There are many Good Honest Square Dances in the local area

There are many good honest square dance clubs in the area. 

It's simply not fair, to all the honest clubs, if we allow a dishonest club to get ahead by stealing, lying and cheating.

If you go dance at FunDancers then you are helping a dishonest club get away with wrongdoing.

Please do not support illegal or immoral activities. We must not allow cheaters and robbers to prosper.  Stop going to square dance clubs which steal and cheat and swindle. Stop supporting callers who knowingly accept stolen money. Send a clear message to these lowlifes that you will not tolerate theft, lying, slander, dishonesty or wrongdoing.

Do the right thing and avoid situations which are gravely and seriously wrong.  My one and only goal is to improve the local square dance scene by shutting down the bad guys so that the good guys can continue.

With so many honest clubs from which to choose, why would you even think about going to a dishonest one?

Here's hoping that you enjoy many square dances at good honest ethical clubs, and that you avoid clubs which engage in massive intentional wrongdoing.

The Story of California Mike

A friend of mine was a square dance caller in California.  Once upon a time, he was booked to call a dance. The club decided to cancel him out of that calling date because they wanted to book another caller instead. The club did not ask if he is okay with being cancelled.  Instead, they voted to violate my friend's contract and to confiscate my friend's dance and booking and money ... and just hand it over to another caller.  It was theft by committee.

When my friend objected to this shoddy treatment, the club started all kinds of shenanigans.  They spread nasty rumors about how my friend went crazy, is a bad person, is a bad caller, etc.  The club did all kinds of bad things, simply because my friend would not silently put up with the terrible injustice of having his calling date outright and forcibly stolen from him.

This caused my friend to drop completely out of square dancing and calling.  This happened more than ten years ago.

Well, it happened again recently, except instead of California it happened in Texas.  And instead of just one dance, the club stole a bunch of dances and a bunch of money as well.  And instead of the caller dropping out of the activity, he has vowed to stop the cycle of injustice and to prevent this crime from happening to others.

The dance in question occurs today, October 14, 2012.  That dance originally belonged to Nasser Shukayr.  The club voted to steal that dance from the rightful, without even asking.  They voted to confiscate that caller's booking and paycheck ... and to hand it all over to Johnny Preston.  When the caller objected, the club went berserk.  They told all sorts of nasty lies which I won't list here. 

You can read the complete story at www.fundancers.org
 Why would a club do all those things?  Simply put, people do not like to get caught in wrongdoing.  They'll make up all kinds of excuses ("he's crazy, he can't call well, he pulls wings off butterflies, nobody likes him", etc.).  Yet the excuses do not hide the true fact:  the club stole from someone, and now they're trying to get away with it.

So, the big question is:  WILL the club get away with theft?  The answer is:  if you go dance at FunDancers, then they did get away with it.  So, it's your choice.  I choose to try to end the vicious cycle.  Will you please help me put a stop to the crime spree?

With so many honest dances from which to choose, why would you even think about going to a dishonest one?

FunDancers Update August 2012

It's been a while since I've written so it's time for an update. Otherwise, people might misinterpret the silence as approval.
 
As a quick review, in April the officers of FunDancers found themselves in a dilemma. They wanted to strip all voting rights from their caller, yet they owed him substantial money. What to do, what to do? Through the magic of dirty politics and secret meetings, the club decided to default on their debt (not pay one penny) and to use the stolen funds to hire guest callers.
 
The exact amount of the theft, along with many other details, can be found on the club's official website (which they never paid for) at:
 
  www.fundancers.org/update1208.htm
 
The good news is that this month's update also suggests a solution to the problem. First, let's define the problem, which is:  "The Club Stole Thousands of Dollars". Here's the proposed solution: "GIVE IT BACK".  Simple, elegant, do-able.
 
Let's remain positive.  Let's all try to do the right thing as individuals and let's urge other people to do the right thing as well.

Regional Square Dance Listings are now back online

Good news!  After much hard work, the interactive square dance listings for the Austin / San Antonio region are back online.  These listings appeared on www.dancewithsam.com until they were inexplicably removed a month ago.  Apparently Sam no longer wants to do the listings?  That's completely understandable because it does take quite a lot of hard work to maintain the data tables.  Therefore, I set up similar listings as a gift to the area dancers.
  
Rumors continue to swirl.  While I -could- address the rumors, I choose to ignore them. Frankly I have nothing to say to people who enjoy gossip and rumors.  You know who you are. You know that gossip and slander are wrong, but you just can't stop doing it.  I have nothing to say to chronic gossips.
 
