Shag Rag January 2008 Vol. XIV, No 1

Dedicated to the Preservation of the Carolina Shag and Beach MusicDedicated to the Preservation of the Carolina Shag and Beach MusicDedicated to the Preservation of the Carolina Shag and Beach MusicDedicated to the Preservation of the Carolina Shag and Beach Music

Happy New

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Marcia Conway HAPPY NEW YEAR SHAGGERS! I hope you and your family had a wonderful holiday and will have a prosperous 2008. I appreciate the confidence you have placed in me by endorsing me as the Northern Virginia Shag Club 2008 President. I look forward to working with all you great and dedicated volunteers. My congratulations go to the Social Committee under the leadership of Fran Mong for the fun, fun annual Holiday party on December 8 at the Kingstowne Snyder Community Center. The food was more than delicious, good music by DJ John Campbell, great dancing and wonderful fellowship. Thanks to everyone who brought a toy for “Toys for Tots”. I deliv-ered the toys to the Stonewall Jackson firehouse in Manassas the next day and they were so grateful for the donations. The annual presentation was made to Capital Hospice for $156,000, representing the total amount the club has raised for Hospice since we adopted them as our charity. A big thanks to David Rogers and the 2007 Board of Directors for the many volunteer hours they so willing gave to the many activities sponsored by NVSC. Many fun events and activi-ties were provided to enhance and preserve the Carolina Shag and Beach Music. The 2008 Board is looking forward to providing more fun events and activities for the NVSC shaggers. There are two events coming up so mark your calendar for Sunday, February 3 and Saturday, February 16. We will have the annual Super Bowl party at Rene’s on Sunday, February 3. Charlie Womble and Jackie McGee will be with us for group lessons and a dance on Saturday, February 16 at the Fort Myer community center. They will also offer private lessons during their visit with NVSC from Feb. 15th – 17th. Flyers for both of these events are included in this issue of the Shag Rag. Plan to come and have fun! NVSC is a volunteer organization. It takes all of us to have great, fun events and activities for the club so volunteer to serve on a committee or a special event. GO NVSC SHAGGERS! LET’S HAVE A GREAT AND FUN 2008!

General Membership Meeting January 16, 2008 at Rene’s

DJ’s for January

January 2 Jim Rose January 9 Eddie O’ Reilly January 16 Dennis & Nancy Gehley January 23 Craig Jennings January 30 TBD

New Members in December Larry Bast, Jennie Brandt, Mark Brandt, Jill Garity

DANCE LESSONS FOR January

Intermediate

Jan 2 Side to side Basic & Handshake Wrap Pivot

Jan 9 Leg Up Basic & Lean

Jan 16 Stutter Basic, Sugarfoot ending with a lean, Front Walk-Up

Jan 23 Forward Sailor Shuffle, Arm over Pivot with Reverse Tuck

*Jan 30 Sugarfoot, Back prep, Front prep

Novice

*Jan 2 Double Kick Basic & Applejack

Jan 9 Behind Sailor Shuffle & Pivot

Jan 16 Hesitation Basic, Pivot & Hug Pivot

Jan 23 Tuck from Pivot & Tuck from a Half Turn

*Jan 30 Double Kick Basic & Applejack

Beginner

*Jan 2 Basic, Start, and Female Turn

Jan 9 Half Turn & Male Turn

Jan 16 Kick Basic & Side Pass

Jan 23 Crossover Basic & Triple Basic

*Jan 30 Basic, Start, and Female Turn

* Beginning of next cycle

COVER CHARGE AT RENE’S SUPPER CLUB

Effective December 5th the management at Rene’s Supper Club is raising the cover charge on Wednes-day nights to $8.00/person. The cost for the lease of the space in the commercial building which Rene’s Supper Club is in, has gone up, and Dewey Yen is raising the cover charge on Wednesday nights. At the request of the NVSC Board, Dewey Yen will increase the length of the “Happy Hour” period an additional 30 minutes ON A TRIAL BASIS for the first two Wednesday nights in December – Decem-ber 5th & 12th. On those two Wednesday nights, Happy Hour prices will be in effect from 6:00-8:30 PM. If this trial period does not show an increase in Rene’s income from the sale of drinks, then the Happy Hour time will revert to 6:00-8:00 PM. Please remember to support Rene’s Supper Club financially by attending the NVSC dance sessions on Wednesday nights and purchasing food and drinks.

