Mary Klootwyk
SaddleBrooke Squares Dance Club recently lost its club banner to the Mesa Checkmates Square Dance Club, which resulted in making plans to get it back!
Square dance clubs typically have a banner with their name and a replica of their club logo, which is displayed at each dance. These banners are then used for a “banner raid.” A banner raid is an old square dancing tradition used to promote the visitation of square dancing clubs with each other.
Banner raids are a fun way to visit other square dance clubs. The purpose of the visit is twofold: have fun dancing at another square dance club and then “steal” their banner. This then obligates the club to return to your club at a later date with a group of dancers to retrieve their banner.
A club must have at least one square (eight people) to qualify for a banner raid. The benefits are many—getting to know other dancers, enjoying a variety of square dance callers, increasing dance attendance, but, mainly, having fun!
If you can walk and listen at the same time, you can square dance! We’re a noncompetitive, just-for-fun group. Laughing, dancing with a team of friends, and fixing “the square” when something goes wrong are all part of the fun!
On Nov. 18, 14 SaddleBrooke Square Dance Club members traveled to Mesa, Ariz., to “steal” back their banner. The evening began with a potluck dinner to allow dancers from each club a chance to enjoy supper together and socialize, followed by an evening of lively square dancing along with round dancing. More than 75 dancers danced and twirled the night away! Smiles and laughter could be seen and heard throughout the dance hall all evening.
So, now that SaddleBrooke Squares Dance Club got their banner back, what does this mean? They can expect a group of dancers from the Mesa Checkmates Square Dance Club to attend an upcoming SaddleBrooke Squares dance to steal the banner once again, and the game continues!
For more information about square dancing in SaddleBrooke, visit our website www.saddlebrookesquares.com.