Square Dancing: an introduction

Welcome to Square Dancing: An Introduction...the OLLI class

I am a retired psychologist, a current artist and a square dancer and I'm very keen on helping other people to learn square dancing..which is why I decided to do this class...because dancing is so Very Good for you!

There are several things necessary for a successful old age:

Exercise!  If you dance every tip at a 2 hour dance, you will cover around 5 miles!

Concentration and mental activity:  At Basic level you have to respond quickly to any of 68 possible moves called out by the leader (or caller) of the dance...at Plus level: 100 different moves.
Learning new material and continually solving problems is one of the best ways to keep your brain healthy.  ( crosswords and 'brain games" just won't do it!)

Socialization:  evidence shows that being alone constantly (as opposed to enjoying solitude for portions of the day) is good for neither mental nor physical health. 

Touch: human beings need to be touched, hands held, hugs...physical contact.

All of the above are involved in square dancing.

Now we also need to eat a healthy diet...alas square dancers are not the best at this - but we can't have everything!

Important to note:

Since we are holding hands and very close to each other, there are some important personal things to consider: obviously we advise washing your hands before and after the lesson, also please don’t wear perfume or scented aftershave..(asthma, allergies)…also for those of us who bruise easily, make sure your nails are smooth, and don’t grab!!  

If you are left/right challenged - and be assured many highly intelligent people are!!  please wear a wrist band, brightly colored on your LEFT wrist (i.e. the one nearest the window when driving).

We will be going over some of the most basic steps at a walking pace...we won't be using music for the first few classes.  It does take longer than 6 classes to learn more than the basics....this is an introduction to see if you like dancing!  and if you do, we can arrange continued lessons with a local club.   

I hope you enjoy learning, see you in a square!   Elizabeth