NVSC COMMITTEES/CHAIRS FOR 2008 *Audit Chris Gaines Birthday Cakes Robbie Mann/ Donna Romito Capital Shag Classic 08 Pamela Alfano/ Heather Jennings *Charity Fundraising Nancy Cox/ Kathy Miller Communications TBD *Dance Cathy Metcalf/Nancy Roop Hello Shaggers Valerie Swiger Historian Nancy Roop *Membership Dave & Angie Bushey *Music Mike Deese Newsletter Valerie Swiger/ Nancy Roop *Nominating & Elections (appoint in late September 2008 Photographer Tom Brett *Public Relations Joan Mckinney/Michael Browne Shag-A-Thon 2008 Fran Mong/Sharon Geyer *Social/Hospitality Jo-Ann Hitzemann Web Site Marcia Conway * Denotes Standing Committees

Arlington/Shirlington Lovely 1 bedroom condo, freshly painted, large balcony, two large walk-in closets, wood floors, new appliances, all utilities included in condo fee. $199,900. Contact Pamela Alfano 703-379-7992.

NORTHERN VIRGINIA SHAG CLUB

2008 Board President Marcia Conway 703-361-8159 nclady11@comcast.net Vice-President Fran Mong 703-368-2792 fmong@abhylaw.com Secretary Nancy Roop 703-753-0141 nsar33@comcast.net Treasurer John Romito 703-971-8065 jrdancer0501@yahoo.com Director-at-large Pamela Alfano 703-379-7992 PAlfano@ReedSmith.com Director-at-large Tom Brett 703-642-1595 tombrettphoto@cox.net Director-at-large Mike Deese 703-477-8926 sr@service&lighting.com Director-at-large Sharon Geyer 301-493-4290 Director-at-large Jo-ann Whiteman 703-803-7060 jhitzemannaol.com

Happy Birthday January Babies

Sam Lewis 2 Stephen Colevas 6 Cathie Gibson 6 Norma Wark 6 Reta Ferguson 7 Phyllis Schulte 7 Janis Grimes 9 Craig Jennings 9 Andrea Crews 13 Ruth Browne 14 Brenda Franklin 14 Joe Cook 15 Nancy Roop 15 Barbara Jennings 16 Maryann Lesnick 16 Ann West 16 Buzz Payne 17 Hattie Thurman 20 Liz Kestler 21 Malan Rutty 26 Susan Donahue 28 John T. Price 29 Ivy Scott 29 Jim Rose 30 Kari Jones 31

Janis Grimes Carolina Shag

Private and Group Instruction

Home—-703-536-7362

Work—-202-208-3878

janigrimes@cox.net

SOS CARDS FOR 2008

John Romito, NVSC Treasurer, is taking orders and payments for SOS Tickets which will cover 2008 Mid-Winters and Spring and Fall SOS events. SOS tickets sold through NVSC cost $30.00/ticket. As soon as Russ has received the SOS tickets, he will distribute them to the people who have placed orders for the tickets.

The cut-off date for NVSC to sell SOS tickets will be January 10, 2008.

After that date, SOS tickets must be bought at North Myrtle Beach during SOS events and will cost $35.00/ticket.

PRIVATE LESSONS

WITH

CHARLIE WOMBLE & JACKIE McGEE

Charlie Womble and Jackie McGee (9 times & 10 times National Shag Champions) will be teaching private lessons on Feb. 15 and 17, 2008 at David & Jerry Rodgers’ house in Fairfax Station. SIGN UP NOW for private lessons with Charlie & Jackie by e-mail at rodgersd3@cox.net or call David at (703) 239-8978 to put your name on the list. Lessons will be scheduled in the order in which the requests for private lessons are received. Costs of the private lessons are $85.00/hour lesson with Charlie and Jackie, and $60.00/ hour lesson with Charlie or Jackie.

Mid Winters January 17-20

If you plan to go to Mid Winters in North Myrtle Beach, you will need an SOS CARD!!!!!!!

Keep your membership information current::

Email any changes to David and Angie Bushey at dmb@alliancefnd.com

NVSC LOGO ITEMS---Don’t Party without out them

Have you noticed the NVSC logo items that club members are proudly

displaying? These items are available to everyone. We have the following:

NVSC T-Shirts $18—$30

CD Cases $15

Coffee Mugs $5

Baseball Caps $15

Shoe Bags $20

Golf Towels $15

Twinkling Glasses $10 (new item and very cute)

Shagging in the Carolinas (book) $20

Many shirts are by special order. If you are interested in purchasing any of the above items, please contact Kathy Miller or Nancy Cox.

