Wheeling 8's Square Dance Club Surrey BC

Please share this post and subsequent others with your Facebook followers as a suggested way to socially reconnect after the pandemic while having loads of fun ...at low cost. A different post will appear each day up to Saturday September 19th DAY 1 OF 7 About Square Dancing IT’S SQUARE & ROUND DANCE AWARENESS WEEK IN BRITISH COLUMBIA! Sunday September 13, 2020 The non-profit British Columbia Square and Round Dance Federation and its many individual dancers, member clubs and associations is celebrating Square and Round Dance Awareness week in the province! The organization has secured a Proclamation of the week from the Government of British Columbia, taking place September 13 to 19, 2020 (See the Proclamation at: https://www.bclaws.ca//SquareandRoundDanceAwarenessWeek2020.) Despite the fact that dancing in close proximity is on-hold during the pandemic, the dance community wants to celebrate its dance forms and assure the public that it is poised to offer great fun, social re-connection and active living once gatherings are again safe to conduct. The B.C. Federation embraces several dance forms including square, round, clog and contra styles. During Awareness Week, these daily posts will share the many benefits and enjoyment to be experienced in each of them. THE MANY BENEFITS OF SQUARE DANCING Today’s style of square dancing is so very much fun, easy to learn, economical, builds your physical and mental fitness and, most importantly, is highly social. After social distancing is no longer necessary post-pandemic, people will want to socially reconnect. Human beings are social creaturespeople need people. The square dance activity will certainly fit-the-bill! Closing this post are several supportive links to videos about square dancing but, first, learn of its many benefits LEARNING IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE Discovering today’s style of square dance at introductory sessions is a wonderful experience. At first you might be apprehensive but you start having fun right away, learning the basic calls and quickly building confidence. The caller-teacher gives patient instruction with lots of review. IT’S A SOCIAL DANCE FORM Many square dance calls can be taught initially in large interactive circles, where dancers progress as pairs from one to another. That technique alone shows the ideally social nature of the dance form. WHY IS IT CALLED SQUARE DANCING? The nature of the dance itself is one where 4 pairs of dancers each stand, facing in, on a side of the square so as to look across at another pair. During the dance, the eight interact with each other to commands from the caller to end up back in their original positions. That’s the fun part because the dancers have to cooperate and coordinate with each other while listening for the commands or calls from the caller. One missed call by just one of the dancers might allow for a quick recovery but more often than not the square will collapse in laughter, only to regroup and try again. IS THERE SPECIAL CLOTHING? In today’s square dancing, the attire is loose, comfortable and casual, although many dancers still love wearing the traditional western clothing. The longer prairie skirt is a popular dress style for the ladies because it allows free, flowing movement but still looks sharp. SQUARE DANCING IS ENJOYED WORLDWIDE Opportunities to travel as an accomplished square dancer are endless because the calls are standardized worldwide in the English language. For instance, you can go dance in Japan, Switzerland or Germany to calls in English even if the local dancers don’t speak the language. ALL AGES PARTICIPATE All ages participate in square dancing which makes it wonderful for family involvement. Also, for couples young or old it’s precious together time. In the Pacific Northwest, there are several pre-teen & teen square dance clubs. In British Columbia there are youth clubs at Burnaby and Surrey. Although square dancing is non-competitive generally, they hold a long-running annual competition known as the Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival. YOU DON’T NEED TO WALK TO SQUARE DANCE Handicapables enjoy square dancing as can be experienced in Surrey, BC, at the Wheeling 8’s dance club. They move a little slower as they manouvre but they can proficiently execute most all the square dance calls. PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS To square dance is to live actively! The physical health benefits include improved balance and coordination, maintenance of joint flexibility, increased lung capacity and improved muscle tone and bone density. During a two hour session, accomplished dancers have been known to register on a pedometer the equivalent of several kilometres of travel just on the dance floor. PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH BENEFITS Psychological or mental advantages to square dancing are not to be forgotten. As you move to the beat of enjoyable music (from pop to country & show tunes to golden oldies), listening to the calls from the caller, you’re improving your mental agility as you translate oral commands into action, you’re forgetting outside worries, reducing any depression or loneliness and reducing