Square Dancing is ... friendship set to music


Local square dancers dancing with friends at the SCVSDA Jubilee in San Jose.

Introduction to Square Dancing

a family-friendly recreation for young and old

 

TRY SQUARE DANCING AT ONE OF THESE INTRO SESSIONS
Mondays 22 & 29 September, in Los Altos: MORE INFO
Wednesdays 7 & 14 February, in San Jose: MORE INFO
Wednesdays 24 January and 7 February, in Oakland: MORE INFO
Wednesday 7 February, in San Rafael: MORE INFO

Square Dancing is ... a variety of music


Dancers dancing to a "square dance rap" at a Bay Area event, May 2017.

Read more to find out:


Square Dancing is ... exercise for the body and mind


Dancers and callers commenting on what square dancing means to them.

What is modern square dancing?

Modern square dancing is a recreation enjoyed by thousands of people all around the world. It has its origins in the traditional dances brought to this continent from Europe by the early settlers, which combined to become an American folk dance, which in turn in the 20th Century became the basis for this modern variation that we dance right here in Silicon Valley today.

Modern square dancing is a unique mix of music with physical and mental exercise. It is a "non-competitive team sport", in which groups of eight people (a "square") cooperate to move according to the instructions ("calls") given by a caller. It's also very much a social activity, a way that people get together regularly with people they know but also meet new people who join the group or visit from other groups.

Although you may sometimes see local square dancers demonstrating square dancing at public events, they aren't "performers". These are just people showing you something they do regularly as a recreation, like a sport or game, for fun.


Square Dancing is ... a local activity


Dancers from many local clubs dancing together at the Santa Clara County Fair.

What sort of people are square dancers?

There are dozens of square dance clubs in the Bay Area, most of which meet on a weekly basis. Most of them welcome singles as well as couples, and many welcome families.

Unlike many other forms of dancing, square dancing is not an individual or couple activity. The unit in square dancing is eight people, so you will be interacting with seven other people at a time. And during an evening, you'll be dancing with different people as the squares re-assemble for each set of music.

In this area you will find square dancers from all walks of life, from almost every national background, as young as five and as old as 90.

And modern square dancing has been standardized worldwide (with the calls always given in English) -- so if you go to Australia or Germany or Japan you'll find a welcome from the square dancers there!


Square Dancing is ... an international activity


"Square Dance Song" produced by square dancers in Sweden.

Who should attend an introduction to square dancing?

Anyone who would like to know more about square dancing!


Square Dancing is ... everything in between


Dancers from all over California gather each year for a state convention.

 

What can I expect from this kind of introduction?

Sessions like these will give you a sample of what square dancing is about. You'll get to dance to a professional square dance caller, with other people who are trying square dancing along with some experienced square dancers who will be there to help.

If you enjoy the intro session, you may want to join a club that is offering a beginner class. Clubs offer classes starting at various times of the year -- several are starting this fall!


Recently Started and Upcoming Classes

Schedule Starting Location Club Web Site Contact
Monday evenings January Los Altos Bows and Beaus bowsandbeaus.org class@bowsandbeaus.org
Wednesday evenings February San Jose Rockin Jokers rockinjokers.com president@rockinjokers.com
Wednesday evenings February Oakland Oaktown 8s oaktown-8s.square.site info@oaktown8s.org
Wednesday evenings February Sebastopol Redwood Rainbows redwoodrainbows.org contact@redwoodrainbows.org

To contact us about these intro sessions and classes, write to: intro@scvsda.org or call 408-774-1570.

For information about other intro sessions elsewhere in the Bay Area and around California visit: http://www.squaredance.org/learn

For More Information