Dancing all around, but in a square

Bob White

Those restless square dance circles seem to just have to keep on rolling. On the last Wednesday of November, sixteen SaddleBrooke Squares dancers headed on down Oracle Road to Ranch Vistoso and then on over to the Oro Valley Sun City (OVSC) auditorium for a square dance. It was sort of a special night, as the Sundancers (the square dance club at OVSC) were helping their caller, Rick Gittelman, celebrate his 60th birthday. When the word went out that there would be free root beer floats, we were on the road.

Sixteen dancers are just right for two squares, and with the Sundancers, we had a good fun group for the birthday celebration. Adding to the ambience was the fact that the dance hall was decorated with five Christmas trees and colorful lights, along with the dancers’ bright western skirts and shirts. We consider the Sundancers a sister club and we support each other’s special events. A few of the Sundancers are known to show up now and again as our guests at our home dance floor in SaddleBrooke.

This road trip was just the start of what was a very busy dance month in Southern Arizona. There were dances in the big Tucson dance hall on Delano Avenue, special dances for the season at various venues such as the Sonoran Stables in way south Tucson and the dances with guest callers at the club in Green Valley. Our members find that they can get their fill of square dancing just by driving on down the road and joining in with the various clubs.

Back to Rick’s birthday, which has been dubbed a birthday bash — he celebrated with a free-for-all dance at the Square and Round Dance Association of Southern Arizona (SARDASA) dance hall at 693 Delano Avenue. Free food, two free hours of square dancing and just a good social time with lots of folks with the same interest – getting on the floor and dancing the evening away.

So there it is; here’s hoping you had a great holiday season. We hope to see you soon around the Square. Check out our website at www.saddlebrookesquares.com, or give me a call: Bob White at 520-818-9482.

Most of our dances are at the Mountain View ballroom on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Come by and watch us dance; you can join the dance if you are a Plus dancer or if you are interested in learning. Lessons will start up again in October 2018. It is fun and it is easy…hey, three years ago, I didn’t know a “circle left” from a “Grand Right and Left,” but now I do know (and a whole lot more).