age-related memory loss. When not restricted by a pandemic, our provincial organization purchases Facebook advertising to tell of lesson offerings around B.C. After a young woman in Powell River went to an introductory lesson presented by the Star Dusters dance club, she commented: Last night's open house was fantastic! Tons of fun! No corny music, my face hurt from smiling and laughing so much! See you next week!" In fact, she was having so much fun that she told the square dance caller-teacher to shorten the breaks and keep the dancing going. SOCIAL RECONNECTING POST PANDEMIC THROUGH SQUARE DANCING One of the big preventative measures taken during the pandemic is social distancing. Once people can safely congregate again, the square dance activity will be there for them to socially reconnect. Apart from simply having fun in the company of others as the social creatures we are, the social benefits to square dancing include making new friends and expanding social contacts, developing new social groups and reducing inhibitions. It’s also ideal for anybody newly-moved to an area to make friends. A SQUARE DANCE MIGHT POP UP ANYWHERE AFTER THE PANDEMIC That reconnecting through the square dance can get people together for fun and laughter, such as at service clubs, church groups, business socials, school classes, community centres, etc. Ad hoc square dancing on street cul-de-sacs by neighbourhood groups could even be possible, allowing neighbours to reconnect. An impromptu square dance might pop up anywhere! A fun introduction to square dancing could be followed by an opportunity to attend a weekly session to learn more. INSTRUCTION CAN BE EASY AND BRIEF One of the programs taught in many areas is known as Social Square Dancing where in just 12 weekly sessions the dancer learns an amazing 50 calls (many are really easy), having fun at every session. Suddenlyyou’re a fun-loving square dancer! INFORMATION FROZEN IN TIME! CONTACTS. The pandemic brought all the very social dancing within the realm of the B.C. Square & Round Dance Federation to a sudden halt. Post-pandemic introductory lessons for newcomers to square, round, clog or contra dancing have yet to be identified. In the interim, a comprehensive but admittedly dated list of dance clubs in the various styles is available on the Federation’s promotional web page: See it from the home page at: www.SquareDanceFun.info See a list of the various regions of British Columbia with clickable links to your city or town at the following linknote that most all the contact information is still relative in the event you want to make inquiries: https://squaredancefun.squaredance.bc.ca/ Broad inquiries can also be made at these contacts: [email protected] Toll-free Dance INFOLINE: 1-800-335-9433 The B.C. Square and Round Dance Federation’s web page, largely serving accomplished dancers: www.squaredance.bc.ca The Canadian Square and Round Dance Society’s web page, also for existing dancers: www.squaredance.ca ENJOY A SELECTION OF VIDEOS A short video introducing the fun of today’s style of square dancing. Produced by Mary Anne Turner of Williams Lake for the Stampede Whirlaways dance club: https://youtu.be/dZmDzlKX3PY (1 min, 8 secs) Just for fun, see a square of dancers in Williams Lake, BC, having winter fun dancing in snowshoes!... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll_hsXxZzT0 (2 mins, 37 sec’s) Learn lots about starting as a new square dancer in the 10 minute video Dancing Keeps You Young. In story form, in the comfort of their home a couple learn from friends about the modern nature of the square dance activity and its many benefits and then they go with them to an introductory session. The video shows the learning process, guided by caller-teacher Steve Edlund, a B.C. square dance caller-teacher. www.DancingKeepsYouYoung.ca On this Facebook page, see a 2-minute video by You2CanDance, from the ARTS Foundation and You2CanDance. It’s a basic introduction to the square dance. LEARN MORE ABOUT SQUARE DANCE FUN IN PUBLISHED ARTICLES In Surrey/Langley, the dance club Surrey Square Wheelers was featured in an article that appeared in the Langley Times on February 22, 2017. Included in the online version is a video in which the club’s dancers are enjoying the more complex Plus square dance program as well as some round dancing which is choreographed ballroom: https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com//video-if-you-can-wal/ In Kamloops, a retired school teacher from Ashcroft discovers square dancing with her husband (something she says they originally knew nothing about) and gives thanks to the caller-teacher couple for the Thompson Valley Stars dance club: Article in Ashcroft/Cache Creek Journal Nov. 19, 2019 by Gloria Mertens https://www.ashcroftcachecreekjournal.com//local-couple-f/ In Dawson Creek, the dance club Mile Zero Grand Squares was featured a number of years ago in two newspaper articles: It’s Hip to Be Square by Alaska Highway News - Oct. 17, 2012 https://www.alaskahighwaynews.ca//it-s-hip-to-dance-square Mile Zero square dancers brings together circle of friends by Northeast News - October 30, 2012 http://www.northeastnews.ca/mile-zero-square-dancers-bring/ PLEASE SHARE THIS POST. THANK YOU! ^be