Let's stick to the facts.  After I invested years of work and thousands of dollars into FunDancers, the club started holding meetings and making decisions in my absence.  Even though I was not allowed to vote, I still had to bear the cost of the decisions.  This phase lasted about a year until one day the club decided to default on the thousands of dollars they owed me and to steal my money and my club completely.  They continue to operate today, using the stolen funds. To say that I'm unhappy with their atrocious actions is an understatement. I've been all over the world in square dancing and this ranks among the very worst things that a club has ever done to a caller.
 
Many choices abound.  I choose to simply walk away.  I have no desire to be around, nor to spend any time with, dishonest people.  With so many honest square dance events in the local area, why would you choose a dishonest one? If you go to FunDancers events then you support and endorse grand theft.
 
The club president started a rumor that I suffer from mental illness.  His rumor was so successful that several friends actually sent me Get Well wishes!  It's certainly unique to receive a Get Well card when you have -no- idea that you're infirm.  For those nice people who are genuinely worried about my health, your worries are over.  Actually, you never had any cause for worry at all.  Fortunately, there is NO connection between the proven fact "Ed is a thief" and the wild conjecture "Ed is qualified to render a medical diagnosis".  The only possible mental illness in the local square dance scene is when the new officers of FunDancers believe that huge masses of people will rally behind them in enthusiastic support of dishonesty and theft.
 
But let's stick to today's message.  Until a month ago, our region had extremely handy square dance listings on the internet.  You'll have to agree that most regions lack a similar resource.  It takes many hours of hard work to make this resource happen.  Our region is fortunate to once again have such a nice, handy and freely-available information source online.
 
You can view the square dance listings at www.fundancers.org .  I hope you'll find a good honest dance and go have a great time.  Enjoy!

The future of square dancing in the local area

This message goes out to all area square dancers.  I'm concerned about the future.

Here's a quick question for FunDancers (a club which stole thousands of dollars and years of hard work from Nasser and Jeanna).  How's it going?  In other words, how are the stolen funds holding out? Will the thousands of dollars you stole last long enough? Or will you need to steal again in the future, in order to keep operating the club which was outright stolen from the very couple who founded it?
 
The reason I ask is that these things take time. Patience is a virtue! It took over two years for Nasser and Jeanna to build up their club to the point where it was even worth stealing. Let's admit it, most clubs nowadays are not worth the bother it takes to steal 'em. That's the main problem with square dancing today. There are so very few "builders" (like, for example, Nasser and Jeanna) who can actually build up a club so that people would even want to steal it. And there are so very many "takers" (like, for example, the officers of FunDancers) who hold meetings and vote to steal from people who cannot be at the meeting.
 
Planning is essential. If you ever hope to steal another club in the future (like you illegally stole FunDancers from its founders) please be aware that it can take years for your next victim to build a club to the point where it is finally stealable. Therefore you need to find another trusting caller right now and dupe him into starting immediately on the years of hard work and investment.  Allow your next victim enough time to build up something tangible and worthwhile. Then steal it.
 
I'm just afraid that you are not planning your next theft properly.  This sets the stage for major disappointment whenever it's time for your next crime.  Plan ahead!  Start building something big today so that you can tear down something big in the future.

Also, start making as many legally-binding contracts as you can. That's the only possible way to continue your long streak of ruthlessly and immorally breaking long-term contracts. Think about it:  the only way to break long-standing contracts (like you did to me) is to already have those contracts in place for a long time.  So, get those contracts in place right NOW (like we did over two years ago) so that you can break those contracts after they become long-term agreements (like you did to me recently).
 
In other words, get busy!  Time's a-wasting!  Start right now and build up a brand-new load of debt with an innocent caller, so that you can default on your debt in the future.  Huge debts don't just happen overnight!  It takes years to build up enough debt so that you can finally get the satisfaction of stealing thousands of dollars from someone.  So get started now!

Set up a bunch of new agreements today, so that you can break those contracts years from now! Dupe a trusting new victim today into spending years to build up a nice club, so that it will grow into something you'll be proud to steal in the future.  I'm afraid that if you don't start planning today, you won't be able to steal a nice big juicy club (like the one you stole a couple of months ago) in the future.  You'll only be able to steal a small pitiful club (like the club which you transformed FunDancers into).  Clearly, it pays to plan ahead, so that your future thefts can be grand.  With careful planning today, you can enjoy a continuous lifestyle of lying to, stealing from and double-crossing good honest people in the future.
 
