BETWEEN TIPS

BETWEEN TIPS
"BETWEEN TIPS" is the official bulletin of the
SQUARE & ROUND DANCE FEDERATION OF NOVA SCOTIA
Bob Ruohoniemi, Editor, 6939 Hwy 1 Ardoise, RR 1 Ellershouse, NS B0N 1L0
phone (902) 757-3884 email: bobruoho@ns.sympatico.ca        www.squaredance.ns.ca
DECEMBER 2008 - JANUARY 2009   --    NUMBER 149
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This issue has news from: Festival 2010, YOUR Federation, and the Canadian Society.

– The Organizing Committee held another monthly meeting on 15 November. It was reported that more than ľ of the F2010 Cookbooks have been sold! If readers wish to get a copy, look for displays by Committee members at club dances.

– The Registration table at the MCCA Convention in Charlottetown had some success, but more registrations are needed. Nova Scotia dancers are reminded that the fee increases significantly on 1 January 2009. Look for Registration forms at your club or visit the webpage: www.squaredance.ns.ca and click on the 2010 button.

– Arrangements for the Banner Parade, RV accommodations, and security were further developed.

– It was agreed to conduct a fund-raising raffle in the new year to be drawn at FESTIVAL 2009.

– A large number of Cloggers in the Moncton area is reported to be interested in attending.

– The audience at the MCCA Convention enjoyed the F2010 Demo Dance - comments were very positive. Plans were discussed to present demos at other major events.

– As has been pointed out many times, the Festival Committee needs the support of NS dancers and leaders. Volunteers who would like to help in the planning or at the actual event are encouraged to contact: Dottie Welch 435-4544, dwelch@ap.stmarys.ca or Bob Ruohoniemi, 757-3884, bobruoho@ns.sympatico.ca

Our Editor and his wife Inge model the F2010 Demo Dance Seashore Tradition Dress at the recent MCCA Convention in Charlottetown.

The F2010 Demo Dance Acadian Tradition Dress is modelled by Reta and Paul Blades

– The effort to get all NS clubs and leaders to register as members of the NS Federation & the Canadian Society has been successful!!! The Federation has 30 Clubs, 4 Associations, 41 Leaders, and 689 Dancers.

– As shown in the last BT, the Federation is still looking for a volunteer to serve as the Publicity Officer. It is very important to get out the necessary information if our activity is to survive by attracting new dancers! The duties are not onerous. They are listed in the Federation By-Laws as follows: “The Publicity Officer works in cooperation with the Federation to provide publicity for the square & round dance activity. The Officer oversees development of radio, television, and print materials.” If you would like to contribute to our activity's survival, contact the Presidents, Ralph & Barb MacDonald, 783-2731, ralph.macdonald@ns.sympatico.ca

– Both the Awards & Finance Committees are also looking for one member to join them.

- The deadline for award and bursary applications is fast approaching. Now is the time to start the process!

MAYFLOWER AWARD - An award of excellence in recognition of 20 years or more of outstanding contribution in Nova Scotia to square and round dancing, and all other dance categories recognized by the Federation, at the local, regional, or provincial level. Nominations may be presented by a member club or five or more square/round dancers from anywhere in the province. Nominations must include the credentials of the candidate(s), which will be read at the presentation of the award. Deadline for submission is March 30th of the year in which the award is to be presented. The number of awards is limited to a maximum of two per year, but it is not mandatory that an award be given each year. The Awards Committee will present the names of the two candidates to the Executive for its approval. Nominations should be sent to: Don & Carol Scott, SRDFNS Awards Committee Chairs, 52 Sami Drive, Lower Sackville, NS B4C 3S7, For more information call 865-5780 or dwscott@ns.symaptico.ca

– March 30th is also the deadline for applying for a Caller/Cuer Bursary from the Federation. The criteria are: Any dancer wishing to become a square dance caller or round dance cuer or any current caller/cuer wishing to upgrade skills may apply to the Nova Scotia Square and Round Dance Federation for a bursary to help offset the expenses incurred. New callers/cuers and applicants from remote areas will be given preference over callers/cuers wanting refresher training. Preferences will also be given to those wishing to attend recognized Canadian schools & clinics. Applicants will be notified of a decision by 30 May. The bursary will be paid to the applicant upon receipt of a report from the school or clinic, showing attendance and participation. The current maximum amount of Federation assistance is $100.00 per applicant. The Federation may approve up to TWO applications per year. Get a copy of the application form by visiting the Repository of Forms. Enclose a brief explanation for choosing a particular school or clinic.
Bursary applications must be submitted to the Federation President Ralph & Barb MacDonald, Box 16, Goshen, NS B0H 2M0, by 30 March

