Introducing Diva Dan
Diva Dan, aka Daniel Zondervan, is vital part of The Crochet Crowd Team with content concepts behind the scenes.
Diva Dan joined Mikey in January 2009, six months after The Crochet Crowd concept was created on YouTube. He was one of the very few people, in Mikey’s life at the time, who seen the vision of The Crochet Crowd as an important outreach and opportunity to teach others skills.
Diva Dan wasn’t always known by that name. His name was developed based on an MSN Messenger Status update of being a Domestic Diva cleaning the house. This seemed appropriate for his personality and has stuck with him. He’s known to the public as Diva Dan when attending live shows. In person outside of the public eye, he prefers to be called Daniel.
The Crochet Crowd, Company Logo
The Crochet Crowd Name
In September 2010, the vision of what the videos and community name had to be examined as it was appearing to take a hold. Daniel is responsible for the name of The Crochet Crowd and the company was re-branded with a new logo and name in time for our very first show at Creativ Festival in October 2010.
Charity
Daniel developed and started a Period Baroque Orchestra in his early 20’s. He is familiar with doing charity outreaches as well as the necessary obligations to be a leader in supporting and doing charity work. The charity concept and our work to help others was developed by Daniel.
Live Shows
In live shows and exhibits that we do. Daniel is the leader in organizing and working with others to ensure the live shows are as successful as possible. Michael is busy with fans and doing live workshops. Daniel shields Michael from the operations during live shows so that Michael can focus on the guests without getting involved in operations. This is vital to ensure that people have an opportunity to share their stories and talk to Mikey.
Content and Programming
Daniel is responsible for newsletter content and general programming of ideas and concepts to keep The Crochet Crowd moving forward. Michael’s role is to be front line and works hard to ensure the collective plans are developed and put forward.
Childhood & Life
Daniel asked his mother to learn Violin when he was about five years old. With no musical tendencies in his family. He began his musical journey of studying music throughout his life. Daniel knows several instruments which include piano, full pipe organ, violin and more.
Daniel had an unusual childhood of being raised on a pig farm in the country near Tiverton Ontario. His mother developed Paranoia Schizophrenia when he was a child. This caused the family to blow apart leaving Daniel and his mother to take care of each other growing up.
While in High School, his mother’s condition worsened changing their roles from Daniel being the child to Daniel being the parent. Daniel has very difficult memories. His mother went downhill. Daniel has had a loaded shotgun on his face with his mother ready to pull the trigger. His mother not recognizing him. Daniel had to talk her out of it with his life in the balance of the paranoid delusion. Daniel has a strong objection to guns and feels uneasy when hearing guns go off in person. We are close to a gun range where we live and the shots take him back to that moment.
Due to Daniel’s younger years, he understands full what mental illness is and the struggles associated to it. He prefers not to discuss this topic freely as it’s very personal to him.
Through all the turmoil, he realized that education was needed. With taking care of his mother he graduated high school and moved onto to Wilfred Laurier University in Kitchener-Waterloo. His mother was moved to a group home in Wiarton Ontario. He would visit and take her out nearly every weekend. Despite her challenges, Daniel remained at his mother’s side.
Daniel’s mother suffered a stroke in her 50’s which landed her in a permanent nursing home in Walkerton Ontario for nearly 10 years. She died in 2008, a year before meeting Mikey. Daniel has no surviving family members. He is the last in the line. The entire family has died at early ages which is somewhat unusual.
Daniel has worked as organist and music director for three churches, one church for nearly eight years. He is classically trained and prefers traditional music over contemporary. Churches over the years have moved away from the traditional element, musically speaking. In our region, these types of positions are considered volunteer and the appreciation of music and attendance in churches has fallen dramatically. The volunteering element has rendered Daniel’s profession to be non-paying position, essentially leaving him without a paying job. Daniel may from time to time sub for Sunday once in a while for an organist but realized his career choice is becoming obsolete.
