[Squaredancing] Square Dancing at Schools and promoting Teen Clubs

Sat Apr 22 10:23:48 EDT 2006

R. S. Matthews:

I read your message with great interest, as anything that can be done to introduce teen dancing is an important undertaking.  I myself began dancing as a pre-teen and danced with teen clubs and have continued my involvement with the activity now for more than 50 years.

Currently there is a new program to teach square dancing in schools that has proven to be very successful.  The California Square Dance Council Youth Advisory Committee, with the assistance of a $1,000 grant from the ARTS-Dance Foundation (Alliance of Round, Traditional and Square-Dance, Inc.) has developed a program entitled "Square Dancing 101."  This package contains four CDs with "up beat music" that the kids of today can relate to, complete with recorded instructions for introductory level instruction.  In addition the binders come complete with written instructions, photos and lesson plans that the school teachers can utilize to indoctrinate their students with, what we considers to be true "Modern American Square Dancing" rather than the stereotyped version that most of us were subjected to when we went to school. 

Square Dance 101 - A Teacher's Guide to Teaching Square Dancing," focused on the ease of teaching square dancing in the classroom, and showcased a wide selection of hip music sure to entice youth to participate. The teachers who, even if they currently offered square dancing as part of their curriculum, were eager to find music more in tune with what the kids are listening to today enthusiastically embraced the "new" music.

This Square Dance 101 program book sells for $49 plus shipping of $10.00 and is available through 

Send orders or inquiries to: Kwik Link/Square Dance 101- c/o 479 Leoni Drive, Grover Beach, CA 93433 - Attn: David & Susan Cleek - (888) 504-5465 / email: SD at rvh2o.com; www.squaredance.org 

I have also taken the liberty to attached the order form to this message.

This program has been introduced to school instructors at the 2005 and 2006 California Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance where teachers purchased this program and are using it in their curriculum here in California.

Best of luck with your endeavors and please keep us posted as to your progress.

Jim Maczko - Chairman of the Governing Board
ALLIANCE OF ROUND, TRADITIONAL AND SQUARE-DANCE, INC.
Post Office Box 712918
San Diego, California  92171-2918

619-295-2635

jmaczko at san.rr.com
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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: M0220sr at aol.com 
  To: Squaredancing at rbnsn.com 
  Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2006 6:36 AM
  Subject: [Squaredancing] Square Dancing at Schools and promoting Teen Clubs

  Group:

  In the middle 80s for about five years I was the club caller for a teen square dance club in southern Louisiana. If any of you have done likewise you know it can be a challenging yet rewarding experience.  

  I remember all the fun things the teen club did in the past but I also remember all the troubles involved when kids didn't always get along and tempers flared.  Thankfully the good times overweighed the bad.  

  Teen clubs in our area sometimes had a bad reputation in that "they are too rowdy with all the kicks and twirls and yelling they do. "  "They hurt my ears. " "I almost fell last time when a teen tried to twirl me."   I put a limit on all the kicks and crazy "fun" things they did in a square only if we visited an adult club.  At the club they danced their way on regular open tips but  listened and were attentive when we did workshops and saved the "wild things" for after the workshop.  A lot of my teens frequently followed me when I called at other clubs.  All I stated was that if any of them were in a mixed adult-teen square, they were to dance in a "normal" way, no kicking steps, lavish twirls, etc.  The other rule was that they were to be polite and treat all adults with respect.  In their own squares, away from the adult squares so as  not to interfere, they could do what they wanted.  They abided by that and the reputation for our club and the other teen club in the area changed in that the people in the adult clubs didn't cringe or have scowls on their faces when teens walked through their door.  

  The ultimate achievement for that teen club was when they danced at the New Orleans' World's Fair in 1984.  We had so much fun!  All the kick steps, twirls, yelling and whooping, etc. brought the spectators from far away to find out what all the noise was about! :)  It was a great day for promoting square dancing and those kids certainly did their part.  

  I have been contacted by a teacher at a junior high school about doing something with square dancing at the school.  What she is mainly looking for is a regular club to come in and give her music students a demonstration of square dancing.  That would not be a problem as the club we dance with frequently does demos for nursing homes, etc.  I could handle both the calling and cueing a round or two for the demo.

  But I also see this as a possible opportunity to return teen dancing to our area.  We used to have two teen clubs in our area but all of them are gone now.

  What I am requesting is a response to this group email (and a copy to my personal address---m0220sr at aol.com) giving information about promoting teen square and/or round dancing in schools.  Who should I contact?  Who are the callers/cuers deeply involved in teen clubs?  Brochures to send for?  Music kids like....especially this part. What music do kids like that can be used for teen dancing and would any of the record dealers have suitable music?

  I have no idea where all of this will lead but if  something can be achieved to bring teen dancing (square or round) back into the local area, I'm for it.

  Please send info.

  Thanks.

  R. S. Matthews 

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