25 Jahre / 25 years
Spargel Spinners Plankstadt

Inge Jakowski, Spargel Spinners

On August fourth, it will be exactly 25 years since a then newly graduated class had their “First Dance” as “Spargel Spinners.” The Club was founded by Al Stevens, their caller.

We danced regularly at the “Adler” in Plankstadt, where we returned every now and then after we found a regular dance location.

Shortly after the club was founded, we got our own newspaper, the “Spargelgramm,” where we shared information, news and stories from, and about, members.

There were many activities, such as 5 country tours, our First Graduation, and our First Birthday. This was celebrated at the “Harres Halle” in St. Leon-Rot, with 250 dancers, from 150 clubs coming from all over Germany, Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The first dance was appropriately entitled “Swedish Special,” with Swedish callers Stefan Sidholm, Ingvar Pettersson, and Al Stevens as callers, and Angelika Seng as cuer. This “Special” was followed by many others like Stoneage, Seaside, Sixties, Space, Seafarers, and Sunflower. Traditionally, “S-Specials” were held until 2006, where the name was changed into “Spargel Spinners Spargel Special.”

In 1990, the Spargel Spinners became a Board Run club, and was no longer a “Caller-Run” club.

In 1991, we hosted the Spring Jamboree, with around 1,300 dancers, a huge success. Activities, like tours, BBQ’s, Christmas meetings and more, enhanced the friendship among the more than 50 club members.

There would be much more to tell about, but to just mention one of the highlights, let’s talk about the Winter Jamboree of 1997 in Bammental, which was cohosted by the Spargels, the Swinging Stars, and the Heidelberg Hoedowners. A really unforgettable event for many dancers.

In 1998, we celebrated Al’s 40th Caller Anniversary, with a “Stevens Special”. This same year, Al graduated all of his classes with a joint-graduation dance in Durlach, near Karlsruhe.

From the very beginning, he had been our loyal Club Caller. We continue to enjoy his calling. Al is an Honorary Club Member of the Spargel Spinners and will celebrate his 25th Anniversary together with the club. We are proud of this and we congratulate and thank him very much.

In 2000, we, again, hosted a Jamboree together with the Heidelberg Hoedowners, this was also successful.

We always try to run a class every year, although it seems to become more difficult to find students, especially younger people, who would like to share our fun and stay with us for a long time. We are also very proud of 25 years of good smooth dancing and having about the same steady number of members.

After a pretty long term of being President, Ilse Schaetzlein decided not to become re-elected, so Ulrich Konath was elected the new President.

All the members, along with Al, thank Ilse for her many, many ideas, and her dedication on numerous tasks on behalf of the club.

We wish Ulrich good luck with his new appointment and will support him as we did with Ilse.

On 21 May, we will celebrate our Anniversary Special, with a large range of variety in dancing programs, tasteful asparagus dishes, strawberries, and a nice after party. Come and join us in this celebration and enjoy the fun.

Ilse will bid farewell to her job as President of the club that day, however will remain as a club member.

For further information, see our flyer in this Bulletin, or read about it at our internet page.

Transl.: Ilse Schätzlein