Come contra with us in Oklahoma City. Our permanent address is FlamingoFlingOKC.org or you can simply click the "Flamingo Fling 2012" menu item.
Have you ever wished for more advance notice about those cool dance weekends in exotic places like Austin, TX and Atlanta, GA? Have you ever asked yourself, "Where shall I go on vacation this year?" Have you met someone at the Flamingo Fling and made a vague promise to them to visit their home dance? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes" - then the Special Events Calendar is your resource!
We rely on other dance clubs to help us get the word out about the Flamingo Fling and to have their "dance gypsies" attend. (I'm a dance gypsy myself, so it's a complimentary word, not a disparaging one.) These events are special because they require a lot of planning and typically need you to register and pay in advance. The higher prices get you more than a nametag! Not only do they feature nationally renouned callers and bands, but typically they provide some food, after parties, flash dances, private brunches, and even accommodations. If you think Contra and English Country Dancing are fun at our regular events, then you really need to go to a few of these. You will meet the warmest and most-fun-to-dance-with people and maybe even be a little challenged to step-up your own dancing to a new and exciting level.
Any of the events that appear on our STDS Events Calendar or the Special Events Calendar will eventually appear on the home page of the website under Next Events, but only the 10 or so most imminent ones (and by that time, the event is probably full anyway.) The Special Events Calendar is intended to give you the most advanced notice of these wonderful weekends. To get the most out of this feature, scroll ahead month-by-month and, if you see something that interests you, click the event. This expands the event to give you a quick synopsis and typically has links to visit the event website, download a flyer or registration form, or even register and pay on-line. Many times these events provide a list of registrants so you can see who's there. It's not unusual for twenty or more Scissortail dancers to show up at Fiddlers Dream or High Tea & Sarsaparilla, so join the fun. It's great to make dance friends and break some bread together. I hope to see you "there".
Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 March 2012 12:13
Scissortail On The Web
Written by Dave Sause
Wednesday, 11 August 2010 19:50
If you are a first time visitor to this website, then you should first read the article "A Quick Profile Of What We Do", below. If you are a returning visitor, a member of STDS, a registered user of this site, or a subscriber to one of our newsletter series, then there is much more here for you to see and do. Each bulleted item on the Scissortail Menu at the left side of your screen selects a different feature of this site and some items like "Photos and Videos" expand when you click on them to reveal sub-topics. Right below the heading we display a trail of 'breadcrumbs' to help you figure out how you got where you are and to be able to backup all the way or part of the way. Believe it or not, breadcrumbs is the official computerese term for this! We want this site to be easy to use and a place that you enjoy visiting. I will do my best to keep it updated, fresh, interesting, and pertinent for you. However, I can't do this by myself. You have to tell me what you want to see here, what works for you, what doesn't.
We will still be sending emails to remind you about our events and communicate last minute changes and you may have noticed lately that these look more like commercial advertisements than the normal text only personal emails. This is one of the new features of the site, a newsletter and subscription module. You can now choose to join or depart from those mailings and communicate which ones you want right here from this website, and without the trouble of finding an email address or phone number to contact us. This is just one example of how this site will grow and hopefully improve and facilitate the process of being part of our community. Since the website doesn't need to sleep like the rest of us humans, we're open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year (or even 366 some years!)
We've also begun to include videos and photos within the articles and event links themselves. When you are recommending Contra or ECD to your friends, you don't have to explain much or give them addresses - just send them here to look and listen. We have business cards available at the sign-in table at every dance. These are for your use. Hand some out, and be sure to suggest that they visit this website!
Have a great time exploring the options! Watch for changes and updates! Have fun! And most of all, let us know what we can do to make it better. Just click any of the
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links to shoot me a quick email. Don't hesitate to contact me, if only to say "This is what I looked at!". You can also call me at (405) 694-3690, my cell phone.
The adventure begins ...
-Dave-
Last Updated on Sunday, 06 February 2011 18:19
A Quick Profile Of What We Do
Written by STDS
Sunday, 14 February 2010 11:17
Welcome to Oklahoma City’s Contra and English Country connection, the Scissortail Traditional Dance Society! Here you'll find dates, times and locations of our dances, as well as caller and band data. There's helpful information for new and experienced dancers, what-to-wear to tips and advice about becoming a better dancer. We dance at smoke-free venues, and Epworth does not allow alcohol. But contra dance and alcohol are not great friends anyway—there can be lots of spinning. Some dancers are fragrance sensitive, so please be respectful, for their enjoyment.
STDS was organized in June 1988. Over the years we have grown to over 150 members and routinely have 30 to 50 dancers attending. We usually dance:
Contra (live music): the second Saturday of every month, 7:30-11 PM, at the First Unitarian Church, 600 NW 13th Street.
Contra (live music): the fourth Saturday of every month, 7:30-11PM, at Epworth Methodist Church, 1901 N. Douglas Avenue.
English Country (recorded music): the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, 7:30-9:30 PM, at the City Arts Center, 3000 General Pershing Boulevard.
English Country (live music): scheduled on available Saturdays, 7:45-11:00 PM, venues are announced.
There may be additional special dances and/or scheduling conflicts; so be sure to check our calendars. Each June we host a major Contra dance weekend, the Flamingo Fling.
If you are new, please come at 7:30 PM. For all Saturday night dances, at about 7:40 PM there is a brief review of basic moves for new dancers. (If you can walk and turn; then you will be dancing the first evening!) All Saturday dances are taught and called. Most of us change partners for each dance and, of course, everyone is welcome; whether you came alone or with a partner. Please see 'About Contra' for more information on dance etiquette and customs. Thursday night English Country dances are taught informally as we go.
Admission for Saturday dances is $8 for non-members, $6 for members and $5 for students through the undergraduate level. Admission to Thursday dances is $2.00 for everyone. Special events dance admissions are announced as we go and may require advance registration. Annual STDS membership costs are $8.00 per person or $12.00 per family (no charge for the website or to be on our mailing list.) We dance a combination of simple to more advanced dances. Other type dances may be included, such as Waltz, Hambo, English Country, Scottisch, Circle Mixers and Squares; just to name a few.
