If you’re going to be in the Rochester, MN area on June 13, 2009 here’s your chance to try modern square dancing.  During the Minnesota State Square Dance Convention Dick Rueter will be offering a little introduction to the fun, fitness and friendship that is square dancing.  Here’s a link to the flyer: FLYER.  I hope to see you there.

Brian

I know it’s been awhile since I wrote.  I got some help from Mike Driscoll and a few friends, Don & Jane, Bob and JoAnne, Elaine & Gene and Karen & Jim.  I cleaned out my garage and got to pratice calling some patter.  For non-dancers out there.  Patter calling is using any and all of a square dance level’s program to get the dancers from their home position through a series of calls to get them back to their home position.

Thanks to the my friends, I was able to pratice the patter side of calling.  No one walked out and except for one couple who has a previous commentent, they will be back next Tuesday to help me again.  This week I have to write some modules that will make things easier.

Till next time,

Brian

I am going to ask two things of you.  First is to read the post just under this or you can click here and be taken to the link. The second thing is to answer a couple of questions by posting a reply.  I am going to give you the questions first and then explain why I would like some feed back.

Question One: What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the term “Square Dancing”

Question Two: What would it take to get you to show up at Square Dance

OK, now that I have asked the questions here’s why I asked them in the first place.  I have been square dancing for 22 years now.  Like most guys, I got dragged to it under protest and then discovered the fun that it is.  I don’t even consider it exercise although at a typical square dance you will walk three to five miles. 

Anyway, for as long as I have been dancing the powers that be have tried everything under the sun, including a study that they paid for, to find out what people think of square dancing and to try to find out how to attract more people to the sport.  I myself can sum it up in three words (that have been used before to describe square dancing).  Fun, Fitness and Friendship.

What I am asking in this post is that you answer the questions that I started this post with.  There are about 200 or so people that follow me on Twitter.  And if the will RT this post then hopefully I will get some feed back as to what non-dancers think of this thing I love.  Thanks for your time and if you need some reasons to try Square Dancing click HERE

Note from Brian: This article was written byKappie Kappenman and was published in April 1973 in American Square DanceMagazine.  I would like to thank Kappie and Randy Boyd (the editor of American Square Dance) for their permission to publish it.

Please sit down comfortable in an easy chair before you read this.  Think carefully as you read it-don’t form an immediate opinion based on your first reaction to it, which will probably be a negative one.   Remember that modern tastes, fashions, technology and life styles are changing more rapidly than at any time in recorded history.  Think as a progressive P.R. man or Madison Avenue IMAGE MAKER would think.  Pretend you’re in a “Brainstorming” session where no idea is squelched no matter how “way out” it seems at first glance.  Think ten to twenty years ahead, not in retrospect.  Now read on, if the idea still strikes you as preposterous, just write it off as another April Fools spoof.  But some day-let’s say in 10-20 years-if it turns into reality-remember friends, you saw it FIRST in American Square Dance!

FACT: The general public has an outdated image of square dancing.

FACT: A new image could be could be created by an entirely new name.

CONCLUSION: Why not change the name from square dance to Q-Dance.  A modern for a modern activity.  A revolutionary idea.  Do we need it?  Do we dare adopt it?

TAKE A LOOK AT THE ADVANTAGES THE NEW NAME OFFERS:

Q-DANCE: (cue-dance)

RETAINS Q from sQuare (retains much of the tradional).

IMPLIES that dancers are “cued” or “promted” through dance movements, which is an adequate description of what actually happens.

GIVES us a shorter name designed for instant recognition (when word gets around).

IS completly divorced from old stigmas and erroneous images.

COULD imply that ROUNDS are part of the Q-Dance picture also.  Since Rounds are truly CUED DANCES done as an integral part of the Q-Dance program In this way these two related forms are drawn together as one.

COULD generate considerable amounts of publicity (the name change itself), in the public media…. “New dance?” “What is it?”  “Let’s go and see”  etc.

IS as different as the 20th century is from the 19th and implies that there has been a chnge in the activity.  We know our music is modern, our choreography is extensive, our callers are not just “hayseed” characters and the dancers need LESSONS not JUGS!  A new name might assist us to say to the world “We’re Different- just as Rock and Roll is different from the Lindy Hop”

COULD enable us to gain new recruits simply beacuse of the need for them to ask quesions when the new Q-Dance courses are announced.

MIGHT particcularly appeal to young people in this fast-moving “faddist” generation where catchy new names are common.  How would you like to see thousands of teens and young adults suddenly adopt Q-Dancing, when they wouldn’t touch “Square Dancing” with a ten-foot pole?

I am getting used to the mic.  have this habit of turning my head and leaving the mic pointed straight ahead.  They tell me that will come in time to keep the mic up close to my mouth.  I think there will be a head set in the future. 

Anyway, I got to call “Next Door to Alice” on Friday night with Mike Driscoll.  Thanks Mike!  I now have two singing calls that I can do fairly well.  Now I have to start tackling the Patter.

See you later,

Brian

On February 10, 2009 at the LMCC studios, there were a group got together to tape show 128 of Friendship Set to Music.  This show was devoted to Square Dance ABC.  The caller is Dick Rueter and among the dancers were people who had never danced before.  Here is a link to a 4 minute clip on You Tube.  If you want a copy of the entire show then please let me know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ijEiqNZGoU

Enjoy,

Brian

Here are the top 15 Reasons to try Square Dancing!

Thanks to the County Line Square Dance Club.

•Single? Come and meet new people.

•Are you dating? Come and see if your future mate can follow directions.

•Newly married? It’s a cheap date but lots of fun.

•Busy family life? You owe it to your spouse to take time for each 
other.

•Bored? Couch potato? Get up and move.  The exercise is great!

•Shy? Don’t worry, he/she’ll hug you when they call “yellow rock.”

•Lonely? Get lots of attention with seven other people in the square 
helping you have fun.

•Not coordinated? If you can walk, you can square dance.  Like any 
new activity, you get
better with practice.

•Newly retired? Here’s an opportunity to stay active with a new hobby 
and new friends of all ages.

•Older retired? Here’s a fun way to exercise your body and your 
mind.  Would you believe that square dancers live longer? You bet 
they do!

•Travelers? Square dancing is really big in retirement communities 
all over the south. Square dancing is called in English around the 
world. It’s a fast way to meet new people.

•Home schoolers? Square dancing can take care of your physical 
education credit.  Children should be able to follow directions.  It 
is particularly good for junior-high school and up.

•Empty nesters? Now is the time to find a hobby to do with your 
spouse. Go square dancing.

•Guys – The caller tells you what to do. You don’t need to know 
anything about square dancing when you come to the first dance. Just 
come prepared to have a good time!

•Gals – The caller tells you what to do too. It’s easy; it’s fun!

Dances for beginners are every week, fall through spring.  Cost is 
minimal. Get the list of places and times.  Many dances run through 
the community education departments.

Each week is a party with new friends.

After dancing for 20+ years.  I have decided to become a caller.  I have set a goal of one year to learn the art of becoming a square dance caller.  I am getting a ton of support from Debbie, my wife and from one of the callers that I have been keeping up his web site.  I even know two singing calls now, Mama Tried and Next Door to Alice.  I will keep this part of the blog and let you all know how things are going.

Brian

I have not done one of these in a while, I’ve been too busy Twittering (lol)

Can you “Trade By” at a car dealership?

See you later,

Brian

How about: “Fun, Friendship & Fitness-Square Dancing”?

So If you’re going to make up a bunch of t-shirts with this on just remember where you got it.

Brian