AACE

AACE is the Academy for Advanced and Challenge Enthusiasts, the premier Square Dance Convention for Advanced and Challenge dancers.

About

In 2001, AACE was formed to replace the National Advanced and Challenge Convention (NACC).

While not affiliated with IAGSDC, the annual festival was run by a committee that included Debbie Ceder, Sandie Bryant, and Pam Clasper. AACE is LGBTQ+ friendly.

The 2020 and 2021 events were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid 2021 the decision was made that after 19 conventions, AACE would not continue.

History

#	Year	Date	City	State	Venues	Staff Callers	Featured & Guest Callers
1	2001	Jun 20-23	Louisville	KY	Kentucky International Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Dave Lightly, Lloyd Sparks, Anne Uebelacker	Lynette Bellini, Barry Clasper, Rob French
2	2002	Jun 19-22	Dayton	OH	Arts Court	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Dave Lightly, Lloyd Sparks, Anne Uebelacker, Dave Wilson	Barry Clasper, John Hughes
3	2003	Jun 18-21	Los Angeles	CA	LAX Marriott Hotel	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Dave Lightly, Lloyd Sparks, Anne Uebelacker	Lynette Bellini, Sue Curtis
4	2004	Jun 16-19	Columbus	OH	The Columbus Hotel	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Dave Lightly, Lloyd Sparks, Anne Uebelacker	Rob French
5	2005	Jun 15-18	Louisville	KY	The Galt House Hotel	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Dave Lightly, Lloyd Sparks	Barry Clasper
6	2006	Jun 14-17	Strongsville	OH	Holiday Inn Select (Cleveland - Strongsville Airport)	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Lloyd Sparks	Rob French, Ben Rubright
7	2007	Jun 20-23	Milwaukee	WI	Four Points by Sheraton Milwaukee Airport	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Anne Uebelacker	Ben Rubright
8	2008	Jun 18-21	Milwaukee	WI	Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Anne Uebelacker	Todd Fellegy
9	2009	Jun 17-20	Milwaukee	WI	Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Ross Howell, Mike Jacobs, Lee Kopman, Anne Uebelacker	John Marshall
10	2010	Jun 16-19	Milwaukee	WI	Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Ross Howell, Lee Kopman, Anne Uebelacker	Ian McConnell
11	2011	Jun 14-17	Milwaukee	WI	Wyndham Milwaukee Airport & Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Ross Howell, Lee Kopman, Anne Uebelacker	Lynette Bellini
12	2012	Jun 20-23	Indianapolis	IN	Wyndham Indianapolis West	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Ross Howell	Ben Rubright, Sue Curtis, Randy Dougherty, Don Moger
13	2013	Jun 19-22	Indianapolis	IN	Wyndham Indianapolis West	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Ross Howell, Anne Uebelacker	David Heffron, Dayle Hodge, Darryl Lipscomb, Michael Kellogg
14	2014	Jun 18-21	Indianapolis	IN	Wyndham Indianapolis West	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Ross Howell, Anne Uebelacker	Sue Curtis, Ian McConnell
15	2015	Jun 16-20	Indianapolis	IN	Wyndham Indianapolis West	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Ross Howell, Anne Uebelacker	Ben Rubright, Bronc Wise
16	2016	Jun 15-18	Fort Wayne	IN	Grand Wayne Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Ross Howell	Rob French, John Marshall
17	2017	Jun 14-17	Fort Wayne	IN	Grand Wayne Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Ross Howell, Anne Uebelacker	Sue Curtis, Bronc Wise
18	2018	Jun 20-23	Fort Wayne	IN	Grand Wayne Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Anne Uebelacker	David Heffron, Ross Howell
19	2019	Jun 19-22	Fort Wayne	IN	Grand Wayne Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Anne Uebelacker	Darryl Lipscomb, Ben Rubright, Bronc Wise
2020 was to have been the 20th Convention but was cancelled due to COVID-19. Ultimately the sad decision was made to disband the convention. The Convention committee thanked the dancers for their support over the years.
20	2020	Jun 17-20	Fort Wayne	IN	Grand Wayne Convention Center	Sandie Bryant, Vic Ceder, Barry Clasper, Todd Fellegy, Anne Uebelacker	Rob French, Darryl Lipscomb, Bronc Wise

External Links

AACE website