Hi,
We’re Ace and Dosie, the official mascots of the public-access,
television show, “Friendship Set to Music.” If we’re not out promoting
square dances somewhere in Minnesota, we’re at the LMCC Studio in
Spring Park, Minnesota, cheering on the all-volunteer staff that
produces the square-and-round-dance show. The show airs everyday of
the year somewhere in this great nation and sometimes even in Sweden
and Canada. We love being on TV, and we hope you will tune in and
watch all our dancing friends. Look for us on your cable station,
especially in Minnesota and New Jersey.
For more information about the show, go to the website:
http://www.squaredanceminnesota.com.
If you want to see photos of where we’ve been and all our new friends,
go to this site: http://community.webshots.com/user/bdweb3780
Ace and Dosie
Dosie’s Diary
Dear Diary,
April 24th, 2006
Today, I arrived at the Ken and Dee Scott residence. They invited me and my friend Ace to spend the summer with them on Lake Minnetonka in Mound. The most important thing they offered was that we could go square dancing with them! We love to dance!
If we’re lucky, we’ll get to dance everywhere in 2006-07. We do want to end up at the state convention in Mankato in 2007 so we can go spend the summer with the Scotts again. (If I’m at your house and June and you’re not going to Mankato, please call the Scotts at 952-472-0006 and they will come and get me so I can go to the convention.)
Hopefully Ace and I will get to dance at least one tip. We’re lots of fun and try not to break down a square! We really like to laugh and hope you will too. When you write in my diary for me, please write in first person as if I’m writing it. Please make sure you put in dates and places so I can remember where I’ve been. Brian Freed has promised to put pictures of me on the state federation website plus a copy of my diary! I’m so excited!
I want to go home with someone who will take me to dances and treat me like a queen–doesn’t that sound like fun?! I’ll be glad to help your club advertise their next dance–just put a flyer in my lap! I get to stay with you for a month and then you must give me away to another club at your next dance. Put out a can and let people drop their names in the can. At the end of the dance, draw a name and that’s my new home for the next month.
Sunday, May 7, 2006
The Scotts took us to our first dance! It was so exciting! King Denny Hill spent time with us and had his picture taken with us. JJ and Jean Sahlstrom also sat with us and had their picture taken! JJ took Ace up front to meet the callers: Dan Sahlstrom and Dick Rueter. It was the 24th Anniversary Party for Square and Twirl so it was a really special evening with lots of cake and ice cream for everyone. Dee introduced us!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Our second dance! This time we went to Spares and Pairs in Bloomington, and guess who was there to greet us again: King Denny Hill from Square and Twirl! This time the presidents of the CE Region, John and Ardus Vining, had their picture taken with us. Again Dee introduced us to all the dancers!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Oh, what a special night this was at Crystal Crosstrailers with Wayne Tauer calling! Bill Bump took me out to round dance a tip! Oh, he’s such a special guy–Gail is so lucky!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
My first Westonka Whirlers dance! And Dan Sahlstrom and Jerry Junck called together! It was a big dance: 13 squares! We met lots of people who stopped by our table to pick up flyers for upcoming dances! We really hope lots of people come to see us at the Square Dance ABC dances at The Gillespie Center this summer.
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Again we were spectators at the taping of “Friendship Set to Music” at the LMCC Studio in Spring Park. Paul and Audrey Allen had their pictures taken with us! Ken LaBau asked if he could take me out round dancing! Oh, I was so excited and then so disappointed! It seems folks are scared to dance with me. Three squares showed up today so everyone had fun! They many two great shows: #62 & #63: “Salute to the States” and “Country Music.”
Sunday, June 4, 2006
A really special dance, the pig roast, at St. Cloud with Tom Allen and Dick Rueter calling. Ken and Dee love this dance and the fabulous meal that follows!
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 9, 10, 11, 2006
We attended the State Square Convention in St. Cloud. What a treat! We watched dancers in the mainstream hall and the plus hall plus we spent lots of time at the “Friendship Set to Music” table in the hall. A wonderful weekend!
