Mary Klootwyk
Dancers from the SaddleBrooke Squares dance club celebrated the end of 2025 by attending the 33nd Annual New Year’s Eve Square Dance in Green Valley, Ariz., on Dec. 31. The event was sponsored by the Green Valley Square and Round Dance Club, which was formed in 1965.
Dancers covered a wide range of experiences, from longtime square dancers to brand-new dancers, enjoying a selection of Mainstream and Plus square dancing, along with round dancing. Also available during the festivities were tables full of delicious sandwiches, appetizers, desserts, candy, punch, coffee … the list goes on!
The caller, Dee Dee Dougherty from Minnesota, is a national and international caller who has been calling and teaching square dancing for over 30 years. The square dancers appreciated Dee Dee for her engaging calling style and her ability to create a fun atmosphere during the dance as she called out instructions in time with the music, keeping everyone from newcomers to old pros moving. Lynn Van Atta from Green Valley called smooth rounds. You may be asking yourself, “What is the difference between square dancing and round dancing?” Square dancers tend to retain the “whoop and holler” spirit of dancing, while round dancers tend to dance with greater precision and, thus, help to improve the overall smoothness experienced by all in the intertwining square dance movements.
What is a simple definition of square dancing? There are eight people in a “square,” which is broken down to two persons on each side of the square. A caller instructs, or “calls,” the moves for the dancers to make following the beat of a song with the objective of making sure that when the song ends, the dancers are in the same square position in which they started. Square dancing is performed to any music having a steady count of four beats. If you can count to four, you can square dance! If you can walk, you can square dance! You can even have “two left feet”!
All attendees enjoyed the end of the current year and the anticipatory feelings of the new one coming. The dancers loved this festive night of dancing, laughing, visiting, eating, and especially being with friends!
Make a New Year’s resolution—learn to square dance! Meet new friends and have fun with moderate exercise. Partners are not required. Couples and singles are welcome. Dress is casual. No dance experience is required. See www.saddlebrookesquares.com for lesson information.