Dear Dance Organizers, As you have hopefully heard, plans afoot for a very exciting conference of dance organizers throughout Eastern Canada and the Northeastern US. Whoohoo! We are announcing..... Puttin’ On the Dance 2: Hands Across the Border, March 20-22, in Ottawa, Ontario. This conference will bring people like you to share ideas and experiences, learn new skills and strategies for successful dances, and more. We’ll also dance, eat, and have fun with our organizer peers! PLEASE GIVE US *YOUR* INPUT At this point in our planning we want to know FROM YOU what you want to see happen at the conference, including what topics would be most helpful for your dance community to be discussed. Please click on the following link and respond to our brief survey by Sunday September 7th. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/19B0OScEeztA45RM7pEr8hrCSj5p--9Qset4Y8wl9jM… We have recently updated the POTD website, www.puttinonthedance.org. While not all details are up (e.g., registration opens in October) you can find out a fair bit about what we have planned. More information on the conference is also below. If you know other dance organizers who might be interested in this conference please feel free to forward this message along to them. Thanks! Sincerely, Emily Addison, Ottawa ON, committee chair, for the POTD2 committee Adina Gordon, Burlington VT Andrew Clyde, Ottawa ON Catherine Burns, Ottawa ON Chrissy Fowler, Belfast ME Danielle Boudreau, Manchester VT David Smukler, Syracuse NY Delia Clark, Taftsville VT Linda Henry, Amherst, MA Nancy Turner, Mad River VT Quena Crain, Brattleboro VT Reta Troop, Smith Falls, ON Roger Williams, Ottawa ON Sarah VanNorstrand, Syracuse NY Tara Bolker, Hamilton ON Val Robb, Ottawa ON -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More information on the conference: WHAT IS PUTTIN' ON THE DANCE? In November 2011, the first Puttin' On the Dance convened 78 dance organizers for a conference in White River Junction, VT. POTD was packed with workshops, discussions, dancing and more! Many dance communities benefited in significant ways from this weekend, and it was clear an event like this should happen every few years. (See testimonials.) POTD2 will provide resources and opportunities for learning, sharing, and renewal! We’ll strengthen networks for sustaining the dance traditions we love throughout our region. WHO? For organizers of any American/English dance series! This includes contra, English country, community/family, square, Quebecois, Cape Breton, and other American and Canadian social dance. ALL dance organizers are welcome to attend! We are specifically targeting in eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S.: New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Ontario. HOW MUCH? Attending this event is an excellent investment in your dance’s future! Making this conference as affordable as possible is one of our priorities, but there are many ways you and your group can help pay your way, including travel costs. More information on costs and registration will be available later in the summer. WHERE? Ottawa, Ontario WHY CANADA? The first POTD was co-sponsored by many dance organizations, including the Country Dance and Song Society. After supporting several conferences throughout the U.S. since 2006, CDSS recently decided it’s time to help a conference happen in Canada. The Ottawa dance contra community sent three of their dance organizers to the first POTD. Those individuals and their local dance organization are thrilled to help catalyze the next conference in the Northeast Region – on their home turf. A reminder, passports are required for travel to Canada by US Citizens. Plan ahead! QUESTIONS? email puttinonthedance(a)gmail.com