[Squaredancing] CA Dancer Asks - Are We "Sameing" Ourselves to Death?

[Candy Hughes]

most of everything I know, comes from my experience in the Pacific Northwest

I've been square dancing off and on since 1953

I've seen the transition from "old time" visiting-couple dancing, to MWSD

I personally dance Basic, Mainstream, and Plus ... have chosen not to
take classes in different programs, but may have to ... since I was
recruited to call a year ago  (for a couple of groups who are losing
their longtime callers to age and medical considerations --- and
burnout as well)

in the Northwest we are fortunate that there is an active and
widespread Mainstream program;  not only that, we are getting NEW
dancers in their 30s and 40s ... and they are STAYING and bringing
their friends ... and the older dancers are bringing their
grandchildren too

I would dispute Mitchell's #2 point  --- since I have found, talking
with them, that the younger women (particularly the teens) really LIKE
the fluffy petticoats, like the opportunity to dress up in "different"
ways ... the only objection seems to be financial ... but most clubs
here have an "experienced clothing" sale ... and one hall has a room
devoted to this, which is open anytime the hall is ...

dancers respond enthusiastically to upbeat music, whether "old
standard" or new --- they do appreciate getting away from a steady
diet of fiddle-and-banjo music ... seem to like the Latin rhythms
particularly ...

the tunes that might seem "old hat" to those in their 70s and 80s ...
are NEW to the 20-somethings;  in addition, anything that can be sung
along with, is a hit with the floor ... you can feel the energy level
rising ...

what I have seen, also, is that dancers respond with interest to
emphasis on dancing SMOOTHLY and gently ... they have been hassled and
harassed into learning a number of calls, some of which seem to
confuse them, and they like to "kick back" a little sometimes and just
dance to a simple easy-to-understand series of calls, particularly if
the caller has paid a lot of attention to good body flow and
"intuitive" choreography

in the interest of making dancing "unusual" -- sometimes we've lost
the DANCE portion of square dancing, and have downplayed the
group-cooperation aspect

besides that, in talking to a number of newer dancers, I found that
many of them showed up because they were LONELY and found the square
dancing community to be a bunch of "instant friends" ...

we haven't been selling "atmosphere": .... and perhaps we should have

that motto "square dancing is friendship set to music" .. strikes most
as being hokey ... we need a new formulation that SAYS the same thing

Candy

(just some stuff from off the top of my head)