Always remember:  rip someone off first and then start the rumors and gossip. It's easy to slander someone nowadays because people gladly believe almost anything they hear.  Don't leave out the slander:  it's an important step.  Stealing two and a half years of someone's hard work and thousands of their dollars ... is important. Smearing their name into the mud after you're finished ripping them off is equally important.
 
Hopefully, a nice crowd will visit FunDancers to show their support for the key ingredients which make this club unique: operating on stolen money, violating long-term agreements, immoral cheating, unethical leadership, kangaroo court meetings, defaulting on your debt, ruining someone's career through gossip, and plenty of good old-fashioned plain-old down-home bald-face lying.

It takes more than two years to build up a club so that it's even worth stealing.  Get started today so you can rip off other innocent people in the future!

Right or Wrong

Mothers try to teach kids the difference between right and wrong. Their efforts are not always successful because some people have no clue.  Here's a handy guide to "Right or Wrong" for the month of June at FunDancers.

June 3 - K O Jeanes - RIGHT.  Nasser is in Australia. Whenever Nasser is out of town, the club gets a guest caller. (However, guest callers always get paid far more money than Nasser, which is kinda sorta wrong.) Still, the club needs a local caller on June 3 because their internationally-known club caller is calling in another country.

June 10 - Chet Miles - WRONG.  Nasser is home on June 10.  The club has a very simple rule. The club caller calls for his own club (which he founded and into which he invested thousands of dollars of his own money, only to have it illegally stolen).  For the dance on June 10, the club wants to use stolen funds to hire a guest caller, in direct violation of the club's "raison d' etre" (pardon my French).  So, just in case you don't know the difference between right and wrong, here's a clue:  June 10 is WRONG because it uses stolen funds to break a long-standing club rule.

Hint:  following rules is RIGHT.  Using stolen money to break rules is WRONG.

June 17 - RIGHT.  Nasser is calling in Missouri.  I wonder if Missouri clubs have idiots for officers, like FunDancers does?  Anyway, it's simple:  Nasser is out of town so FunDancers gets a guest caller.  (Interestingly, the  guest caller, who invested nothing into the club, gets far more money than Nasser, who invested thousands only to have it illegally stolen). So, while it's "WRONG" to pay a local fill-in caller more than the club's own internationally-known caller, hey, it happens. Anyway, the dance on June 17 is "RIGHT", so ... enjoy.  Club caller out of town, get a guest caller. Simple, right?  Can you believe there are people so stupid (such as FunDancers officers) who just can't figure it out?  But as they say in Australia (where the club's own international caller is right now) "No Worries, Mate".  Hey, that's why I'm here:  to explain the difference between right and wrong.  Club caller is out of town on June 17, so it's "RIGHT" to get a guest caller.

June 24 - WRONG.  If you can't figure out why, then you probably can't do the calls anyway and you should not even try to dance.  The club illegally broke every rule in the book.  They're using stolen money to hire a guest caller on June 24. This is wrong (and it's also immoral, unethical and illegal) to intentionally cheat the club caller (who invested thousands of dollars) out of his own dance at his own club.  Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong.  There is no rightness whatsoever about June 24.  Everything about it is just as wrong as wrong can be.  Here's a handy chart.

  Club follows their long-standing agreed-upon rules = RIGHT. 
  Club officers act crazy and use stolen money to break the rules = WRONG.

July 1 - Wayne Weston - both RIGHT and WRONG.  Nasser is out of town (in Seattle, Washington) on this date. So the club needs a guest caller.  (Did you know that the club pays local callers FAR more than they ever paid their own internationally-known club caller??).  Anyway, the dance itself is "RIGHT".  Club Caller out of town, get a guest caller.  Simple.

However, the club plans to provide free hot dogs and hamburgers prior to the dance.  While this might sound great, it's actually quite WRONG.  Have you ever thought about how the club might pay for the free grub?  Wait a minute!  Don't tell me!  Let me guess!  Could it possibly be from the thousands of dollars the club stole from Nasser and Jeanna?  BINGO!  (Bells ring, confetti fills the air, and you win the prize which in this case is officers with no morals and no brains).

The dance is RIGHT but using stolen funds to pay for free grub is WRONG.  It's even more wrong because the club stole thousands of dollars but all you get is a lousy hot dog?  Whaaaat's up with thaaaat?  The club stole THOUSANDS ... they oughtta feed you prime rib and caviar!  Here's a recap.  Using stolen money is WRONG.  The "wrongness" starts at 5:30 pm.  Doing exactly what the rules say (getting a local guest caller when the club's internationally-known caller is out of town) is RIGHT.  The Rightness starts at 7 pm. 

