Why Square Dance

This question is usually asked by one friend who does not square dance of one who does. The idea of the one who does not square dance usually comes from the bad experience they had in school or their idea of what square dancing looked like from the movies, with people in wagon trains out on the prairie. Such is not the case with Modern Western Square Dancing.

Let me implant a vision in your mind of today’s square dance environment. Close your eyes…..First a nice clean, air conditioned building. Now listen to a caller (many of whom have college degrees), are successful executives in their business or others with a tremendous amount of musical talent .) All of them are professional entertainers. They are using digitized music recorded in professional sound studios across the world. Now what else do you see in your vision. Think about people dancing in groups of four couples, smiling, forgetting the cares of the day and yes, getting their daily exercise… At a square dance, a person will dance a number of steps that equals about two-three miles. Would you not think that square dancing in cool, air conditioned comfort would beat- jogging out in the hot sun?

See that person laughing, socializing, and successfully executing the commands given by the caller… All of us cannot be football or baseball players but we can act as a group to be successful in this activity and, what is more important than being a part of the team.

Many of us lead very mobile life styles…Square dancing is one recreational activity that is available to us world wide…All of the calls that we dance are standardized across the world and all given in English…Yes, sometimes it may sound a little funny to hear an Asian or European caller giving the commands with their accent but we all seem to be able to understand. In virtually every town you visit there will be a square dance club where you will be instantly befriended and permitted to become part of the group…How many other activities can you think of where you could meet 50-100 people of a new town in a two hour period…Not many!!

And that is why many of us square dance…It is absolute Fun, Fitness, and Friendship set to Music.

Are you interested in learning more about where to dance? It makes no difference where you are, we will try to put you in contact with a local club/caller. Contact: samdunn@samdunn.net