Trade in the dancing shoes for a pair of boots and grab a partner for an upcoming Round and Square Dance aimed at teaching and entertaining beginners and experts alike.
Marilyn Mann, who helped organized the event for the Southern Cayuga Central School's Saddle Club, said inexperienced dancers will get a chance to learn the calls and their corresponding moves before stepping onto the dance floor alongside more seasoned veterans.
“We will demonstrate the steps and help them to learn them before we dance,” Mann said. “The more experienced dancers will help them learn the calls and put them into action. Once people start doing the calls, it becomes easier.”
Donna Minnoe, who will be a caller at the dance, said people are broken down into couples, with four couples making up a set, which is also called a square.
When Minnoe makes a call, the first couple is supposed to execute the move, then the second, followed by the third and the fourth couples. For the next call, the second couple will go first, followed by the others in chronological order, with the first couple going last.
Minnoe said she usually uses old country music songs such as “Duck for the Oyster,” which usually have a predetermined dance.
While square dancing can appear overwhelming to people who do not know the music or the steps, Minnoe said it's easy to learn and the event will also include modern dancing and music.
“It's not all square dancing; there will be waltzing, country dancing and faster dancing,” Minnoe said. “There will be about three square dances per hour; the rest will be other dancing. This will be a good way for people who don't know what square dancing is to come out, learn it and do it.”
In addition to learning a new dance, participants will be helping to support the saddle club, which provides educational resources to students looking to learn about horses. The group brings in experts and veterinarians and helps fund trail-riding events for children.
While square dancing is not as prominent as it once was, Mann said the renovated pavilion in which the event will take place was once a popular dance and roller skating site.
With a fewer communities still preserving traditional square dancing, the event will be a way to pass the skill on to the next generation while bringing the community together, Mann said.
“It was a common thing to do on our Saturday nights back in the '50s,” she said of square dancing. “It's just a way for the community to come together; it's just an old-fashioned community event. People come, they laugh and they have a great time. Some communities still do it and we are trying to bring it back into ours.”
Nate Robson
253-5311 ext. 248
nathan.robson@lee.net
“We will demonstrate the steps and help them to learn them before we dance,” Mann said. “The more experienced dancers will help them learn the calls and put them into action. Once people start doing the calls, it becomes easier.”
Donna Minnoe, who will be a caller at the dance, said people are broken down into couples, with four couples making up a set, which is also called a square.
When Minnoe makes a call, the first couple is supposed to execute the move, then the second, followed by the third and the fourth couples. For the next call, the second couple will go first, followed by the others in chronological order, with the first couple going last.
Minnoe said she usually uses old country music songs such as “Duck for the Oyster,” which usually have a predetermined dance.
While square dancing can appear overwhelming to people who do not know the music or the steps, Minnoe said it's easy to learn and the event will also include modern dancing and music.
“It's not all square dancing; there will be waltzing, country dancing and faster dancing,” Minnoe said. “There will be about three square dances per hour; the rest will be other dancing. This will be a good way for people who don't know what square dancing is to come out, learn it and do it.”
In addition to learning a new dance, participants will be helping to support the saddle club, which provides educational resources to students looking to learn about horses. The group brings in experts and veterinarians and helps fund trail-riding events for children.
While square dancing is not as prominent as it once was, Mann said the renovated pavilion in which the event will take place was once a popular dance and roller skating site.
With a fewer communities still preserving traditional square dancing, the event will be a way to pass the skill on to the next generation while bringing the community together, Mann said.
“It was a common thing to do on our Saturday nights back in the '50s,” she said of square dancing. “It's just a way for the community to come together; it's just an old-fashioned community event. People come, they laugh and they have a great time. Some communities still do it and we are trying to bring it back into ours.”
Nate Robson
253-5311 ext. 248
nathan.robson@lee.net
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