Cane Country Squares

For the first time, our end of year Christmas Dance was held on a Tuesday, which will continue as our New Mainstream program night in 2026. It was a great atmosphere with the hall decorated, Christmas themed outfits and regular Friday night dancers attending.

We had three squares on the floor most of the night with our new learners, with plenty of fun and laughter.

https://canecountrysquares.blogspot.com/p/events-calander.html

Our latest fun theme for our Tuesday and Friday night Groups was a Beach Party.

The Friday group had the first go on the 7th of November. Many arrived in casual summer outfits suitable for a party at the beach. 

A few got very creative. Alan painted his feet red to give an effective sun burnt look with sand stuck to his legs. Jo L wore a polka dot swim hat while stirring us, saying she had a matching bikini she would be dancing in later.

Sandy also started out the night with a swim wear cover dress, but made a big reveal, taking it off after the first hoedown. The costume dress she had on underneath, with a printed bikini, got quite a reaction with a lot of laughter.

More photos and videos of the Friday and Tuesday Night Beach Parties are on our 2025 Gallery Page and 2025 Video Page, or go direct to our You Tube Channel.

Our Tuesday group had their Beach Party on the 11th of November.

Some of us that dance on both nights came in the same outfits, while others found new sets of Hawaiian shirts and summer shorts to show off. 

It was great to see our new dancers enjoy the theme night. Not taking the class too seriously, but still learning new dance movements, adding to what they have learnt so far. 

Now at around 30 of the 50 movements, Matt can get more creative with the dances he calls, and we have even more fun.

We got a do over of our Black Friday theme night on the 31st of October. Some adding a little Halloween flavour to the standard, Dress in Black and confuse Matt.

As always, we enjoyed our night of dancing. We even managed to get two squares on the floor at one point when everybody got up.

I did get some video of the night but yet to finish editing. Keep an eye on our YouTube Channel for updates.

Yes Sandy, Matt did select an even numbered signing call off the request list, while you weren’t here.

More photos of the night can be found in our 2025 Photo Gallery.

Cane Country Squares Guest Caller this year was Nev McLachlan, Calling for the Suncoasters Square Dance Club for 54 years and operating the Sunshine Coast Square Dance Centre, with Bev McLachlan, for over 40 years.

We started our dancing with a Plus Session at our home hall, The Rum City Silver Band Hall at 89 Targo Street, with more than two squares of people attending. Visitors came from the Sunshine coast and Hervey Bay.

The main event was the evening Mainstream Session in the Targo Street Hall, with more than enough for two squares of dancing. 

Along with a night of dancing we had a raffle and a lucky door prize. Our special supper included a variety of savoury and sweet treats.

Some of our newer dancers had other commitments Saturday night but managed to get to the Sunday Mainstream Session at the Kepnock Hall, 42 Totten St.

It was great to see new dancers coming out to a first dance with a guest Caller. It can be a challenge listening to an unfamiliar Caller with different ways of combining movements. Square Daning is all about keeping you engaged, both mentally and physically. 

This months fun theme was the Mad Hatters Tea Party. The Friday group had their Mad Hatter Night on September 5th.

We had visitors from Hervey Bay and Adelaide join us for the night, making two squares on the floor most of the night.

Videos of the night have started to be uploaded  to our YouTube channel,  at https://www.youtube.com/@canecountrysquares

The Tuesday group had their Mad Hatter Night on the 9th of September. 

It is fantastic dancing with three squares on the floor.

Most people brought their own Mad Hats or dressed in theme for the Mad Hatters Tea Party. A great deal of creativity went into lots of them.

Those who didn’t have a hat could still join in, with a selection of hats to borrow from the front table.

Both nights also had a few special treats in addition to the usual biscuit selection. More photos from both nights can be seen in our 2025 Photo Gallery, https://canecountrysquares.blogspot.com/p/photo-gallery-2025.html .

Cane Country Squares next Come and Try Square Dancing sessions

Rum City Band Hall, 89 Targo Street

6pm – 8:30pm

Tuesday 12th of August

Tuesday 19th of August

Tuesday 26th of August

Your first night is free!

A Square Dance starts and ends with four couples forming a square. You listen to a Caller for directions and walk to the beat of the music while moving in patterns with arm turns or passing other dancers to make new formations. 

In modern Square Dancing you don’t learn complete dances you learn movements. Get your step count up. Engage your mind and body as you walk to the beat of the music, listening and reacting as the Square Dance Caller calls out each movement, to complete the dance pattern as a team of eight dancers.

Open from ages 8 to active 80s.

Sessions cost $8 per person if you would like to continue with the 12 week dance program.

Meet new people.

Get your step count up. 

Engage your mind and body.

With the new alternating program of learners and the completed level on Tuesday nights, we wanted to make sure they didn’t miss out on our fun theme nights that previously only happened on Fridays. 

This year we had a Pyjama Theme Night for the Tuesday group on the 29th of July and the Friday group on the 1st of August. 

On Friday night we had visiting dancers from Adelaide, surprised by our theme night. It was great to have them on the night, giving us two squares.

