66th ANSDC – April Newsletter

It’s NEARLY HERE.  It’s time for the last-minute stuff.

Don’t forget to download the 66th ANSDC App and also don’t forget to up- date to ensure you get the full programme. It is available in both the Apple Store and the Play Store. A BIG thank you goes to Carl for this huge job.

Registrations to date are 488. We have 38 Callers, 16 Round Dance Cuers and 4 Clogging Cuers to entertain you.

Registration Packs will be available for collection at the City Hall between 2 and 4 pm on Thursday afternoon on April 30. If you can’t make it at that time, they will be available after 7 pm on Thursday night.

We decided that it would be far easier to distribute them this way rather than use Australia Post to do so. It seems that sometimes it takes more than two weeks for some mail to reach its destination. We certainly didn’t want anyone to leave for the convention before their convention pack arrived at their home. In previous years some people have even forgotten to bring their registration packages with them so we’re making sure that everyone has them in Hobart.

It is a requirement that ALL delegates wear their ribbon at all convention sessions. These are your identification tickets to get in. This applies to Dancers as well as non-Dancers. Ribbons are not transferable and the No Ribbon, No Entry rule applies.  Ribbon colours are as follows:

       Non-Dancer                                   Apple

If this is your first convention, you are invited to a ‘Meet and Greet’ on Thursday 30 April at 6.30 pm at the City Hall. Please meet in front of the stage area. You may be given some hints on how to make the most of the 66th Australian National Square Dance Convention.

The venue will be open approximately 20 minutes prior to the commencement of any session.

Please make sure that you adhere to the Dress Code. If you are unsure, please check it out on: https://2026.ansdc.au/conditions-of-entry alternatively it is included in the special edition of the review which is included in your bag.

In consideration for fellow dancers, please avoid attaching items such as keys, badges etc. to your waist whilst dancing.

We encourage hand hygiene so we will have hand sanitizer available in the venue.

Please remember that whilst you are attending the Convention that if you feel unwell or experience flu-like symptoms, please stay away from the venue and other dancers.
If you test positive to COVID, please text the following numbers: 0419 892 382 or 0408 122 120.
For life threatening Emergency (Police, Fire, Ambulance) Dial 000

All dancers are welcome to attend the Dancers Interest Meeting.
This will be held on Sunday 3rd May commencing at 9.30 am in the Old Woolstore. This is your opportunity to find out what’s happening and what’s coming up in Square Dancing in Australia.

Don’t forget our “S” Theme Night on Monday May 4th. Dress up and have lots of fun. Some ideas are Surfer, Sailor, Square Dancer, Smurf, Smurfette, Star, Scout, Superhero and Star Wars. Ian, from Adelaide, reminded me of May the 4th  Be With You.

If you go to our home page on the net, click on ‘Play our Promotion’. Don Barba has provided a ‘special jingle’ for our 66th National Convention in Hobart.  Thank you Don.

Safe journey everyone. Can’t wait to see you all in Hobart. Let’s Mix in ‘26

Kaye

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66^th ANSDC March 2026 Newsletter

It’s getting closer….  We are excited……

We have 476 registrations to date. There are 36 Square Dance Callers, 16 Round Dance Cuers and 4 Clogging Cuers who have been programmed to call and cue for you.

There are registered dancers from England, United States of America, Canada and New Zealand.

Remember Registration Packs are available to collect between 2 and 4 pm and after 7 pm on Thursday 30 April at the City Hall, Macquarie Street, Hobart.

There are so many accommodation establishments within walking distance from the City Hall that the organizing committee didn’t think that parking would be an issue, but we have had a few emails to enquire about where to park. 

Unfortunately, Hobart City Council, in their wisdom, have put bicycle lanes around the city and that has cut down the number of parking meters for our use. 

There are parking meters on two sides of the City Hall plus some on the surrounding streets. 
Please note that parking meters operate weekdays and weekends. 