In 2011, Daniel has moved away from music from being his profession to be an active role of The Crochet Crowd. Though Daniel prefers the music for his passion and enjoyment, times must move forward so he doesn’t obsolete himself professionally speaking.
Daniel also works at Rivers Edge Garden Centre and Landscaping part time. He an extraordinary gardener and reads gardening books just for fun. His knowledge of plants and landscape is phenomenal. Truth be told, he should really be working in this industry over all others, including The Crochet Crowd, as this is where his passion is. However, he doesn’t want to turn his passion into a job that he may come to dislike over the years.
Over Mikey and Diva Dan, Diva Dan is more artistic, creative and excellent with future trends. Together, Mikey and Diva Dan make up a great couple who work to each other’s strengths to deliver what we know as The Crochet Crowd today.
Hi there Hope this gets to you Was watching your video on the American flag baby hat on the Knifty Kniter. i thought i saw a rainbow striped in the background in one of the shots. Looked cool, would love to try. i know how to do the horizontal stripes, but was looking for help in determining the size/number of rows for each color. I’m terrible at math and would love some input. Thank you so much. Keep up the good work. Video was very helpful.
Mikey, DIva Dan, Jeannie and Laura Jean Thank you for being The Crochet Crowd. I have been a member for years and few like you are all part of my family. I have adored Mikey since day one, And hurt for both Mikey and Dan when Dan had heart problems. I am so glad Dan got better and is staying healthy. The new move has raised questions for me. Sadly my life has gotten busy and I believe I missed something. Thank you all for including us in your lives. Lots of love to the 4 of you.
Hi guys, just love you both. You bring a smile to my face. I love your videos and you make it easy to understand and I thank you for that! Daniel’s bio was emotional for me to read. I admire him for what he went thru as no child should have to endure that kind of childhood but it unfortunately happens and it has made him the man he is today. Bravo! I wish you peace and happiness! Lynn
Interesting how such long suffering produces such pleasant gentleness. From the few encounters with you gentlemen, I’ve often said to myself that I’d love to be your neighbour 😉 And here in the cyber sense, I can 🙂
Great bio! Daniel you have been through so much and still find time to give to others. You are truly an inspiration. Please leave the bio as it is… grammar mistakes and all. It shows the love you guys have for life and all that you do.
I have learned so much from the crochet crowd and look forward to learning so much more. Thank you for all you do to help others.
The grammer comment was not necessary – that being said -Your bio comes across as sincere and very heartfelt. Mikey you are so very lucky to have him in your life. He obviously is your ‘other half’ which makes you whole. Many times we have a tendency to let the ‘good ones’ get away and regret it later. How wonderful for the both of you that with all the people in the world to choose from you chose each other! To have someone who stands by you with all of the ‘goofy’ decisions, and the heartfelt love you give to all of us…..we are grateful that not only do ‘you’ have him – but in a small way we have him too.
I remember On my first Crochet Cruise, my friend Merry and I were standing in line at the registration table. Daniel must of sensed my unease. I’m a bit of an introvert, where my friend is more outgoing. Daniel came up and gave me a hug and spoke with us like we were old friends. I can’t tell you how much I really appreciated him going out of his way to put me at ease. We had a wonderful time on that cruise and then on the Hawaiian cruise.
What a beautiful testament to Daniel’s awareness and kindness. Thank you for sharing your story
Thank you for sharing your story. I could listen to your piano playing all day. Are there plans for a CD? I am a newbie when it comes to crocheting. Enjoy all the videos. Thanks.
Your instrumental is lovely – medicine for the soul.
Daniel,
What an incredible yet profound sad story. I grew up in a very abusive childhood, and watched my father put guns literally up to my mother’s head routinely. Sadly back in those days domestic violence against women and children was ignored by the authorities. When my mom finally found the courage to escape, we traveled more than 2,000 miles and went into hiding with the help of my uncle.