"The Internal Revenue Service notified NVSC on April 19,

1999, that we have been accepted as a non-profit social

club exempted from paying Federal income taxes. Any-

one interested in reviewing NVSC's application and sup-

porting documents provided to IRS, the IRS exemption

letter, or the club's annual Form 990 to the IRS, please

contact the club Treasurer."

Board meetings are held each month and are open to any and all members who wish to attend. Unless put on the agenda, attendance is for observation, not participation. Since board meetings, at this time, are at board members’ homes, please alert the secretary, one week in advance, if you are interested in attending in case we need a larger facility. Copies of Board meeting minutes are available to members upon request from the secretary and posted on the nvshag.org web-site.

NVSC information www.nvshag.org

Shag Club Information www.shagdance.com

BORROWING SHAG VIDEOS..... is EASY at NVSC!!! Whether you have taken all of the shag classes offered at NVSC or are just looking for new steps or tips on technique... our club has a constantly growing library of shag instructional vid-eos. These videos contain more steps and tips than you can shake a stick at and they're FREE to club members! All you have to do is put down a FULLY refundable $25 deposit. See “Jane James” on Wednesday nights to borrow a video!!! A list of all available videos can be found on the “flyer” table Wednesday nights.

Rene’s Supper Club 3251 Old Lee Highway

Fairfax, VA 22030 703-385-0077

Wednesday night home of the Northern Virginia Shag Club

Cover charge $8.00 Happy Hour drinks 6-8PM

Lessons at 7:30 General Dancing from 8:15 to 11

Juniors (under 21) Welcome with Adult Supervision Directions: I-495 Beltway to Route 50 West, towards Fairfax, VA. Go approximately 3 miles to Fairfax Circle. At the Circle, look for McDonalds. McDonalds is on Old Lee Highway. Take Old Lee Highway 1/10 of a mile. Rene’s is on the ground floor of an office building on your LEFT with a lighted blue sign and directly across from Artie’s Restaurant.

Please do not bring in food or drink!!! This is a supper club.

HELLO SHAGGER EMAILS

You can’t get them if we don’t have your correct email.

Send email corrections to Valerie Swiger at valerievms@aol.com

The Future of Our Dance: Juniors at the Beach and Shag in the Schools

The Ellen Taylor Junior Shaggers Foundation, launched last year, now has goals and programs approved by its Board. There’s a program of need-based financial help for families and groups who could use some help getting to Junior SOS at North Myrtle Beach in July. This is for families or groups who couldn’t ordinarily afford the event, or who couldn’t go unless part of a large chaperoned group. The Junior SOS subsidies would defray food, housing and transportation costs and would be offered in the following categories: --- A four-night trip, available to a family with 2 to 6 children. --- A two-night trip, available to a family with 2 to 6 children. --- A four-night trip for a large group, defined as “8 to 10 chaperoned kids.” According to information provided by Ellen Taylor, the Junior SOS assistance is meant to cover “most” of the cost of attending. There’s a selection process, minimum requirements to qualify and limits on subsidies, and the Foundation’s assistance “will be limited to available funds.” The Foundation also has a program of “general support” for junior shag activities. It hopes to fund these initiatives: --- Grants to schools that establish shag classes or shag clubs for students. The grant would include a start-up package of instructional DVDs, music for the school library, shag lesson plans, sample by-laws, links to shag web sites and contact information for instructors, DJs and shag clubs located near the recipient school. --- Donations of shag instructional DVDs to schools not participating in the grant program. --- Subsidies of a Shag Workshop/Dance event for juniors. --- An awards program for juniors who participate in, or volunteer their services to, events that promote shag, including contests, workshops and exhibitions. And here, from Ellen, is some insight into the philosophy that’s guiding these programs: “As we (she and husband Carl) become older and lose friends, we know that there will come a time when we, too, will not be able to continue to dance and teach, and when that hap-pens, we know our lives will change and we will be forgotten. But it is great to know that the dance will continue through the young people, including our own grandchildren. The Founda-tion was born from a desire to do something that would ensure that this dance that has brought Carl and me so much joy will continue through our young people, by reaching beyond the dance floor into their homes, their community, their schools and into their hearts.”

(Editor’s Note: An accompanying story profiles the Foundation’s leadership.)

