New Square Dancing:

It’s a hit with the media!

You may have recently seen this new craze on television, in the News or on the radio.

New Square Dancing combines modern lively music, with dance material and steps from traditional square dancing that are the most FUN to dance.

The dress code is smart casual. (Many of the traditional square dancers have taken up New Square Dancing and they tend to wear the traditional dress styles)

One thing unique to square dancing is that the caller makes up the dance as you dance it. You never know what is coming next and part of the fun is dancing as a team to make the dance work. - It makes you think, and like other good sports, gives great mental stimulation.

An evening of square dancing can equal an 8Km walk, burning off the calories without you even realising it.

How I discovered square dancing:

I had done no formal dancing in my teens. When 22 I got brave enough to enrol in Ball Room classes, but I could not get my feet to do something and at the same time, get my arms to do something else, and I looked awkward.

Then I saw an add for New Square Dancing in a health food store. I tried it and found it easy. The dancing is more like walking around and shaking hands. In no time I was automatically moving in time with the caller and the music - I was dancing.

Through square dancing I have gained a great new circle of friends - the sort you can take home to meet mum. Square dancing works with all ages dancing together, so my parents and my children dance with me now. (By the way, as a result of square dancing, now I can also Ball Room dance.)

What do I like most? It is so much fun, we sure laugh a lot as the caller puts us in and out of strange formations. I also like all the weekend dances and social events.

Steve Dean,