Why Dance?
Below are links to some articles about why dancing is good for you!
HEART HEALTH
“Dancing is another cardio exercise that promotes a healthy and happy heart. A lot of exercises nowadays incorporate dancing as part of their promoted lifestyle. Some of the common ones are Tae Bo and Zumba.” (Continue Reading)
MAKES YOU SMARTER
Making as many split-second decisions as possible, is the key to maintaining our cognitive abilities. Remember: intelligence is what we use when we don’t already know what to do. (Continue reading)
ALZHEIMER’S PREVENTION
“Some proponents of dance suggest learning specific dances based upon their complexity such as the fox trot, waltz, and swing dancing. The idea is to require the brain to rewire itself and make quicker decisions about the movements to be executed during the dance.” (Continue reading)
GOOD FOR THE BRAIN
The complex mental coordination that dance requires activates several brain regions: the cerebellum, the somatosensory cortex and the basal ganglia, triggering kinaesthetic, rational, musical, and emotional responses. This strengthens neural connections and can improve our memory. (Continue reading)
BASICS OF SQUARE DANCING
Basics of Square Dancing, brought to you by Mrs. Annie Pruitt, Activities Director of Harrison Park Community (with a little encouragement from her student volunteer, Katie.)
(Continue Reading)
Why do YOU dance?
The following answers were supplied to the 69th National Square Dance Convention when asked on Facebook. Would you like to share why you dance? Send your response to [email protected].
I square dance because I want to be active and I like to think about the square dance calls instead of the million other things going on in my life. It’s a great way to enjoy a stress free evening with my husband and friends.
Beverly Dickinson
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I dance because we meet the very best people there. It is fun for 8-year-olds as well as 90 year olds. No alcohol. Met my husband there 52 years ago and still it’s our favorite hobby.
Patti Roberts
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Coming from a family of square dancers. Been dancing for years. Parents dance. Mother’s parents were square dancers. Husband dances. Brother dances. And my son loves to dance too. It is something that whole family enjoys. See you all in Spokane.
Janice Bevans
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I started dancing in 2011. When I met my now husband Leo Catt. I remember that first phone conversation when he told me he was a Square a Dance Caller. I promptly asked him what is that? 2 weeks later I was in Square and Round dance lessons and have been loving it ever since..even so much so that I am now a Cuer and have had the privilege of cueing in multiple states, festivals, and even a Caribbean Cruise. I am looking forward to our first National and being able to reconnect with some of our San Diego dance family since we have moved back to Washington State. Hope we see you all on the dance floor!!!!
Rochelle Pratt-Catt
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
– Partially as a nostalgic glimpse at the past… although I don’t have a rich history of dance in my family, others do, and I recognize a slice of our country’s history through square-dance.
– Partially to celebrate “now“… to be with friends, make friends, enjoy family, feast, laugh, touch… and more-importantly, put time on the calendar (right now) which keeps balance in my life and helps me sleep easily… every time.
– Partially to invest in my future. Nothing (scientifically proven) is more effective in keeping our senior minds sharp, than learning dance… which means responding to directed (called or cued) or memorized dance. It causes the hippocampus area the brain to grow (rather than the normal pattern of shrinking) in our later years.
– BUT PRIMARLY because of the intergenerational connection that can happen. Families actually dancing together. Generations of strangers actually connecting and making something happen which has no agenda. All ages, all shapes and sizes, all abilities and disabilities … simply work together to make a success happen… over and over. It gives me hope… especially at convention, where the intergenerational connection is so profound. Its so very positive.
John VanZanten
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I Square Dance because it’s the most fun you can have with your clothes on!
Seriously, some of the nicest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing have been Square Dancers. Every age and ability can participate and it’s so good to hug people and get some much needed exercise that doesn’t cause pain. My Square Dancer friends are the best.
Festivals and Conventions give you an opportunity to meet new people and to dance to lots of new callers and cuers that you might not otherwise get to experience. Sharing this activity with so many others who also enjoy it is just plain fun. You also get a chance to shop vendors and see what’s new to enhance your outfits and to accessorize. Shopping is always fun. 
