Kathy and Tom are from Middleton WI. Kathy started Square Dancing, along with
her parents, when she was eight years old and then got Tom involved after they were married. They took a few years off of dancing while they raised their family.
Tom started Calling in 1991 and Kathy started Cueing in 1996. They call and cue regularly throughout the area. They are the club caller/cuer/instructor for several of the local clubs. Tom and Kathy spend most of their free time, teaching new dancers, doing exhibitions, and supporting the Square and Round dancing activity.
Kathy and Tom have both been inducted into the Wisconsin Caller/Cuer Hall Of
Fame.
Square and Round Dancing has become a family activity with their 4 children and 5 grandchildren. When their youngest was 8 years old, they took them to square dancing lessons and had them join a Youth club. The kids loved the dancing and asked why it took so long to get them involved. Today, their 3 adult daughters along with some of their grandchildren, are active Square and Round dancers.
Kathy and Tom have both been active members and held several offices within
the Wisconsin State Square and Round Dance Associations. Tom is currently the
President of the State Square Dance Association of Wisconsin, Kathy is President of the Wisconsin Square Dance Callers Council and club Caller/Cuer for Swingin' Beavers and the Badger Rovers Camping group. Kathy and Tom have held the Treasurer position for the National Square Dance Campers Association for 10 years. Kathy and Tom have served on many Wisconsin conventions. Kathy and Tom were the General Chairman for the 2006 Wisconsin State Square and Round Dance Convention and are now the General Chairman for the 2023 Wisconsin State Square and Round Dance Convention.
Family and Square Dancing has been a major part of their lives while they still make time for their other interests of camping, sewing and bowling.
Scott graduated from Oklahoma State University, with an associate degree in drafting and worked within the Aerospace Industry and later in computer technology, which eventually brought us to Wisconsin in 2009. Brenda graduated from the California College of Paramedical and Technical College, as a Respiratory Therapist and has worked in health care for over 34 years. We met and married in Southern California in 2008.
Scott has danced for over 40 years in Oklahoma, Washington, and California. Brenda loved to dance but “No one square dances in California”. It took a relocation to Wisconsin in 2009 for Brenda to find out what Modern Western Square Dancing is all about. As a couple, we took lessons with Tom Nickel and the Swingin’ Beavers Square Dance Club and have never looked back.
We have two married daughters and 3 grandchildren. Scott’s daughter, Dana, danced with the Mavericks and participated in the Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival (PNTSDF). Scott was a Junior square coach for the Mavericks and a Buckskin advisor.
As a couple, we currently serve on the United Square Dancers of America as Social Media Chairmen for our 6th year and have also served as Secretary for 3 years. Within our State, we were Publicity Chairmen for the Square Dance Association of Wisconsin (SDAW). We were the General Chairmen for the 60th Wisconsin Square and Round Dance Convention in 2019 with 667 dancers in attendance from all over the US and Canada. In our Southwest Area of the Square Dance Association of Wisconsin (SW-SDAW), we have held offices as President, Vice President, and Secretary. We have held multiple offices within our local club as well. We are members of 3 clubs (Swingin’ Beavers Square Dance Club, Diamond Squares Plus Club, and Badger Rovers Campers). Scott has served as webmaster for 5 square dance websites in Wisconsin
It is our love for square dancing along with our talent and experience in publicity and social media that has driven us to promote Square Dancing as a wonderful way to exercise and develop lifelong friendships. We look forward to bringing the 73rd National Square Dance Convention® to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2024.
Dave attended the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse from 1971-1975. He took over as a caller/teacher for one of his professors who became ill in 1974. He became hooked on calling. He attended Dick Jones’ caller school and became a certified caller in 1975. Dave became the caller for Solo Steppers in Davenport, Iowa when Max McCallister quit calling. Dave has been a traveling caller throughout the Midwest. In 1979, Dave was in charge of the Education Committee at the National Square Dance Convention® in Milwaukee, WI.
Dave and Betsy were married in 1980 and together, they raised 4 children. He gave up calling temporarily in the late 1980’s to help with coaching and other duties. He returned to calling around 1995 when Betsy and two of their older children took Mainstream and Plus lessons from Mel Stewart.
In 2016 Dave and Betsy hosted the Wisconsin Square and Round Dance convention at the Ho Chunk Casino in Baraboo, WI. It was the first time the State of Wisconsin approved hiring a featured square dance caller for the convention. Tony Oxendine was the caller. It was a very successful convention with the Wisconsin State Square and Round Dance committee receiving a profit for the first time in several years. To this day, the State of Wisconsin continues to hire a featured caller each year we have the State Convention.
Dave is a member of the Square Dance Association of Wisconsin (SDAW) Southwest Callers Council and has been inducted into the Callers Hall of Fame for the State.
Ray Steinich & Georgine Sumnicht Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Registration Chairman
David Lust & Sharon Schmidt Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Publicity Chairman
Tracy Nickel Merrill, Wisconsin
Tracy Nickel Publicity Chairman
I first started square dancing back when I was in the 7th grade. I loved to
dance, and line dancing was my favorite part. I danced until college and
then took time off to raise my family. In 2016, not having a partner for
square dancing, I took clogging lessons and danced on the local clogging
exhibition team. In 2017 I was able to talk my daughter into taking square
dance lessons and I finally returned to my favorite activity.
My second
favorite activity is web design. I have worked on a number of websites in
the past but I am currently the web designer for the Swingin' Beavers square
dance club, the Square Dance Association of WI (SDAW), SW-SDAW, Badger
Rovers square dance camping group, and the Wisconsin State Convention
website.
