Austin Square and Round Dance Association

To:       Austin Square and Round Dance Association Delegates, Appointed Officers and Dancers

From:    Jon & Veronica Steffens, 2008 – 2009 TSFSRD Secretary

 RE:      2012 State Festival

             65th National Square Dance Convention® in 2016

 Date:    April 1, 2009

ITEM NO. 1

We are in line to be President of the Texas State Federation of Square and Round Dancers® in 2011-2012. As such we would like to ask the ASRDA dancers to host the State Festival in June 2012.

There are two locations in the ASRDA area that would be large enough to host this event. Utilizing the Austin Visitor Bureau and Convention Center it could possibly be held in a large downtown hotel or at the San Marcos Convention Center. There may be other locations available but we haven’t gone beyond these two at this time.

Preliminary discussions with both locations have shown an interest in having the square dancers visit their respective cities. The ASRDA has given a verbal intent to host the Presidents Meeting in October, 2011 and it would need to be withdrawn and a verbal intent to host the Festival in 2012 would need to be submitted with the location to be named later.

When hosting the State Festival the host district holds the Pre-Festival Dance on Friday night and retains the net proceeds of the dance and all the usual other fundraising items (split the pot, tin can auction and raffle).

Dancers from all Member Organizations throughout Texas provide help and support for a State Festival.

ITEM NO. 2

The 2016 65th National Square Dance Convention® Bid Committee is looking at cities in Texas that would have all the necessary housing and space requirements needed to hold the 65th NSDC. The 2016 65th NSDC would be underwritten with seed money held from funds of the 55th NSDC that was held in 2006 in San Antonio.

A National Square Dance Convention® is a State event. Dancers from the State of Texas will organize and run the Convention with the National Executive Committee (past national convention chairmen) acting as advisers. An additional benefit to the host district can be financial gain from a profitable convention. (As host city for the 2006 NSDC convention the Alamo Area SRDA received several thousand dollars after expenses).

The Convention host city will be chosen at the TSFSRD Nominating Meeting January 10, 2010 in Winnie, TX. Austin is on the short list of cities in nomination for the 65th.

Please contact us with comments, questions or other information that would be helpful on either of these items. We would appreciate the help and support of the Austin Area dancers to participate in the 2012 Festival and 2016 National Convention.

Thank you,

Jon and Veronica Steffens

2008-2009 TSFSRD Secretary

steffjon@att.net 

Phone: 512-288-4678