WHAT IS SQUARE DANCING?
First off, Square Dancing is probably NOT what you think it is!Square dancing is often portrayed in movies, television and schools as a fairly simple activity — do-si-do, promenade, swing your partner and so on.
Modern Square Dancing is very different.
It is fun, social, mentally stimulating and a great way to exercise — and once you start, you may find yourself hooked!
How does Square Dancing work?A typical dance evening consists of a number of dance “tips”, each lasting approximately 10 minutes, with short breaks in between.
At the beginning of a tip, dancers form squares of four couples. Each couple forms one side of the square. There may be many squares dancing on the floor at the same time, but each square works independently, with its eight dancers working together as a team.
The Caller stands at the front of the hall and gives the dancers a sequence of instructions known as “calls.”
Rather than telling each dancer exactly where to move, the Caller simply gives the name of a movement — such as Circle Left or Boys Run. The dancers have learnt what each call means and respond accordingly.
Some calls are quite simple, while others are more challenging.
Although the dancers begin in a square, they certainly don't stay that way! As the Caller gives different calls, the dancers move into formations such as waves, columns and diamonds, constantly changing positions and interacting with different dancers.
Before long, everyone has been thoroughly “shuffled” and your original partner may be at the opposite end of the formation.
Then comes some of the magic of square dancing.
Through the skill of the Caller and the sequence of calls being used, everyone eventually finds themselves back with their original partner and, hopefully, back at their home position!
Dancing to the musicSquare dancing is performed to music, and today's music can include everything from country and bluegrass to ballads, rock'n'roll and popular contemporary songs.
A tip generally consists of two parts.
The first concentrates more on calls and formations as the Caller manoeuvres the dancers through different sequences and positions.
The second is usually a singing call, where the movements are choreographed to a particular song. This combination of music, movement and mental challenge is one of the things that makes square dancing so enjoyable.
It's exercise for your body AND your brainPart of the challenge is remembering the calls and responding immediately to the Caller's instructions.
You need to listen, concentrate and think while you're moving — but that's also part of the fun.
You may have learnt a particular movement from one formation, only to discover that the Caller now wants you to perform it from a completely different position. Working out how to respond is all part of the challenge.
Because you are concentrating on the Caller, the music and the other seven dancers in your square, there's not much opportunity to think about everything else going on in your life.
For a couple of hours, you can simply dance, laugh and enjoy yourself.
What happens when someone makes a mistake?Square dancers are human — mistakes happen!
In fact, they are part of the fun.
When someone moves into the wrong position, the eight dancers usually work together to try to repair the square and catch up with the Caller. This often results in plenty of laughter as everyone tries to work out where they should be.
If the square can't recover, you simply reform your starting square and wait for the Caller to reach another suitable starting point.
Then you're off again!
The friendships are just as important as the dancingSquare dancing is reasonably inexpensive, great exercise and mentally stimulating, but one of its greatest attractions is the people you meet and the friendships you make.
Once you have learnt to dance at Mainstream level, you can visit other square dance clubs and attend dances, weekends, festivals and conventions throughout Australia — and around the world.
If you're travelling, there is often a square dance club somewhere nearby where you can enjoy an evening of dancing and meet new people.
Many friendships made through square dancing last a lifetime.
Dance in a SQUARE and make a new CIRCLE of friends.
Learning to Square DanceYou don't need to know anything about square dancing before you start.
New dancers begin by attending a weekly class for six weeks. This gives you an opportunity to learn the basics and decide whether square dancing is an activity you would like to continue.
If you decide to progress to Club level, it will generally take a few more months to learn the remaining calls and movements.
That might sound like a long time, but you're dancing and having fun right from your very first class — and you'll probably find yourself looking forward to the next one.
It is ideal if you have a partner to bring along, but single dancers are also very welcome.
Don't be overwhelmed by the number of calls to learn. Some are fairly obvious, such as Partner Trade, while others take a little more practice. They are introduced gradually, with plenty of opportunity for revision each week.
The normal Club level of square dancing includes Basic and Mainstream. Once you have completed these levels, you are considered a Mainstream dancer.
You can then dance at your own Club and visit other Mainstream clubs, dances, festivals and conventions throughout Australia and overseas.
Most dancers are very happy to remain at Mainstream level. However, if you are looking for an additional challenge after gaining plenty of experience, there are higher levels of square dancing, including Plus and Advanced.
These introduce additional calls and concepts and provide another challenge for dancers who want to take their square dancing further.
Come and see what it's really likeThe easiest way to discover whether square dancing is for you is simply to come along and watch — or better still, give it a try.
You may discover that modern square dancing is nothing like you imagined.
Great music. Great exercise. Plenty of laughter. And a wonderful way to make new friends.
visit www.you2candance.com for more details on our fabulous activity.
