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  Modern square dancing is a more structured version of traditional square dancing. It's called in English world-wide, from Japan to Germany. It's 8 people moving to music through figures and formations, and a community that spans the world. It’s thinking and light exercise and laughter and friends.

In Petaluma, we're starting a set of new dancer sessions September 19^th, but please come by and experience our community, at the Hermann Sons Hall on Thursday evenings at 7:30! More info.

If you're in Marin County, check out the Tam Twirlers They've got a free intro on Wednesday, September 18^th

email me with any questions.

I'm Dan Lyke. In 2012, after over a decade of trying to get me to dance with her, my wife Charlene dragged me to a barn dance. When I said "that wasn't so bad", she said "great, lessons start next week, wanna go?" Shortly we went from "I don't wanna go dancing" to "whatever you wanna do tonight is fine, I'm going dancing."

  Now when I'm not dancing, I'm the club caller for the Vallejo Pioneers, have a weekly beginner group in Petaluma and fill in for various other slots throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. I call Modern Western Square Dancing through Advanced, and though I love calling Mainstream and Plus, I'd like to be working more on ways to get absolutely new dancers dancing and having fun.

"group theory performed as a team sport, set to music." — Ginda Fisher of MIT Tech Squares *

Modern square dancing is a complex and intricate dance form. It's collaborative puzzle solving and thinking on your feet and, yes, moving and dancing, exercising body and brain in a fun social environment.

Some Examples

• Ted Lizotte calling patter for the Tech Squares
• Ted Lizotte doing a singing call for the Tech Squares

Resources

• Video Square Dance Lessons Online

Taminations (also available as an app for your favorite mobile device)

• Jet Roberts calling "Stand By Me" at the 2013 IAGSDC San Francisco convention

Rich Reel's All8.com has a fantastic amount of material.

• Mel Wilkerson writes notes regularly on Facebook, I have collected Mel's essays here

* Barry Clasper's How May I Help, some notes on angeling square dancing.