Frederick County Promenaders
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Website last updated on May 20th 2023 at 8:00am  by FCP Webmaster Donald Barber
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Frederick Keys Game 07/30/21
Burkittsville Demo 08/14/21
Baker Park Demo August 2021
Tom Thumb Banner Steal 10/15/21
Visit to Four County Squares on March 27, 2022
April Fool's Club Dance 04/01/22
WASCA 2022
Wild West Club Dance 10/01/21
The Frederick County Promenaders diverse events.  Hover over a photo for event info. Click on a photo to enlarge it.

Costa Rica Trip

Club President Marjorie and Webmaster Don recently returned from a trip to Costa Rica.  One of the many highlights of the trip was on a riverboat cruise on the Frios River in the town of Los Chiles where a group of Capuchin Monkey's came down from the trees to visit the boat which had moved close to the shoreline. 

Another highlight was our walk on the Hanging Bridges high above the ground in Monteverde.  There is your fearless Club President navigating 1 of the 7 bridges in the 2 mile hike.

!!! summer 2023 dance programs !!!

The Summer 2023 Wednesday Workshops and the Summer 2023 Dance schedules are now available.  To view these schedules click on the following link: FLYERS

A Special Discount is available for the six 2023 Summer Dances.  If a club member pays $45 on June 4th they can attend ALL 6 dances (for a savings of $15).  Even if you only attend 5 of the dances it is still a $5 savings.

!!! 2023-2024 DANCE schedule !!!

The​ Frederick County Promenaders 2023-2024 dance schedule is hot off of the press.  It features 4 Friday night and 14 Sunday afternoon events.  To view this historic new schedule click on the following link: SCHEDULE

june 25th Club Picnic

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most recent club events

MAY 19TH - FINAL 2022-2023 session club DANCE

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The May 19th Red White and Blue dance marked the end of the 2022-2023 club dance schedule.  It went out with a pre-4th of July  bang as the patriotically clad members and guests were entertained by the patriotic calls of Guest Caller Terry Headlee.  This dance also marks the end of the COVID restrictions that were in place for the last 2 years.

MAY 17TH - final 2022-2023 Dance class

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The FINAL class of the 2022-2023 Square Dance Lessons Program saw 8 students graduate.  Pictured on the right are 7 of the students with Class Coordinator Andrea Smith and Club Instructor Dan Grimes.  Congratulations to the students. 

​Also congratulations to students Ya Ya, Jaime, and Deborah for receiving the prestigious Webmaster's Awards for exceptional class attendance.

SUNday may 7th - hot mama's dance

Many thanks to club member Derek Haber for his photos and videos of the May 7th dance.  To see them click on the following link:             https://photos.app.goo.gl/eznLLgWxiri27Zty5

news & upcoming events

                                               !!! NOTICE !!!

Effective starting in June, the COVID precautionary requirements will be lifted.  Dancers can wear their masks is they so desire.

NEXT CLUB SQUARE DANCE EVENTs

Regular Club Dance
Red, White & Blue Dance
Friday May 19th
7:30pm to 9:45pm
Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club

Sunday June 4th polka dots dance

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The Summer 2023 dance session kicks off with the Polka Dots dance.

The Guest Caller is Art LaVigne.


The dance is on Sunday June 4th from 3:00pm to 5:15pm. 

The dance is at the Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club, 8101 Crum Road, near the intersection of Crum Road and MD-26 in Walkersville, MD. 

The regular fee is $10.00.​  Club members can pre-purchase all 6 summer events for $45.00 (a savings of $15.00).
​

                 BE THERE AND BE A POLKA DOTTED SQUARE

To get in the mood for the Polka Dots dance click on the arrow on the left side of audio link below.

Wednesday 6/14 summer workshop

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The Summer Workshop program is from 7:00pm until 9:00pm at the Ballenger Community Center on Route 180 in Feagaville, MD.

​The fee is $5.00


friday 6/16 flowers dance

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The Summer 2023 dance session continues with the Flowers dance.

The Guest Caller is Terry Headlee.


The dance is on Friday June 16th from 7:30pm to 9:45pm. 

The dance is at the Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club, 8101 Crum Road, near the intersection of Crum Road and MD-26 in Walkersville, MD. 

The fee is $10.00.​
   
                BE THERE AND BE A FLOWERY SQUARE

To get in the mood for the Flowers dance click on the arrow on the left side of audio link below.

WEDNESDAY 6/28 SUMMER WORKSHOP

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The Summer Workshop program is from 7:00pm until 9:00pm at the Ballenger Community Center on Route 180 in Feagaville, MD.

​The fee is $5.00

SUNDAY JUly 2nd - 4th of july DANCE

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The Summer 2023 dance session continues with the 4th of July dance.

The dance is on Sunday July 2nd from 3:00pm to 5:15pm. 

