Web Site last updated on May 20th at 8:00 am.
Upcoming Square Dance eventsBelow are detailed descriptions about the upcoming Gad-Abouts square dances and other related events. To see a list of the entire 2017-2018 dance schedule click on the SCHEDULE link in the navigation section at the top of any page or click on the following link: SCHEDULE
On May 26th, is the annual Gettysburg Square Dance Festival in Fairfield Pa. This is a one day square dance event featuring Guest Callers Art LaVigne, Bill Harrison, Mark Franks, and Dan Prosser. For more information about this event click on the following link: FLYERS 5/19 Penn State Demonstration!
On May 19th, a square of Gad-Abouts club members were invited to give a square dance demonstration and participation mixer for a scholarship fund raising event at the Mont Alto campus of Penn State. The top picture shows the Gad-Abouts members next to the Guest Caller for the event. Pictured from L to R are: Bob Engel (Guest Caller), Marjorie Barber, Dan Grimes, Club President Bob Lawn, Club Secretary Martha Thompson, Bill Bucher, Mary Rogers, Donna Lofton, and Reed Lofton. Also in the picture is the Penn State Nittany Lion Mascot. The bottom left picture is the table that the members sat at for the fund raising dinner. The bottom right picture is the souvenir mug that was given to each club member.
P.S. Until I saw Dan Grimes in the photo, I was wondering if that was him in the Mascot attire. 4/28 Graduation Dance!
At the Saturday April 28th Graduation Dance, the Gad-Abouts presented certificates to the students upon their successful completion of the 2017-2018 Mainstream & Plus Dance Class. Pictured above are the students along with Club Caller Art LaVigne. The student graduates are: Lynann Adams, Amy Frost, David Frost, Tiffany Griffin, Christel Jenny, Sanannah Lushbaugh, Dennis Pennett, Kim Roberts, Walt Roberts, and Kendall Whittington.
The video shows a square of club members dancing inside a very large rubber band. I have heard of the Rubber Band Man, but could the Rubber Band Square be a fixture at future Gad-Abouts dances? 3/10 wearin' o' the green dance!
A sea of green at the March 10th Wearin' O' The Green dance.
1/8 Pennsylvania Farm Show!
On Monday evening, January 18th, 9 members of the Gad-Abouts attended the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. They were one of 60 squares participating in the square dance competition and exhibition. The two videos above show the Gad-Abouts in the entrance processional and performing. The picture shows them after receiving Superior Performance Blue Ribbons. In the front row from L-R are Mary Rogers, Carol Keenan, Marcia Horst, Marjorie Barber, and Bob Lawn. Behind them from L-R are Bill Bucher, Wayne Tosten, Marvin Horst, and Dan Grimes. Other videos from this event are in the Video Gallery.
6/9 Hawaiian shirt night!
Aloha, all dancers are welcome to the June 9th Hawaiian Shirt Night dance. Wear your eye-popping Hawaiian shirts to this luau. The dance is from 7:30pm to 10:00pm with Early Rounds at 7:00pm at the Wacohu Grange Hall located at 16412 National Pike (Route 40 West & Route MD 63) in Hagerstown MD. For more information send us an email using the CONTACT US link at the top of any page.
6/17 Father's Day dance (sundaY)!
Mother's Day has come and gone, now it is Dad's turn to take center stage. Come and attend the Father's Day Dance on Sunday June 17th and pay homage to all Father's. The dress is casual but all Father's can wear their newly gifted tie or any other item of attire if you want to. As a special bonus the Guest Caller for this event is Ken Bower. The dance is from 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm at the Wacohu Grange Hall located at 16412 National Pike (Route 40 West & Route MD 63) in Hagerstown MD. For more information send us an email using the CONTACT US link at the top of any page.
6/23 club picnic and dance!
On Saturday June 23rd is the annual club picnic and dance. Come and enjoy the picnic atmosphere and company of your clubbers and friends, then it is time to dance. The attire is casual. The picnic and dance starts at 6:00pm at the Wacohu Grange Hall located at 16412 National Pike (Route 40 West & Route MD 63) in Hagerstown MD. For more information send us an email using the CONTACT US link at the top of any page.
NOTE: It will be the last club dance until the Ice Cream Social dance on July 14th. |
square dancing tidbits4/26 Julia Manor Demo!
On Thursday April 26th, nine Gad-Abouts visited the Julia Manor Health Care Center for an afternoon square dancing demonstration. Pictured from left to right are club members Scott Gilbert, Tiffany Griffin, Bob Lawn, Lou Thompson, Marjorie Barber, Jeremy Springer, Dan Grimes, Marvin Horst, and Marcia Horst.
3/24 matt Worley!
Matt Worley with his psychedelic shoes was the Guest Caller at the recent Spring Fling dance. I just wonder how often he needs to change the batteries in those things? Kudos to Matt for that innovative accessory.
WASCA 2018 FESTIVAL LINK!
The Gad-Abouts Webmaster recently received an email containing the link to a representative sample of the songs called by the Guest Callers at the WASCA 2018 Venetian Carnival Festival held on March 15, 16, and 17. Click on the following link to access the many videos.
2018 WASCA Festival 02/23 Do-Pa-SO visitation!
On February 23rd, 10 members of the Gad-Abouts visited the Do-Pa-So square dance club in Lancaster PA. 8 of the members led by Club President Bob Lawn are pictured above.
where's the dance?If your upcoming plans include travel or you just want to visit other dance clubs near your home club, then the "Where's The Dance" web site is for you. This web site shows all of the Square Dances within a specific radius of where you are. There are many other options to even further narrow down or expand the dance selections for you. To visit this valuable square dance web site click on the following link: Where's The Dance?
Ode To square Dancing!Summer is nigh and the dancing is great
Grab your spouse or your friend and even your date Then head to the floor with your squaring mate To dance to the cadence that the callers dictate The squares stand ready for your dancing crave You can relay the deucy after a step to a wave Then you chain down the line if you dare to be brave Square dancing in Hagerstown is the latest rave Seamless moves are in sync with the callers refrain Head ladies go center with a teacup chain It's friendship set to music while using your brain Just remember to listen and stay in your lane Mainstream and Plus are two levels to learn Then DBD and Advanced get your legs to churn The steps and the calls are easy to discern So promenade in style whenever your turn Spread the word around town so more people know And invite them to your local square dancing show We would like our classes to continually grow When eager new students join the dancing flow Let the resurgence begin on the square dancing floor With the mixing of the new and the current core Let's breakdown the barriers and open the door As we celebrate the tradition with all of its lore By: Donald Barber Gad-Abouts Square Dance Club Web Site Master, Ode Writer square dancing: a swinging history!
NOVEMBER 29, 2011 By History.com Staff
Swing your partner and do-si-do — November 29th is Square Dance Day in the United States. Didn’t know this folksy form of entertainment had a holiday all its own? Then it’s probably time you learned a few things about square dancing, a tradition that blossomed in the United States but has roots that stretch back to 15th-century Europe. Square dance aficionados trace the activity back to several European ancestors. In England around 1600, teams of six trained performers—all male, for propriety’s sake, and wearing bells for extra oomph—began presenting choreographed sequences known as the morris dance. This fad is thought to have inspired English country dance, in which couples lined up on village greens to practice weaving, circling and swinging moves reminiscent of modern-day square dancing. To read this entire article click on the following link: History of Square Dancing Health benefits of square 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. All this beneficial activity is further enhanced by a variety of popular music in a positive setting, often with your favorite partner. It has been suggested that regular sessions of square dancing can add several years - enjoyable years - to your life. To read this entire article click on the following link: Health Benefits 
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