~ News from Edelweiss Dallas Fall 2003 ~

Sommer 2003 | Return to Jugendecke Main Page | Jugendecke Kalender

The AD Youth Group Dancers, Garland, Texas, have been busy all Spring/Summer preparing for the Fall schedule. Our younger youth group has increased in size significantly, ranging in ages from 4 - 10. Several of our older youth have been promoted into the adult group, and this brings satisfying challenges for all.

Our first Kaffeeklatsch on March 22 was a great success. On May 10, we held our second Kaffeeklatsch. We are expecting to set the date for our third one soon. We have also developed a newsletter for the youth group, with input from our parents. Our first issue came out at the end of May, and our second issue was just recently emailed.

The first performance of the season was on April 26 in Garland (just east of Dallas), Texas at Kidfest, a Springtime gathering of schools, organizations, clubs and other groups from the Garland area that promote and support child health and education. We also had a fundraising booth. Sausages with various condiments and reuben sandwiches were sold.

Our next performance of the season was on May 3 at Germandeli.com's annual Mayfest celebration. Germandeli.com is not only a German food deli, but also sells houseware and toiletry products located in South Lake (west of Dallas by D/FW airport), Texas. Performers and attendees were treated to samples of potato salad, sausage, bread and drinks. On May 17, our dancers performed at Old City Park (a collection of historical homes and buildings in a park setting near downtown Dallas) for their international "Faces of Dallas" festival.

While our practices slowed some due to Summer vacations, we are now gearing up for our Fall performances. We performed Labor Day weekend in West (a small, mostly Czech town 7 miles north of Waco), Texas, at the annual Westfest. Sausages and kolaches were in abundance. We will also be performing: September 20 (4 performances) and 21 (2 performances) in Addison (located in the northwest corner of north Dallas), Texas at the annual Oktoberfest celebration held there; September 26 (3 performances) and 27 (5 performances) in Wiederkehr, Arkansas (30 miles east of Ft. Smith) at the Wiederkehr Winery's annual wine festival; October 4 in South Lake, Texas at their annual Oktoberfest festivities; and then October 19 for two performances at the State Fair of Texas.

In addition to performing, we will have a fundraising booth in Addison from September 18 - 21, selling sausages, potato pancakes, and dessert, and Ursula Balthasar, our founder and director, will award Nick Williamson with a 10 year certificate. Nick started with the children's dance group some ten years ago, and now at almost 17, still proudly schuhplattls and dances with both our youth and adult groups. Nick has not only taken on the position of Vorplattler of the youth group, but also plays the violin and performs with it, and does very well in his studies at school. We are very proud and excited to have Nick and his sister Gretchen dance with us.

Mit Trachtengruss,
Judy D. Raymond, Reporter (and mother of one of the dancers in the Kindergruppe, Joseph)