| Every club would like to believe that they have the
warmest and friendliest club around. That is usually the idea perceived by all good club
members, but how do other clubs view us? It is true we have a greeter at the door that
smiles and welcomes our guests as they arrive at the dance. I believe that everyone truly
tries to make their guests feel welcome. The guests usually sit on one side of the hall
because they all know each other, and feel safe and comfortable in each other's company,
and the club members sit on the other side to chat with their friends. It is just natural that they square up together because they are all sitting
together, and it is just human nature to jump up on the floor in a group and square up
with your friends. Maybe some of the club members were trying to get to your square, but
just didn't make it in time. Maybe the round dance just finished so the round dancers just
turn around and make their circle into squares. Whatever the reason many visiting dancers
leave with the idea that this club is full of clicks. Maybe the club dancers are saying
"The guests squared up together every tip, and we didn't get a chance to dance with
them - they sure are' cliquey' ".
Whatever the reason, bad feelings develop on both sides,
and perfectly friendly folks are labeled "Cliques". This is where, I believe,
the computer cards offer a solution. In our club we are trying to leave the first and the
last tip of the dance to the discretion of the dancer. The rest of the evening the cards
are used, the dancers are mixed up, and new friends are met, and it even offers
conversation on the way home to talk about the different personalities you have
encountered during the evening. The cards also offer the new dancer or a shy dancer, who
is not often asked to join a square, a place to dance. Some of the dancers have commented
at the end of the dance, how nice it was to dance with almost everyone there. After the
announcements the cards are collected, and those who wish to leave early are free to go.
We hope you'll stay, but that's another subject to write about.
Treasure Coast Squares
By Gib Mattson |
