There will be plenty of swinging your partner going on in Royal Oak this fall.
Weekly square dancing lessons start up this month at Royal Oak Hall, as well as at the Colwood Community Hall.
Square dancing is a fun, healthy, affordable, lifestyle-enhancing and friendship-building social activity for all ages and fitness levels.
Square Dancing is a social activity where eight people walk a series of steps ‘called’ by the square dance caller. If you can walk, you can learn to square dance. Modern square dance is danced to a variety of music types, everything from pop to traditional country to Broadway musical to contemporary country music, even rock, Motown, techno and hip-hop.
Weekly lessons begin Sept. 15 and 16 at Royal Oak Hall, 4516 W. Saanich Rd. The Promenaders Square Dance Club starts up Sept. 15 from 1 to 3 p.m., while the Cousins Square Dance Club goes Sept. 16 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The first two lessons are free. For more information visit www.promenaders.weebly.com or www.ccsquaredancevictoria.ca.
Wear comfortable clothing and non-scuff shoes. Come by yourself, bring a partner or bring some of your friends.
Weekly lessons begin Sept. 20 from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Colwood Community Hall, 2219 Sooke Rd. The first two lessons are free, visit www.frontiertwirlers.weebly.com for more information.
There is also an active Victoria Square Dance Meetup group that meets at the Scout House (505 Marigold Rd.) for demonstrations and workshops throughout the year. Visit www.meetup.com/Victoria-Square-Dancing-Meetup.
Studies have shown that 30 minutes of dancing burns between 200 and 400 calories, the same as walking, swimming or riding a bike. As a regular cardiovascular exercise, square dancing can also help you manage your weight, decrease your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol profile. And because it’s a weight bearing activity, dancing helps maintain bone health, increases muscle tone and enhances agility. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine also identified dance as an effective protection against dementia. Who knew that lifting your spirits and improving your health could be so much fun.
