Dayton, Ohio

1984 Honor Dancers Grace & Bill Wolff

During their thirty-fifth year of square, round, and folk dance activities, Grace and Bill Wolff can look back over a span of leadership and service that make them truly eligible for recognition as "Honor Roll Couple." Grace, with the constant support of Bill and the encouragement of organizations and friends, became a "Leader of Leaders" in the Miami Valley and surrounding areas primarily in folk and round dancing, but also greatly influencing square and contra dancing. Their daughter Susie's Girl Scout troop gave them their first brush with square dancing in 1949 via a Durlacher record. They completed the first Dayton sponsored classes in square and round dancing, and were charter members of the first Dayton sponsored square and round dance clubs. They have been awarded life membership in the Miami Valley Round Dancers. In 1952 Grace became the instructor and leader of the first folk dance class which became the Miami Valley Folk Dancers. That same year she also became the instructor and leader for the Miami Valley Round Dancers, and served in this capacity for both groups until 1967. Grace is still an active member of the M.V.F.D. and occasionally teaches for them. She has attended workshops and classes to increase her knowledge and capability not only in American, round, and contra dancing, but in specific ethnic folk dancing as well. She was the first person in Ohio to receive a certificate to teach Scottish Country Dancing from the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society in Edinburg, Scotland.

One of the outstanding qualities of Grace and Bill is their willingness to share their leadership by bringing to Dayton nationally known experts to teach new dances and teaching techniques. They developed weekend workshop programs with these leaders that have been copied in many places in the country. They took personal responsibility for many of these semi-annual workshops and for the annual Frank and Carolyn Hamilton weekends in round dancing. These have serviced dancers for hundreds of miles around. Grace has conducted workshops and camps throughout Ohio and the U.S. She taught rounds and called contras at national conventions and took an active part in the teaching of rounds at the Ohio State Conventions prior to 1967. In 1976 she conducted a three-week class fin square and contra dancing in Campinus, Brazil.

More individuals have been introduced to square, round, and folk dancing in the Miami Valley through the efforts of Grace and Bill than by any other two persons. Due to the efforts and leadership of Grace, thousands of Girl Scouts and their leaders have participated in square and folk dancing. In the year 1967 alone, 2000 Girl Scouts and leaders participated in a dance festival at the University of Dayton with 500 Girls dancing at one time. They have been active in conducting, sponsoring, and assisting in concerts and performances to allow the public to enjoy seeing as well as participating in these dances. These have included concerts at the Dayton Art Institute, Dayton Band Shell, and festivals in the Dayton Convention Center. Bill served as treasurer for the International Festival, the World A'Fair, for two years. Grace organized and prepared the Yugoslav Dancers for performances.

Bill's five-star-volunteer contribution to the dancers of the Miami Valley and all who come to Dayton to dance was the saving of what is now known as the Michael Solomon Pavilion. When the pavilion was slated for demolition, Bill drew up petitions and negotiated with the City to reverse its decision. Through Bill's effort and the signatures of hundreds of dancers, the Pavilion was allowed to stand axed was finally repaired, bringing its excellent floor to a reality.

In 1965 Grace was honored as Woman of the Year by the University of Dayton Alumnae Association for her service in recreational dance activities. In 1978 Grace and Bill were presented a citation by Jerry and Kathy Holt for their contributions to square dancing. In 1983 Grace was elected as Honorary Chairman of the World A'Fair. She was chosen on the basis of organizational work that she had done in the early stages of the World A'Fair.

There is no doubt that both the level and the continually growing interest in round, square, contra, and folk dancing in the Miami Valley and even in the State of Ohio has been greatly influenced over the past thirty-five years by the untiring efforts of Grace and Bill Wolff.

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