June 26-July 16, 2006
We have greeted everyone who comes to The Gillespie Center. Oh, such nice people! The Spirit of the Lakes dance and brunch–what wonderful fun!
August 11, 2006
Ace and I were really lucky. We went to the “Minnesota Welcomes Missouri” dance at the Harmonies Dance Hall. Thirty squares of dancers! Dick, Roger, Mike, Ernie, and Al Block called! It was the best fun for everyone!
August 24- September 4
Guess what? Ace and I attended all 12 days of the Minnesota State Fair! Our job was to have our picture taken with the fairgoers and to hand out lesson flyers. Some days Ace and I have away 25 or more!
We loved the fair–even the 3 days it rained! The dancers didn’t care–all 36 shows went to tape!
September 16
Ace and I attended the Non-Traditional Square Dance at Grandview Middle School with Westonka Whirlers.
October 2
Dee gets e-mail and photo from Dosie who is with the presidents of County Line Squares: Larry and Marlys Wilson.
“Hi Dee,
It is me, Dosie. Ace went off to another club to visit and I have been left here to just sit and look out the window. Tonight I’m going to lessons and Friday night I will be going to the County Line Dance and I hope I will be able to go visiting also. Maybe I will be lucky and meet up with Ace again.
Dosie”
October 6
Well, here I am at County Line Squares in Monticello at their Harvest Moon Dance and the moon is beautiful! I’ve been with this club since Sept. 16, the Westonka Casual Dance. I’ve been riding around in the Wilson’s van a lot and I did get into their cosy, warm house. I was excited to visit their lessons on Monday night. The students are really catching on! Tonight I’m listening to Tom Allen. Then I’ll be heading to a new club. I love traveling.
Steve and Deb H. from Single Circles were very surprised to learn I was going home with them.
I must tell you that this concept of getting raffled off to a different family every couple weeks is a little stressful. Some of these folks are hauling me off to three or four dances a week! I’ll need new shoes soon if that continues. On the other hand, this new couple is BORING with a capital “B”! I haven’t been to a single dance (neither have they) and they even left me alone to house sit while they went off to Wisconsin for the weekend.
“Somebody has to feed the goldfish,” they said. At least they have a decent wine rack in the basement. I hope they don’t notice the empty bottle in the recycling.
Now I really need to get to work on my costume for the Single Circles October dance. It’s “The Monster Mash” and I need to see if my costume fits. I guess I’ll be getting a new place to crash, and I hope by next host home is a bit livelier.
October 20
Tonight I left the Single Circles dance with Swens to go to Cambridge Corners. I got to ride in the front seat of the car, but when we got there, I was left in the car until lessons on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Oct.ober 24
Dennis called Dee and Ken to say that I am with them and looking forward to the Cambridge Corners dance on Friday night.
October 27
What a great night we all had at Cambridge Corners’ dance. We danced up a storm with Ernie Auringer calling. Tom M. from Hotfoot Stompers won the drawing for me. (Rumor has it that he had stuffed the ballot box!) It’s nice to be wanted!
He took a lot of kidding about winning me. We rode to his townhouse in Coon Rapids in his new mini-van. That was NICE!
October 30
Tom put a Halloween t-shirt on me and took me to Hotfoot Stompers Halloween lessons! I got to meet all their new students: 34 or 38 of them. There are so many I can’t remember the exact number and with 60 some angels, what a grand time we had.
I got my picture taken with all of the other dancers who dressed up for Halloween. We look so great!
November 11
Here it is Saturday, November 11, Veteran’s Day (Hats off to all veterans!) and Tom is take me to Friendship Set to Music taping and I will be back with Ace again (MY Ace!). Thanks Tom!
November 12
Yes, Ace came to the taping too and we’re back together at the Scotts’ house! Guess who showed up? Grandma Dosado! She’s been to lots of dances looking for us! Grandma has lots of square dancing stories from her fifty years of dancing so we like spending time with her!
