Miami Valley Dance Council

2007 Honor Roll Dancer

Louise Van Vliet

Miami Valley Folk Dancers

Dayton, Ohio

Louise began dancing with the Miami Valley Folk Dancers in 1976. And we've never been the same.

Louise is one of the most creative and outgoing members we have ever had. Any time someone new walks in, she is one of the first to greet them. She has personally brought many new people to dance, including many students from Miami University. She makes it a point to know each member's name and each visitor’s name. She is instrumental in getting members of our club to interact and know each other better, and she does it in amazingly creative ways – including her "Mystery Dancer" contests, "Name that Dance" contests, and her hilarious skits about our honor roll dancer nominees. In fact, for the last 10 years Louise has organized these skits, presenting them at our annual business meeting. Our members always look forward to Louise's next burst of creativity.

Louise is always willing to serve our club and has served as President, Vice-President, Secretary, Program Committee Chair, Workshop Chair, Newsletter Editor, and on many committees. She has audited our books and cleaned up our messes. She has participated in demos, hosted workshop leaders, proofread syllabi, organized an ethnic bazaar, chaired parties, and decorated the pavilion. Even though she has no partner, she willingly assumes the male or female role in dances that require partners. Few people are so willing to give so much of themselves.

Of course, we are not the only group who has enjoyed Louise's selflessness. She has helped out at Miami Valley Dance Council hosted dance conventions, participated in Pavilion Cleaning Days, and weeded the Pavilion flower beds. She was a member of the Zivio Slavic Dancers for many years and had the wonderful opportunity to perform with them in Yugoslavia in 1987.

In her non-dance time, she is involved in civic organizations such as the Dayton Literary Council, Dayton Peace Museum, Habitat for Humanity and League of Women Voters. In addition, she serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused, neglected and dependent children (CASA), reads with public school children, and teaches English as an additional language to recent immigrants.

As a long time professor at Miami University, besides bringing students to dance, Louise brought dance to students. For 3 years, she taught a living history honors course which included traditional American dances and historical dance etiquette as part of the course.

If every member of every club did half of what Louise does for the dance community, the dance community would be friendlier and larger than our wildest dreams. Louise is the most humble of people and does not care for any accolades or honors. She will say that she has done nothing. But we know better, and this honor is long overdue.

The Miami Valley Dance Council is proud to name Louise Van Vliet as its 2007 Honor Roll Dancer.