI and vote in June 2011. This will be one of the first items of business.
ACTION: Executive Board
Officers Transition Books:
Officers are encouraged to begin building their electronic transition books for the upcoming election year. Each officer and committee chairperson should put together an electronic book so that the incoming officer will have a good transition. A sample of the transition book will be provided to all officers in November from the President.
ACTION: President
Volunteers needed: We need more volunteers to come forward and participate in the ISA activities. Paid members are encouraged to find an area to serve and assist with the activities within the ISA. There is a lot of work to do and we could use more activity by members who have given their resources to support the ISA. Without your physical support progress is slower. We do appreciate your giving but we really need your leadership and participation in the future as we move toward the upcoming convention.
ACTION: Executive Board
FREE Internet Meeting:
The President registered for a Skype account. He encouraged members to obtain a Skype.com account so that we can someday conduct meetings/review documents via computer vice phone. This will be easier for us to communicate by computer, iPhone/BB, or cell phone this way. It provides us more options including video at no additional charge. Sign up takes 5 minutes at www.skype.com
ACTION: Executive Board
Bio’s needed: Officers are asked to developed a bio and turn in a picture for the upcoming Website. This will help the community of dancers recognize the officials in the organization. Officers please turn them in to the President before 1 December 2010. Please see sample attached
ACTION: Executive Board
Volunteers are needed for the following areas:
Website development
Competition Committee (Criteria Development and Standards, International, US, Regional, National, Local)
Social Committee
ISA Ambassador (World Dance Council, World Swing Dance Council)
Souvenir Development (T-shirts, Lapel Pins, Cuff Links, Media, DVDs, Books)
Youth Programming (Scholarships, Training, Tutoring, Arts and Entertainment Camp)
Proposal and Grant Writing (Corporate and State programs)
ACTION: Executive Board
FROM THE FLOOR
Bro. Buford Collins provided an overview of the success of his class in learning the new critical timing information he received from the GSDTA. His students are learning faster and retaining the information and understanding of 6 beat and 8 beat patterns after a few lessons. They now are dancing to the music and understanding where they are in the music 90% of the time. This was proven time and time again and most recently during a visit from a guest from Portland. The information helped and the guest commented on how much easier it was to learn by counting music utilizing proper technique and musicality.
Bro. Buford Collins inquired about how the Newsletter is being distributed. He stated that it is easy to forward from iContact or Constant Contact. Mr. President stated that we were waiting for funds to come in. We now have the money available and can proceed with utilizing a social network/e-marketing.
Victor James congratulated members for their diligence in formalizing Steppin. More effort is needed by members and guest to ensure the message is getting out to all Steppers either electronically or word of mouth. The ISA will begin to move more aggressively in the Public Relations and Membership area to provide hard copy and informational programs to reach those who do not have computers. The first phase was to establish the organizational structure. The next transition is to improve the public relations efforts in the social community. The ISA is a formal organization first and we compliment the community culture. There is a distinct difference because we work on behalf of all Steppers and not one specific location.
The meeting adjourned at 8:16pm with closing prayer by the ISA Treasurer Sis. Crystal Johnson. The call was recorded and can be heard by dialing: 218-862-1099 307375# , #. Please use *1 (rewind), *2 (fast forward) and *5 (pause/resume). All historical meetings will be posted on the ISA website in November.
The next ISA meeting will be on Sunday, 21 November 2010 at 7pm. Please dial in by 6:45pm so that we can start on time. The dial in number is 1-218-862-1000 ACCESS CODE: 307375#.
Sincerely,
Mary Laidler, ISA Secretary
Thursday, October 14, 2010
ISA October Newsletter Vol 1, Issue 5
International Steppers Association
Internationalsteppersassociation@yahoo.com
Date: 14 October 2010
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results. Machiavelli
President’s Corner: Commentary
The history of vernacular dance is well documented. I used to believe that the origins of social dancing stemmed from the early 1900s influence of the Swing community alone. I was not only incorrect I was short sighted in nature partly because I had taken the verbal word of a few social historians. This was a big mistake. After conducting some careful research on my own I found not only that my beliefs were false and based on social norms and hearsay I found a wonderful and robust accounting of dance from historians who have done a wonderful job of documenting not only dance but the extended cultures which compliment communities and genres from all societies.
Steppin is truly the beneficiary of many cultures. The contributions of Africa, Europe and Asia can be found in our technical movements, rhythmic forms, cultural beliefs, values and attitudes. History has a way of making one big circle of life in which we have a tendency to rename revelations that come to our awareness for the first time. This is quite natural and it happens continuously as the next generation begins to repeat what has already gone before. A great case in point is the moon walk made popular by Michael Jackson. There are many accounts of the shuffling and soft shoe movements he performed as far back as the late 1800s. We don’t always give proper credit to our progenitors of dance who actually performed vernacular movements at a higher technical degree than our modern dancers. We see this as well in music and instrumentation. The impact of the drum and drummer in African-American culture and dance cannot be understated. Drumming was the ultimate communication voice for wars, funerals, weddings and culture rituals. Today the drummer has been replaced by the DJ however the importance of the central rhythm is just as important.