The Guest Caller is Virgil Forbes

The dance is at the Mt. Pleasant Ruritan Club, 8101 Crum Road, near the intersection of Crum Road and MD-26 in Walkersville, MD. 

The fee is $10.00.​
   
                      BE THERE AND BE A PATRIOTIC SQUARE

To get in the mood for the 4th of July dance click on the You Tube link below.

WEDNESDAY 7/12 SUMMER WORKSHOP

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The Summer Workshop program is from 7:00pm until 9:00pm at the Ballenger Community Center on Route 180 in Feagaville, MD.

​The fee is $5.00

square dancing tidbits

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After each Sunday dance club members and guests are invited to the local IHOP for dinner or just a chat.

june 21-24 national square dance convention

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For those persons who plan far ahead, the National Square Dance Convention (Party Gras) returns to the East Coast in Mobile Alabama on June 21-24.  For more information about this gala event click on the following link:  Convention​

benefits of square dancing

Click on the following link to read about the many benefits derived from a regular square dancing routine.   Benefits

Evolution of square dancing (1940-1960)

Click on the following link for a YouTube video on the evolution of square dancing and many other square dancing videos.
​                            SquareDancing

square dancing archives

Josh Ethan Johnson Describes the Wholesome Revelry of a Fading Tradition.

Long before the Milly Rock, the Dougie, Whip/Nae Nae, and countless Fornite crazes, there was the “Dixie Style to an Ocean Wave,” “Spin Chain and Exchange the Gears,” and “Anything and Spread.” Knowledge of these moves was obtained at IRL events called square dances, town affairs where American coeds of all ages danced to live fiddlers, and “callers” (A.K.A. the MCs of the fiesta) cued up the dance moves in rapid succession. The events provided the puritanical public the tantalizing opportunity to graze selected clothed body parts of the opposite sex.

Square dancing really took off in the 1920s when business magnate and notorious antisemite Henry Ford spent a small fortune to promote it in order to combat the now fevered jazz dance craze, which he saw as a Jewish-lead attempt to corrupt the morality of the American public. The dance then went as viral as things could pre-internet. Schools began to teach it in gym class. 28 states made it their official state dance.

A century later, if you’re on the right mailing list, or run in certain 80-year-old-plus circles, you can still attend one of these unironic folk traditions, like Knothead Jamboree in Montana, and see this all in practice.

For the past 64 consecutive Labor Day weekends, dancers from the four states surrounding Montana have made a pilgrimage to Yellowstone to do one thing: dosey doe. The Knothead Jamboree is where people reunite with old pals, show off their new matching duds, and hunker down for a weekend-long party filled with dancing and workshops.

There is no competition, and, amazingly, this celebration of the folk art still maintains the long-standing American square dance tradition of being completely dry and tobacco-free. Can you imagine? Not a drop of booze or whippet in sight.

To continue reading this article click on the following link:  Archives

Dancer Etiquette Brochure

Recently added to the ABOUT page is the Dancer Etiquette brochure.  This brochure provides the basic Code of Ethics and Codes of Conduct expected from dancers at the various square dancing functions and events.  To go to the brochure click on the following link:  BROCHURE

where's the dance?

If your upcoming plans include travel or you just want to visit other dance clubs near your home club, then the "Where's The Dance" web site is for you.  This web site shows all of the Square Dances within a specific radius of where you are.  There are a few other options to even further narrow the dance selections for you.  To visit this valuable square dance web site click on the following link:
                             Where's The Dance?

promenaders calendar

An FCP Calendar of Events using the Google Calendar functionality is now available.  To view the calendar, place the cursor on the SCHEDULE link in the navigation bar at the top of this page, then click on the Promenaders Calendar item or click on the following link: Calendar

square dance lessons link

Students or anyone else who wants to review square dance calls can click on the following link to an excellent website that demonstrates Mainstream and Plus calls. 
​                   SquareDanceLessonVideos

ODE To square Dancing

The time is now and the square dancing is great
So grab your spouse or friend and even your date
Then head to the floor with your squaring mate
And dance to the cadence that the callers dictate

 
The squares stand ready for your dancing crave
You can relay the deucy after a step to a wave
Then chain down the line if you dare to be brave
Square dancing in Frederick is the latest rave

 
Seamless moves are in sync with the callers refrain
Head ladies go center with a teacup chain
It's friendship set to music while using your brain
Just remember to listen and stay in your lane
 
Mainstream and Plus are two levels to learn
Then DBD and Advanced get your legs to churn
With the steps and calls so easy to discern
So promenade in style whenever your turn
 
Spread the word around so more people know
And invite them to your local square dancing show
We would like our classes to continually grow
When eager new students join the dancing flow
 
Let the resurgence begin on the square dancing floor
With the mixing of the new and the current core
Let's breakdown the barriers and open the door
As we celebrate the tradition with all of its lore

Donald Barber
Frederick County Promenaders
Web Master, Ode Writer

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