Rancheros and SaddleBrooke Squares enjoy costumes and dancing on Halloween.
Ranchero Rebecca Williams in Halloween vest flanked by Ted and Ruthie Thoren dressed as a sultan and his lady.
Rebecca Williams
The Rancheros Square Dance Club joined sister club SaddleBrooke Squares at a Halloween dance on Oct. 31, at the Resurrection Lutheran Church activity hall (so the clubs could bring in finger food and desserts in abundance). Three callers—club caller Dean Singleton as well as guest callers Rick Gittelman and Scot Byars—called a fun and entertaining square dance when Dean showed up in costume. There was also a form of cued ballroom dance called round dance which many couples enjoyed.
Square dancing is great exercise, both mental and physical. A recent article in the AARP Bulletin stated that if you can do only one thing for brain health, you should be dancing. It combines physical, mental, and social skills. With square dancing you are actually working with eight people in a square to execute the calls. It is a bit like doing a puzzle and the caller works to achieve interesting patterns and ultimately to get the dancers back to their home position in a way that is both intricate and fun.
The Rancheros will be offering Beginning Square Dance lessons starting in January. On Sunday, Jan. 5, at 7 p.m. they will help to hold “Give Us a Whirl” with their sister club, SaddleBrooke Squares. The event will be in the MountainView Ballroom of SaddleBrooke. Anyone who is interested can come and try out square dancing for free. If you can walk, you can square dance. No long sequences to memorize as the caller is letting you know what calls or moves to do to the music.
On Sunday, Jan. 12, the beginning square dancing lessons will start at 7 p.m. in the MountainView Ballroom. The Rancheros and SaddleBrooke Squares work together with the caller to help the students learn the calls, offer two additional opportunities for practice during the week, online videos for easy review, and experienced dancers to help new people learn more quickly. There is a lot of support from both clubs for anyone wanting to learn this fun activity.
If you would like to attend “Give Us a Whirl,” contact Rebecca Williams at [email protected] or look at the Rancheros Square Dance Club website link on the SBR HOA website under “Things to do,” “Clubs,” then “Dance, Music, and Theater.”