Have you heard of the Calinda (Calenda), Juba, Jig, Shango, Stair Dance, Black Bottom, Texas Tommy, Congo or Bomboula? There are so many more dances to name but they are all there for the knowing. Steppin is not new. Its movements are very similar to the aforementioned that its eerily like a déjà vu. It’s just renamed with a few derivatives of the past mixed in to the present. Steppin’s foundation has already been laid waiting on a new generation to give it life in books, video and other recordings. Its syncopation and polyrhythm’s were formed on the Western banks of the Sub-Saharan continent. Its box patterns can easily be seen in the 3 / 4 time Waltz and Marsuka patterns of Europe. We are all connected by dance. Lets us not forget that dance that gave exercise, strength and confidence during the long nights during the voyage of struggle across the Atlantic. Without dance, many more would have perished but dance gave life through exercise on the deck of ships to our forefathers and mothers. We have to embrace the extended past of our forefathers and recognize their contributions are significant to what we call ours today. It’s okay to advocate our pride, our culture, our dance and our community however we should not claim ownership to the body of dance because it was given to us freely long before we knew our mother and ourselves.
The ISA is one of a long line of organizations and individuals formed to do our small part in documenting the continuance of dance. We have embraced the popular term “Steppin” to capture the overall essence of urban social dance today. Sure Swing is the popular international naming convention for all social dances however it is important that we solidify the cultural contributions of urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and many more that are keeping essentially the culture alive and well. It is the contribution of many people, some known and others not so known, that are making Steppin what it is today. There are many facets to our urban culture. All cultures are important and significant in their own way. It is not just the proper counting and learning tools that we are attempting to improve and standardize but the recognition of the culture that is so heavily debated.
Steppin is a technical movement first but it is just as important to realize that its cultural is just as important. Words such as smooth, jazzy, soulful and way of life are characteristics of the dance and if not provided in a contextual format we often end up describing a myriad of activities. We as a group of Steppers must come together and systematically name the movements and recognize those formal names that are universal recognized in the international dance community. If we do not, they will be named for us. You as a Stepper and dancer must get actively involved. To ensure possession we have to be the possessors of knowledge. Without this deliberate confluence and agreement we cannot blame anyone but ourselves. Someone has to come away from the dance floor for air and breathe life in to the documentation to ensure that our forefathers do not become a historical rumor or has been. That is essentially what the ISA is attempting to accomplish. Surely everyone will not understand it completely now but it does not take everyone just a few who will leave the lesson for everyone. The key to knowledge is not to know everything it is to contribute a small piece to the body of knowledge. As they say, the whole is great than its parts. The key is to get involved either culturally or formally or both but do get involved.
If you are interested in joining the ISA, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Anissa Guyton for more information.
Five great books that highlight dance:
Jooking - Katrina Hazzard Gordon
Steppin on the Blues - Jacqui Malone
The Black Dancing Body - Brenda Dixon Gottschild
Black Dance 1619 to Today - Lynne Fauley Emery
Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop – Frankie Manning
Date: 14 October 2010
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results. Machiavelli
President’s Corner: Commentary
The history of vernacular dance is well documented. I used to believe that the origins of social dancing stemmed from the early 1900s influence of the Swing community alone. I was not only incorrect I was short sighted in nature partly because I had taken the verbal word of a few social historians. This was a big mistake. After conducting some careful research on my own I found not only that my beliefs were false and based on social norms and hearsay I found a wonderful and robust accounting of dance from historians who have done a wonderful job of documenting not only dance but the extended cultures which compliment communities and genres from all societies.
Steppin is truly the beneficiary of many cultures. The contributions of Africa, Europe and Asia can be found in our technical movements, rhythmic forms, cultural beliefs, values and attitudes. History has a way of making one big circle of life in which we have a tendency to rename revelations that come to our awareness for the first time. This is quite natural and it happens continuously as the next generation begins to repeat what has already gone before. A great case in point is the moon walk made popular by Michael Jackson. There are many accounts of the shuffling and soft shoe movements he performed as far back as the late 1800s. We don’t always give proper credit to our progenitors of dance who actually performed vernacular movements at a higher technical degree than our modern dancers. We see this as well in music and instrumentation. The impact of the drum and drummer in African-American culture and dance cannot be understated. Drumming was the ultimate communication voice for wars, funerals, weddings and culture rituals. Today the drummer has been replaced by the DJ however the importance of the central rhythm is just as important.
