When Maura and Barry Owen moved to Bella Vista, Ark., from Louisiana five years ago, they found the local square-dancing club, the Kingsdale Squares, shrinking. Like many clubs in Bella Vista, members were aging out without new members taking their places.
Since there didn't seem to be enough square-dancers in the area, Maura Owen decided they needed to grow their own. So for the past two years, the Kingsdale Squares group has hosted a square-dancing class -- and many of the graduates have become members of the club.
Fast Facts
Allemande left: Corners face and take left hands. Walk around each other to own position.
Circle left: Dancers designated by Caller join hands in a circle and walk to the left.
Circle right: Same as circle left going to the right.
Corner: Lady on gent’s left, gent on lady’s right.
Do-si-do: Partners, or those designated by caller, face. Walk around each other passing right and then left shoulders back to own position.
Forward and Back: Three steps forward. High 10s and back to position.
Head Couples: Couples 1 and 3
Side Couples: Couples 2 and 4
Honor: Partners, or those designated by caller, face. Ladies curtsy, gents bow.
Ladies chain: Ladies designated by caller walk to each other and take right hands. Pass by, dropping hands, and give left hands to that lady’s partner in his left hand. Gent places his right arm around the lady’s waist and turns her counter-clockwise to face the other couple. Ladies chain back the same way.
Promenade: Partners, or those designated by caller, cross hands in skating position and walk counter-clockwise to position. Right arm should be over left.
Star by the right: Couples, or those designated by caller, walk to each other and join right hands in a star formation and walk in the direction they are facing (clockwise).
Partner: Lady to the gentleman’s right, gentleman to the lady’s left.
"Last year, we had 40 or 50 (in class), but that was unusual. About 35 finished, and we thought that was a great turnout," she said.
Some of the new members were so enthusiastic about square-dancing that they bought matching outfits to wear to other clubs in the area.
Dancers can wear whatever they want, she explained, and many wear jeans. But later many of the women will start to wear a "prairie skirt" and later move on to a shorter skirt.
"The short skirts make it more festive," she said, "You twirl a lot, and it makes it kind of pretty. The guys like it."
Many of the Bella Vista dancers attend dances at other clubs in the area, including Pea Ridge, Ark., Springdale, Ark., and Neosho, Mo. Eventually everyone gets to know everyone else, Owens said.
"It's a very friendly group," she said, adding that because of square-dancing she's made many friends whom she meets for meals and movies.
Singles are welcome to join, Owen added. There are single men as well as single women in the club, and they dance with each other. Also there are several couples who are in the group but don't share the same level of energy. One member of the couple may have to sit out a few dances, leaving the other looking for a different partner.
"We have no problem with a surplus of women," she said, "They get to dance."
The club hosts a dance from 7 to 9 p.m. every Monday at Riordan Hall. Occasionally, a business meeting is held after the dance, but not very often, she said. They're mostly there to dance.
The lessons are held on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. until noon for 10 weeks, beginning Feb. 14. The lessons cost $35, but the first two are free so students can decide if it's something they want to pursue. After the first two lessons, Owen said, it's important to attend all the lessons because there's a lot to learn.
There is no need to preregister, but for more information call Barry or Maura Owen at 479-876-8432.
Community on 01/22/2015