The 50th All Japan Square Dance Convention in Tokyo

August 26 through 28, 2011
The International Convention Center Pamir, the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa,
near from the Shinagawa Japan Railway Station in Tokyo
Host: Japan Square Dance Association
Supervisor: Kantokoshinetsu Branch Office
Sponsors: The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture; Metropolis of Tokyo; Minato City of Tokyo;
Japan Recreation Association; National Folk Dance Federation of Japan;
Tokyo Metropolis Folk Dance Federation; The Yomiuri Shimbun; Nippon Television Network Corporation;
and Tokyo News Paper Co., Ltd.
Cosponsors: Prince Hotels, Inc.; and Toshiba Tourist Corporation

The comemorative 50th All Japan Square Dance Convention was celebrated from 26th through 28th of August, 2011 at the International Convention Center Pamir of the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa, near from the Shinagawa Japan Railway Station in Tokyo with a little over 2,000 dancers attended.
For this 50th Convention the Ghost Riders Square Dance Band was specifically featured and the dancers from overseas (12 from the U. S. A., 6 from Australia, 4 from Germany, 33 from Taiwan and 3 from China) made this Convention a gathering with a markedly international character
Four dancing halls of MS1(Easy MS=Standard Application), MS2(Extended Application may be called), Plus, and A2 & C1 programs were prepared everyday and all of the dancers gathered together into one big hall so that they could dance the MS singing calls played by the Ghost Riders Square Dance Band. They also enjoyed the five seminar programs as well as the attraction of clown performance, marching band and cheerleader exhibitiion and country-western night by the Ghost Riders Square Dance Band. The variety of events well prepared and organized finished this 50th Convention with great success.

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Ghost Riders
On the eve of the 50th All Japan Square Dance Convention, Thursday, 25th of August, the welcome reception was held with the VIPfs from overseas and the members of Ghost Riders Square Dance Band.
Dana & Donna Schirmer, Executive Director, Callerlab; Wolfgang Dais & Claudia Bender, President, European Association of American Square Dancing Clubs(EAASDC); Walt & Juliane Burr, Vice President, Grand Square International(GSI), Europe; Leighton & Sandra Bloomfield, President, National SD Society of Australia; Andrea Cheng, President, Taiwan Square Dance Association; Duan Xiao Shan, China
The members of Ghost Riders Square Dance Band: David Zachry & Lynn Allen (Band Leader and Side Guitar); Brad &Janis Barnett (Key Board and Flat Mandlin); Gary &.Sally Bauman (Lead Guitar); John &Tina Moore (Drums); Ron & Deborah Pfisterer (Base Guitar)
On the Japan Square Dance Association side attended are Tatsuzo Takase, President, and its directors, the Convention officers, the executive committees and interested association members.

An opening ceremony

The Exhibition (Juggling, the marching band and the cheerleading )

Two Clowns, A unit of An Opera Singer and A Clown gBlue Eggh
Marching Band gKaetsu University Marching Band Teamh
Cheerleaders gGraces + Platinum + Waseda University Graduates + Nihon Unisysh

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Happy Dancing!

The closing ceremony

This stuffed toy was taken from the Canadian National Square Dance Convention by Lofty Yamasaki. It was now passed on to Germany.

Next Year in Nagoya

The 51st All Japan Square Dance Convention will be held between August 31 and September 2, 2012 at the Congress Center in Nagoya. Letfs get together in Nagoya. Please mark your calendar!!!