Have you heard of the Calinda (Calenda), Juba, Jig, Shango, Stair Dance, Black Bottom, Texas Tommy, Congo or Bomboula? There are so many more dances to name but they are all there for the knowing. Steppin is not new. Its movements are very similar to the aforementioned that its eerily like a déjà vu. It’s just renamed with a few derivatives of the past mixed in to the present. Steppin’s foundation has already been laid waiting on a new generation to give it life in books, video and other recordings. Its syncopation and polyrhythm’s were formed on the Western banks of the Sub-Saharan continent. Its box patterns can easily be seen in the 3 / 4 time Waltz and Marsuka patterns of Europe. We are all connected by dance. Lets us not forget that dance that gave exercise, strength and confidence during the long nights during the voyage of struggle across the Atlantic. Without dance, many more would have perished but dance gave life through exercise on the deck of ships to our forefathers and mothers. We have to embrace the extended past of our forefathers and recognize their contributions are significant to what we call ours today. It’s okay to advocate our pride, our culture, our dance and our community however we should not claim ownership to the body of dance because it was given to us freely long before we knew our mother and ourselves.
The ISA is one of a long line of organizations and individuals formed to do our small part in documenting the continuance of dance. We have embraced the popular term “Steppin” to capture the overall essence of urban social dance today. Sure Swing is the popular international naming convention for all social dances however it is important that we solidify the cultural contributions of urban areas such as New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Milwaukee and many more that are keeping essentially the culture alive and well. It is the contribution of many people, some known and others not so known, that are making Steppin what it is today. There are many facets to our urban culture. All cultures are important and significant in their own way. It is not just the proper counting and learning tools that we are attempting to improve and standardize but the recognition of the culture that is so heavily debated.
Steppin is a technical movement first but it is just as important to realize that its cultural is just as important. Words such as smooth, jazzy, soulful and way of life are characteristics of the dance and if not provided in a contextual format we often end up describing a myriad of activities. We as a group of Steppers must come together and systematically name the movements and recognize those formal names that are universal recognized in the international dance community. If we do not, they will be named for us. You as a Stepper and dancer must get actively involved. To ensure possession we have to be the possessors of knowledge. Without this deliberate confluence and agreement we cannot blame anyone but ourselves. Someone has to come away from the dance floor for air and breathe life in to the documentation to ensure that our forefathers do not become a historical rumor or has been. That is essentially what the ISA is attempting to accomplish. Surely everyone will not understand it completely now but it does not take everyone just a few who will leave the lesson for everyone. The key to knowledge is not to know everything it is to contribute a small piece to the body of knowledge. As they say, the whole is great than its parts. The key is to get involved either culturally or formally or both but do get involved.
If you are interested in joining the ISA, please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Anissa Guyton for more information.
Five great books that highlight dance:
Jooking - Katrina Hazzard Gordon
Steppin on the Blues - Jacqui Malone
The Black Dancing Body - Brenda Dixon Gottschild
Black Dance 1619 to Today - Lynne Fauley Emery
Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop – Frankie Manning
Note: All the above books can be located on Amazon.com and are great resources of educating the reader on vernacular dance. There is a great review of history, culture and music inside each offering. You can find elements which have impacted Steppin from the musical, dance and culture aspects.
Steppin: A few tips for instructors and dancers
By Buford G. Collins
http://mistalocks.com/
*Instructors should always be patient with students to help them move forward. As beginner it may take you a while to pick up the overall style and culture of Steppin. Your teacher should move at a pace that you can keep up with and be open to helping you with any questions.
*Instructors should create a positive and cool atmosphere. Beginners are often nervous when they first begin. Your teacher should be personable and friendly, establishing a learning environment that learning and fun to take place simultaneously.
*Instructors should challenge your intellect and curiosity to strive for a higher level of understanding concerning dance and Steppin in particular. You should personally strive to reach the next level even if it is beyond you’re a level that you thought possible to achieve. Your instructor should encourage you that is a level agreeable.
*Breaking down choreography by using acceptable standards of counting. Basic Steppin patterns are comprised of either six beat or eight beat sequences. Systematic counting using critical timing is key to learning and advancing by understanding the dance and rhythms. Your professionally trained instructor will guide you through basic patterns easily making it easy to learn how to dance. Critical timing is the universal system of counting for all dances and music.
*Stay focused and entertained throughout class. You instructor should be energized and excited throughout your class. As the leader of the class and first line of offense in learning it is vital that a positive learning experience is the primary concern.
*Your overall experience should be fun and educational. You are ultimately responsible for enjoying your time. Your resources should be well spent. Steppin should be one of many dances you participate in. As you continue your learning experience you will be able to expand on the knowledge you learn from a variety of dances. Steppin’ should be a step towards an enjoyable world filled with dance.
