Here’s a little online square dancing game: Hangman.

The only thing that makes it a little bit hard is the fact that all the words are run together…no spaces.

Check out: Old-Time Square Dancing in the 21st Century: Dare to be Square!.

This article has a lot of history and some interesting analysis of current contra dancers, why they dance, and why they don’t like squares.

Here’s an interesting tale from New Orleans in 1804:

The contra-square controversy continued and erupted into a brawl at another public dance later that month. As reported by the New-York Herald on March 10

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, 1804, the dancing began with cotillions [squares], followed by a country dance [contra] for twelve couples. The musicians were instructed to end the contra after all of the couples had been active, but six additional American couples joined the end of the line and demanded that the music continue. In the ensuing ruckus, fiddles got broken, swords were drawn, and dancers were arrested. In an effort to resolve the issue and let the dances continue, the New Orleans City Council stepped in, prohibiting citizens from carrying arms to the dances, assigning policemen to keep order, and legislating a rotation of dances: two “French contredanses[squares],” followed by one “English contredanse [contra]” limited to twelve couples, and then a waltz, to appease those of Spanish descent.

Some comparisons:

I have observed that some of the same characteristics of squares that one dancer dislikes are exactly what another dancer likes. Some dancers like the challenge and variety of figures offered by squares. This, however, does not satisfy those contra dancers who want to get into a “trance” or “the right brain ÔZen’ state that is sometimes possible in contra dancing.” The challenge, sometimes bordering on confusion that these dancers dislike, is enjoyed by others who like the faster pace and spontaneity characteristic of squares.

Some contra dancers object to dancing with only seven other people in a square set, but others enjoy the “great sense of teamwork” and “synergy of eight people working together” in a square. One dancer pointed out that “…you spend enough time with the people in your square to get to know them, unlike a contra where the interaction is fleeting and superficial.”

Speaking of squares and contras, the FolkMADS dance this past Saturday was called by Bill Litchman, an internationally-known traditional square dance caller. He did three squares:

• A goal posting routine (heads pass thru, separate around one, come down the middle and pass thru, split the outside two, separate around one, come down the middle and pass thru, separate around one, into the middle and pass thru, split the outside two and separate around one; swing, etc. This is a pattern that we often use in early MWSD lessons, although it’s not used very frequently at regular MS and Plus dances
• Because, Just Because: A singing call (kind of rare, especially with a band that anyone can sit in on like the Albuquerque MegaBand). I don’t remember the whole figure; what I do remember is that he threw in a change the second time through, which our square totally ignored (fortunately, it didn’t matter; each variation had the same result).
• Forward Six, Fall Back Eight: This dance has a lot of variations, and I left as he was walking it through, but here’s an online description: Forward Six, Fall Back Eight.

Last October, I received an email from Dan Smith; it was basically a press release:

Stained-Glass Windows Celebrate Square Dancing

Dan Smith, a San Francisco artist makes stained-glass windows and loves to square dance. He has pooled these interests to produce a unique and stunning exhibit of stained-glass windows that celebrate people’s experiences at the city’s three lesbian and gay square-dancing clubs.

Using a San Francisco Arts Commission grant, Dan trained 16 dancers from these clubs to make stained-glass windows. None had worked before in stained glass. But under Dan’s artistic guidance, they have produced beautiful results.

Dan explained that people of all sexual orientations, and both sexes, come to gay square-dance clubs. “Same-sex square dancing is inclusive and celebratory,” said Dan.

“Straight women can come without a male escort and feel perfectly at home,” he added. “Both men and women enjoy the release from rigid sex-role stereotyping. Gay men and lesbians experience a sense of community. Above all, everybody has fun, which is the whole point.”

A new web site displays these incredible windows and explains what each one means to its creator. Take a look and see for yourself:

http://www.squaredancingstainedglass.com

for further information

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, please contact Dan Smith at dan at squaredancingstainedglass.com

For some reason, I didn’t check out the website (maybe because I received the email on October 31? I don’t know). All I can say is, don’t wait six months to check it out for yourself.