I served one year as Vice President for the Swingin' Beavers club
and this will be my first year on a committee for the convention. I am
already signed up for publicity for 2023 as well. I hope to see you at
convention and look forward to meeting you in a square!
Sharon Albright & Bob Tjensvold Minocqua, Wisconsin
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Sharon Albright & Bob Tjensvold Programming-Squares
Sharon was introduced to square dancing in the early 70’s and danced for 4 years. Then her life took a different path and she did not get back to square dancing until 1999 when she took Mainstream classes again. She graduated in 2000. In 2004 she helped workshop a new class of dancers, and got hooked on the idea of calling. In 2006 Sharon became a full caller. She is a member of the Northwoods Levis & Lace Square Dance Club in Woodruff, WI. She has held a number of offices with Northwoods Levis & Lace, and is now the club caller. Sharon has held offices in the CNW Square Dance Assoc, Central Wis.
Callers Assoc, SDAW, and WSDLCC. She has been chairman of a number of committees for previous conventions and was General Chairman of the 2014 Wisconsin Square & Round Dance Convention.
Bob was introduced to square dancing in 2010 when he met Sharon in her shop. She asked him if he would be interested in learning to square dance. She invited him to watch a square dance and then invited him to join the new class. Since she had invited him to class she decided to be his dance partner. Bob graduated in 2011 and he and Sharon continued to dance as partners at Northwoods Levis & Lace, and other area clubs. As their friendship grew, Bob asked Sharon to marry him. They were married on
May 11, 2013. Now he is Sharon’s official “Caller Hauler”. Bob is a member of the Northwoods Levis & Lace Square Dance Club in Woodruff, WI. He has held offices in Northwoods Levis & Lace and CNW Square Dance Assoc, and also has been a committee chairman for 2 previous Wisconsin Conventions.
Eldon Boehm started square dancing when he was about 16 - Cross Trails Club in Madison with Vern Weisensel. Eldon belonged to a square dance club called Wings and Swing in Omaha, Nebraska in 1973, while he lived there. Later, he belonged to a singles club in Madison - Mad City Squares, after military service in 1974.
Virginia Boehm first started square dancing in 1977 when she took lessons at Mad City Squares.
We met at Mad City Squares. We married in 1979 and kept dancing for awhile. We joined Grand Squares because we didn't want to belong to a singles club any longer. When we started raising a family in 1987, we stopped dancing.
When Eldon retired in 2010 we took lessons again at Westport Squares for a refresher. We got back to Round Dancing also. We belong to Dancing Shadows Round Dance Club. We also have taken Plus lessons several times and refresher courses to get more practice. We have had a good time with Square Dancing.
Virginia is still working for a Financial Planner - Admin Assistant.
We have a son, Matt, 32 and a daughter, Kim, 36 and her husband Raf.
We belong to Westport Squares Sq Dance Club and Badger Rovers Sq Dance Club and Dancing Shadows Round Dance Club.
Eldon has gone to a National Convention in California in 1975. Both of us went to the National in Iowa in 2016. We were in charge of Services at the State of WI Sq & Round Dance Convention in Baraboo in 2016 and in Middleton in 2019.
Wayne & Lucy met at the Swingin' Singles Square Dance Club in Milwaukee in 1989 when Wayne was a student and Lucy was (is) his 'angel'. They were married at a square dance themed wedding in 1991. Wayne has two daughters and three granddaughters; Lucy had three sons and now two granddaughters.
Wayne worked for most of his adult life (until retirement) in healthcare, both clinically (military) and in the business end (civilian). Lucy is retired from many years of work in General Motors auto dealerships. Other activities include travel and golf, and Lucy sews and does some crafts.
Wayne & Lucy joined the Milwaukee Square Benders club in the early 1990s and now are members of Foxy Squares in Wind Lake, Spring City Squares in Waukesha, and the American Heritage Square Dancers exhibition group. In addition to square dance, they enjoy round dance and assisting at new dancer lessons whenever possible.
Over the last 30 plus years Wayne & Lucy have been continually involved in Southeast Area Square Dance Association (SEA), the Square Dance Association of Wisconsin (SDAW), and WI Convention Committees and the WI Convention Board. They were General Chairman of the 2013 – 54th WI Square & Round Dance Convention in Oconomowoc. They are also current Registration and Housing Chairman for the 73rd National Square Dance Convention® to be held in Milwaukee in 2024.
They encourage all dancers to support and participate in club and area organizations and in the state association. They are grateful for and have certainly benefited from the knowledge and experience gained, and in the relationships developed over the years with so many dedicated people.
Penny Liverseed & Rachel Rose Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Special Events
Jan & Charlie Bitter Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Webmaster
Tracy Nickel Merrill, Wisconsin
Tracy Nickel Webmaster
I first started square dancing back when I was in the 7th grade. I loved to
dance, and line dancing was my favorite part. I danced until college and
then took time off to raise my family. In 2016, not having a partner for
square dancing, I took clogging lessons and danced on the local clogging
exhibition team. In 2017 I was able to talk my daughter into taking square
dance lessons and I finally returned to my favorite activity.
My second
favorite activity is web design. I have worked on a number of websites in
the past but I am currently the web designer for the Swingin' Beavers square
dance club, the Square Dance Association of WI (SDAW), SW-SDAW, Badger
Rovers square dance camping group, and the Wisconsin State Convention
website.
I served one year as Vice President for the Swingin' Beavers club
and this will be my first year on a committee for the convention. I am
already signed up for publicity for 2023 as well. I hope to see you at
convention and look forward to meeting you in a square!
Do you have a question about the current convention? Do you have comments on how to improve the convention for next year? Please reach out to us and share any thoughts or questions you may have.