For these and other tips contact me at mistalocks@yahoo.com
Why organize?
The ISA is organized primarily because we can effectively and efficiently meet needs of the Steppin community with structure. The community is asking for standards, education, training, youth programs and community participation. In order for the Steppin community to successfully address these issues and ensure that the international dance community recognizes our efforts to be legitimate, they (World Dance Council, DanceSport, World Swing Dance Council) will only recognize organizations that have a viable and recognized governance strategy. Communication will be easier when the entire Steppers community is at the forefront of the agenda. Team members should be neutral and operate on behalf of its members and non-members. It means that every member is provided the same level of respect for rules and regulations, understanding and freedom of speech without hindrance or fear of retribution. Organizations also protect the financial resources of members and corporate sponsors who may risk their reputation and resources by investing. By taking an iterative approach the ISA is putting the Stepper first and foremost regardless of whether they participate as an ISA member or are simply enjoying an evening of dance. The ISA is acting on behalf of all Steppers 100% of the time.
Training Manual 1-1
ISA Training Manual 1-1 is the first informational product the ISA will deliver to the dance community. It will be a product which can be utilized by instructors and dancers in an effort to understand common terms and phraseology. The manual will combine universal terminology, phraseology and cultural aspects with the Steppin community in mind. This is a necessary element that is missing in our community. The ISA will continue to update the information periodically so that dancers will be able to understand the changes that occur in the community and simultaneously advance their level of knowledge. We anticipate completion of the manual shortly and will ensure that members are provided a copy of the ISA Manual accordingly. If you would like to participate in this process, please contact the Education and Training committee for more information.
ISA Scholarship Criteria
ISA will provide the opportunity for youth to obtain scholarships in the near future. The first scholarship nomination opportunity will be 2011-2012. The nomination criteria will be available on the ISA website in 2011. Submissions must come from ISA members and all applicants must meet academic qualifications accordingly.
The ISA is committed to increasing the participation of youth, young adults and Steppers up to the age of 29. The ISA economic survey showed that programming for youth was in dire need. Offering youth programming and scholarships should add additional focus on this critical area. Without future efforts from the ISA and other organizations Steppin will continue to decline in interest and participation at the formal and competitive levels.
Flashmobs are everywhere!
If you have not seen the recent uptick in FLASHMOBS you may want to pay attention. Flashmobs are not new but technology is allowing a group of like minded people (dancers, protestors, organizers) to collectively impact a central area of interest unbeknownst to the general populace. Recently, in Seattle, thousands of dancers showed up at the famous Seattle fish market and performed a prearranged routine. The exercise was a smash hit and very effective in bringing attention to their dance. Likewise, thousands convened on Washington DC’s celebration of the National Dance Day July 2010. For over three minutes, thousands danced a line dance routine simultaneously and in separate cities. The routines are designed for a temporary purpose and to impact or bring attention to the dance. With the advent of cell phones and iPhone technology communities are not meeting at coordinated times at a moment’s notice and dancing collectively. The ISA is working on a choreographed routine that we can forward to instructors, dancers and others so that we might be able to bring attention to Steppin at a future date. Stand by for more information to come from our Training, Education and Standardization committee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_mob
Volunteers are needed…….
The ISA needs Steppers, organizers, individuals, trainers, promoters, competitors, dance troupe’s and DJs to join the organization. There are a myriad of leadership and social opportunities available for interested individuals to lend a helping hand (see agenda items). The purpose and priorities of the ISA are simple; 1) develop a curriculum of standards, education and training; 2) provide and/or improve youth programming to continue the historical legacy of Steppin; 3) promote community programming through chapter affiliation and partnerships. Without volunteers and members the ISA has to rely solely on internal sources and members to address a host of issues impacting our community. Our intent is to include everyone who has a heart for improving the availability of formal Steppin programs while ensuring that Steppin is documented through formal meetings which address issues in the international, national and local dance community. If you would like to become a volunteer or member please contact Anissa L. Guyton for more information at isa.vpofmembership@yahoo.com.
Volunteers are needed…….
The ISA needs Steppers, organizers, individuals, trainers, promoters, competitors, dance troupe’s and DJs to join the organization. There are a myriad of leadership and social opportunities available for interested individuals to lend a helping hand (see agenda items). The purpose and priorities of the ISA are simple; 1) develop a curriculum of standards, education and training; 2) provide and/or improve youth programming to continue the historical legacy of Steppin; 3) promote community programming through chapter affiliation and partnerships. Without volunteers and members the ISA has to rely solely on internal sources and members to address a host of issues impacting our community. Our intent is to include everyone who has a heart for improving the availability of formal Steppin programs while ensuring that Steppin is documented through formal meetings which address issues in the international, national and local dance community. If you would like to become a volunteer or member please contact Anissa L. Guyton for more information at isa.vpofmembership@yahoo.com.
