Good Event … or Great Event?
August 10th – 13th
by Georgia Watson, President – Mid-Ohio Boogie Club
This year our event seemed to flow from one aspect to another. It was hard to put your finger on why this event seemed different than all the others, but when I sat back and thought about the event, the one thing that popped into my mind was the friendliness of the crowd. I had gotten to know quite a few people from the several of the clubs that attended like the Ohio North Coast Jitterbug Connection, The Steel City Boogie Club, The Cincinnati Bop Club, the Michigan Society for Hustle and Swing Dancers, and The Ohio Valley Shaggers from West Virginia. They all seemed to meld together to make this particular event seem extra special.
I had requested that our members welcome our out of town guests and try to dance with as many of them as possible. I told the ladies they should ask the gentlemen to dance also, explaining that if they were having a party at their home, they would want everyone to feel welcome, not just the ladies. By asking someone to dance, you just might make that persons day, by making him or her feel special. One of the members told me that at times she had trouble finding a gentlemen to ask because they were all already on the floor. To me that was a nice problem to have. To me it meant that everyone was having a good time and that was the purpose of our event.
Our event is small compared to most events. However, because it was small it was easier to talk and meet people. We arranged the seating so that all four sides of the dance floor had tables adjacent to it. So it was easy to see who could be your next dance partner.
Another factor that may have contributed to the friendliness of the crowd was our Hospitality Room. Linda Hawkins, our Hospitality Chairman took her job very seriously. She greeted and talked with everyone who walked into the room. We tried to fill in with some snack type items where the meals left off. We didn’t
want our guests to have to pay extra for some of the little items, so we provided coffee, tea and cookies in morning. In the afternoon, there was pop, our great bourbon slushes, and snacks. The bourbon slushes were a big hit. People seemed to appreciate a place where they can get a cup of coffee and a cookie and sit down for a few minutes in a friendly atmosphere or just grab a coffee and a cookie on their way to a workshop. Our hospitality room got quite crowded in the afternoons between workshops. Most attendees seemed to take a few minutes out of their day to get a slush and enjoy some conversation. In the evening there was the smell and taste of fresh popped popcorn to satify the evening munchies.
There was a second dance floor in the Atrium area and it was a big hit. Those who didn’t want to take a workshop or who wanted to practice a move they learned in a workshop had a dance floor and music available to them. This area turned out to be a place where people offered each other help in remembering new moves. There were also people like Tom and Betty Radcliffe who were showing their moves to people because they were asked to do so. This second dance floor proved to be another area where people could congregate and interact with one another on a different level than just a 3 minute dance.
Well, I think our members should be proud of themselves for all the hard work they did to make this event a great event. They accomplished much more than putting up decorations or making a dance floor. They welcomed our guests and made them feel at home. And that’s what a weekend dance party is all about!!!
Note: If you are interested in viewing additional pictures, they are available on the web at midohioboogieclub.org/b_bash_06/pictures.html