 = = = =

Always remember:  Do "right" things.  Don't do "wrong" things. This handy guide to Right and Wrong is necessary because some people (such as your club officers) did not learn the difference between right and wrong from their mommy.  Pity. For those who don't know right from wrong, here's a handy chart:

  June 3 & 17 = RIGHT
  June 10 & 24 = WRONG
  July 1 = WRONG at 5:30 pm, RIGHT at 7 pm

 
Happy dancing!

No dancing this Wednesday May 30

There will be no dancing at FunDancers in New Braunfels this Wednesday (May 30) ... nor on any other Wednesday.

We are a bit sad because we spent two and a half years building up a nice club, only to have some misguided people tear it down in a matter of weeks.

Looking on the bright side, this same kind of catastrophe can never happen again because ... WE QUIT! We choose to drop completely out of the local dance scene.

You can believe malicious slander, or you can read the truth (kinder, gentler version ... updated just moments ago) for yourself at fundancers.org .

Tell the truth

No dancing this Sunday at FunDancers, in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

People like to gossip, which is unfortunate.  Facts get twisted and truth gets lost.

Anyone seeking true facts may find them at www.fundancers.org

Good Times on Wednesday, May 23

In many areas of the country, caller-run clubs are the biggest and best. The reason is obvious. You just dance and have fun ... with NO politics. Politics have shut down more clubs and have caused more people to quit dancing than anything else! That's why we did away with all the meetings, voting, bickering, worries and such. However we KEPT all the fun, fitness and friendship which make square dancing so wonderful!

Come try European Style Square Dancing on Wednesday night in New Braunfels.  This is a "limited time offer"! Nasser is in final negotiations to do a big computer programming contract in Dallas.  We've pretty much decided to accept the offer in Dallas but the start date has not yet been decided.  So although we do not know which Wednesday in New Braunfels will be the final one, we do expect that our participation in the local dance scene will end very soon.

Executive Summary:  Square dance on Wednesdays with Nasser and Jeanna from 7 to 9:30 pm.  Continuous dancing for all levels including January Beginners, Mainstream, Plus and Advanced.  Several people who were there last week said it was the most fun they've had in years!

Location:  Westside Community Center, 2932 South I-35 (exit 185), New Braunfels, Texas. It's a two-story building on the southbound frontage road, just past the Presbyterian Church. We dance in the "Classroom" which has its own entrance on the north side of the building, or you can go through the gym.

For more info visit fundancers.com
 

Extras:  "Free Split the Pot Ticket" ... we give you a free dollar toward your Split the Pot purchase!  This makes things more fun and interesting.  Someone's gotta win big-time.  It just might be you!

More Dancing and More Fun on Wednesday nights

We're on a roll!  European Style dancing was a smash hit!  It happens again this coming Wednesday, May 23!
 

If you like square dancing, you'll love a European-style square dance.  You get short tips (and lots of 'em) for all levels from January Beginners through Advanced-One.  Think about satellite TV, where you get far more channels than anyone can possibly watch.  A European-style square dance gives you far more dancing than you ever imagined.  Most local square dance evenings give you 7 tips. Last night we danced 17 tips!  That's a lot of dancing and a lot of fun!  Several people said it was the most fun they've had in years!

 
Important:  We changed the start time to 7 pm.  We dance continuously from 7 to 9:30 pm.

 
Location - Westside Community Center, 2932 South I-35 (exit 185), New Braunfels, Texas. It's on the southbound frontage road, a two-story building just past the Presbyterian Church. We dance in the "Classroom" which has its own separate entrance on the north side of the building.  You can also access it through the gym.

 
For more info visit fundancers.com

 
Who will be the next lucky jackpot winner?  It might be you!  We'll run our "free split the pot ticket" promotion again next Wednesday.  Every paid admission gets a FREE dollar toward your Split the Pot ticket(s). Of course you may buy more tickets if you wish, but your first one is free.  If you have the winning ticket (even if it was a free ticket), the prize money is yours to keep with our compliments.  It's just another way to give a little something back to our friends who help make Wednesday nights so special.

 
We invite you to step into a brave new world of square dancing, European Style, at FunDancers New Braunfels on Wednesday, May 23 from 7 to 9:30 pm!

More info about the Grand Opening Dance on Wednesday

Please come enjoy the first-ever dance at Nasser and Jeanna's new Wednesday club. Here are more details.

Date and Time - Wednesday, May 16 from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. The dance cycle is continuous so it's perfectly okay if you arrive late and/or leave early.

Location - Westside Community Center, 2932 South I-35 (exit 185), New Braunfels, Texas. Other square dance clubs meet there on Monday and (until recently) Friday. We will dance in the "Classroom" which is accessed from the sidelines of the gym.

