Secretary Report September, 2018

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ava DeBusschere, the most recently elected secretary of JACKS and JILLS.

Originally, I didn’t even want to Square Dance. I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for the fact that many of my friends were signing up. I didn’t know anyone else and it was inconvenient to my schedule to not have Wednesday nights. At my first lesson with Boots and Laces, I couldn’t remember any of the names of the moves, much less do them correctly. Nevertheless, I begged my mom to let me join. I grew to love square and round dancing and looked forward to it every week.

In the beginning, my family didn’t want any part in it. It was arranged that I would ride to lessons and back with a friend and I would need to find rides to any extra events. But one night a complication occurred and my mom graciously agreed to drive me. While she was there, she was fascinated by it and loved the complexity of the moves and how nice everyone was. She gradually began to like it too.

When I competed later that year, she was a saint, driving me back and forth and helping sew costumes for Competition. By the time the next season for lessons rolled around, I had dragged both my parents and three of my siblings into it. My friends and I went crazy, coaxing everyone we knew into lessons to ‘at least try it’. Several of my closest friends now I met through Jacks and Jills.

By my second year of dancing, I was already in love with Round Dancing as well. Despite not being able to take lessons, I jumped into rounds at dances and faked it as well as I could. Eventually, I took lessons for rounds and am now planning on competing in that as well.

That makes dancing for three years, since I was eleven years old. Though I started with the Boots and Laces club, additionally, I now dance with Jacks and Jills and also KT’s. I have competed with Jacks and Jills for all three years I’ve been dancing. Obviously, Square Dancing has become a huge part of my life.

I’m not sure if you were at the Plus in a Week event at Circle 8 Ranch this past summer, but Jacks and Jills certainly had a blast there! There were 37 Jacks and Jills present. We spent lots of time in hammocks, in the lake and most importantly, in dances! We also did a demonstration of Square Dancing at the Kent Cornucopia days with loud music and much laughter!

This year, I am going to compete again and with just as much enthusiasm! On September 16th, Jacks and Jills will be hosting a “Welcome Back” dance at the Meridian Grange and everyone is welcome! Also, lessons start on September 23rd every Sunday at 6:00 pm. If you know anyone who would like to learn to square dance or re-take lessons, we would love to have you!

Ava DeBusschere, [email protected]