Mary Klootwyk
Today’s square dancing is a far cry from the simple, repetitive steps used decades ago in grade school P.E. classes. It’s lively, friendly, fun, and provides both physical exercise and mental stimulation in a drug- and alcohol-free environment. Gone are the fiddlers and live bands, replaced by sophisticated sound systems and recorded music. The barns and fields have given way to modern, air-conditioned halls, with larger dances being held in hotel ballrooms, major municipal convention centers, churches, social halls, and even in school gyms. Local square dances are held weekly in various cities, along with special weekend dances, and a “national” festival is held in a different city each June, which attracts thousands of dancers!
Twenty SaddleBrooke Squares Club members, along with more than 175 dancers from teens to dancers in their 80s, participated in just such a weekend event on Jan. 17-19 at the Casino Del Sol Resort and Convention Center. As the first notes of the irresistible, toe-tapping music sounded, the large ballroom floor quickly filled with brightly costumed couples in traditional square dance attire, along with many couples in jeans and western shirts, ready to twirl and promenade through a weekend of square dancing. The mood was especially festive and friendly, with two exceptional national square dance callers, as well as local Tucson area callers, creating choreography on the spot, as well as holding dance workshops to teach new calls. By the end of the festival, dancers connected with old friends and had made new friends. And, as we say, “Square dancing is friendship set to music!”
To find out how you can join in this wonderful activity, check out our website at www.saddlebrookesquares.com for more information.