May 2, 2004 - Brewer’s a Smash at Mid-Tex Jamboree
The Austin Square and Round Dance Association’s Mid-Tex
Mardi Gras Jamboree was a huge success in part due to the contributions of guest round dance instructor/cuers ‘Big John’ & Eula Brewer.
The weekend square dance festival (held at the Palmer Events Center in Austin, TX) featured square dance caller Art Tangen during the Friday night dance. Saturday’s activities featured the Texas Po’Boys (from Houston) calling the afternoon sessions as well as the Saturday night dance. The Ghost Riders Band (from CA) accompanied the Po’Boys all day Saturday.
The Brewers were the featured cuers for the entire
weekend. They cued a balanced program with familiar classics as well as good dancable routines that were new to the Austin area dancers.
There was an excellent variety of dances cued with many rhythms and levels represented.
During the Saturday morning round dance workshop the
Brewers taught four (4) dances; three of which were the Brewers’ own choreography. The first dance was a phase II 2-step, Third Rock from the Sun. The second was an oldie choreographed by Bob & Barbara Wilder (Texas round dance legends), You Don’t Know Me,
a phase III two-step dance featuring syncopation. The third offering was a phase III mixed rhythm dance (2-step, cha-cha, and jive) to the Garth Brooks remake of Walking After Midnight. The final dance was a smooth phase IV waltz entitled The Mansion which was danced to the music The Old House.
According to the Mid-Tex committee secretaries, Don &
Ava Turner, the Brewers “did a superb job.” The “dancers expressed what a fantastic time they had . . . Friday & Saturday night[s] as well as at [the] Saturday workshop.” The Turners said,
“your cooperation and helpfulness in working with everyone involved was exceptional and much appreciated.
We look forward to dancing with you in the future.” The Brewers themselves said, “We had a great time during the jamboree . . . The organizers matched us with an excellent calling staff . . . our reception by the dancers was just marvelous . . . it’s a real pleasure cueing to excellent dancers . . . we’d like to thank everyone involved with this weekend for doing such an incredible job.”
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May 2004 Tri-City Promenaders announce new club cuer.
The Tri-City Promenaders (TCP) square dance club has
announced the election of ‘Big John’ & Eula Brewer as their new club cuer.
Effective with the club’s second monthly dance in June (June 26, 2004) the Brewers will officially join the TCP family as the club’s regular cuer. The Brewers will be part of the club’s entertainment staff; joining square dance caller Paul Kinsey who has called for the club for many years.
The TCP dance on the second and fourth Saturdays of each
month. They dance at the Brookside Convention Center, 1224 Brookside Drive (just off Bedford-Euless Rd) in Hurst, Texas. The club will hold early rounds from 7:30 - 8:00 pm and the square dance
grand march will commence at 8:00 pm.
The club will utilize the 2+2 format for the dance with alternating square and round dancing tips (or sets). A square dance tip consists of square dancing to two individual groups of calls; usually the first group of calls will consist of hash (or extemporous) calling and the second will be a singing call - partly calling and partly singing a song. The round dance tip will consist of two round dances which are prechoreographed dance routines set to different musical recordings.
In preparation for adding round dancing to the club’s
regular format the club will be hosting round dance classes. The classes will be a hybrid of beginning and intermediate round dancing. The classes will begin on Tuesday, June 1, 2004 at 6:30
pm. The instructors for the class will be the Brewers who will start off teaching the cha cha rhythm. Additional rhythms will follow. As an added benefit, a light meal is included with the class.
John Brewer says, “we are really excited to join the TCP as
their club’s cuer . . . they are an incredible group of dancers and the club has a long history . . . we’ve danced with them many times and always have a good time and enjoy their company . . . we’re
looking forward to a long and enjoyable association with a wonderful corps of dancers.”
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