A display of colour and motion was at the Gunnedah Town Hall on the weekend when dancers spun their way into the neighbourhood.
About 180 – 200 participants from across NSW and further convened for the 45th NSW Square and Round Dancing Convention to share their love of the dance styles.
Lisa Harvey from the NSW Square Dancing Association explained the convention moves to a different town each year. This creates the opportunity to travel, meet new people and hopefully inspire others to join in.
“We will try to find somewhere with a gorgeous hall like [Gunnedah] has here,” she said.
Lisa described square dancing as almost like “walking to music”.
Instead of learning an entire dance, participants learn a set number of movements.
People learn the instructions in English, making it a universal activity, free from language divides.
There are eight people in a square who follow instructions from a caller.
“It’s also really easy on your feet because you are just walking and it’s an easy way to get your 10,000 steps in,” Lisa said.
“I absolutely love it because it gets you exercising, but it’s also the friends [you make].
“Everyone’s so friendly and you leave everything outside the hall.”
Lisa started square dancing as a child with her parents, with now four generations of square dancers in the family.
“There probably wasn’t much choice, but I continue dancing because I love it,” she said.
She encouraged everyone and anyone to look at square dancing.
“Anyone who enjoys listening to music and having a bit of fun,” she said.
“We do tend to have an older population because it isn’t harsh on your knees like other sports.”
There was certainly a motif looking around at the out game-themed hall completed with a Nintendo switch, monopoly boards and minecraft characters along with the decked out Smithurst Theatre.
The theme was ‘Are you gunna dance at Gunnedah? Are You Game?’ – which even admittance tickets to the free come and try square dancing event on Sunday portrayed.
Gunnedah Rotary Club were kind enough to help out on Sunday with a barbecue feed for the dancers, donated by Whitehaven Coal.
Sandy Symons (VIC) and Mal Turnbull (NSW).
Among those square dancing lovers was Mal Turnbull. Not the politician but certainly known in the square dancing circles.
The Tamworth resident started square dancing at 18-years-old while living in Kempsey.
He and his mate was at an old time dance saw there was an exhibition and approached it with curiosity. From there his passion grew.
Many clubs didn’t have a caller so he was encouraged to become one and learnt about it at caller schools.
There are two clubs in Tamworth, one of which he started, and is hoping there may be interest in Gunnedah to start one there as well.
“It’s challenging because you’re using your mind and that split second where your brain is working over time to remember the step and then get your feet into gear,” he said.
“It’s a great activity for all ages.
“It’s something that I love. It keeps you fit, keeps your mind active.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet so many new [people] and they become friends for for life pretty much.”
He even had friends from Brisbane he met about 40 years ago at the hall for the weekend.
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