IT'S SQUARE & ROUND DANCE AWARENESS WEEK IN BRITISH COLUMBIA! The highly social recreation of square dancing will be poised to welcome new dancers once the pand...emic is over. Although dancing is largely on-hold at this time as a precautionary measure during the Covid-19 Novel Coronavirus situation, dance clubs all over B.C. are planning introductory square dance sessions to start post-pandemic. Once it's safe to congregate again, plan to go have fun and socialize on the dance floor as a newcomer. A 2019 new dancer exclaimed: "Last night's open house was fantastic! Tons of fun! No corny music, my face hurt from smiling and laughing so much! See you next week! In today’s square dancing, the attire is loose, comfortable and casual, although many dancers still love wearing the traditional western clothing. The longer prairie skirt is a popular dress style for the ladies because it allows free, flowing movement but still looks sharp. Learn the many benefits to square dancing in this 2-minute video, produced by You2CanDance and the ARTS Foundation in the U.S.

Hope everyone is staying safe

We may not be able to enjoy our usual form of square dancing but I hope you are keeping your toes tapping. :-)

2020 CANADIAN NATIONAL SQUARE DANCE FESTIVAL UPDATE We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy through these unprecedented times or supporting loved ones thro...ugh their battle with COVID-19. It is with deep regret that we inform you of the postponement of the 2020 Canadian National Square Dance Festival in Surrey, BC. Over the past number of weeks, we have been monitoring developments related to COVID-19. With the World Health Organization and the Canadian Government recommending self-quarantine and many institutions strongly advising individuals to restrict travel, along with the Government of British Columbia advising us that there will be no conferences or large gatherings this summer, we know it is no longer practical nor ethical to continue with plans for the 2020 Canadian National Square Dance Convention this summer. The committee has elected to postpone our convention, and our new dates will be July 8-10, 2021. The location will remain the Sheraton Hotel in Surrey, BC. We understand that this may change your circumstances or your ability to attend next year, and we are offering you the opportunity to have your registration refunded or rolled over to next year. For those of you with hotel reservations, the hotel will move your reservation to comparable dates as your existing reservation with no change in the room rate. We are excited to share our beautiful city and province with you and hope you will join us for More Fun in 2021.

PROMENADE HOME. THIS AIN’T NO JIVE! The following clever choreographed precaution relative to the Covid-19 Pandemic was passed along to us by cuer-teacher Reg...ine Anderson, leader of our member round dance club in Penticton, the R & R Rounders. March, 2020 Written by Russ Booz To all dancers, I hope during this bad time that all stay safe. I don't mean to arm turn or spin your top but, please, be careful if you circulate outside and try to separate from a safe place. Keep your travel short and scoot back home but don't zoom. Sashay back as to a safe place. You don't know what you could pass thru before you scoot back home. You could sashay past the wrong person or lead right toward some sort of wrong way thar; do a U-turn back. No matter how you swing it, there isn't any way to wheel and deal with this. You cannot slide thru any loophole. If you touch a quarter not cleaned, no cloverleaf is going to bring you luck. Just be safe ’cause we can't recycle loved ones. and Round Dancers; when you waltz away from home, watch how you manoeuvre. You don't know what cha could pickup. Whether you’re a New Yorker or have Spanish arms, you also need to cutback some of your activities so your life doesn’t fishtail out of control. Stay safe in your personal box. This ain't no Jive. Stay safe!

The 2020 Canadian National committee is committed to our convention. We realize that times are not what they once were and while there have been many cancellati...ons of many dances, we remain optimistic that circumstances will change for the better. We hope to be the light at the end of the tunnel. We will make a decision at the end of April, based on input from the government, medical and other informed individuals. In the meantime, stay home and stay safe.

Hope everyone is staying safe and doing well.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC UPDATE FROM YOUR B.C. SQUARE & ROUND DANCE FEDERATION March 20, 2020 Dear BCSRDF Members:... As you know, COVID-19 is a big concern throughout BC. Most clubs and associations have suspended or cancelled dancing and events. However, that doesn't stop the possibility of contracting the virus from other sources. If we are informed, we will try to advise you of any active cases within the square dance community. Note that we will not be releasing any names unless the individual feels they wish to share this information. This said, we have been informed that there is a dancer on Vancouver Island who has contracted the virus. This dancer contracted the infection while away from the Island and has had no contact with any dancers since returning to Vancouver Island. Please remember that anyone who catches this virus might end up extremely ill; they and their families will be concentrating upon recovering and we should respect their privacy. Phone calls can sometimes be stressful and you most certainly would not want to visit. If you know the identity of a dancer and want to stay in contact, send an email. If you are looking for information or need to share information with the B.C. Square & Round Dance Federation, please get in touch with your Director-at-Large who will be working with your executive, both regional and provincial. Region 1 - Clifford Campbell - [email protected] Region 2 - Wendy Krueger - [email protected] Region 3 - Brian Elmer - [email protected] Region 5 - Bill Cave - [email protected] Region 8 - Norm Hopland c/o: [email protected] Region 9 - Wendy Trudel - [email protected] Stay Safe! Jean Wood President, B.C. Square & Round Dance Federation [email protected] 250-833-9227

IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, CLOG DANCERS KEEP TAPPIN’ GLOBALLY VIA THE INTERNET March 20, 2020 Thanks to Lynda Colautti in Kelowna, cuer-teacher for our member... club Got 2B Cloggin in the Okanagan Valley, we at the B.C. Square & Round Dance Federation have been alerted to this weekend's Worldwide Clogging Fun Dance via the internet. The fun starts at 5 pm PDT Saturday March 21 which, due to global time zone shifts, will be Sunday March 22 in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, etc. See the details below. Word is that organizers are proposing using the power of social media and the web presence of the many global clogging groups and clogging enthusiasts to promote a Worldwide Clogging Fun Dance each weekend. The sessions would feature three 30 minute sessions with clogging cuers and clogging association leaders from around the world. In British Columbia we have several clog dance clubs on Central and Lower Vancouver Island, in the Fraser Valley at Langley, in the Central and North Okanagan Valley and at Cranbrook in the East Kootenay region. Most are members of the B.C. Square and Round Dance Federation. In paid Facebook video advertisements launched for our member clog dance clubs by our SQUAREUPB.C. marketing initiative, the B.C. Square & Round Dance Federation has featured the closing graphic reading Clog Dancing Makes Life Sparkle! Ok cloggers around the world; sparkle on! DETAILS... Announcing the WORLDWIDE CLOGGING FUN DANCE online project! An embedded player will be available on www.clogdancing.com and www.doubletoe.com for our world premier. My name is Jeff Driggs and I have been teaching clogging in the United States and around the globe for more than 40 years and cherish the friendships I have made along the way. I think we are at a pivotal time in clogging’s history and for workshop and convention both big and small. Inspired by Eric and Michelle Bice and family and the Apple Creek Cloggers of California, who live streamed a kitchen table fun dance this weekend, I got in touch with a couple of good friends and thought leaders and invited a group of clogging organization and association leaders and fun dance cuers in an organized project for the next few weeks to share with fellow cloggers some of the many fun dances that are done at workshops and conventions around the globe. Working with Trevor DeWitt of clogdancing.com and Hanna Healy who heads the Western New York Clogging Association and partners in the annual World of Clogging Event, we are proposing using the power of social media and the web presence of the many global clogging groups and clogging enthusiasts to promote a Worldwide Clogging Fun dance each weekend featuring three 30 minute sessions with clogging cuers and clogging association leaders from around the world. This is not to take the place of workshops or classes, as many people are offering instruction online and that is not the intent of this project. It is our goal to promote this chance to bring cloggers together through fun dancing and to support each other and the global clogging community during this time of social distance until we can share a dancefloor together again. We are excited to announce the cuers for our first Worldwide Clogging Fun Dance this Saturday beginning at 8:00 pm USA EDT. The USA will kick off the project with representatives from across the nation. Coming weeks will feature cuers from across the globe! Trevor DeWitt is from Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Trevor has been a clogger since the age of 7 and has been a workshop instructor for the past 20 years. He created and operates Clogdancing.com. He runs a recreational clogging group in the Kentuckiana area. You can always find him on the floor during fun dances. He enjoys sharing his love of clogging with others and is looking forward to virtually dancing with cloggers from around the world! Eric and Michelle Bice and family are from Lakewood, California USA in the Los Angeles area. Eric is the instructor for the Apple Creek Cloggers, and has been teaching for 34 years. He has led a successful competition team, and has taught all over the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. He even met his wife through clogging, and now their kids are following suit. They are excited to share the digital dancefloor with everyone soon! The Bices helped to inspire this project with their kitchen table fun dance they broadcast during the first days of social distancing. Sheryl Baker is from East Central Minnesota, USA. She has been clogging for 34 years and has been teaching recreational clogging classes to ages 2 years of age to 94 years of age since 1990 (Shout out Bonnie J. for her inspiration) She has been using social media to post fun material and step drills to keep dancers motivated. Sheryl is also a competitive team coach, directing the Clogging Premier divisions and Clogging Xtreme. I am excited and ready to bring some sunshine into your home by offering some clogging fun dancing! Let’s do it cloggers... let’s dance it out! Sheryl said! We are so excited to dance along with you all this weekend! _________________ This is a YouTube event sponsored by clogdancing.com and doubletoe.com. The method of viewing the Worldwide Clogging Fun Dance is by going to one of the following web sites where you’ll see an embedded player: www.clogdancing.com or www.doubletoe.com Whether you’re a clogger or a spectator, join in the fun via the internet anywhere in the world on Saturday March 21 (Sunday March 22 outside of North America) starting at the following times according to time zone: 5 pm PDT Pacific 6 pm MDT Mountain 7 pm CDT Central 8 pm EDT - Eastern See the Doubletoe Times Facebook page promoting the online Worldwide Clogging Dance Fun at: https://www.facebook.com/doubletoe/posts/10158055751784035 - end -