WHO’s WHO in the FOUNDATION for JUNIOR SHAGGERS

The inspiration for, and President of, the newly formed Ellen Taylor Foundation for Junior Shaggers is a longtime friend of the Northern Virginia Shag Club. Ellen has taught at The Capital Classic and other NVSC workshop, forming many personal friendships in our club. The deepest is a special relationship with the Mann family: Robbi, Gary and their daughter Kelly. Invited to submit a bio and a list of shag achievements, Ellen e-mailed back a couple of items and then said, “But what I am proudest of is that our four grandsons, who are of junior age, have learned to shag…What has blessed me most in my years of shag-ging is getting to know Kelly Mann and Andy Chappalear and their wonderful parents. How wonderful it was at Fall SOS to know that Kelly and Andy enjoyed dancing together and because of the dancing became good friends. They are special angels and I love them dearly.” Ellen has been in the Beach Shaggers Hall of Fame since 1986, and is a member of Living Legends and National Living Legends of Dance. Hers is the picture on the wall at Fat Harolds with the poem about the First Lady of Shag. The foundation’s leadership team is rooted in organizations and movements that have kept shag alive ---the ACSC shag clubs, SOS, JSA (the juniors’ association), the DJ Association and the competitors of CSA, Shag Nationals and the National Shag Dance Team.

Other Foundation officers are: Vicki Tedesco, Treasurer, a member of the NVSC and the Richmond Shag Club. Vicki’s handling the process of qualifying the Foundation for IRS designation as a tax-exempt charity. She’s on the National Shag Team. With her husband Ralph, she also danced on the Boogie Woogie Kings Team and was a founding co-captain of the first Virginia Shag Dance Team. She and Ralph are members of the Virginia Shaggers Hall of Fame and National Living Legends of Dance. Vicki says, “Most importantly, however, we have passed our love of the dance to our daughter, Amanda. Her passion for the dance and the people is, by far, our greatest contribution. She represents the true dance talent in our family and is our greatest single source of pride and joy.” Amanda, a student at the Wharton School of Economics, is a former National Junior Shag Champion, and she preceded her mother on the National Team. Jason Cagle of Charlotte, NC, Vice-president. He and his wife Holly are the current National Non-Pro Shag Champions and are on the National Team. He’s a 1998 cum laude graduate of Harvard, and he brought shag way North, through the Southern New England Shag Club. Leslie Williamson, Secretary, a school teacher and a former National Junior Shag Champion. She danced in the movie “Shag”, and helped teach the movie’s star, Amanda Gish, how to shag for the movie’s main dance scene.

The Foundation’s board members are:

Geoff Burdick of Cornelius, NC. Member of the first National Team, National Junior Shag Champion in 1992. National Non-Pro Champion in 1996. Started shagging at age 17. “To meet girls NOT because I liked to dance!!!” Mike Rink, a DJ, shag instructor and the charter President of the Twister’s Shag Club, where he’s chaired or co-chaired the famous Fall Cyclone Party for 17 years. He’s been chairman of the ACSC and served 10 years on the SOS Board.. Foster McKinney (no relation to the author) of Columbia, SC. He’s a practicing CPA, and has been Treasurer of SOS since 1989.

He met his wife at a shag club and proposed at The Pad during the 1989 Fall Migration. The house DJ, Gary Bass, promptly an-

nounced it over the loud speaker.

Sandy Braddock of Tampa, Fla. A former school teacher, she’s now a corporate accountant. She’s the Treasurer of the Tampa Chamber of Commerce and a founding member and 8-year President of the Sun Coast Shag Club. She began as a “bopper” at age 7, but says “my dancer’s soul found Nirvana in 1988 with my first SOS trip … There has never been a greater impact on my dancing than finding 12,000 other people having the party to end all parties.” Ron Alexander of the York/Rock Hill, SC area. He has shag’s highest service award – The Shag Icon Award bestowed by the ACSC. Ron’s been a mainstay of the Junior Shaggers Association since its inception in 1992. He’s a charter member and past president of the York Shag Club.. The Foundation also has a board of advisors that includes shag champions Grayson Smith and Sam West, and Beverly Cone, of Wadmalaw Island, SC. Beverly is the artist who took commemorative tee-shirts and other shag memorabilia from Ellen’s collection and stitched it into the “Shag Memories” quilt. The quilt was offered as a fundraiser for juniors. Beverly says that she hoped the quilt would benefit the JSA, and also “help preserve some history of the dance for shaggers of any age.”

We wish to thank Dave and Angie Busey who graciously invited the entire Shag Club to help celebrate their marriage. The celebration took place on the night of December 4th to the music of the

Bank of Oz. Those of us lucky enough to attend had a wonderful time.

We wish Dave and Angie many years of health and happiness.

Thank you to the outgo-ing 2007 Board, you

worked hard and supplied the members

of the Northern Virginia Shag Club with a wonderful year.

Charlie and Jackie are coming February 16, mark your calendars.