Ken & Val BOLTON

Valentine Rounds, Brisbane

In March 1984 we started Square Dancing with Alan's Allemanders Square Dance club and while learning this activity we were introduced to Round Dancing.

We were very keen to learn more about Round Dancing so in 1986 we joined Carousel Round Dance club, led by Elve Hoppe, at St Lucia. We didn't realize at the time where this would lead us.

1988 saw us join the Allemander Round Dance club where we danced for many years.

In 1992 Val started to learn to cue Rounds at our local Square Dance club and was asked to cue the Round Dance segment prior to the Squares at Gumdale Grandsliders Square Dance club in 1994. Twelve months down the track Gumdale Round Dance club was formed and we were asked to teach & cue the rounds of a Monday night where we taught until 2001.

We enjoyed our Round Dancing so much that we decided to start our own Round Dance club. We started our club on Valentines Day 14th February 2001 hence the name of our club “VALENTINE ROUNDS”. We initially danced on Friday nights and at the end of our first year added Tuesday nights. We are now dancing Tuesdays, Fridays & Sundays each week.

We have been fortunate to be able to attend all the teach weekends of visiting American and New Zealand teachers as well as all the clinics held in Brisbane over the last 17 years. We are currently members of QRDA (Queensland Round Dance Association), ARDA (Australian Round Dance Association) and Roundalab International. Ken has held the position of Vice President of QRDA.

We retired from the workforce in January 2006, have 3 adult children and 8 grandchildren all of whom we see as often as possible. We baby sit 4 of these grandchildren every Monday. Our youngest son & daughter-inlaw & 3 children live in Victoria and we try to see them as much as possible.

The last Saturday in October each year our club runs a fund raising dance with profits for the night going to different charities.

Over the years we have met a great number of people and made many special friends. Round Dancing is a marvellous activity and we feel very fortunate being a part of it.