Refreshments - A drinking water fountain is just outside the dance room. We will supply coffee, cups, etc. You are welcome to bring various other things to eat and/or drink. We have access to the kitchen where ice is available.

Dress Code - "Dancer's choice". We expect most people will go casual. However, you'll feel welcome even if you're all gussied up.

Level of Dance - The event is suitable for our January Beginners, and the nice people in our Advanced group, and Plus dancers, and Line dancers, and everyone in between.

Dance Cycle - The dance cycle of "M - P - M - A1" repeats every 45 minutes or so. Don't worry about keeping track:  signs near the speakers will display "now playing" and "up next". Half the tips are Mainstream ("M") suitable for January beginners. "P" means Plus.  "A1" means Advanced-One. You'll also get Line and/or Round dancing, according to what everyone seems to want.

Partners - Singles and couples are equally welcome.  As soon as one tip ends, find a partner for the next tip which starts almost immediately. We expect that most people will dance with a new partner each tip but that is entirely up to you. You can even dance with one partner for the first half of a tip and a different partner for the second half.

Cost - $7 per person.  That's a little more than other clubs but you get a lot more. You get a continuous non-stop ("European Style") dance party for all levels (Beginner thru Advanced) for 3 hours. At most area dances you get 6 or 7 tips in two hours. At a "European Style" dance you get 12 to 16 tips in three hours. More tips means more dancing and you'll have more fun with more people!

Read the next paragraph:  you could actually get paid to dance. :)
 
Split the Pot - Grand Openings are special, so let's do something amazing. Every paid admission gets a free dollar toward your Split the Pot ticket(s). Therefore, everyone will have at least one ticket in the Split the Pot drawing. Of course you may buy more tickets if you wish. If your free ticket wins, the prize money is yours to keep!

For more info and/or driving directions, visit fundancers.com
 
Square dancing takes a giant step into the future on Wednesday!  We invite you to take many pleasurable steps at the Grand Opening this Wednesday, May 16!

Grand Opening on Wednesday, May 16

Please come enjoy the first-ever dance at Nasser and Jeanna's new Wednesday club.
 
 - Date:  Wednesday, May 16, 2012
 - Time:  6:30 to 9:30 pm
 - Location:  Westside Community Center, 2932 South I-35 (exit 185), New Braunfels, Texas
 - Cost:  $7
 - Featured:  Three-hour "European Style" party for people who dance January Beginner, Mainstream, Plus and/or Advanced-One.
 
Driving directions:  I-35 exit 185.  Southbound: stay on Frontage Road for 1.2 miles. Northbound: cross under I-35, then drive on southbound Frontage Road .5 miles. The hall is a two-story building just past S. Kreuger Avenue and the Presbyterian Church. We dance in the "classroom" which is accessed via the gym.

For more info visit fundancers.com

We will give "diplomas" to the nice people who went through our January Beginner series on Sundays. We fully understand and appreciate that these Very Important People are the "world's least experienced" Experienced dancers. We will treat them with Tender Loving Care during the next several weeks and beyond as they gain confidence and expertise. (If you were in the Beginner Series on Sundays and you just can't be there on Wednesday, let us know and we'll find a way to get your diploma to you.)

We dance "European Style". If you have never danced "European Style" before, you're gonna love it! "European style" gives you continuous short tips. The dance cycle will be "M - P - M - A1" which means a Mainstream tip, then a Plus tip, then another Mainstream tip, then an A-1 tip. We'll have some Line dances as well. Don't worry about keeping track: signs will display "Now Playing" and "Up Next".

As soon as one tip ends, find a new partner for the next tip which starts almost immediately. Although you -could- (if you wanted to) dance with the same partner all night, it's more fun to dance with different people each tip. You can even dance with one partner for the first half (patter) of the tip and a different partner for the singing call.

At most local square dances, you get 6 to 7 tips in two hours. At a "European Style" dance you get 14 to 16 tips in three hours. More tips means more dancing which means more fun.  It also means you get to mix and mingle with more people. The net result is a very nice atmosphere where singles and couples all feel exceptionally welcome.

Come try it for yourself!  Hip Hip Hurray for fun worldwide activities!  Enjoy American Square Dancing "European Style" at the Grand Opening of FunDancers New Braunfels on Wednesday, May 16.

Help celebrate White Collar Crime on Mothers Day

When Nasser (and others) first started FunDancers, they set up a simple rule about the caller schedule.  Nasser calls every Sunday when he is in town.  It's more than just tradition.  It's actually written in the club's by-laws. It's a binding contract.

