An avid contra and morris dancer since the ‘70s, and later a caller and co-founder of Houston Area Traditional Dance and Song, I took a few years off from dance leadership while my boys were small. I returned to dancing and calling again in 2000, and there was CDSS, ready with books to buy, read, and incorporate into my calling! When my friend Joseph Pimentel asked me if I would be willing to serve on the CDSS Board, I was surprised but curious. I had the impression that CDSS was a northeast-centric organization, but Joseph suggested that the more that people like me from communities beyond the northeast served on the Board, the broader CDSS’s reach and perspective would become.

So I joined the Board in 2010, serving as a member-at-large and then as Vice President. I learned so much in that service about dance, music, and song; about spreading the skills across the continent; and about how Board service works to the benefit of all the members. My Board terms cemented what I already knew: the world needs more music, dance and song.

Serving on the Board was a big commitment. I was glad to give that time and energy, to ensure that dance, music, and song—and CDSS’s work supporting them—continued to move forward. I truly believe CDSS will continue to spread our traditions and encourage deeper understanding of these traditions to new generations. Including CDSS as a beneficiary in my estate plans is my way of keeping them moving on into the future.