Time To Do-Si-Do: Glenview Square Dancing Group Seeks New Members

GLENVIEW, IL — Calling it a "fringe activity" these days, Janice Cha remembers a time when there were more than 100 square dancing clubs in the Chicagoland area. Now, she says there are only about 20 left, though one of them Cha is quite familiar with.

Cha is marketing chair for Glenview Squares, founded in 1950, one of the largest square dancing clubs remaining in Illinois.

"We're working hard to bring in new people," Cha recently told Patch.

To do that, the club is hosting several "sampler" parties where people wanting to try square dancing can do so in a fun and supportive atmosphere. No experience or partner is needed at the free parties, and ages 10 (accompanied by a parent) to 99 are invited.

"The caller starts with easy directions such as 'circle left' or 'into the middle and back.' The calls become a little more complicated ('do-si-do,' 'allemande left' or 'California Twirl')," Cha said. "The fun part comes when the caller puts the calls learned together in time to the music and dancers do their best to keep up. That's when it feels like 'Simon Says' for adults with lots of laughing."

The following square dance sampler parties are planned for January:

• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6, St. David's Episcopal, 2410 Glenview Road, Glenview (no registration required)
• 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, Patty Turner Center, 375 Elm Street, Deerfield (no registration required)
• 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14, Glenview Public Library, 1930 Glenview Road, Glenview (pre-registration required at the library's website here)

Glenview Squares made a pivot eight years ago to condense its teaching schedule that halved the number of required calls during a dance and began hosting beginner lessons.

"One of our greatest strengths is our ability to change to meet the needs of the community," Joy Nachtraub, club president, said. "As lifestyles changed, Glenview Squares changed their lessons format, dance format and even shifted away from the "cowboy/cowgirl" image of square dancing. As a result, Glenview Squares remains a vibrant, growing club."

Nachtraub said the club also owes its continued success to a "steady stream of dedicated volunteers." She said they help provide dances for veteran club members while also overseeing the teaching aspect for those learning.

Glenview Squares is actively trying to make itself more appealing to newer generations who may not know anything about the discipline. While Cha said empty-nesters tend to be the age group that gravitates toward Glenview Squares, they are happy to have young people join the fun.

"What hooks many of our new dancers is the sense of teamwork that develops as they learn the many calls during three months of lessons," Cha said. "By the end of that time, the students have become a community — a social network on the dance floor, if you will."

Cha said it uses press releases, social media, its website and posters to attract new members, but word-of-mouth remains the best recruiting tool. Additionally, the Chicago area's umbrella organization for square dancing — Metro Chicago Association of Square Dancers — launched a "clearing house" website to help all clubs promote their upcoming sampler parties and lessons about two years ago

"UcanSquareDance.com is trying to be the rising tide that lifts all Chicago-area clubs," said Cha, adding that there are dance lessons planned in January for square dancing groups in Wilmette, Evanston, Evanston, St. Charles, McHenry and Woodridge.

Glenview Squares will be offering weekly lessons on Thursday evenings in Deerfield starting on Jan. 18, and Tuesday evenings in Glenview, starting Jan. 23. To learn more about Glenview Squares, visit the group's website here.