The club intends to break that contract on Mothers Day, May 13.  The club has talked about breaching the contract for quite some time. So far, it's been all talk.  That will soon change. The club's first actual crime, their very first Breach of Contract, will be committed this Sunday, May 13.  The club will dance to guest caller K O Jeanes on Nasser's calling date.  This directly violates the club's own by-laws.

Nasser has tried every way possible to prevent this crime from happening. He has repeatedly urged the club to do the right thing by honoring the contract terms. Nasser has tried to persuade the club, and also K O Jeanes, to abandon the planned crime. But it's all to no avail.  You can only stop a crime before it happens.  Unavoidably, this crime will happen. The club has repeatedly told Nasser that he is not welcome and that he will not even be allowed into the hall to dance.  Apparently the words "fun and friendship" no longer apply.

The club claims that Nasser makes excessive demands.  Yet in truth, Nasser's only demand is "follow your own written contract!".  The club claims that Nasser was "fired", but that can't possibly be true because Nasser was never an employee.  Instead, he is a full business partner.  You can't "fire" a business partner.  You can only cheat a business partner by performing the crime of Breach of Contract. That's exactly what the club plans to do.

So, come dance on Mothers Day and celebrate the things which make America unique: cheating your business partners, breaking contracts, depriving people of their voting rights, taking away Nasser's and Jeanna's livelihood and just outright stealing a club away from the people who founded it.  These things make America what it is today. You can help celebrate this greatness on Mothers Day.

Square dancing is wonderful but square dance politics are terrible. Nasser (and others) established FunDancers specifically to get away from bad politics. It's ironic that the exact thing we wanted to avoid has now infiltrated our own organization. It's beyond repair. Nasser and Jeanna have chosen to simply walk away from the unfortunate situation. This Sunday, you can make your own choice.  Why not go out and celebrate the crime of Breach of Contract?  But please, do not speak out against crime, or else you'll be banned like we are.

We cordially invite you to our NEW club on Wednesdays starting May 16. There won't be any broken contracts (because there are no contracts). There won't be any board running amok (because there is no board).  We won't deprive people of their voting rights (because there is no voting). We can't default on our debts (because we won't be borrowing from our founders). You can't get mad about what happened at the meeting (because there are no meetings). We won't pressure you to run for office (because there are no offices).
 
Our new Wednesday group is entirely a caller-run club.  We'll still gladly accept volunteer help ... it takes good people to make a club run ... but mainly we will offer great square dancing with absolutely -no- politics.  Just show up, dance, have a good time, then go home and start planning your next visit on Wednesday.

The local square dance world makes a giant change for the better on Wednesday May 16!  Stay tuned for more details.

Save The Date: Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Nasser and Jeanna started the "perfect" square dance club a few years ago. They put much time and money into building up the club. Everything went well until the club started doing crazy things in direct violation of their by-laws. 

When Nasser finally asked the club to follow their own contract and to start paying back some of the money they owed, the club officers held yet another secret meeting. They reasoned that a great way to save money is to simply cheat your business partners.  They voted Nasser and Jeanna out of the business without paying back one penny owed.

Now they plan to continue operating our square dance club with our people and our money, but without following the club's own written rules. Well, good luck with that. We can only hope the old saying is true, "what goes around comes around".

Lessons learned:
- A written contract offers NO protection from people who willfully and repeatedly break contracts.
- When your business partners have no morals or ethics, you cannot expect a pleasant outcome.

Let's face the facts:  we lost our club in a hostile takeover. They managed to rip us off to the tune of $2,700.00.
 

It's time to move on.

It's possible (and also expected) that people will take sides. Some people may no longer want to hear from Nasser and Jeanna. This is entirely up to you. If you get messages which you do not want, it's the world's easiest problem to fix. Just reply to this message and let us know. Immediately after you make your request, we'll remove you from all correspondence, with NO hassle. Just tell us what you want.

Okay, that's more than enough bad news.  Let's hear some GOOD news for a change!

SAVE THE DATE:  Wednesday, May 16, 2012.  That's the grand opening of Nasser and Jeanna's New and Improved Club. Watch for details soon.

The new club is different from anything you've ever seen locally. We'll dance "European Style" on Wednesday nights. You might wonder what "European Style" is.  It's a kind of square dancing which is popular all over Europe and also in a few clubs in the USA.  We'll dance all levels of squares, with continuous short tips at various levels. "European Style" gives everyone much more dancing and much more opportunity to dance with friends. Come try it for yourself! Everyone is welcome (and you will find dancing exactly at your level) whether you dance January Beginner, Mainstream, Plus or Advanced-One.

