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Square dancers bring fun, color to annual Band City celebration Square dancers bring fun, color to annual Band City celebration By Kevin Dowler Times Herald Staff writer It could be a performance by the latest rap music band. There’s a guy on a stage with a record player nearby and a microphone in his hand. And he’s calling out lines like, ‘do the slam dunk, move up one notch, go two by two and girls do a U-turn back.’ But then again, it might just be square dancing. Listening closer to the voice above the amplified 45 rpm record, and hearing calls like promenade, allemande left and dos a dos, the situation becomes more clear. It is square dancing. This weekend at the Heritage Inn, about 145 square and round dancers from across Saskatchewan are meeting for the 18th annual Band City Square and Round Dance Weekend. The chants are an example of square dancing patter calling. Estevan dancer Sharon Fichter says patter calling is when a caller chants out dance moves on his own whim, mixing the dancer’s repertoire while trying’ to make the moves work smoothly together. Round dancing refers to waltzes, two steps and polkas in huge circles. Some of Friday night’s calls were even foreign to Fitchter, a 22 year square dance veteran. “You’re never an expert at this. You’re always learning new steps,” she said. The challenge of new steps and trying to keep up with the caller is only one of the attractions of square dancing. “Square dancers are the nicest people you ’11 ever meet,” said Joy Glassman of Estevan. Others on the dance floor obviously agreed. Even more prominent on the crowded dance floor than string neck ties and flaring crinoline skirts were smiles and laughter. Everyone was having a ball. A big appeal to square dancing is being able to go anywhere in the world and meet dancers. “It’s a great social activity,” said Fichter. “You can go to any strange place and fit right in with a new group of square dancers.” “You’re never alone when you are a square dancer,” says Shirley Waldenburg, a Moose Jaw square dancer. Once the basic square dance skills have been mastered, a square dancer can go anywhere and be sure to fall in with a crowd of friendly people doing the same kind of dances. “Even in Japan they have square dance clubs. They do the same dances and even call out the moves in English even though they don’t know how to speak it,” Waldenburg said. “Square dancers are just like one big family.” Today, square dancers will learn new steps and attend workshops. “There’s no competition in this. Everything is for fun,” Waldenburg said. Calling the moves this weekend are Ken and Joyce Lee for square dances, and Bill and Pearl Bowley for round dances. |
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