August 30, 2010
A chronological Review of a 3-Day Intensive, exploring all of the angles of developing the best attributes of Steppin’, in an effort to make it easier to teach, and provide a platform for competition.
Earlier this year, a fine young man who loved “Steppin’” contacted me and wanted to find out how to codify this special dance – and how to identify the similarities and the differences, in order to be eligible for National Swing competitions. After numerous telephone calls and LOTS of E-mails, Timothy Wilson flew to California to attend 3 days of the GSDTA March Intensive, 2010. (The Intensive included various social dances with emphasis on learning the Universal Unit System.) Tim had a ball at the Intensive and we all loved his appetite for information – and his dedication to “doing things right.”
Class ended each day at 5:30pm, and then we would start working on Steppin’. It took us 3 days to decipher & clarify the count, & begin to understand the essence of this unique, fun dance. In the meantime, Tim was developing into an even more accomplished dancer. His dedication paid off. Tim and I set up a 3-Day Steppin Intensive, through ISA, to further the exploration and come up with some solid ground rules. Target date: August 27, 28, 29, 2010. We planned on 10 participants, one of which would be a well known teacher of Steppin’ who owned his own studio in Detroit. Tim and I continued our phone calls and emails and I now have quite a collection of E-mails. We left no stone unturned. More emails and more phone calls added to the mix with Buford Collins, the studio owner, who contributed hours of experimentation and study of the GSDTA website. I was amazed at how much he learned, on his own, from articles on the website – and discussions we had on the phone. I was impressed.
On Aug. 25th, Buford arrived in California. We picked him up at the train station (the Greenline) and we spent a few hours going over the things we planned on working on for the scheduled 3 days. Others were arriving also – so we decided to get together one day sooner than the scheduled starting date. That was a great idea. It gave us a head start. We actually got together on Thursday at 1pm and it was electric from day one. Here we had two languages when it came to counting. We put all of our effort into communication. We had a mission. All over the world, for many years, people have been counting weight changes until little by little, they started discovering Musical Count. After all, musicians count music – and as dancers, we must match that count as we become part of the music. Our whiteboard looked like a strange language, and the Unit Cards were a mystery. Dots and Slashes and numbers through 6 and sometimes 8. This was getting exciting. What was exciting to me was the fact that, bewildered though we might have been at the start, everyone was intent on understanding each other – and pursuing the process. Lots of dancing – questions – experiments – and all of a sudden it was Friday.
I had already alerted GSDTA specialists, Mary Ann Nunez and Lance Shermoen, that we had Steppers arriving on FRIDAY. I invited both of them to participate in the exploration of Steppin’. Lance & Mary Ann were the original winners of both 1st and the 2nd U.S. OPEN – some 27 years ago. Lance joined us all day Friday . We had 4 Steppers & 4 GSDTA staff aboard on Friday. We worked mostly on communication: Learning the 2- Beat Dance Rhythms that make up every dance that exists – along with the fact that the DOWNBEATS are always on count “1-3-5 and 7” and the UPBEATS are always on count “2-4-6 and 8.” We did some Rhythm Drills that are used in other dances, just to make the body respond to music with appropriate counts to music. We laughed a lot. Friday was a day of dancing and laughing and getting familiar with the Universal Unit System®. On Friday night the Steppers went dancing in L.A. and on Saturday morning, we were all back in the Training Room, ready to go again. Both Mary Ann and Lance were with us all day Saturday.
Watching Mary Ann simply follow Buford was exhilarating for all of us. First, because she is an amazing dancer and an accomplished GSDTA Teacher – and also, because we had deciphered the count of the Dance Rhythms that make us able to “read” the dance. Having learned the Rhythm Pattern (Double – Syncopated Triple – Syncopated Triple) she could easily repeat that Rhythm Pattern and follow Buford around the room in all kinds of changing patterns. It was fascinating.
On Aug. 25th, Buford arrived in California. We picked him up at the train station (the Greenline) and we spent a few hours going over the things we planned on working on for the scheduled 3 days. Others were arriving also – so we decided to get together one day sooner than the scheduled starting date. That was a great idea. It gave us a head start. We actually got together on Thursday at 1pm and it was electric from day one. Here we had two languages when it came to counting. We put all of our effort into communication. We had a mission. All over the world, for many years, people have been counting weight changes until little by little, they started discovering Musical Count. After all, musicians count music – and as dancers, we must match that count as we become part of the music. Our whiteboard looked like a strange language, and the Unit Cards were a mystery. Dots and Slashes and numbers through 6 and sometimes 8. This was getting exciting. What was exciting to me was the fact that, bewildered though we might have been at the start, everyone was intent on understanding each other – and pursuing the process. Lots of dancing – questions – experiments – and all of a sudden it was Friday.