UPDATE: On Wednesday March 25, 2020, the U.S. National Convention in Spokane was cancelled. See our Facebook post at: https://www.facebook.com/BCSquareAndRoundD...anceFederation/posts/3023313124380691 URGENT NOTICE: ADVISORY RELATIVE TO THE COVID-19 VIRUS PANDEMIC British Columbia Square & Round Dance Federation March 18, 2020 Note: This Advisory is also available in PDF-format on the B.C. Federation's Dance Connection web site at: https://squaredance.bc.ca//BCFederationAdvisoryRelativeToC (if saving, do so in digital form in order to retain the active links within) From the Executive The recreations of square, round and clog dancing that we enjoy so much will have to be sidelined at this point in time as the planet faces the challenges of the Covid-19 virus. Ours is a very social recreation that’s not compatible with the necessary technique of social distancing in avoidance of spreading the contagious virus. On Tuesday March 17, under the authority of provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry, the B.C. government declared a public health emergency with 186 cases of Covid-19 and 7 deaths. See the details online at this link: https://www.cbc.ca//b-c-declares-public-health-emergency-w Your B.C. Federation urges that its member associations and clubs immediately halt the operation of regular club sessions and cancel or reschedule any special dances upcoming. The B.C. Federation’s Directors on the Canadian Square & Round Dance Society, Pat Zeeman and Garry Dodds of Victoria, inform us that pretty much all dancing has shut down across Canada until further notice. They add: our activity will weather this storm and come out on the other side stronger and healthier. Most clubs in our province have already taken the initiative to close. Thanks to our webmaster, Frank McNeil, a growing list of cancellations around B.C. is displayed on our B.C. Federation’s Dance Connection home page at: https://squaredance.bc.ca/ Please pass on to Frank any additional cancellations or suspensions that aren’t on the list. Contact him by e-mail at: [email protected] Note that the websites for Region 3 (Okanagan) and Region 9 (Thompson-Shuswap) display notifications of suspended or rescheduled dancing and cancelled events. See: https://www.region3.squaredance.bc.ca/ and https://www.region9.squaredance.bc.ca/ Our annual B.O.D. meeting planned for Abbotsford on March 28 is being replaced with a video conference at 10 am on that date. An addition to the meeting agenda will be an exploration of the impact that the pandemic is having on our member clubs and associations. An official announcement on March 16 declared that the annual competition known as the Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival has been cancelled for this year. It was planned for May 1 & 2 in Auburn, Washington. By e-mail notice on March 16, the 69th National Square Dance Convention (in Spokane, Washington) stated that the event is still scheduled as planned for June 17-20, 2020. The sponsoring National Executive Committee states on their internet home page We believe that it is premature for us to be making any decisions for modifying the June 17-20, 2020 Convention at this time. See the web page: http://www.nsdcnec.com/nec-home Organizers of our 21st Canadian National Square & Round Dance Festival tell us that they are monitoring the situation. That event, known as Festival 2020, is coming to Surrey July 29-August 1. Check the web page at: https://squaredance.bc.ca/2020 Our governmental health agencies are where to go for guidance during the pandemic. The B.C. Ministry of Health has posted an online BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment Tool. Learn about symptoms, testing and more at: https://covid19.thrive.health/ See the Government of Canada’s web page regarding Covid-19 preparedness with specific sections for individuals and communities, among others (Learn about social distancing and proper hygiene under the Prevention and risks tab.): https://www.canada.ca//2019-novel-coro/being-prepared.html Be careful, think safe health practices. We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor again once the situation is resolved and the danger of mass viral infection has passed. Contact your B.C. Federation at: [email protected] or the Toll-free Dance INFOLINE: 1-800-335-9433

No dancing until further notice with this virus

Dishcloths for fundraiser. $4 each or 4 for $15

First set of dish/wash cloths for wheeling 8 fundraiser asking $15 for set free shipping all proceeds go to wheeling 8’s for square dance convention in August