First off, Square Dancing is probably NOT what you think it is!Square dancing is often portrayed in movies, television and schools as a fairly simple activity — do-si-do, promenade, swing your partner and so on.
Modern Square Dancing is very different.
It is fun, social, mentally stimulating and a great way to exercise — and once you start, you may find yourself hooked!
How does Square Dancing work?A typical dance evening consists of a number of dance “tips”, each lasting approximately 10 minutes, with short breaks in between.
At the beginning of a tip, dancers form squares of four couples. Each couple forms one side of the square. There may be many squares dancing on the floor at the same time, but each square works independently, with its eight dancers working together as a team.
The Caller stands at the front of the hall and gives the dancers a sequence of instructions known as “calls.”
Rather than telling each dancer exactly where to move, the Caller simply gives the name of a movement — such as Circle Left or Boys Run. The dancers have learnt what each call means and respond accordingly.
Some calls are quite simple, while others are more challenging.
Although the dancers begin in a square, they certainly don't stay that way! As the Caller gives different calls, the dancers move into formations such as waves, columns and diamonds, constantly changing positions and interacting with different dancers.
Before long, everyone has been thoroughly “shuffled” and your original partner may be at the opposite end of the formation.
Then comes some of the magic of square dancing.
Through the skill of the Caller and the sequence of calls being used, everyone eventually finds themselves back with their original partner and, hopefully, back at their home position!
Dancing to the musicSquare dancing is performed to music, and today's music can include everything from country and bluegrass to ballads, rock'n'roll and popular contemporary songs.
A tip generally consists of two parts.
The first concentrates more on calls and formations as the Caller manoeuvres the dancers through different sequences and positions.
The second is usually a singing call, where the movements are choreographed to a particular song. This combination of music, movement and mental challenge is one of the things that makes square dancing so enjoyable.
It's exercise for your body AND your brainPart of the challenge is remembering the calls and responding immediately to the Caller's instructions.
You need to listen, concentrate and think while you're moving — but that's also part of the fun.
You may have learnt a particular movement from one formation, only to discover that the Caller now wants you to perform it from a completely different position. Working out how to respond is all part of the challenge.
Because you are concentrating on the Caller, the music and the other seven dancers in your square, there's not much opportunity to think about everything else going on in your life.
For a couple of hours, you can simply dance, laugh and enjoy yourself.
What happens when someone makes a mistake?Square dancers are human — mistakes happen!
In fact, they are part of the fun.
When someone moves into the wrong position, the eight dancers usually work together to try to repair the square and catch up with the Caller. This often results in plenty of laughter as everyone tries to work out where they should be.
If the square can't recover, you simply reform your starting square and wait for the Caller to reach another suitable starting point.
Then you're off again!
The friendships are just as important as the dancingSquare dancing is reasonably inexpensive, great exercise and mentally stimulating, but one of its greatest attractions is the people you meet and the friendships you make.
Once you have learnt to dance at Mainstream level, you can visit other square dance clubs and attend dances, weekends, festivals and conventions throughout Australia — and around the world.
If you're travelling, there is often a square dance club somewhere nearby where you can enjoy an evening of dancing and meet new people.
Many friendships made through square dancing last a lifetime.
Dance in a SQUARE and make a new CIRCLE of friends.
Learning to Square DanceYou don't need to know anything about square dancing before you start.
New dancers begin by attending a weekly class for six weeks. This gives you an opportunity to learn the basics and decide whether square dancing is an activity you would like to continue.
If you decide to progress to Club level, it will generally take a few more months to learn the remaining calls and movements.
That might sound like a long time, but you're dancing and having fun right from your very first class — and you'll probably find yourself looking forward to the next one.
It is ideal if you have a partner to bring along, but single dancers are also very welcome.
Don't be overwhelmed by the number of calls to learn. Some are fairly obvious, such as Partner Trade, while others take a little more practice. They are introduced gradually, with plenty of opportunity for revision each week.
The normal Club level of square dancing includes Basic and Mainstream. Once you have completed these levels, you are considered a Mainstream dancer.
You can then dance at your own Club and visit other Mainstream clubs, dances, festivals and conventions throughout Australia and overseas.
Most dancers are very happy to remain at Mainstream level. However, if you are looking for an additional challenge after gaining plenty of experience, there are higher levels of square dancing, including Plus and Advanced.
These introduce additional calls and concepts and provide another challenge for dancers who want to take their square dancing further.
Come and see what it's really likeThe easiest way to discover whether square dancing is for you is simply to come along and watch — or better still, give it a try.
You may discover that modern square dancing is nothing like you imagined.
Great music. Great exercise. Plenty of laughter. And a wonderful way to make new friends.
visit www.you2candance.com for more details on our fabulous activity.