I had already alerted GSDTA specialists, Mary Ann Nunez and Lance Shermoen, that we had Steppers arriving on FRIDAY. I invited both of them to participate in the exploration of Steppin’. Lance & Mary Ann were the original winners of both 1st and the 2nd U.S. OPEN – some 27 years ago. Lance joined us all day Friday . We had 4 Steppers & 4 GSDTA staff aboard on Friday. We worked mostly on communication: Learning the 2- Beat Dance Rhythms that make up every dance that exists – along with the fact that the DOWNBEATS are always on count “1-3-5 and 7” and the UPBEATS are always on count “2-4-6 and 8.” We did some Rhythm Drills that are used in other dances, just to make the body respond to music with appropriate counts to music. We laughed a lot. Friday was a day of dancing and laughing and getting familiar with the Universal Unit System®. On Friday night the Steppers went dancing in L.A. and on Saturday morning, we were all back in the Training Room, ready to go again. Both Mary Ann and Lance were with us all day Saturday.
Watching Mary Ann simply follow Buford was exhilarating for all of us. First, because she is an amazing dancer and an accomplished GSDTA Teacher – and also, because we had deciphered the count of the Dance Rhythms that make us able to “read” the dance. Having learned the Rhythm Pattern (Double – Syncopated Triple – Syncopated Triple) she could easily repeat that Rhythm Pattern and follow Buford around the room in all kinds of changing patterns. It was fascinating.
On Saturday, several GSDTA teachers joined us: Janet Diaz teaches children in public schools in the Valley. She is in charge of the entire School District, after school Dance Program.
Sarah Grusmark is an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne, where she teaches the Universal Unit System® credit courses. There were 12 of us there on Saturday. The patterns, exercises and Rhythm Drills would be hard to describe, but the constant taking patterns apart and putting them back together is what it takes to OWN a pattern – OWN a dance. We worked hard and the results were starting to show. We danced and danced, changing partners frequently and taking notes every step of the way.
THEN came Sunday – Little things started looking smoother – sharper – a little more professional, without changing any patterns or abandoning the familiar characteristics of the dance. Sunday was just family – four Steppers, Sarah and I. We were down to real business. As we went back over the different drills, clarifying the rhythm pattern and the essence of the dance, all of us were looking more like Steppers. It was exciting! Even Anissa, C J, and Zakeeyaw were looking more professional than when they arrived. The excitement, and the education, lasted all day. 5:30 PM was quitting time, and they were all going dancing at Top Cats. We all laughed because at 6:45 PM we were still discussing last minute questions. This may have been a small Intensive, but it was one of the most fun, productive, events I have ever seen where we were exploring the depths of a new dance – new to GSDTA. I am looking forward to a brilliant future for Steppin.
Reported by Skippy Blair, National Dance Director, Golden State Dance Teachers Association (GSDTA) Education Coordinator, World Swing Dance Council (WSDC)
More Exciting Steppin Info from the August 2010 Intensive
The discoveries we made were like opening up a treasure chest. It always amazes me when we find that Rules from the Universal Unit System® keep helping us discover new facts that drastically improve the performance, the teaching, and even the look of EVERY form of dancing.
Discoveries we made about Steppin’ will be familiar to many Steppers, but actually eye opening to many more. For instance: There are several Starter Steps - ALL of which work equally well:
6-BEAT Starter Step: (Rhythm Pattern: Double - Delayed Single – Delayed Single)
4-BEAT Starter Step: (Delayed Single – Delayed Single)
2-BEAT Starter Step, that starts on count 7-8 of the music, with The Follower doing one
Delayed Single by holding count “7” and stepping Side Left on count “8”, leaving her Right foot free to step on count “1” of the 1st pattern.
MOVEMENT UNIT: Rhythmic Lilt (NOT a bounce) - pulsates throughout the dance, Movement of CPB (Center Point of Balance) is “Down &a Down” -
(Similar to Balboa & Jump Swing)
KNEES kept close together: Identifiable look that also - drastically improves the artistic lines of the Follower.
FOOT Positions include a “Soft 3rd” ( Back foot is not as extreme as standard 3rd)
TIMEKEEPERS: Traditionally, the women are considered the Timekeepers.
LEVERAGE and COMPRESSION make just as much difference in Steppin’ as they do
in all other forms of swing dance. SHUFFLES are done on the “&a” prior to a Step that lands ON the Beat of music. (These air shuffles are a characteristic of smooth Steppin’).
FOOTWORK: Ladies should not be entirely on toes. Flat foot on the Beats – On Toes whenever the weight changes is on an “a” count.