There is a 24-hour multi story carpark in Market Place and another carpark opposite the City Hall. 
There is a large 24-hour carpark at Macquarie Point, off Evans Street.

If you like Google or Apps on your phone there is ‘parkopedia.com.au’ where you can enter an address (50 Macquarie Street, Hobart), dates and times and it provides a list of options including prices (for most options) and distance.

If you Google, you can check out Maps and put in Parking and it will show you all the carparks.

If you download the EasyPark App, you can find and pay for parking on your phone.

There will be tea, coffee and Milo available at the City Hall at all sessions. 
This will be at no cost to dancers. 
Drinks need to be consumed within the refreshments area and under NO circumstances are they to be taken on to the dance floor. 
Unfortunately, at this stage, we will not be able to provide any snack food so dancers will need to provide their own.

There has been some discussion on the Dressed Set Numbers as some Callers have commented on the dance ability. 
Subsequently, Gary has decided to change the figure in ‘Speak to the Sky’ – DWN 103.

Opener; Middle; Closer

4 Ladies Chain, Rollaway, Circle Left, Rollaway again,

Allemand Left, Weave the Ring,

Swing and Promenade

Figure (twice Heads, twice Sides)

Star Left to Corner; Touch ¼, Scootback

Single Hinge, Girls Trade,

Recycle, Veer Left,

Ferris Wheel,

Centres Veer Left,

Girls Pass thru,

Swing and Promenade

The amended figure will be forwarded to all Registered Dressed Set representatives.  Sorry if this has caused any inconvenience.  If you have any problems with this change, please don’t hesitate to contact Gary Petersen (therebelcaller@gmail.com)

Did you know that Tasmania has Australia’s

-Largest Tract of Temperate Rainforest – Takayna/Tarkine

– Largest Number of World Heritage Convict Sites – five of Australia’s 11 UNESCO World Heritage Convict Sites

– Deepest Lake – Lake St Clair, over 200 m deep

– Biggest Private Lavender Farm – Bridestowe Lavender Estate

– Oldest continuously run Square Dance Club – Launceston Square Dance Club – 75 years

Until next time

Kaye

66th ANSDC – February Newsletter

Oh, golly gosh, as of 26 February it is 63 sleeps to go until the Trail in Dance at the 66th Australian National Square Dance Convention.

At the moment we have 468 registrations. Registration packages will be available for collection between 2 and 4 pm on Thursday 30th April or after 7 pm at the Hobart City Hall, Macquarie Street, Hobart.

Due to the cost of postage etc. registration packs will not be posted to delegates.

Remember that Monday 4th May is our “S” night so please join us by dressing up. It will be such a fun night, and I can’t wait to see the array of costumes.
Don’t forget that the 66th ANSDC app is available to download. It has lots of information on it and is regularly updated.

Technology is amazing. If you have anything wrong with an email address – like a dot in the wrong place – it gets rejected and sent back to the sender – so I have tried really hard to make sure that everyone’s email addresses are correct but somehow there are still some emails not getting through and are being sent back to me.
Anyway, if you know anyone who should be getting our newsletters and haven’t received them, please let me know and I’ll try to get them sorted.
All newsletters are put on the app as well as the website.

If your club has registered a dressed set and hasn’t received an email correspondence or you need to register one, please email ‘admin@2026.ansdc.au’.

Did you know:
That Tasmania has Australia’s highest sea cliffs. They are at Turrakana/Tasman Peninsula. They are over 300 metres high?

Did you know:
That Tasmania has Australia’s wildest Big Wave Surf. That is at Shipstern Bluff on the Tasman Peninsula?

Did you know: 
That Tasmania has the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial. That is the Tasmanian Devil?

Did you know:
That Tasmania has the world’s Oldest Living Plant Species.
That is Lomatia tasmanica (Kings holly) which is believed to be 43,000 years old?

Till next time

Kaye