November 18
What a special night. Ace and I attended the Westonka Whirlers dance. Greeting all the dancers was really fun but hearing “Timbre Junction” was extra special. That Dick Rueter can really have fun when he has live music to call with. Have you heard Karen Radford sing? Wow! What lungs!
December, 2006
Dee had unexpected eye surgery so we had a quiet December and January–not much square dancing!
Plus, it’s cold outside so staying indoors is really comfy!
Dee and I are talking about my future travels, and we decided that I will only travel now when I am invited. If you would like to take me along to promote a dance or an event for your club, give Dee a call (952-472-0006) and she’ll be happy to help me get to your house. I love promoting round and square dancing!
Ace’s Journal
Hi Journal,
Today, April 24th, 2006, I arrived at the Ken and Dee Scott residence. They invited me and my friend Dosie to spend the summer with them on Lake Minnetonka in Mound. The most important thing they offered was that we could go square dancing with them! We love to dance!
If we’re lucky, we’ll get to dance everywhere in 2006-07. We do want to end up at the state convention in Mankato in 2007 so we can go spend the summer with the Scotts again. (If I’m at your house and June and you’re not going to Mankato, please call the Scotts at 952-472-0006 and they will come and get me so I can go to the convention.)
Hopefully Dosie and I will get to dance at least one tip. We’re lots of fun and try not to break down a square! We really like to laugh and hope you will too. When you write in my journal for me, please write in first person as if I’m writing it. Please make sure you put in dates and places so I can remember where I’ve been. Brian Freed has promised to put pictures of me on the state federation website plus a copy of my journal! I’m so excited!
Dee said she wants me to go home with someone who will take me to dances and treat me like a king–doesn’t that sound like fun?! I’ll be glad to help your club advertise their next dance–just put a flyer in my lap! I get to stay with you for a month and then you must give me away to another club at your next dance. Put out a can and let people drop their names in the can. At the end of the dance, draw a name and that’s my new home for the next month.
Sunday, May 7, 2006 — I went to my first dance! It was Square and Twirl’s 24th Anniversary Dance, and, boy, did I get a lot of attention! Jean Sahlstrom sat by me quite a bit, and JJ took me up front to call with Dan and Dick. Since I couldn’t keep up, I just jiggled along! They had a really great treat table with a big cake and lots of ice cream! Dee introduced us to everyone!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Our second dance! This time we went to Spares and Pairs in Bloomington, and guess who was there to greet us again: King Denny Hill from Square and Twirl! This time the presidents of the CE Region, John and Ardus Vining, had their picture taken with us. Again Dee introduced us to all the dancers! We advertised the “Non-Traditional Square Dance” that Westonka Whirlers will be having in September, 2006. Sounds like fun!
Friday, May 12, 2006
Oh, what a special night this was at Crystal Crosstrailers with Wayne Tauer calling! Bill Bump took me out to square dance a tip! Oh, he’s such a special guy–Gail is so lucky! Everyone came by to say
“Hi” to me and Dosie. Square dancers are such nice people!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
My first Westonka Whirlers dance! And Dan Sahlstrom and Jerry Junck called together! It was a big dance. Dosie and I met lots of people who stopped by our table to pick up flyers for upcoming dances! We really hope lots of people come to see us at the Square Dance ABC dances at The Gillespie Center this summer.
Saturday, June 3, 2006
Again we got to watch the taping of “Friendship Set to Music” at the LMCC Studio in Spring Park. Dee was happy because Station Manager Jim Lundberg was on duty! Paul and Audrey Allen had their pictures taken with us! Three squares showed up today so Dee was relieved! They many two great shows: #62 & #63.
Sunday, June 4, 2006
A really special dance at St. Cloud with Tom Allen and Dick Rueter calling. It was followed by a pig roast and one of the greatest meals of the year! Oh! The DESSERTS!
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 9, 10, 11, 2006
We attended the State Square Convention in St. Cloud. What a treat! We watched dancers in the mainstream hall and the plus hall plus we spent lots of time at the “Friendship Set to Music” table in the hall. A wonderful weekend! A highlight for me was that Bill Bump took me out to dance a tip with him. We didn’t miss a call!
