Left to right: Carla Marquardt, Debbie Trapp, Kim Denny, Dann Denny, Susan Irons, and Steve Irons
Rebecca Williams
Five members of the Rancheros Square Dance Club have graduated from 14 weeks of lessons this spring and will now be able to participate in dances at their respective level every week all summer long. Carla Marquardt and Debbie Trapp graduated at the Mainstream level, Kim Denny who is now “ambidancetrious,” in that she has now learned to dance either the girl’s or the boy’s side at the higher PLUS level, her husband Dann who dances at the PLUS level, and Steve and Susan Irons, who graduated at the PLUS level. Steve and Susan graduated from the Mainstream level this past fall. Kim and Dann Denny have been dancing for several years, having learned in Indiana prior to moving to the Ranch. Carla Marquardt and Debbie Trapp just started this new fun activity this year.
The Rancheros dance with their sister club, the SaddleBrooke Squares. The clubs have a live caller who teaches the lessons on Thursday evenings and calls the dances on Sunday evenings. While lessons are now finished until the fall, dances will continue Sunday evenings with the Mainstream level being called from 6 to 6:45 p.m. and the PLUS level from 6:45 to 9 p.m. The majority of the dances are held in the MountainView Ballroom at SaddleBrooke, but the clubs have also danced here in the Sol Ballroom from time to time. Guests are always welcome to come and watch. Of course, if you already know how to square dance, we would love to have you join us.
Lessons will start again in the fall. The club caller teaches the lessons every Thursday evening, and then students can practice what they learned at the dance every Sunday. The club arranges opportunities to catch up if someone needs to miss a lesson. Many club members come to help with the lessons, serving as “angels” who fill in the squares, providing experienced hands to help assure students are successful in learning the various calls.
Square dancing is a fun activity and provides physical activity, mental stimulation, and social camaraderie. Club members have enjoyed a game of bocce ball, music at the Gaslight, and other social events, in addition to dancing. If you can walk, you can square dance. Once you learn the calls you can square dance anywhere, all around the world, as the calls are the same everywhere. Club members have danced not only here, but also all over the United States, in Europe, and in Japan.
If you would like more information on square dancing, look at the Rancheros website on the HOA clubs site or contact Rebecca Williams at [email protected]. We’d love to have you join the fun!