New Dancer Information
Welcome to Square Dancing
Square dancing is an exciting activity that combines exercise, team interaction, and concentration into a fun and social dance activity. It’s not very hard and it does not require a lot of coordination like other dance programs. If you can walk you can square dance.
Square dancing is done with 4 couples (8 people) arranged in so they are facing each other in a box formation. A person, known as a Caller, will start the music and then tell all or some the dancers to perform simple dance moves. The objective is to move all the dancers around the square so that they dance with each other and then return to their original partner and then walk back to their original starting position in time with the music.
Square dance moves in general are simple, circle left/right, arm turns left/ right. As you learn more these simple moves combine to create more interesting short sequences of moves. The beginning dancer will learn about 50 moves in 12 or so weeks.
Where can I dance
Square dancing is an international activity. There are clubs around the world as well a curses and travel programs. Most people start at a local club or recreational center. Then, as they get comfortable with dancing, they look for festivals around the state or around the nation. Festivals can have hundreds of dancers and national conventions can have thousands of dancers.
What does a dance look like
Dances are normally held at halls or community centers. You enter sign in and pay a nominal amount to dance. People come in all types of dress from casual to western wear. There is no “dress code”. It is recommended that you wear closed toe shoes with a sole that will slide easily (but not slip) on the floor.
The Caller will put on some music and call for people to “square up” which means make square of 4 couples. Once everyone is on the floor the dance will start.
Dances are divided into “Tips” of about 12 to15 minutes. At the end of the Tip the dancers thank the dancers in their square and rest and socialize with each. There are between 3 to 4 Tips per hour of dancing as a general rule.
What will I learn in the first class
Beginning square dance moves are easy. Many of the moves are intuitive based on the name. In the first class we will cover about 10 moves.
Square dancing is an exciting activity that combines exercise, team interaction, and concentration into a fun and social dance activity. It’s not very hard and it does not require a lot of coordination like other dance programs. If you can walk you can square dance.
Square dancing is done with 4 couples (8 people) arranged in so they are facing each other in a box formation. A person, known as a Caller, will start the music and then tell all or some the dancers to perform simple dance moves. The objective is to move all the dancers around the square so that they dance with each other and then return to their original partner and then walk back to their original starting position in time with the music.
Square dance moves in general are simple, circle left/right, arm turns left/ right. As you learn more these simple moves combine to create more interesting short sequences of moves. The beginning dancer will learn about 50 moves in 12 or so weeks.
Where can I dance
Square dancing is an international activity. There are clubs around the world as well a curses and travel programs. Most people start at a local club or recreational center. Then, as they get comfortable with dancing, they look for festivals around the state or around the nation. Festivals can have hundreds of dancers and national conventions can have thousands of dancers.
What does a dance look like
Dances are normally held at halls or community centers. You enter sign in and pay a nominal amount to dance. People come in all types of dress from casual to western wear. There is no “dress code”. It is recommended that you wear closed toe shoes with a sole that will slide easily (but not slip) on the floor.
The Caller will put on some music and call for people to “square up” which means make square of 4 couples. Once everyone is on the floor the dance will start.
Dances are divided into “Tips” of about 12 to15 minutes. At the end of the Tip the dancers thank the dancers in their square and rest and socialize with each. There are between 3 to 4 Tips per hour of dancing as a general rule.
What will I learn in the first class
Beginning square dance moves are easy. Many of the moves are intuitive based on the name. In the first class we will cover about 10 moves.
- Circle Left and Right
- Dancers move forward and back
- Dosado
- Promenade
- Allemand Left
- Ladies Chain
- Right and left Grand
- Right and Left-hand Stars
- Pass thru
- Wheel Around
