The funny thing is, I am generally not a ‘blamer’. This I know because if I point my finger at someone, 3 fingers point right back at me. That’s a great preface to this story. If I were to put the blame on one certain stereotype for the demise of square dancing, it would be the high school physical education teachers. But, then I’d have to say, “where were the callers back then?”

 

In today’s world, when you approach the baby boomers and the empty nesters and ask them to join a square dance club, 9 out of 10, will give you a horror story about square dancing in gym class. Am I right? Don’t believe me? Ask around.

 

            I am using the kids growing up in the 50’s , 60’s and 70’s because they are the target audiences for square dancers today. Plus, back in those days, square dancing was in it’s hey day. Middle aged people today missed out on the real square dancing going on around America 30, 40 and 50 years ago. While all the callers were out promoting themselves and square dancing, the schools were trying to hop along for the ride, but were way off the road. A lot of things happened to the structure of the square dance back then. New calls were being invented daily, while lists and levels were being implemented. That is when more callers should have stepped up to the plate and introduced square dancing into the school systems instead of records, 8 tracks and cassettes. Yes, it’s 3 times the caller’s fault as it is the gym teachers. The teachers wanted square dancing, but callers were hard to find and to certify back then. Who is to blame?

 

            So, the typical gym teacher, not finding a caller to hire to come in and teach square dancing in the schools, would take it upon themselves to teach square dancing, without having any prior experience. Not all of them, mind you, but a vast majority. They would go out and buy the square dancing on LP vinyl, read the quick diagrams and grids on the record sleeve and attempt to teach the dance. Derailment if you ask me. While dancing to a recording, if the dancers stumbled, fumbled or tumbled, the record kept on playing. This made the situation very frusterating for both the teacher and the kids. No wonder there aren’t too many good memories of square dancing from gym class. Oh, besides dancing with the occasional ‘hottie’.

 

 

            CALLERLAB has been working diligently to try to promote and preserve this great American Heritage by developing choreography in the classroom manuals, certifying callers to instruct teachers and students and producing instructional cds. When callers go into the schools to teach square dancing it’s 100 times better because they are getting an instructor of math, music, history and gym. 4 for the price of one! The best news is the schools are getting an entertainer who will hopefully make the dancing curriculum fun, interesting and enjoyable. Should callers be going into the schools with the attitude of ‘I hope I get some youth dancers out of this gig?” Absolutely not! They are merely planting the seed. They are making square dancing fun now, so when these kids are older, they will remember all the good times they had while learning square dancing in gym class, and perhaps join a square dance club later on.

 

           

Great news! Schools nowadays are coming up with grants and budgets to pay for a caller to come in to the schools. Callers are writing very nice introductory letters to principals and proposal plans for the teachers. I know callers who actually teach square dancing for 2 weeks rather than just 2 days. It’s all in the approach and presentation. Teaching kids thru Mainstream ( close to 70 calls ) may be one caller’s goal, while others may choose the Presidential Sports and Fitness Award for folk dancing as their incentive program to get into the school systems.   Some callers even go in a week early and teach an education forum to the teachers, so they know the positioning and formations before teaching the kids in class. This proves to be very positive and saves a lot of time in the upcoming weeks with the kids.

 

 

 I’ve heard of callers teaching a blast class to camp counselors over a weekend, and then teach the campers of day camp, with lots of newly trained angels. Great idea.  Callers sometimes make an error by dressing up as the Electric Horseman or the Rhinestone Cowboy, which I believe is a ‘huge turn off’ for youngsters. It’s okay to dress the part, they are the caller, but just don’t over do it. There’s nothing wrong with a little banjo and fiddle, but remember the young audience and what they may like as far as music.  Certain callers like it when there are 20 squares on the floor.  I personally like smaller groups when teaching in the schools.  If you can get a handful of squares rather than 2 handfuls, it may work to your advantage.  Less noise, less confusion and you'll be able to keep your eyes on all the squares dancing.  You don't want a 100 teenagers standing around like in this photo, where the caller went nuts trying to figure out why no one was listening to him.                                                           CAN YOU FIND THE CALLER IN THIS PHOTO? I THINK SOMEONE TRAMPLED OVER HIM.

 

            I personally think taking angel or experienced dancers in to help assist with the classes is great for 1^st and 2^nd grades. The little ones love the outfits the dancers wear, and the teachers of this level love the extra help and support. At times the 3rd and 4th graders like to dress up themselves.  Not all of them and certainly not all of the time.  For demos, YES! Some callers teach the students and then they perform for the whole school at a talent show, or compete with other grades.  Wow!

                   

. That’s why I strongly believe  the middle schools, junior and senior highs need the callers to instruct the teachers a little before they meet the kids. The caller should not be the disciplinarian. Got that? That’s why the teachers are there to steer these students in the right direction.  The callers already have enough on their plates.  Here's a clever concept....I've also heard of other callers using the sales pitch of teaching politeness and kindness in their proposals. Hey, whatever works! What could it hurt.  No more rude, crude or lewd.  I like it a lot.  Boys learning how to properly ask and then dance with a girl should be in the schools.

 

The biggest thing that the caller must know as an instructor and communicator is many people learn in many different ways. That’s why a great caller and instructor will learn to teach a call or maneuver in many different ways. There are certainly more than a dozen ideas, in this article, for the callers, dancers and LEADERS IN THE SQUARE DANCE ACTIVITY to take a stand, and put the good taste of square dancing back into the mouths of Americans.