On February 26, 1995 the group Maiglöckchen was invited to attend and
perform at the Bauernball hosted by Gulf Coast Enzianer at the St. Petersburg
Coliseum. The dance floor at the Coliseum is HUGE and all we had were two
couples, but we were as proud as could be dancing for the very first time in front
of our peers and general audience members. Carol even danced despite being 7
months pregnant! In early April the group performed again at the newly created
Florida Heritage Day. German American Societies from across the state created
the United German American Societies of Florida (UGASF) in 1991 and the first
Heritage Day was held the following year. Casselberry’s German American
Society agreed to host the 1995 event, thus Maiglöckchen was represented full
force. The only person missing was Carol since the baby was due any day now.
On April 13, Kirstin Marie Schumann became the first baby born to members of
Maiglöckchen and there were other “first” occurred in 1995 as well. Our first
Oktoberfest contract, our first time dancing for the DBGAS’s Oktoberfest and our
first musician, John Schager and his wife Jenny came into our group in 1995.
Tom, Carol and Paula went to Newark, Delaware in May 1996 to represent and
formally requested the Gauverband Nordamerica to accept Maiglöckchen as
members. Even though we left Alpenrose, they agreed to sponsor our petition and
sent Jesse and Joan Anthony as their delegates. The Gauverband’s Executive
board explained to us that our formal Tracht was perfect but according to the
Gauverband by-laws our group needs to exist for a minimum of 3 years before
membership permission could be granted. In a humorous way we were told to
come back when we “grow up”. In June the group added Steve and Barbara
Photiades to the dance roster. We now had 11 dancers and one musician!
The arrival of Tom and Carol’s third daughter altered their July 1997 Gaufest
plans, but not everybody had to cancel. Maiglöckchen sent 3 members, Erna Virts
and John and Jenny Schager to Newark, DE to have a good time and to let them
see what takes place during a Gaufest. They came home with a fantastic report.
They told of what they liked and what they didn’t like and what they wish they had
gotten to do. They also said they met a dancer who used to belong to belong to
Gemütlichen Enzianer in New York but now lives in Port Orange! He wants to
dance with our group. With the addition of the 7/11 baby, Rebecca Anne
Schumann, Jenny and John’s granddaughter, Erika and another Spruce Creek
student, the total number of members stood at 12 adult members and 3 kinder
members. Oktoberfest this year gave us a new venue, outside the ordinary, to
dance at. In fact, it was out of the state. We got a contract to perform at Helen,
Georgia’s Oktoberfest! Helen, GA is a town that remodeled itself to look like a
Bavarian town and relied on Oktoberfest tourism to help the town prosper. The
group was dedicated to traveling so far to accomplish a special Oktoberfest.
In the New Year we welcomed Armin Kleinfelder and Renie Lotsey to our group.
Armin knew that his years of dancing would be limited so he and Carol added the
Alpine Bells to our repertoire. With the hello’s came some goodbyes as some of
the high school students have now entered their college years and moved away.
Yet, 1998 was the year we had the most performers in our 4 years of existence, 14
adult members and 3 kinder members. In May of 1998 Tom, acting as delegate
for Maiglöckchen, went to the delegates meeting held in Oakford, PA. We are now
“old enough” to be accepted into the Gauverband and the vote of the delegates
yielded positive results. The Gauverband Nordamerika is an organization founded
for the purpose of promoting Bavarian and Tirolean folk dancing costumes,
customs and culture; and establishing mutual fellowship. It is the umbrella
organization of which North American Schuhplattler groups may belong to.
HOME Continued
perform at the Bauernball hosted by Gulf Coast Enzianer at the St. Petersburg
Coliseum. The dance floor at the Coliseum is HUGE and all we had were two
couples, but we were as proud as could be dancing for the very first time in front
of our peers and general audience members. Carol even danced despite being 7
months pregnant! In early April the group performed again at the newly created
Florida Heritage Day. German American Societies from across the state created
the United German American Societies of Florida (UGASF) in 1991 and the first
Heritage Day was held the following year. Casselberry’s German American
Society agreed to host the 1995 event, thus Maiglöckchen was represented full
force. The only person missing was Carol since the baby was due any day now.
On April 13, Kirstin Marie Schumann became the first baby born to members of
Maiglöckchen and there were other “first” occurred in 1995 as well. Our first
Oktoberfest contract, our first time dancing for the DBGAS’s Oktoberfest and our
first musician, John Schager and his wife Jenny came into our group in 1995.
Tom, Carol and Paula went to Newark, Delaware in May 1996 to represent and
formally requested the Gauverband Nordamerica to accept Maiglöckchen as
members. Even though we left Alpenrose, they agreed to sponsor our petition and
sent Jesse and Joan Anthony as their delegates. The Gauverband’s Executive
board explained to us that our formal Tracht was perfect but according to the
Gauverband by-laws our group needs to exist for a minimum of 3 years before
membership permission could be granted. In a humorous way we were told to
come back when we “grow up”. In June the group added Steve and Barbara
Photiades to the dance roster. We now had 11 dancers and one musician!
The arrival of Tom and Carol’s third daughter altered their July 1997 Gaufest
plans, but not everybody had to cancel. Maiglöckchen sent 3 members, Erna Virts
and John and Jenny Schager to Newark, DE to have a good time and to let them
see what takes place during a Gaufest. They came home with a fantastic report.
They told of what they liked and what they didn’t like and what they wish they had
gotten to do. They also said they met a dancer who used to belong to belong to
Gemütlichen Enzianer in New York but now lives in Port Orange! He wants to
dance with our group. With the addition of the 7/11 baby, Rebecca Anne
Schumann, Jenny and John’s granddaughter, Erika and another Spruce Creek
student, the total number of members stood at 12 adult members and 3 kinder
members. Oktoberfest this year gave us a new venue, outside the ordinary, to
dance at. In fact, it was out of the state. We got a contract to perform at Helen,
Georgia’s Oktoberfest! Helen, GA is a town that remodeled itself to look like a
Bavarian town and relied on Oktoberfest tourism to help the town prosper. The
group was dedicated to traveling so far to accomplish a special Oktoberfest.
In the New Year we welcomed Armin Kleinfelder and Renie Lotsey to our group.
Armin knew that his years of dancing would be limited so he and Carol added the
Alpine Bells to our repertoire. With the hello’s came some goodbyes as some of
the high school students have now entered their college years and moved away.
Yet, 1998 was the year we had the most performers in our 4 years of existence, 14
adult members and 3 kinder members. In May of 1998 Tom, acting as delegate
for Maiglöckchen, went to the delegates meeting held in Oakford, PA. We are now
“old enough” to be accepted into the Gauverband and the vote of the delegates
yielded positive results. The Gauverband Nordamerika is an organization founded
for the purpose of promoting Bavarian and Tirolean folk dancing costumes,
customs and culture; and establishing mutual fellowship. It is the umbrella
organization of which North American Schuhplattler groups may belong to.
HOME Continued
