Square Dancing changes it’s name to Q-Dance?
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FACT: The general public has an outdated image of square dancing.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?
on 
June 7th, 2009 at 7:35 AM
Actually, I did not write the article, it was a research, and I will go back through the archives and find the author, and forward the information to you.
Kappie Kappenman
July 1st, 2009 at 4:39 PM
Whatever we call it we need to put in a little more dance and a little less Cue!
June 25th, 2010 at 1:20 PM
I think this is a great post. One thing that I find the most helpful is number three. Sometimes when I write, I just let the flow of the words and information come out so much that I loose the purpose. It’s only after editing when I realize what I’ve done. There’s definitely a lot of great tips here I’m going to try to be more aware of.
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