Lori Summers DeWitz
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
For me it’s many reasons. When I am able to dance it’s because I need relief from a stressful day/week. I tend to forget all my troubles on the dance floor. The music is always great so is the company. I am able to move my body in a way that doesn’t hurt it like other forms of exercise can plus its fun exercise. It’s affordable for our tight budget and our weekly date night. We enjoy Conventions and Festivals to meet new people and make friendships and enjoy the fun new places we visit at each one we’ve attended. If our plans go well this will be our first ever national and we are excited!
Darcy Faulkner Hemmert
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
A little exercise and a lot of fun!
Elise Holland Foster
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Love moving to music and I look silly attempting other forms of dance. Square Dancing is easy and Fun.
Great People Square Dance, a great way to make friends with down to earth, unpretentious people!!!
John Love
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Reduce stress, exercise, fun, good music, and friends!
Jan Doran Faulds
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Because it allows me to put the day’s worries and stress behind me… I’m focused listening to the caller. And also because it makes me smile and makes others smile too! A great way to get out and socialize. There’s 3 reasons!
Connie Rodgers
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
It brings me joy and is an awesome date night for my husband and me. I enjoy not thinking about anything else but the calls. Great stress relief thst includes hugs x14 per tip b
Sally Henderson
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
The Square Dancing is great and the awesome friendships are made . It’s a lot of fun
Enza Row
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Square dancing is so much fun I laugh & laugh 
☻
Kerry Eager
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Square dancing is my happy place
Angela Konn
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
Its friendship set to music.
Jose J. Diaz
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
A little exercise and a lot of fun!
Elise Holland Foster
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I square dance because it is good exercise, fun, and the people are great!
Libby Spinning Squares
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I started to join with some young people who continued to ask us to join. I continue because it’s good for the brain learning “a new language” and transferring it to the feet. It’s also good exercise but fun. And lastly, one meets a fun group and make new friends.
We are going to the first big dance in June because it is near us, and I’m intrigued, and there is a lot of tours and fun offered in addition to dancing.
Leslie Fanning
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I love Square Dancing because it’s so much fun and you meet the greatest people.
Joan Tousley Eling Christopherson
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
My late Mom Genevieve Churchill danced. I remember her taking me to classes at the old Hayloft in Portland. I was the last one in the family to take up dancing, but I’ve been dancing since 92 on/off. I’m naturally a hugger which helps when dancing.
Cory Martin
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
It’s been the most rewarding activity for us Friends and exercise
Jill Schaffer
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
I square dance because my mother bribed my family. I have seven sons and she wanted just one to be her partner on a square dance cruise with Mike Sikorsky. She promised us an all expense paid vacation including airfare and passports. My husband, four sons and I ended up taking the trip and we’ve been dancing ever since. Now I have eight children that dance, five that have participated in the Pacific Northwest Teen Square Dance Festival and three that pursued calling. It is truly a family affair in which we all greatly enjoy.
I love dancing because I love watching the changes that take place when people first begin dancing in a square, maybe a little burdened with the cares of the day or unsure about their own dancing and as the tip progresses, the eyes lift, the smiles broaden and by the end of the tip, we’ve developed a sense of teamwork and camaraderie as well as having a jolly old time. I love making connections with people. Getting to dance with new friends is just…. FUN!! Dancing with my family is what great memories are made of.
We’ve been to every state festival since we graduated in June of 2013 and to two National Conventions in 2017 and 2019. I hated lessons because all the concepts were so new to me and the call names made no sense. We went to the Washington State Square Dance Festival two weeks after we graduated and BAM! That was it. We all fell in love with square dancing. Dancing so many hours at the Festival improved our skills dramatically and after that weekend, I no longer had to warn our squares that I was a new dancer.
The 2017 Nationals in Cincinnati was exciting for several reasons, including setting the Guinness Book of World Records for the most square dancers dancing at one time. Meeting and dancing to so many great National callers was a very exciting privilege. When we went to Atlanta in 2019, we got to see several of the people we had met in 2017 and once again, danced until we dropped. We came home with more friends from across the country and even around the world. We are so looking forward to 2020. Spokane, here we come!
Letricia Hatch
Response from 69th NSDC question on Facebook