PULSE: Strongest accent is a Check or Push Off on count “6” of a 6-Beat Pattern, and “8” of an 8-Beat pattern. Steppin’ Pulses the UPBEATS.
SENDING FOOT: Pressing into the floor – a “Push Off” or “Bump” on Count 6 or 8.
UPBEATS: Hold the “2& - 4& and the 6&”
DRILLS: Designed to heighten technique:
PADDLE Turns for practicing the Lilt of a “Toe Flat and a Flat”
CORNER LILT: “& Side Left - & Side Right – &a Forward – &a Back” to practice the firmer, smoother landing on the UPBEATS.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISA General Information
Timothy D. Wilson (President) **
Anissa L. Guyton (Membership) **
Zakeeyaw Toney (Public Relations) **
Crystal Johnson (Treasurer) **
Mary Laidler (Secretary) **
Andrew Smith (Sergeant at Arms) **
Buford Collins (Education and Training Committee) *
Jim Berry – Corporate Development
Deborah Hunt –Business Development
Seanta McClendon – Awards and Scholarship Committee
Sarah Teagle – ISA Convention Planning Committee **
22 current paid members
** Life Member * Charter Member
Membership Fees: (until 26 June 2010)
Life Member: $300;
Voting Member: $50 ($10 donation towards Youth Scholarships)
Non-voting member: $35 ($10 donation towards Youth Scholarships)
Local Chapter Membership: $100 (must have 7 voting members)
Important national dates:
November, 25-28, 2010
World Swing Dance Championships (Anaheim, CA) http://www.usopenswingdc.com/aboutus.html
June 24-26, 2011
ISA International Convention (Chicago, IL)
Steppers Intensive
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Proposed Agenda
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Special agenda topic: Future of International Steppers Association
Committee Reports
Member participation
June Convention committee
Chapter Affiliations
Business Activities
• Non-profit status 501 c 3
• Website
Committees (Awards, Dance Competition, Scholarship, Youth,
Community)
2011 Annual Meeting and Convention
Open Items
November 2, 2010 next meeting
Meeting Adjourns
NOTE: International Steppers Association Conference Call
Phone: 218-862-1000 Access Code: 307375#
*recorded
Scholarship opportunities for our youth Steppers who are scholastic achievers and future leaders. Please the
forward the information below to our future generation of leaders:
Sarah Grusmark is an adjunct professor at the University of La Verne, where she teaches the Universal Unit System® credit courses. There were 12 of us there on Saturday. The patterns, exercises and Rhythm Drills would be hard to describe, but the constant taking patterns apart and putting them back together is what it takes to OWN a pattern – OWN a dance. We worked hard and the results were starting to show. We danced and danced, changing partners frequently and taking notes every step of the way.
THEN came Sunday – Little things started looking smoother – sharper – a little more professional, without changing any patterns or abandoning the familiar characteristics of the dance. Sunday was just family – four Steppers, Sarah and I. We were down to real business. As we went back over the different drills, clarifying the rhythm pattern and the essence of the dance, all of us were looking more like Steppers. It was exciting! Even Anissa, C J, and Zakeeyaw were looking more professional than when they arrived. The excitement, and the education, lasted all day. 5:30 PM was quitting time, and they were all going dancing at Top Cats. We all laughed because at 6:45 PM we were still discussing last minute questions. This may have been a small Intensive, but it was one of the most fun, productive, events I have ever seen where we were exploring the depths of a new dance – new to GSDTA. I am looking forward to a brilliant future for Steppin.
Reported by Skippy Blair, National Dance Director, Golden State Dance Teachers Association (GSDTA) Education Coordinator, World Swing Dance Council (WSDC)
More Exciting Steppin Info from the August 2010 Intensive
The discoveries we made were like opening up a treasure chest. It always amazes me when we find that Rules from the Universal Unit System® keep helping us discover new facts that drastically improve the performance, the teaching, and even the look of EVERY form of dancing.
Discoveries we made about Steppin’ will be familiar to many Steppers, but actually eye opening to many more. For instance: There are several Starter Steps - ALL of which work equally well:
6-BEAT Starter Step: (Rhythm Pattern: Double - Delayed Single – Delayed Single)
4-BEAT Starter Step: (Delayed Single – Delayed Single)
2-BEAT Starter Step, that starts on count 7-8 of the music, with The Follower doing one
Delayed Single by holding count “7” and stepping Side Left on count “8”, leaving her Right foot free to step on count “1” of the 1st pattern.
MOVEMENT UNIT: Rhythmic Lilt (NOT a bounce) - pulsates throughout the dance, Movement of CPB (Center Point of Balance) is “Down &a Down” -
(Similar to Balboa & Jump Swing)
KNEES kept close together: Identifiable look that also - drastically improves the artistic lines of the Follower.