Here's to happy dancing!

How to solve the problems at FunDancers

As you probably know, websites cost money (and also time, which in this case is donated).  For the first year, FunDancers paid for their website.  The new president refuses to reimburse these expenses.

When I submitted an expense report, the past president just outright called me a liar.  The president made fun of me.  He said that my paying for the club's website was either "generous or stupid".  They refused to reimburse even one penny.

That's just the tip of the iceberg.  There are some VERY serious problems with the new president and board who completely ignore the club's WRITTEN by-laws.  I find it impossible to continue working for the club under these conditions.

For example, I learned that I am paid LESS money than EVERY other caller who ever calls at Fundancers.  The club has a caller pay scale.  All other callers get paid according to that scale.  I always get less than scale.  I have no idea why.  Every time I ask, I either get no reply or the club president mocks me by saying "you accepted the check therefore you agree to the amount".

I suggested that the club start paying me according to their own pay scale, and I would DONATE a portion of that payment each week to retire their debt.  In other words, they would NOT have to actually pay their debt.  If they would just pay me the SAME as other callers (and also start following the club's written rules, which the president has consistently ignored) I would FORGIVE their debt.

They refused.

Your Board of Directors decided that I can only call for the club if I have NO vote, involuntarily forfeit some of my calling dates, forfeit the expenses which I incurred on behalf of the club, and have no say whatsoever in club operations. In addition, I am paid LESS than any other caller who ever calls at FunDancers.  If I want to be paid the same amount as other callers, then I'm fired ...  and they'll pay MORE money to hire other callers instead.

Now I ask you:  is the board REALLY doing what's best for FunDancers?  Are they accurately representing YOUR wishes?

Let's try to keep strong emotion out of the equation.  I am NOT suggesting that the current officers are spiteful.  However, I am very strongly saying that the current officers are NOT CAPABLE of running (or perhaps unwilling to run) the club properly.  The club has written guidelines.  The current officers act as if they have never read the guidelines.  Even though I have repeatedly suggested that the club follow the guidelines, the current president always does the exact opposite of what I suggest.

Clearly, there's just ONE solution.  Here's what you need to do.  Go to the next dance, DEMAND a meeting, and VOTE THE CURRENT BOARD OUT.  That's the only way I know of to salvage the club.  After you get the current board out, you can hopefully vote in a new board who promises to follow the club's rules.  Even better, vote to not have a board at all and to become caller-run (just like most other successful square dance clubs on this planet).

If the above option fails, then just patiently wait for news about my upcoming caller-run club.  It will be the same kind of fun but without all the hassle.  I'm looking for a dance location.  If you know of a good location, please let me know.  I'm also weighing the various options, i.e. do I really want to start over and build a brand-new club, after bad politics and corruption have taken over our previous TWO clubs?  Perhaps the third time's the charm?  I've always had caller-run clubs in other cities and they ran just fine.  Admit it:  dancing is fun but meetings and politics and voting and by-laws take away most of that fun.  Let's do away with the un-fun things and just dance.

Please see the club's website (fundancers.com) for more info.

Here's to happy dancing!

FunDancers - New and Improved!

Good News!  We now have the same GREAT dancing each week ... without all the politics! No more meetings.  No more officers.  No more resolutions, sub-committees, proposals, motions, minutes or bylaws.

Just dance and enjoy "Fun without Fuss".

If you liked the old FunDancers, you'll LOVE the NEW FunDancers!  Don't worry:  we still need help and support from all our friends ... and this means YOU!  Everyone is important because everyone adds something unique and special to the overall party atmosphere.

We have heard great reports from other clubs around the world who found themselves similarly bogged down in politics. They solved their political problems the quick and easy way.  They retired all the politicians and got back to basics: dancing and having fun!

So ... WELCOME to the New FunDancers!  We're glad you're here and we know you're just gonna LOVE IT!

The New FunDancers kicks off in great style this Sunday April 29 with Internationally Known caller Darryl Lipscomb from Mission Texas:
  5 pm - Lines and Squares for January Beginners
  7 pm - Lines and Squares for Experienced Dancers
  9:15 pm - afterparty

January Beginner Dances will continue through the end of May. Starting in June, we'll all dance together as Experienced Dancers. The Beginner Progress chart is online at http://www.fundancers.org/beginchart.htm.  Hip Hip Hurray for our fantastic January beginners, as well as our wonderful Experienced dancers!

Remember:  Dancing is the smartest activity in the world because it's fun yet it's also extremely good for you!

