By: Amy Braden – HDSDC 2013 Secretary
In the late '90s many of us were interested in and participating in dance
events...mostly Country. There were dance performance groups lead by
Karen Johnson, Sue Hebison and others, and dance lessons provided by
Karen, Jack Graham and the infamous Frank and Rita Pierce. Dancers got
their “dance fix” any where they could!
Sitting around a Pizza Hut table one night, Frank and Rita, Bob McCusker and
Jacki Liddell were lamenting and wishing there was a Swing dance group
in town. NEVER under estimate the power of a dream! This small group got
the ball rolling!
In November of 1998, we held our first dance at the 7 Mile Hotspot, located at the
corner of Eagle Road and Chinden, and we collected dancer names and
addresses. Then, in December, a group of 8-10 dancers got together at
Shorty's, to address and stamp 75 envelopes containing an “Idaho Swing
Dance Society” proposal from Frank and Rita Pierce (included at the end
of this article) that we sent to dancers we thought might be interested
in forming a swing dance organization. Well, they were!
Frank and Rita's proposal quickly led to the birth of the High Desert Swing Dance
Club (HDSDC) on March 27, 1999. Our original “club” consisted of 18
board volunteers and 60 members, with dues of $30 per year. At that
time, I don't think any of us realized what kind of involvement there
was going to be as we started a club like this.
Fortunately, Frank Pierce had a strong passion for music well before finding his
passion for dance. So he provided the sound equipment and CD music for
our dances. In fact, at that time, he dedicated a whole room in his
house just for music!
Like any organization the HDSDC has not gone without bumps in the road.
Fortunately, we survived them, and in the big picture very little has
actually changed over the years - the HDSDC continues to provide
low-cost swing dance opportunities as it did in the beginning.
We truly owe a BIG “hats off” to Frank and Rita Pierce for their vision and role in
creating our High Desert Swing Dance Club.....and for GIVING OUR FEET
WINGS!
As a side note, when the 7 Mile Hotspot was demolished its dance floor was moved
to The Palace, that is now The Buffalo Club. So, today's dancers are
dancing on the very same floor that our club's founders danced on
fourteen years ago!
********************************
The following
proposal, from Frank and Rita Pierce, on December 18, 1998, kicked off
the formation of the High Desert Swing Dance Club.
Idaho Swing
Dance Society
We are considering forming some sort of a swing dance organization and are
wondering if you would be interested in joining us. We are not looking
to start an exclusive club, more like a dance society open to ANYONE
interested the swing dances (we don't want to limit ourselves to only
one style.....like just country or ballroom). Here is a few ideas we
have been tossing around and some questions for
you to ponder:
PURPOSE:
To prompt and enjoy non-competitive social swing dancing! To help each
other become better dancers through education and camaraderie (dance
instructors are especially invited to join). To sponsor dances,
workshops, and other events promoting swing dancing. And, most of all,
to have fun dancing!
MEMBERSHIP:
Open to anyone and everyone, singles and couples. Should there be a
membership fee? What do you think?
BENEFITS:
There should be some benefits from belonging to any group (besides good
times and good dancing). Perhaps discounts for card-carrying members
from local shops, local dance instructors offering swing lessons,
reduced cover charges for dances? Any ideas here?
ORGANIZATION:
How organized should this group be? Should we have a president,
secretary, treasurer, membership coordinator, committees, etc.? How
often would they meet? Should this be a non-profit organization? We have
very little experience with clubs, what have your experiences been?
EVENTS: Would we want to sponsor weekly dances, seasonal dances, special dances? The
ideal organization would have a membership representing all types of
dancing (country, ballroom, jazz, etc.) and to sponsor events that all
could enjoy. Any suggestions?
We feel the "ideal" organization would be a mixture of several local instructors and
dancers uniting together at "swing parties". But, we are willing to
start small.....with a little help from you. Please take a few moments
and fill out the attached questionnaire and leave it with us tonight or
send it in the mail. Thanks.
Happy
Dancing!
FRANK & RITA PIERCE