Square dancers do-si-do in Sisters

Square dancing with all its do-si-do and promenade is alive and well in Central Oregon. Around 180 people gathered in Sisters on August 11-13 to sashay their way through many sets of the called dances.

The 24th Annual Central Oregon Round-Up, in its third year at Sisters High School, brought dancers to town from all over the state. The school parking lot was transformed into an RV park. Bright dresses, puffy petticoats on the women and bolo ties and cowboy boots for the men were the favored attire in the school commons on Saturday evening.

Also included in the line-up was round dancing, where couples move in a circle around the floor, being cued to waltz, two-step and cha-cha. At a typical square dancing evening, some round dances are included for variety.

The evening opened with local fiddle band, The Fiddlesticks, playing while the flag was presented. They then entertained the crowd with their lively and skillful renditions of several songs.

The president of the Oregon Federation of Square and Round Dancers, Barbie Cooper of Prineville, also happened to be the chair of the Central Oregon Round-Up. She said a committee of around 50 helpers ensured the success of the event.

"There are 99 square and round dance clubs in the Oregon Federation," said Cooper. "All of them get an invitation to this dance."

The popularity of dance shows on TV has sparked an interest in round dancing, she said. The moves in round dancing are virtually the same as ballroom dancing, but dancers are helped along by a cuer or prompter.

Also, she noted that traditional square dance apparel is not a requirement. Prairie skirts for the women are rising in popularity and she said, "We'd rather have people dance than be worried about what they're wearing."

Square dancing is a great form of exercise - one can certainly get energetic enough to boost the heart rate. And while many square dancers appear to have been well seasoned by life, enough young people enjoy it to keep a vibrant, family atmosphere alive. All the members of The Fiddlesticks square dance and guitar player Heidi Kalebaugh commented, "When we'd square up, all the other dancers gave us a wide berth because the kids would get so rowdy."

On the other end of the age scale, Genevieve Churchill, 94, was enjoying her annual visit to the Central Oregon Round-Up. She's been coming for each of the 24 years it's been held and is as lively and happy as the music she dances to.

She started dancing in 1960 after seeing square dancers on TV during the Oregon Centennial celebrations in 1959. "I was entranced by it and wanted to learn how to do it. I've danced all over the world - in Australia and New Zealand and through Europe," she said.

No doubt she'll be dancing her way to Sisters next year.