Diploma time
Bob White
The entire membership of the SaddleBrooke Squares congratulates these folks from the Ranch, HOA One and HOA2 as well as guest students. The students making it all the way through the 15 lessons of Main Stream and nine lessons of Plus dancing include Rich and Donna Bauman, Tom and Marilyn Baker, John and Sheilia Bray and Donna Woods.
You could ask, “What makes square dancing so special besides bringing back those memories of the good ole days when square dance lessons went along with reading and writing and arithmetic?” Well, here is a possible answer.
Square Dancing: It’s a way to empty your brain of clutter, problems, every day ho-hums and then to focus. Focus on the calls being called by the caller, the music, the steps and yes, your partner and your corner. Fast/slow listen to the beat, keep time with your feet. Then suddenly one day magic happens: muscle memory takes over and the call comes in and almost without thinking you are doing the dance being called. It is a great feeling, and the other seven folks in your square say, “Now he’s got it.” “Load the Boat,” “All Eight Spin The Top,” Spin Through and Exchange the Gears.” It is as natural as playing the piano when you read a note and without thinking the correct piano key is stroked or you are key punching and the little finger hits the “A” without even letting the conscious part of the brain know what it just did. BUT don’t get too excited because suddenly “circle left” is called, and half the folks go left but the other half go right. When the laughter and the kidding are over, an “air raid” is called and everyone gets in their original position and back into dancing again.
But the learning is never over and that is why the club offers “work shops,”(I think of them more as “fun shops”) where the caller helps dancers new and long-time review their steps and moves to keep up their proficiency and the exercise of muscle and brain. Our caller, Larry Kraber, will keep these shops going during the summer at the MountainView Ballroom, Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. as well as club dances on Thursday evening in the MountainView Ballroom at 7:00 p.m. Lessons will start up again in October with a demonstration dance called “Give Us A Whirl” followed by two nights of free lessons for those who really think that this is for sure a fun thing to do.
Want more information? Go the club website, www.saddlebrookesquares.com, or give the club president, Bob White, a call at 520-818-9482 or email at [email protected].