FOOT Positions include a “Soft 3rd” ( Back foot is not as extreme as standard 3rd)
TIMEKEEPERS: Traditionally, the women are considered the Timekeepers.
LEVERAGE and COMPRESSION make just as much difference in Steppin’ as they do
in all other forms of swing dance. SHUFFLES are done on the “&a” prior to a Step that lands ON the Beat of music. (These air shuffles are a characteristic of smooth Steppin’).
FOOTWORK: Ladies should not be entirely on toes. Flat foot on the Beats – On Toes whenever the weight changes is on an “a” count.
PULSE: Strongest accent is a Check or Push Off on count “6” of a 6-Beat Pattern, and “8” of an 8-Beat pattern. Steppin’ Pulses the UPBEATS.
SENDING FOOT: Pressing into the floor – a “Push Off” or “Bump” on Count 6 or 8.
UPBEATS: Hold the “2& - 4& and the 6&”
DRILLS: Designed to heighten technique:
PADDLE Turns for practicing the Lilt of a “Toe Flat and a Flat”
CORNER LILT: “& Side Left - & Side Right – &a Forward – &a Back” to practice the firmer, smoother landing on the UPBEATS.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ISA General Information
Timothy D. Wilson (President) **
Anissa L. Guyton (Membership) **
Zakeeyaw Toney (Public Relations) **
Crystal Johnson (Treasurer) **
Mary Laidler (Secretary) **
Andrew Smith (Sergeant at Arms) **
Buford Collins (Education and Training Committee) *
Jim Berry – Corporate Development
Deborah Hunt –Business Development
Seanta McClendon – Awards and Scholarship Committee
Sarah Teagle – ISA Convention Planning Committee **
22 current paid members
** Life Member * Charter Member
Membership Fees: (until 26 June 2010)
Life Member: $300;
Voting Member: $50 ($10 donation towards Youth Scholarships)
Non-voting member: $35 ($10 donation towards Youth Scholarships)
Local Chapter Membership: $100 (must have 7 voting members)
Important national dates:
November, 25-28, 2010
World Swing Dance Championships (Anaheim, CA) http://www.usopenswingdc.com/aboutus.html
June 24-26, 2011
ISA International Convention (Chicago, IL)
Steppers Intensive
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Proposed Agenda
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Special agenda topic: Future of International Steppers Association
Committee Reports
Member participation
June Convention committee
Chapter Affiliations
Business Activities
• Non-profit status 501 c 3
• Website
Committees (Awards, Dance Competition, Scholarship, Youth,
Community)
2011 Annual Meeting and Convention
Open Items
November 2, 2010 next meeting
Meeting Adjourns
NOTE: International Steppers Association Conference Call
Phone: 218-862-1000 Access Code: 307375#
*recorded
Scholarship opportunities for our youth Steppers who are scholastic achievers and future leaders. Please the
forward the information below to our future generation of leaders:
1) Bell Labs Fellowships for Under Represented Minorities
http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/CRFP/info.html
2) Student Inventors Scholarships http://www.invent.org/collegiate
3) Student Video Scholarships http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html
4) Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships http://www.coca-colascholars.org/p rograms.HTML
5) Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships http://holocaust.hklaw.com/=2 0
6) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships http://www.aynrand.org/contests/ 7) Brand Essay Competition http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002 Rules.htm
8) Gates Millennium Scholarships (major)
http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=12
9) Xerox Scholarships for Students
http://www2.xerox.com/go/xrx/about_xerox/about_xerox_detail.jsp
10) Sports Scholarships and Internships
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html
11) National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NABJ)
http://www.nabj.org/html/studentsvcs.html
12) Saul T. Wilson Scholarships (Veterinary) http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/mrphr/jobs/s tw.HTML
13) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/sk_v6.cfm
http://www.bell-labs.com/fellowships/CRFP/info.html
2) Student Inventors Scholarships http://www.invent.org/collegiate
3) Student Video Scholarships http://www.christophers.org/vidcon2k.html
4) Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships http://www.coca-colascholars.org/p rograms.HTML
5) Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships http://holocaust.hklaw.com/=2 0
6) Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships http://www.aynrand.org/contests/ 7) Brand Essay Competition http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002 Rules.htm
8) Gates Millennium Scholarships (major)
http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=12
9) Xerox Scholarships for Students
http://www2.xerox.com/go/xrx/about_xerox/about_xerox_detail.jsp
10) Sports Scholarships and Internships
http://www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html
11) National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NABJ)
http://www.nabj.org/html/studentsvcs.html
12) Saul T. Wilson Scholarships (Veterinary) http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/mrphr/jobs/s tw.HTML
13) Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund
http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/sk_v6.cfm
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