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Hello Again.
I'm Eric Webb and I'm the Club caller.
Betty is my wife and square dance partner.
We started the Contround (say Con -tround) Eights Square Dance Club, based in
Oxfordshire, in the
spring of 1989. We started with a group of dancers who, along with us, had belonged
to a club which had just closed. We danced for about 3 years, then put ourselves
on a formal footing, gave ourselves a name and became eligible to affiliate to
the British Association of American Square Dance Clubs (which was 50 years old
in 2003).
Square Dance Clubs can choose any name, usually not used by another club because
it causes confusion, and then design a logo. It's not too difficult to work out that
our logo is made up of the formations we dance, a Square, two lines of Contra
and a circle, Round. (see What We Dance).
The reason for showing the syllables of our name is because sometimes people
"see" the word as Contraround.
Betty and I both began dancing in the 60's, before we met, so have seen how Square Dancing has progressed
and changed. We have danced on many Square Dance
holidays and weekends.
We were once dancing in America at a National Convention
where almost 18,000 dancers were attending. When I tell you that on one
occasion we were dancing with three couples, each from a different country
and not
a common language between us, but because all square dance commands
are given in English everyone knew the movements to dance, then we can say that Square Dancing
is truly international.
We are a small club. Over the years some dancers have retired, or moved, or
decided to have a rest, or had a change in personal circumstances, etc, but
others have joined.
Where we dance
We meet at the Steventon Village Hall, near Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
This is in the center of the village, on the B4017, has easy access from anywhere, and
is only two minutes from the A34. We are normally there every Tuesday,
starting at 8.00pm, finishing between 10.15-10.30pm, but if you're travelling
far, please phone to confirm 01235 834778, we do have the occasional day
off.
Hello again, It seems I’ve got really behind in updating.
Until I checked I hadn’t realised it was so long.
Anyway, the Club has been slowly growing again. We now average 10 - 12 dancers each evening and on a good night 16.
We are recruiting again now and our usual adverts to join us on any Tuesday in September are all around.
Otherwise, we ask people to join us on a New Dancer evening, 1st Tuesday in any month.
So, if you visit this site and you aren’t a dancer, or maybe a dancer looking for something else, why not come and join us.
Christmas goodies are getting into the shops now so if I don’t get back until the New Year I’ll wish you a Happy Christmas.
Following is my report on the European Convention and our club actually had 8 dancers attend which for a club as small as ours is extremely good.
Euro-Convention 2006
The British Association of American Square Dance Clubs were hosts to the European Square dance Convention 2006. It was held from the 4 - 6th August at Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.
The main venue was the Leisure Centre, with the additional use of the nearby John F. Kennedy School.
Both venues were needed because of the overall number of rooms required so as to provide the attending dancers with all the Dancing Programmes they wanted.
The Callers for the occasion were all from Europe which, of course, includes England.
Conventions are usually ‘open’ so there is no restriction where dancers come from.
Over 1100 dancers were there, from Australia, Belgium, Czech Rep., Denmark, Finland, Germany,
The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, U.S.A. and not forgetting England.
It shows that Modern Western Square Dancing is a truly international dance.
Starting on Friday evening there was continual dancing all through Saturday and Sunday morning.
When it ended at 2pm on Sunday a great number of dancers and callers made their way to the main shopping centre and 20 squares, that’s 8 per square, danced for an hour in beautiful sunshine.
It was a fantastic weekend.
As from the 1st June 2004, we have been dancing at Steventon Village Hall. Our flyers on the other
page will still show the old venue for a while until we change them.
So it's all systems go;
why don't YOU come and join us.
Remember, Tuesday evenings, 8pm, Steventon Village Hall, Steventon. You won't know what you're missing until you try!
Through Square Dancing, we have made friends from all over the country. Watching new dancers begin
and progress to become experienced dancers is very satisfying.
For new dancers,
"Welcome to the World of Square Dancing " is a very apt expression.
Here are a few pictures taken at our Birthday dances, and a few from our Graduation dance in December 2001.
Here are the pictures from our latest Graduation dance in January 2006.
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last updated - 12th November 2006
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