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"Frequently Asked Questions"
1. How do I get started square dancing?
Most clubs and their callers hold square dance lessons at least once
a year, and although there are exceptions, most lessons last about 15
to 20 weeks. The easiest way to get information is to click the "LEARN TO DANCE" link at the top left to find lessons close to you. You can also visit
the "GCSDA Clubs" links under the "CLUBS"
link to get contact information on the club nearest to your home, and
contact the club.
2. How much does square dancing cost?
Once you have taken lessons, you may visit and dance at any
club in the world. Most dances cost about $4 to $10 a person, depending
on the type of dance. Many clubs have a pitch-in type meal included
in the cost, so you can eat and dance on $8 to $12 dollars a couple.
3. Do I have to wear the typical square dancing clothes?
Most clubs now days have relaxed their rules on square dance
apparel, however there are still some dances where square dance apparel
required. But the typical square dance outfit has changed somewhat in
that prairie skirts may be worn instead of the square dance dress with
a petticoat. This helps hold the cost of outfits down.
4. Will I be required to join a club?
No, but there are certain benefits to joining a local club.
Most clubs provide insurance to members, and membership.
Club member may also receive a reduced fee to dance. Clubs also arrange car pooling to local dances.
5. What is a typical dance like?
Most dances consists of 6 tips of square dancing, which consists
of a "hash" call and a "singing" call. The hash
call is where the caller moves the dancers around the square in no predetermined
way. The dancers job is to execute the moves as the caller calls them
and the callers job is to get the dancers back to their original partner,
in their original order. Hash calls can be lots of fun because nobody
knows what call might come next. The singing call is a little more structured
as the calls must be completed in a certain amount of time because the
music is set at a certain amount of beats. The singing call is where
the caller can really "perform" for the dancers. In between
the 6 tips, most clubs perform either round dancing, line dancing, or
just rest up by socializing before the next square dance tip. All clubs
encourage visitors to their dances, so a visit to the local club dance
would be a great way to see what a dance is like.
6. What are the physical and mental benefits from Square and Round
dancing?
Square Dancing may be the Perfect Exercise
Square dancing is walking at a steady pace (about 120 steps per minute) to a called pattern with musical accompaniment. The patterns involve 8 dancers turning and interacting with hands and arms in response to changing choreography that is called using a common vocabulary of action names. Square dancing combines mental concentration with many aspects of good physical exercise including sustained activity, flexibility, balance and coordination.
Square dancers walk between 2 1/2 and 5 miles in a typical evening of dancing burning calories with every step. Dancing continuously for 10 to 15 minutes at a time improves cardiovascular conditioning. Five-minute breaks allow dancers to socialize with others from diverse backgrounds who share a common joy. The energy put into dancing has an effect on heart beat rate, blood pressure, rate of calorie burn, and cholesterol profile.
We are only part of this big growing activity that is attracting people of all ages. Contact someone on your area about how to get started and enjoy the dance.
Some of the content was reprinted excerpt from:
Health Benefits of Square Dancing.
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If you secretly sashay across your living room when you're home alone or long to cha-cha with your significant other, you're in luck. Not only is dancing an exceptional way to let loose and have fun, but it also provides some terrific benefits for your health. In fact, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that social dancing helps to:
• Reduce stress
• Increase energy
• Improve strength
• Increase muscle tone and coordination
And whether you like to kick up your heals to hip hop, classical or country, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says that dancing can:
• Lower your risk of coronary heart disease
• Decrease blood pressure
• Help you manage your weight
• Strengthen the bones of your legs and hips
Dancing is a unique form of exercise because it provides the heart-healthy benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage in a social activity. This is especially stimulating to the mind, and one 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine even found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia in the elderly. In the study, participants over the age of 75 who engaged in reading, dancing and playing musical instruments and board games once a week had a 7 percent lower risk of dementia compared to those who did not. Those who engaged in these activities at least 11 days a month had a 63 percent lower risk! Interestingly, dancing was the only physical activity out of 11 in the study that was associated with a lower risk of dementia. Said Joe Verghese, a neurologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and a lead researcher of the study, "This is perhaps because dance music engages the dancer's mind. "Verghese says dancing may be a triple benefit for the brain. Not only does the physical aspect of dancing increase blood flow to the brain, but also the social aspect of the activity leads to less stress, depression and loneliness. Further, dancing requires memorizing steps and working with a partner, both of which provide mental challenges that are crucial for brain health.
7. How Good of a Workout is Dancing, Really?
The amount of benefit you get from dancing depends on, like most exercises, the type of dancing you're doing, how strenuous it is, the duration and your skill level. Says exercise physiologist Catherine Cram, MS, of Comprehensive Fitness Consulting in Middleton, Wisconsin, "Once someone gets to the point where they're getting their heart rate up, they're actually getting a terrific workout. Dance is a weight-bearing activity, which builds bones. It's also "wonderful" for your upper body and strength. "Plus, dancing requires using muscles that you may not even know you had. "If you're dancing the foxtrot, you're taking long, sweeping steps backwards. That's very different than walking forward on a treadmill or taking a jog around the neighborhood ... Ballroom dancing works the backs of the thighs and buttock muscles differently from many other types of exercise," says Ken Richards, professional dancer and spokesman for USA Dance, the national governing body of Dance Sport (competitive ballroom dancing).
8. Specific Benefits of Different Dances
If you're looking for specific health results, here's a breakdown
of the benefits of some popular dances. Just remember that any type
of dancing is better than no dancing at all!
Square Dancing —
• Provides cardiovascular conditioning.
• May lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and an
improved cholesterol profile.
• Strengthens bones.
• Helps you develop strong social ties.
• Loosens and tones muscles.
Round (Ballroom Type) Dancing —
• Conditions the body.
• Helps keep the heart in shape.
• Builds and increases stamina.
• Develops the circulatory system.
• Strengthens and tones legs and body.
• Increases flexibility and balance.
• Helps with weight loss.
• Relieves stress.
Physical benefits aside, dancing has a way of brightening up a person's
day, says ballroom owner and operator Karen Tebeau.
"A lot of times, when people get want to get started, it's
because there's been a change in their life: a divorce or they've been
through a period of depression. They (continue) coming in, and you see
a big change. After a while, they're walking in with a sunny expression.
You know it's the dancing that's doing that," she says.