Here are a couple of images representing square dance calls:

Weave the Ring (Ron Masker):

Teacup Chain (Rojean):

Be sure to read the stories associated with each piece of art; they could be used as a recruiting material for square dancing, and gay square dancing in particular. Here’s a great story about a grandmother’s gay pride experience:

A kind, straight woman from a small town in Wisconsin, the grandmother loved all her grandchildren unconditionally, regardless of their sexual orientation. When my friend’s brother and his partner found out that Grandma was visiting during Pride Weekend, however, they were a little bit afraid that some of the more colorful activities of the event might offend her sensibilities. She expressed an interest in attending the parade though, so my friend’s brother tried to prepare her for what they might encounter.

Always polite and tolerant, Grandma sealed her lips as her eyes boggled at some of the sights of the Pride parade; my friend’s brother began to worry that perhaps she was overwhelmed, but then, groups of men square dancing paraded down the street. Grandma, a square-dance enthusiast for years, clapped her hands in delight to the beat and followed the gay square dancers all the way to the end of the parade. She still talks about the “nice men square dancing” to this day!

And here’s something from Donald “Bullseye” Wescoat. First, Donald composed a song that debuted at the memorial tip at the 1996 convention in San Francisco. The chorus:

We are squares In the circle
Dancing below and above
Weaving an unending story
Squares In the circle of love

And the final part of his writeup on his stained glass:

Square dancing Is my solace – it gives me something to do almost any night of the week – it brings me back to health when I am ill – It puts a smile on my face when I see my dancing friends – it boosts my ego when I remember a difficult move – it warms my heart when I mentor a new dancer as a square dance caller, my credo –

· D delight the dancers

· A advance the art

· N nurture the tradition

· C celebrate the geometry

· E evolve the music

Inside:

What the heck does dosey doe mean?

I’m going through old stuff; a friend sent me this card back in the mid-nineties.

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Probably most of us square dance afficianados think square dancing should be taught in gym classes…as long as the school brings in a “real” caller who can present square dancing in a fun (and semi-modern) way.

But we fail to take into account the cruelty that kids can inflict on other kids. Here’s a tale from a Live Journaler who will never

, ever square dance again: negroplease79: DOSE-E-DOE…BOW TO YOUR PARTNER. A few quotes:

With the exception of kindergarten, I was enormously unpopular for most of my school years…..and square dancing only magnified this.

…

Then came all outright hell…and be prepared, this is going to sound like an episode of Freaks and Geeks, but this is truly what happened: It was now time to dance with your group. Michael and Andre had made fun of me to my face, and then had concocted a plan amongst the boys in the group that I was to go untouched. They were not going to touch my hands whatsoever. Square dancing is pretty much all hand touching and swinging and shit, right? Yeah, right. So, as we are dancing, Mr. Lagger notices that none of the boys are touching me, except for Nehvin, who at this point, is barely touching my hands (out of sympathy, I presume). He gets pissed and stops the music and embarrasses the fuck out of me. The boys tell Mr. Lagger, while telling the whole class… “Rita is ugly and gross, and we didn’t want to dance with her in the first place, you made us! We don’t like her, no one likes her, we can’t help that she is ugly.” Yep.

…

The point to this story….I don’t need sympathy, if that is how this has come off, that was not my intention…my point is square dancing was worthless bullshit that serves no purpose to a young person’s future. It only exemplified just how unpopular my black ass was. And it made elitists out of 13 year olds. Have I square danced since then…hellz naw. Do I have the desire too…fuck no. What was the point of the shit? Really, any takers??? I just don’t see it. I don’t use square dancing to solve life queries. I don’t use square dancing to help me get through Pathology and Pharmacology. Hell, I don’t square dance when I go to the club (not that I’m a clubber), nor does it help me get laid.

Pointless shit….Redneck Soul Train.

This could have happened with almost any kind of dancing in 8th grade PE…but square dancing is what gets foisted on kids, and with its forced social interaction, provides a lot of opportunities for cruelty.

