from Vienna Swingers
In 1979
the US-caller Ray Myers begins to teach Square Dance in the Vienna International School with eight people (one square). He names the group Vienna Swingers.
In 1980
a badge already exists. The club dances in several pubs, schools and halls of churches. Johann Kafka is the first President of the Vienna Swingers.
In 1984
an enthusiastic young man is graduated, Gerald Engel. He becomes – besides Ray – the rookie-caller of the Vienna Swingers. Already
in 1985
he teaches his first class, at a Gymnasium in the 12th district of Vienna. Eva Rehberger (Janis) is the President then.
In 1987
finally, the Vienna Swingers find their steady home at the Austrian Tourist-Club (ÖTK) in the Bäckerstraße 16, become a group of the ÖTK and dance every Monday in the beautiful ceremonial hall of the club.
In 1988
Ray leaves Austria because of work-related reasons and Gerald moves to the Waldviertel in Lower Austria, where he founds a club in 2000 by himself, the Silva Nortica. But the Vienna Swingers have great luck. Paul Baden from Minnesota, teacher at the Vienna International School, takes over seamlessly and becomes our caller for the next seven years. The dance-level progresses to Plus and the number of members increases to 70 dancers.
In 1992
Valerie Mach (Puppi) takes over the duty of the President. In the same year Angela Wieder starts with a Round-Dance-group, likewise in the ÖTK, which she leads until 2009 with 20 to 25 members. In the same year there is the gentle start of the Skiweek with a weekend full of dancing and skiing in Oberwölz.
In 1993
there are already four days of it and
in 1994
the first full Skiweek in Oberwölz takes place – with Caller Dave Preskitt. We stay in Oberwölz with that for five years and have international Callers as Dirk Loomans, Thorsten Hubmann, Joe Kromer and Robert Björk. Then we change the location and move for three years to the Flattnitz. In the following years at least up to 2015 the week takes place in Stadl an der Mur. Helmut Wieder is the organiser and Mickey Braithwaite is our caller since the end of the Nineties. As
in 1995
Paul Baden returns to the USA, Helmut Wieder is ready to start as our caller. He collected experiences in calling with Paul already before. As it is possible for him to call only every second week because of job-reasons, we look for a second caller. We find him
in 1996
Jirka Scobak from Bratislava. Very active years with many exhibition-dances, dances in TV-shows and at opening ceremonies of balls follow. Our members are fond of travelling and attend many clubs, Special-Dances and Conventions. Vienna Swingers are at events in Germany, the USA, Canada and Japan. As they are members of the Austrian Tourist-Club, our younger members are very active in sports. We do climbing, mountaineering and ski touring.
In 1998
we graduate not only our youngest member, Johanna Kafka, 8 years old, but infect Heinz Klingen with the virus of Square Dance. He starts a fabulous marching-through. After getting a few private lessons, he joins the running class and gets graduated in Mainstream at the Vienna Swingers in the same year.
In 2000
there is the start of A-dancing at the Vienna Swingers. A group travels to the Square- and Round-Dance-College in Cham in Bavaria. Heinz is a part of it and in 2002 he already dances A2.
In 2001
Jirka becomes our caller for A1, together we work out the A2-programme. Since then he arranges our A-nights every second Tuesday.
In 2003
Heinz starts his career as caller at the Vienna Swingers. At first he only calls at the summer-clubnights, to get experience and to care for the many visitors of Vienna.
In 2004
the Australian top-caller Brian Hotchkies comes to call for the first time and he is that excited about the Vienna Swingers, that he becomes a club-member soon after.
In 2004, there is another important event, as the first Ferris Wheel Party takes place. Up to 2015 there are already twelve editions of our special-dance, always at Pentecost – the first one in the Youth-Hostel Brigittenau, then in the Danube International School and since 2008 in the Bundessport- und Freizeitzentrum Südstadt. It is danced in two halls. Besides our two club-callers Heinz and Jirka we always invite two international callers as Dave Preskitt, Joe Kromer, Thorsten Geppert, Sandy Bryant, Barry Sjolin, Stefan Förster, Paul Bristow, Reine Hjärtström, Johnny Preston, Joachim Rühenbeck and Ken Ritucci.
In 2008
Helmut Wieder stops calling because of health-reasons and Heinz, who attended several caller-schools, replaces him. In exchange with Jirka he calls at every second clubnight of the Vienna Swingers in the levels Plus, Class and Mainstream. Conny Klingen has a qualification in calling as well and supports her husband in calling since years.
In 2011
to our great pleasure, the Swedish caller Reine Hjärtström becomes a member of the Vienna Swingers and a friend. He wears our badge at events in his home-country and abroad with proud. On the 25th of October
2014
we celebrate 35 years Vienna Swingers. 101 persons – guests, Vienna Swingers and members of companioned clubs – witness our Reine as star guest and all our callers and cuer live or in picture and sound in a time journey.