June 26-July 24, 2006
We have greeted everyone who comes to The Gillespie Center. Oh, such nice people! The Spirit of the Lakes BBC chicken dinner and brunch–what wonderful fun!
It was sad that the power went out and the square dance had to be cancelled. But lots of those wonderful square dancers showed up for dinner. Square Dance ABC has been wonderful on Tuesday evenings. We’ve greeted all the dancers, but we were really excited to see 13 new dancers.
August 11, 2006
Dosie and I had a special night out. We went to the “Minnesota Welcomes Missouri” dance at the Harmonies Dance Hall. Thirty squares of dancers! Dick, Roger, Mike, Ernie, and Al Block called! You should have seen all the pretty ladies there!
August 24- September 4
Guess what? Dosie and I attended all 12 days of the Minnesota State Fair! Our job was to have our picture taken with the fairgoers and to hand out lesson flyers. Some days Dosie and I gave away 25 or more!
We loved the fair–even the 3 days it rained! The dancers didn’t care–all 36 shows went to tape!
Some of the kids weren’t nice to me. The little boys would come up and punch me in the face and say I was just a “dummy.” Luckily Dee was usually nearby to put an end to their bad behavior and tell them that “I’m a very important dancer!” I’m learning that it’s a tough life being a “VID.” I did like people watching!
September 16
Dosie and I attended the Non-Traditional Square Dance at Grandview Middle School with Westonka Whirlers. Well, we got auctioned off! Marlys Wilson won both of us. We spent the past two weeks buckled in their car–driving to and from Buffalo advertising County Line Lessons.
September 29
Now it’s my turn to head out on my own. I attended the County Line Apple Time Dance and listened to Abe Maier. I’ll be heading for Hotfoot Stompers next! Mmm! That apple cider was good!
October 10
Rasmussens took me along to the St. Anthony demo at a senior assisted-living center. It was so great that 16 square dancers showed up to dance with Dick and give the residents a great show. The residents loved watching the square dancing! Those Halloween dance outfits were the best!
October 14
Marion and Virgil Rasmussen are such fun folk–I really enjoy spending time with them. Tonight I attended the Hotfoot Stompers dance in Coon Rapids at the Northdale Middle School–great dance called by Tom Allen. Marion spent lots of time looking for someone to take me along to promote more dances. Finally Larry Johnson from Bloomington Swirlers and Nikki Nagy from Spares and Pairs agreed to take me along.
October 25
Here I am at the Spares and Pairs dance in Bloomington! It’s their Halloween dance and, oh, the costumes! Dick Rueter can really do some funny Halloween songs–have you heard “Ghostbusters”? Another big event tonight was John Vining’s retirement party! Can you believe it? He won’t be driving to Red Wing everyday–what will he do with all that spare time?
The evening ended on a surprise note for me! Jean Boysen found me dumped in a corner in the back room so she went and found Dee. She came and recused me! Thank you, Dee.
She and I talked about my future, and we decided that I will only travel now when I am invited. If you would like to take me along to promote a dance or an event for your club, give Dee a call and she’ll be happy to help me get to your house. I love promoting round and square dancing, but like everyone else, I hate missing out on all the action when I get “dumped.”
See you soon.
November 11
Here it is Saturday, November 11, Veteran’s Day (Hats off to all veterans!) and the Scotts are taking me to “Friendship Set to Music” taping. Grandma says Dosie is coming with Tom. YEA!
November 12
Yes, Dosie came to the taping too and we’re back together at the Scotts’ house!
November 18
What a special night. Dosie and I attended the Westonka Whirlers dance. Greeting all the dancers was really fun but hearing “Timbre Junction” was extra special. That Dick Rueter can really have fun when he has live music to call with. Have you heard Dan Radford play that fiddle? Wow! What talent!
December, 2006
Dee had unexpected eye surgery so we had a quiet December and January–not much square dancing!