Glad you found a passion for music, I’m sure it brought you a lot of peace in your earlier years. It’s wonderful how creative you are in multiple ways.
Thanks for sharing your painful story with us, as many of us can relate. I love you guys at the Crochet Crowd, you all are truly amazing, creative, humorous, and caring. May God bless you for the wonderful work that you do, as you touch so many lives.
Great Bio!!!! (I like to say what my profession is! Pharmacy Technician and that I am not a English/Editor major!!!) LOL Thanks for your story!! Mental illness is a huge epidemic! That has been hidden for way too long! From a family full of crazy I feel we not only share similar liking’s like crochet, but we all are human and not anyone or family is perfect!!! It takes a lot to share such personal info! Thanks for that! Love you guys!!! so so much!
Awesome. Thank you both so very much for sharing your life and talent with all of us.
Loved your piano playing Daniel; you are a true professional.. I would love to have a CD!!
You and Mikey are a great team and you are lucky to have each other. I adore The Crochet Crowd. Thank you.
Valerie
I loved and was moved by both of your life journeys.. Mikey, you have taught me so much and enabled me to crochet many beautiful afghans along with other items. Thank you both so very much for creating Crochet Crowd! May God bless and keep you both.
I loved both yours and Daniels bio’s. I must say you both are talented in your own ways and I really must give great credits to Daniel for accomplishing all that he has done in his life given the difficulties he has endured and faced. I could sit and listen to him play any of his instruments and enjoy every minute of it. He really puts his heart into his music and you can feel it. As for you Mikey I love crocheting with you and have learned a lot of new stitches and techniques watching your videos. Long live The Crochet Crowd and thank you both so much for what you put into it. Blessings to all involved in the making of this program and many more years of success .
Sincerely a fan,
Laurel Nikolic.
Since you ask if you were Bang On or not – I think the biography would be far more powerful if it were better written. The grammar and sentience structure leave a lot to be desired, professionally speaking. Living with a family full of mental illness, and raised by a mother who suffered severe abuse as a child (all of her sisters and step siblings did as well), I can relate to this – but again, I think it would be stronger if better written. (Again – since you asked….)
My grammar and etc is terrible. I know that. The Crochet Crowd is a free service and I do my very best. I am unable to afford an editor to go over my writing. I’m sorry about that.
Maybe Lynn would volunteer to be your editor!
I don’t see anything wrong with the sentence structure or grammar. It may not be perfect but then none of us are perfect. I’m sorry you had to see that Mikey. When among friends we should be allowed to relax and not have to worry that our sentence structure is not perfect according to the so callled experts. I also grew up in an abusing atmosphere
This comment was absolutely unnecessary. The bio came across as sincere and real. That’s all that’s needed, not a grammar lesson.
I am trying to find the extended moss pattern that Diva Dan gave to Michael and Michael put on video so I can print it out and keep, can you PLEASE send me a copy? Please. I have look everywhere I can think of and can’t find one.
BANG ON…
I DONT WANT A CROCHET RUG TO SLIDE, WHAT TO PUT UNDERNEATH … TO STOP BEING SLIPPERY ?
There is gripping liquid you can pour on the underside the rubberizes the bottom. Just google it… I believe it’s possible Walmart might have something like this in their craft section as well. 😀
At Home Depot you can buy a spray on or paint on liquid called Plasti Grip or something…. I believe it comes in a couple of colors. I spray it on the bottom of crocheted slippers.
Bang on !! Of course. Your Bio brought tears to my eyes to learn of all you have been through ~ but also joy to learn of all you have accomplished regardless of what you have been through. Am so sorry to hear of your Mother passing.
Ban on
Umm, that would be bang on. Sorry!
What strength and the power of love you have Daniel. Hold your head high young man. You’ve touched a lot of lives and your work very much appreciated. Mikey is very fortunate to have you as his partner in life!
You Bang on!!