Two theme nights for each group that happened this year, specifically for each group was Pancake Tuesday and Black Friday.
Our next theme nights will be a Mad Hatters Tea Party, Friday the 5th and Tuesday the 9th of September.
You can find more photos of all our theme nights in our 2025 Photo Gallery and links to videos from our 2025 Video Library or go direct to our YouTube channel.

To bring all our dance levels together we are planning on holding a Saturday afternoon social dance each month. Finalising this will happen after confirmation of hall bookings.
This should also give an opportunity to mix with some dancers that don’t like to come out in the evenings over Winter, and even some of our A Level dancers, that only get a session a couple of times a month on Sunday afternoons.

Our learners from the start of the year are about to graduate the completed program and welcome brand new learners at the Come and Try nights on the 12th, 19th and 26th of August.
It is also an opportunity for those that learnt the program as the right hand side dancer (ladies position) to learn as the left hand dancer or vice versa.

Fourteen members of Cane Country Squares attended the 65th National Convention at Morayfield Qld, from July 7th – 11th 2025. Eleven of those where registered dancers with three attending a National for the first time.

It was a fantastic turn out with over 600 registered for the event. Plenty of fun and challenging dancing was on offer. The evening sessions included Rounds and Mainstream. Wednesday and Thursday morning and afternoon sessions covered Clogging, Round Dancing, Plus and Advanced level Square Dancing with different level workshops and intros. The Mainstream Styling Workshop on Wednesday was very well received with requests for this to be included in future events.

This year, first timers met up to be welcomed to the Convention and receive a blue button badge to indicate this was their first National. 

Tuesday night was the Dress Set Parade and Opening Ceremony. Laura assisted the Heart Mascot to lead the dress sets around the floor.

Nev McLachlan jumped off the stage to join Matt and the rest of his Heart themed Dress Set.

The Dress Sets always look amazing with a great deal of work going in to making all the matching outfits. 

At the end of the evening session at 10:30pm some stayed on for a Hi Energy session, programmed to finish at 11:45pm. This was called faster than normal, for as long as the dancers could keep up.

Wednesday was the Listen To Your Heart theme night with lots of heart patterned fabrics, outfits with Queen of Hearts themes, fitness exercise and medical outfits (some with working stethoscopes).

Thursday night was the Closing Ceremony with presentations and the hand over of the banner to next years 66th ANSDC Convenor. This one will be held in Hobart, Tasmania and they already have over 300 registered. On the last dance of the night I spotted Matt getting one of his rare opportunities to dance before running back onto the stage.

The Farewell Function dancing wrapped up at 7pm and we moved into the hall behind the stage for socialising and entertainment from some of our Cane Country Squares club members. Musical duo, Adrian and Laura and poetry from Sandy.

We had options of drinks and meals from the Morayfield Sports & Event Centre Café and the back of the hall was opened to access a choice of food vans outside. 

The convention was a fantastic week of dance and socialising and I would like to thank the 65th ANSDC committee and volunteers, Callers, Cuers and all who worked to run this event for us. 

See you on the dance floor back home in Bundaberg on Tuesday and Friday nights, with a couple of Saturday or weekend dances being planned.

This years annual Dance For Heart fund raiser was held on Friday 2nd of May 2025.

Funds were raised on the night from the door takings and a raffle for a huge fruit tray. There was also a door and lucky spot prise. This year the fruit tray was won by Dot.

We had a number of apologies from dancers with other commitments and a few illnesses on the night. Dancing was still fun with one square on the floor all night with different dancers swapping in and out.

The Tuesday learners were invited to join in on the night so brackets alternated between SSD to suit the half way mark they had reached, Mainstream and Plus.

Most dressed in red or with a heart theme and we got to see Matt in his fancy heart pants with matching tie.

The funds raised will go towards supporting the Heart Start Cornish Walking Track Program in Bundaberg.

With Jo L away, Sandy ran supper with the additions of Kingston biscuits and apple slices.

Go to our 2025 photo gallery or video page to see more of the night.

Enjoy your Easter break. There is no dancing tonight for Good Friday but we will be back dancing on Tuesday 22nd and next Friday evening the 25th, on ANZAC Day.

In the lead up to Easter we had our Easter Bonnet / Hat nights on Friday 11th and Tuesday 22nd of April.

Friday night included some visitors staying in the area for a holiday and a surprise visit from Nev and Bev McLachlan. We also had a dancer return to square dancing after 20 years, who picked up Mainstream and Plus like riding a bike. 

Nev helped Matt rest his voice and treated us to a singing call that you will see in our videos of the night.

Ginna had the most impressive hand made Easter hat with a rabbit wrapped around a huge carrot. Friday night supper included some cupcakes, a caramel slice and easter eggs and Sandy read out a couple of poems.

On Tuesday night the hats came out again, with some extras on the table for anyone to wear if they wished and didn’t bring their own. The night also included two lucky spot prizes of a pack of Easter eggs for each winner.

Videos and photos from Friday night are online on our 2025 photo and video pages and directly on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@canecountrysquares