Modern square dancing: why would I do that?

By Lamar Mason

Looking for a way to keep your step count up during the fall and winter? Not interested in skiing, skating or cold-weather jogging? Need to add something new to your exercise program but don’t want to go to the gym, and have no room for a treadmill or stationary bike? Why not try modern square dancing?

Wait, don’t leave! Read on. Were pictures of crinolines, western shirts and old-time music running through your mind? No more! Square dancing has joined the 21st century: casual clothes, modern music and fun!

Do you like classic rock music? New country? Top 40 hits? Rock ’n roll? Do you know your left from your right? Can you count to five? Walk briskly? Then modern square dancing is for you!

Modern square dancing is fun, fast paced and social. We dance in groups of eight people (four couples, but you don’t need a partner to join.) You’ll meet young people, empty nesters, retirees. So come as a couple, a single or a group of friends – everyone is welcome.

Each dance night, you will learn different steps or calls. The dance leader then strings the calls together in a danceable order, and dancers must react and work together to execute the sequence as the calls are given. Our dance leaders are great teachers and they are very patient in making sure you learn the calls before they are used in a dance.

Square dancing is great physically. It will make your Fitbit go wild – you will easily register 5,000 steps in a two-hour dance night! It’s a great way to get exercise that is too much fun to be called exercise!

Meri Squares Square Dance Club dances in central Ottawa. We offer an introductory program (Social Square Dancing – the name says it all!) for new dancers on Tuesday evenings this fall. We will have you dancing up a storm to great music with new friends in no time at all.

Join us at our free Kick-Off Dance on Tuesday, September 20, 7 p.m., at the J.A. Dulude Arena, 941 Clyde Avenue. Meet new people. Dance to great music. Get fit. Have fun!

Check out our website at MeriSquares.ca or contact me at 613-221-9188 or lamarmason4@gmail.com for more information.

Lamar Mason is president of Meri Squares, a modern square dance club, and an avid dancer.