31 Jan. - West Kings Twirlers, Winter Wonderland Dance - Kingston Elementary School.

11 Mar. - Fundy Squares, Pot Luck/St. Patrick's Day/Benefit Dance, Wilmot Community Hall, Wilmot.

6 Apr. - Timberlea Twirlers, 50-60's Dance, Lakeside Fire Hall, Myra Road, Timberlea.

24/25 Apr.- New England Square & Round Dance Convention, Sturbridge MA., www.nesrdc.org 508-376-4952

7-9 May - T&D International S&R Dance Convention, St. Catharines, ON

9 May - Co-ordinators, Plus Windup, Sail into Summer Dance. North Woodside Comm. Ctre., Dartmouth.

21 May - Dice Hill Squares, Mulberry Dance, Ardoise Community Hall. bobruoho@ns.sympatico.ca

4-8 Jun. - 50th Australian National Convention, Perth, Australia. www.squaredance.org.au

25-28 Jun.- 58th US National Convention, Long Beach, California. www.58nsdc.org

24/25 Jul. - Nova Scotia FEDERATION FESTIVAL 2009. Old Orchard Inn, Greenwich NS

- The Canadian Square & Round Dance Society held a teleconference meeting on 16 November.

- In consultation with the Liability Insurance Company, it was determined that the previously agreed policy regarding attendance records at dances, needs to be altered. The CSRDS recommendation is presented below:

“The insurance company does not require any record of attendance at functions, but it is in the clubs best interest to keep a record in the event of an accident. It is the recommendation of the CSRDS Board of Directors that all Clubs, Associations, Federations and National Conventions use whatever method they wish to record attendance, but some record be kept." - Gary Geldart, Director of Membership, CSRDS

A Dosado Away From Dementia

When you hear a statement such as “Participation in leisure activities has been associated with a lower risk of dementia” it is tempting to jump to the conclusion that being active reduces risk of dementia as we age. However on its own, the statement could also be true if it were the case that many people experiencing the onset of dementia simply stop being active.

As the provincial organization charged with promoting dance as a cultural, educational and healthful activity we have to be sure that claims about the health benefits of dance are true before we add them to our arsenal of benefits (I say arsenal because it seems to be a never-ending battle!) to society of this thing we all love to do. That is why it was thrilling to read in a recent article in the July 10, 2008 New York Times entitled Dance Even if Nobody Is Watching by Tara Parker Pope , which stated “ A telling 2003 New England Journal of Medicine report showed a lower risk for dementia among people over 75 who regularly danced during leisure time." But what was so surprising about the report is that other types of physical exercise didn’t affect dementia risk — dancing was the only physical activity that made a difference.

Tracking down such articles, or at least the abstracts, is much easier in the age of the internet and here is what the search of the New England Journal of Medicine revealed:

In the study Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly authors Verghese, Lipton, Katz, Hall, Derby, Kuslansky, Ambrose, Sliwinski and Buschke of the Einstein Aging Study at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine examined the relation between leisure activities and the risk of dementia in a 469 people over 75 years of age who lived in the same community and did not have dementia at the beginning of the study. Over a follow-up period of 5.1 years, various forms of dementia developed in 124 of the subjects. Among leisure activities, reading, playing board games, playing musical instruments, and dancing were associated with a reduced risk of dementia. To quote their conclusions: “Participation in leisure activities is associated with a reduced risk of dementia, even after adjustment for base-line cognitive status and after the exclusion of subjects with possible preclinical dementia”. So dance teacher, the next time you think that you are losing your mind just think how much worse it would be without dancing!

Contributed by Dianne Milligan, Executive Director, Dance Nova Scotia, 902-422-1749, fax 902-422-0881, director@dancens.ca, www.dancens.ca

We are a business new to this area, which produces Western and Aboriginal merchandise. Our hand made bolo ties have become very popular with our square dancers. We design our ties ourselves but also make special custom orders. We produce a good quality product, using beads, leather, stones, furs, quills, etc. Our prices start at $45.00 and we offer a wide variety for that price. We also do some small wood carvings that are set in our higher priced ties. We can be reached at: (902)543-1491 /or email: Bernadette_Hughes_7@hotmail.com
Thank you - Bernadette Hughes

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