Something to think about…

I think this is great. The 53rd NSDC (Rocky Mountain Round-up) is marketing itself to non-dancers as a family-oriented entertainment option:

The whole family will be entertained by thousands of dancers in swirling, twirling colorful costumes-as they perform square, round, contra, clogging and more! And don’t miss the world famous “Ghost Riders Square Dance Band”, playing nightly in the Denver Coliseum!

And:

Special appearance by our own spokesman “Blackhawk Ben” a fictional Colorado mountain man! Each afternoon watch exhibitions performed by fourteen visiting dance exhibition teams from across the U.S.A., including “The Rocky Mountain Dancers” who will represent the U.S.A. In a worldwide folk dance competition, this summer in the Ukraine. Aerialist dancers at their flying best!

And:

LEARN TO DANCE CONTRA

The community dance hall will be open Friday and Saturday evenings from 7pm – 10pm, featuring a program of easy dances designed to give the visitor a taste of dancing!

I don’t know how they’re actually doing the publicity

, but you can see the flyer here: Public Invitation

So like we drove for six hours and there were cute boys and we like went shopping…

Here’s an entry from nymcrythil: Silver State:

Silver State
Silver State was lots of fun. Much more than Cal Expo. *laughs* I can’t imagine why. Silly Richard. Anyway

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, I’m just doing the Cliff’s Notes in this post. I’ll do the longer for me one later.

We left Friday at lunch and there was… country music for like… six hours. *laughs* Actually, it isn’t all that bad except the twangy stuff. Twang is a bad sound. Some of it is actually good, though. Anyway, I was in the back with Alix while Danielle watched a movie. Alix was listening to music on her headphones so I mostly just… slept. *laughs* But it was fun. Non-sexual friend-style cuddling. Cuz we’re sooooo capable of the other kind.

Umm… Friday night… I don’t think anything significant happened. Oh! The bouncy trouncy flouncy pouncy funfunfunfunfun thing where I skipped like a rock and rolled when I fell happened. And freakishly hot teen guy… actually, he might have been like 20. Whatever, anyway he came by and thought Alix and I were drunk, and Alix tried to tell him we weren’t and was all “If I were drunk I couldn’t walk in these heels” and then she… totally tripped. Way to tell him, Alix *laughs*

Tim has no food. Like literally. There is Easy Mac and instant soup and cereal. Oh, and eggs and string cheese. A lot of soda. That is it. It made me sad. I wanted to cook something.

Saturday had square dancing and was bouncy and fun. I went shopping with Alix in an awesome shop. She only got like a skirt but there were majorly cool clothes. Ummmm… Oh, I went home early to Tim’s and hung out with Emma and Crystal and Jessica. Twas funish. Aaaandd.. that’s all for Saturday in this version.

Sunday was… not the best for dancing. It was kind of more laid back. No big finale. Less crowded, though, and there were wandering squares. Oh yeah. *laughs*

We do a lot of hugging in square dancing. At straight dances, at the beginning of a tip, the guys go around and get hugs from all the women

, including any women dancing the boy’s part. The caller can call a “yellow rock” at any time; normally it means “hug your corner” but it’s basically come to mean “hug whoever the caller tells you to hug”.

In gay clubs, sometimes callers use “stack the wood” instead of “yellow rock”. Also, a west coast tradition (started, I think, in Southern California) has been spreading through the IAGSDC; it involves hugging everybody in the square at the end of every tip. Some people don’t like this; others really get into it. Recently, we’ve been having a discussion on the lgcwsd mailing list about a fairly new tip-ending ritual, imported from Europe, of pointing a finger into the square, saying “thank you” and leaving it at that (no hugs (gay) or handshakes (straight). This has led to a re-hashing of the hugs-no hugs issue.

At any rate, hugging as been on my mind, so this article from the New York Times caught my eye (you may need to register to read it): Inviting the Public’s Embrace, One by One

He is a financial analyst who happens to think that New Yorkers could use a hug. So it was, a month ago, that Mr. Littman began distributing hugs – free – from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village.