Big thanks to everyone who helps make FunDancers such a friendly and joyful place on Sundays!

Looking for a good friendly dance? You found it at FunDancers!

You are invited to enjoy FunDancers on Sunday April 22, dancing to the usual suspects (Nasser and Jeanna):
  5 pm - Lines and Squares for January Beginners
  7 pm - Lines and Squares for Experienced Dancers
  9:15 pm - afterparty
 
Dances for January Beginners will continue through the end of May. Beginner Progress chart is at fundancers.org/beginchart.htm . Right now, January Beginner level is about 83% of Experienced Dancer level.  We are definitely on track to all dance together as one big happy Experienced Dancer family starting in June. Hip Hip Hurray for our fantastic January beginners!

It's also a great opportunity for anyone who dropped out of square and line dancing to drop back in. Perhaps you lost 17 percent of your proficiency ("use it or lose it"). If so, you can gain it back at 5 pm on Sunday. Dancing is high-energy fun but it's also extremely good for you.
 
Big thanks to everyone who helps make FunDancers such a friendly and welcoming place on Sundays!

FunDancers on Sunday with guest caller Ed Larder

Please help welcome guest caller Ed Larder to his very first appearance at FunDancers this Sunday, April 15.
 
  -  5 pm - Lines and Squares for January Beginners
  -  7 pm - Lines and Squares for Experienced Dancers
  -  9:15 pm - afterparty
 
The January Beginner chart is at www.fundancers.org/beginchart.htm.  January Beginner Dances continue through May. We're on track to all dance together as Experienced Dancers in June and beyond. Right now, January Beginner level is about 80 percent of Experienced (Callerlab Mainstream) level. Hip Hip Hurray for our winning January Beginner team which is quite a bit ahead of schedule!
 
This is also a great opportunity for those who dropped out of dancing to drop back in. Perhaps you lost 20 percent of your proficiency ("use it or lose it"). You can dance starting at 5 pm on Sunday and quickly gain back your skill. You'll have fun, make friends, enjoy good music (but bad jokes) and get into great shape due to the beneficial exercise ... all at the same time. Dancing is a fun activity which is also extremely good for you.
 
It takes everyone to make the party happen.  Big thanks to all who help make FunDancers such a wonderful party event on Sundays!

FunDancers next dance is April 15 with Ed Larder

FunDancers is closed for the Easter holiday on Sunday, April 8. Our next dance is Sunday April 15 with guest caller Ed Larder from Temple.
  5 pm - dance for January Beginners
  7 pm - dance for Experienced Dancers
 
Back when Nasser was first learning to call, he went to a caller school in Tennessee. Having only 6 months of calling experience, Nasser was the newest student in the school. The most experienced student in that same school had 22 years of experience. That most experienced student caller was, in fact, Ed Larder from Temple, Texas. 
 
For some reason, after you survive a week-long caller school with someone, you become lifelong friends.  Through the years, Ed and Nasser have kept tabs on each other (sort of) yet the last time we actually met in person was at that caller school in Tennessee, 25 years ago.  Our paths have "almost" crossed on several occasions, and they'll "almost" cross again:  FunDancers has Ed Larder calling on April 15 and Nasser on April 22.  Our life paths will converge at exactly the same place and time, except exactly one week apart.  When compared to 25 years, one week apart is a Close Encounter.
 
Happy Easter to all! We hope you'll have many close encounters with the numerous friends you'll meet in square dancing!

Don't be an April Fool! Come to FunDancers on April 1!

Everyone loves a parade!  Get Ready for a Parade of Guest Callers at FunDancers!

 

  Sunday, April 1 - Jimmy Johnson from Austin
  Sunday, April 8 - (closed for Easter)
  Sunday, April 15 - Ed Larder from Temple
  Sunday, April 22 - Nasser & Jeanna from Live Oak
  Sunday, April 29 - Darryl Lipscomb from Dallas
  Sunday, May 6 - Brad Caldwell from Georgetown

 

Dance schedule
  5 to 7 pm - January Beginners
  7 to 9 pm - Experienced Dancers
  9:15 pm - afterparty at Chuy's

 

January beginners are doing great!  Nasser will provide guidance to the guest callers so that everything remains on the straight and narrow path. :)  The beginner progress chart will continue to be posted each week at http://www.fundancers.org/beginchart.htm.

 

Each person is vital to the success of the group because everyone brings something unique and special to the overall mix. Together, we ALL have more fun, fitness and friendship. Big thanks to all of the fantastic folks who make FunDancers such an wonderful party event on Sunday!