Square Dance with Betsy Taylor (301) 589-4868 betsytay@erols.com

About the Caller

Betsy Taylor and her husband, Al, have been square dancers for many years. Betsy became a square dance caller and has been calling in the Washington area since 1993. She has also prompted Contra dances since 1997. In 2000 she called and prompted at the National Square Dance convention in Baltimore and began teaching square dance and Contra classes for the Montgomery County Recreation Department. She is a member of NCASDLA (National Capital Area Square Dance Leaders Association) and is currently serving as President. She is also a member of VASCA (Virginia State Callers Association) and CallerLab (International Callers Association).

Betsy is available to call for individual events, as well as for square dance lessons.

Taylor Made Squares

The Taylor Made Squares is a WASCA caller run square dance club. Since our caller, Betsy Taylor, has been teaching for the Montgomery County Recreation Department since 2000, our club has been mostly a Teaching Club.

In the fall the Taylor Made Squares Club has moved to a new night and new location, while continuing our Thursday and Saturday commitments to the Montgomery County Recreation Department and the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center.

Beginning September 14, 2009, we began dancing Mainstream, Plus and Contra on Monday nights (7 to 9 pm) in the Parish Hall of the Church of the Ascension. The church has two street addresses: the front is 633 Sligo Avenue, while the Parish Hall rear is 630 Silver Spring Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Parking is available at the East Silver Spring Elementary School parking lot across the street from the 630 Silver Spring Avenue address of the Parish Hall, and in the circle in front of the church at the 633 Sligo Avenue address of the church. A map to the Church can be found here.

We currently plan to dance at the Church every Monday night (7 to 9 pm) except: (1) the Monday before Thanksgiving; (2) the Mondays before and after Christmas; and (3) the Monday between Palm Sunday and Easter. Also, we won't dance on Martin Luther King's Holiday, Jan 18, 2010; Presidents' Day Feb 15, 2010; Memorial Day, May 31, 2010; July 5, 2010; and Labor Day, Sep 6, 2010.

Similarly, we will dance at the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center (1000 Forest Glen Road, Silver Spring, MD) every Thursday morning (10 to 12:10 pm) except: (1) Thanksgiving; (2) the Thursdays before and after Christmas; and (3) the Thursday between Palm Sunday and Easter. Also, we currently plan to dance at the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center on Saturday afternoons (12:30 to 2:30 pm) except when the Social Hall is in use for such events as the Indian show and Bridge tournaments and (1) the Saturdays before and after Thanksgiving; (2) the Saturdays before and after Christmas and New Years; (3) the Saturdays before and after Palm Sunday.

The Social Hall will be in use for an Indian Show on Sep 26, and a bridge tournament on Oct 3, so we will not dance at Margaret Schweinhaut on those dates.

On Mondays (7 to 8 pm), Thursdays (10 to 11 am), and Saturdays (12:30 pm to 1:30 pm)

• In the fall, we plan on teaching 10 weeks of Beginner classes
• In the winter, we plan on teaching 10 weeks of Basic classes, but re-introducing the Beginner calls for those who missed the fall classes
• In the spring, we plan on teaching 10 weeks of Mainstream classes, but re-introducing the Beginner and Basic calls for those who missed the fall and winter classes
• The summer would be for review and dancing

On Mondays, (8 to 9 pm) we will dance Mainstream, Plus or Contras. On Thursdays, (11:10 to 12:10 pm) we will learn and dance Plus calls. On Saturdays, (1:30 to 2:30 pm) we will learn and dance Contras.

In case of questions as to whether we will be dancing (for example, because of bad weather), call Betsy Taylor at (301) 589-4868 or e-mail BetsyTay@erols.com.

Brief history of the Taylor Made Squares:

In the fall of 1995, Betsy Taylor began teaching square dancing at the Longbranch Community Center in Silver Spring, MD. In December 1997, we applied to be a Mainstream Club in WASCA, the Washington Area Square Dancers Cooperative Association. Since then, we have been a caller run club with an emphasis on teaching, and have used Longbranch Community Center in Silver Spring, MD on Tuesday nights (1997 through 2005) and the Wheaton Community Center in Wheaton, MD on Wednesday nights (2006 through 2009) as our principal home base. In September 2009 we will begin using the Church of the Ascension in Silver Spring, MD on Monday nights as home base.

We have given many demonstrations at such places as: nursing homes, assisted living facilities, libraries, the Margaret Schweinhaut Senior Center, the Longbranch and Coffield Community Centers, the 75th anniversary celebration of the Montgomery Farm Women's Coop Market in Bethesda in 2007, City Place Mall and Derwood Agricultural Farm.

We are particularly proud to have danced and marched annually in Montgomery County's Holiday Parade since it was revived in Silver Spring in 1998. The only year we missed, 2007, was due to Al's treatment for bladder cancer.

Party Dances

Consider having a party dance event, including square dancing, Contra dancing, and line dancing as a fun activity for you or your organization. Betsy has called party dances for Birthdays and Bat Mitzvas, for block parties and Churches, PTAs, and Civic Associations. To inquire about calling for your next event, please contact Betsy by e-mail or phone (301) 589-4868.

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