USA Dance Chapter 2017
Board Meeting
April 27, 2011
Present: Greg Warner, Jill Smith, Rita Russell, Terry Russell, Karrie Geroux, Sally Arrindell, Carolyn Tommeraas, and Maggie Brimijoin
Absent: Eliza Mitchell
Guests: Paula Boos and David Arrindell
Greg opened the meeting at 7:05 pm at the Olmsted National Bank Building. The minutes were approved as read.
Treasurer’s Report: There were revenues of $748.00 from the April dance, the Sunday night lesson, and a contribution from the Salvation Army. Expenses included the dance, two quarters’ rental of the Senior Center, instructors for the April dance, two Sunday lessons, Mayo High School swing dance classes and the portable music system totaling $2,429.31. There is one outstanding check for $110.00. The ending bank balance was $5,703.27 plus $200 in the cash box.
Music License: The saga continues. Board members are working through their lists of music to determine if the songs are licensed by BMI (we can play) and ASCAP (we can’t play). If a song is licensed by both (artist for one and composer for another), we cannot use it at our dances. Jill was turned down by the city for a joint ASCAP license for the Senior Center (they apply, we pay), but she will try again because she believes that we and other groups are liable for playing ASCAP music without a license and the city could be found responsible and sued. If all the groups at the Senior Center that play music banned together, we could pay our fair share. Nationals is negotiating with ASCAP, but the two sides have failed to reach agreement. So we are left with two options: play only BMI music from sanctioned USADance disks or hire professional DJ’s with their own licenses.
May Dance: We will have a FUNdraiser for our music library at our anniversary dance. The following have volunteered to dance with people for three songs @ $5.00: Patrick and Andrea from Fred Astaire, Jeremy Anderson, Terry Russell, Paula Boos, Fred Gommels, Greg Warner, and Gary and April Dahl and others from their studio. Dancers will have 10 slots and can take breaks when they want. Dancers get in free and can have a tax deduction for their contribution. The Board voted to have cupcakes and coffee. The UMR Team will perform. Gary Dahl will teach both beginning and intermediate fox trot.
Membership: We discussed the fact that dance attendance is good (average 78 people for the last few months), but membership is going down. Maybe we need to spice up the dances or entice people to become members. There is a singer from Winona who is good and we could invite him to sing at one of the dances. The rumba pattern in a circle at one of our dances was a hit – we should try that again. We could change the Sunday night lesson to a free lesson for members only. We could make the November Dance a free (Thanks!) dance for members. We voted to make the November Dance free for members and announce it in advance so people have a chance to sign up.
Community Education: We will be conducting dance lessons from October l8th-November 15th from 7:45 to 9:15 pm on Tuesdays.
New Business:
September Formal: Andy Traywick will be the DJ. Karrie will make sure that our dance does not conflict with other dances (especially the Argentine Tango dance).
Props: We decided to use our white board for headlining the names of people who are performing. The mirror ball motor is broken and the “On Broadway” sign is difficult to assemble.
Public Relations: Jill sent in news about Mary Schonowerk’s 100th birthday to Dance Magazine.
Demos: Sally has not heard from Madonna Towers on providing dancers for their music nights. On another matter, what do we do about requests for musical equipment and/or music for private functions. We voted to not load USA Dance property.
Webmaster: renewal of our domain name for another 10 years was due in April - $109.00. Our agendas and minutes should be on the website but as an attachment.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 pm, respectfully submitted by Maggie Brimijoin
