Stephen’s Square Dance Blog

It was a great time. Lots to report, and I’ll work on that over the next week or so.

In the meantime, I got a compliment via email that I wanted to share…

“Thanks for a great dance. We needed a fun time as a club. Everybody is talking about it.”

That was one of the nicest things that anyone has ever said to me. It’s going in my “attaboy file.”

I agree, it was a fun dance… I just wish they weren’t so far away.

Until next time…

Keep dancing!

I’m getting ready to leave for the Callerlab convention in Niagara Falls, NY, but wanted to share one thing before I left.

I’ve been doing some research on square dancing’s history and traditions. To this end, I have found a number of old books and magazines to use as references. One of this year’s goals for me is to start an online “note service” like the ones from yesteryear. My plan is to publish something weekly (short articles) and have longer and more detailed issues every now and again.

Anyway, this is what I found in a booklet dated 1952.

“We are living in an urbanized period in which people are struggling desperately for something real. Life is so individualistic that they try hard to find something to bring to the group satisfaction that they find in their families. (Or once found.)”

60 years later, and this hasn’t changed.

Later, in the same introduction… “What about dancing? It is hardly fair to place this social activity in the same category with anti-social “social dancing.” Unless dancing borrows its forms from its older brother, the two are not in the same class at all.

The spirit of folk games and dances is inclusive (“everybody come”) while the spirit of ballroom dancing is more likely, “just us two.” Special dress is not usually necessary for folk games – but it is in ballroom dancing.

If people do no know how, there is usually friendly instruction in connection with folk games and squares. Nobody seems to care, usually in ballroom dancing. The assumption is that you either know how, or don’t care to. Folk games involve cooperative group activity – ballroom dancing involves individual activity.

Ballroom dancing often eliminates, or sends to the wall as a wallflower, the ungraceful, the unbeautiful, or the poor. Folk games, and squares – in their true spirit – genuinely welcome the ungraceful, those who need social activity. For this reason, church groups and many others who have similar objectives, find them valuable. they do something for people by including them.”

From “…and promenade all” by Helen & Larry Eisenberg. Copyright 1952

In this post 9/11 world, I fear that society, at least in the United States, is becoming increasingly anti-social. For whatever reason, we’re not connecting with our neighbors as we probably should. My hope is that I, as a square dance caller, can help people connect (and reconnect) with one another.

I’ve been asked to serve on Callerlab’s Application Review Committee. (The ARC.) It’s probably not huge news to most of Square Dance Land, but, to me, it’s a pretty big deal.

The formation of the ARC in 1998 was designed to discourage, and (hopefully) eliminate, the misuse of Callerlab call applications and to protect the integrity of the Basic, Mainstream and Plus Programs.

Membership is by invitation only and the size is limited. This means there are only openings if someone leaves the committee and that happens rarely. Sadly, the opening that came about for me to join was the passing of the legendary John Sybalsky.

I was (and am still) honored to be considered and selected.

Here are a couple of interesting facts about the committee that I did not know.

Everyone on the committee is to participate in all discussion and everyone votes on every issue. There are no abstentions. If there is an issue that is outside of my realm of understanding or expertise then I’m to research it and vote.

The understanding is that the majority rules, period. I’ve also signed a form that says that I will abide by and support the decisions of the committee. So, if there is an ARC ruling with which I disagree, I’m to follow the lead of the committee and change how I call.

(What is funny to me is that I wish that we could hold more caller’s feet to the fire and have them follow the rules this way.)

Pretty cool stuff, I think!