Square dancing fun for all ages

Times Reporter 

 

The term square dancing may evoke the image of white-haired seniors and women dressed in crinolines dancing the night away. While that may have been the case in the past, the Wheatland Whirlers Square Dance club wants you to know that square dancing is open to all ages.

“What I would love to see is families joining, mothers and fathers and their children. The only thing we ask for in children is they have the capability of concentrating for a length of time,” said Pius Sauverwald, President of the Wheatland Whirlers. “For some reason, people have the impression that square dancing is only for old people. It is not; it’s a family activity. The most interesting part about square dancing is the activity, because we’re moving all the time, and the social aspect of it; we develop great friendships amongst ourselves.”

The club practices modern square dancing, which means they also dance to more modern music.

“Old-time dances use maybe 20 different calls, modern use at the recreational level that most people will dance uses 68 calls, but there’s actually over 400,” said Claudia Littlefair, a member of the Wheatland Whirlers. “Old-time you dance usually to live fiddle music, modern you dance to every kind of music there is, even Lady GaGa or classical music, show tunes, country and western, pop rock. Anything that has a really nice beat.”

The dress code is different too, it can be casual, western, or traditional; it’s up to each dancer. Littlefair said square dancing is the opposite of what people’s perception is. When you hear square dancing, you think a barn, fiddle music and crinolines. Yes, there are people dancing that are seniors now, but many of them began square dancing at ages 20 or 30 and they didn’t have grey hair when they started.

“Dave and I, we’ve danced for over 20 years now and if all it was, was old-time square dancing … you would get bored eventually; because with 20 calls, pretty soon you actually memorize the dances, whereas in modern, every dance is different and it depends what the caller decides to do with the calls,” said Littlefair. 

The Wheatland Whirlers meet every Wednesday at Westmount School during the dance season of September to April. Even if you have never square danced before, Littlefair said it shouldn’t let it stop you.

“You don’t have to know how to square dance, we’ll show you how,” said Littlefair. “I think it helps you in three ways; you’re going to meet people, you’re going to have a lot of fun, so it’s like a stress buster almost, and it’s really good physical and mental exercise. They say dancing is one of the few activities that challenges the brain and your body at the same time.” 

On Sept. 24 and Oct.1 there will be two free dancing and dessert evenings. The evenings are for anyone who would like to give square dancing a whirl… no experience necessary. Both sessions will be held at Westmount School from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.