Cane Country Squares

Welcome back to dancing in Bundaberg with Cane Country Squares in 2023. Although it was an extremely hot night in the hall, it was great to get back on the floor and see how much we remembered.

Matt was enthusiastic to get back into calling, beginning with SSD and alternated sets for Mainstream and Plus levels.

Between dances and during supper, members caught up with each other and generally gravitated toward the fans or outside, once a cool change started rolling in.

Next we are gearing up for our big 40th Birthday Weekend Dance on the 10th, 11th and 12th of March.

Friday the 10th will be held at Kepnock Hall, 42 Totten Street, Kepnock, Bundaberg, Queensland

Saturday and Sunday will be at the large upgraded and airconditioned, Coronation Hall, 71 High St. Walkervale, Bundaberg, Queensland

Register early for the chance to win back the price of your weekend ticket. The winner will be drawn on our Friday night club dance on the 24th of February. 

Featuring callers Steve Turner (WA), Nev McLachlan (QLD) and Matthew Mills (QLD) with guest cuer Bev McLachlan

Dancing will include SSD, Mainstream with workshops, Plus with A Brackets and Rounds.

Come to Bundaberg to join in the celebrations!!

Download Registration Form Here

Our last dance for this year was held on Friday 9th of December. The hall was decorated for Christmas and dancers came dressed for the occasion. Christmas was also the theme for most Singing Calls on the evening.

Most of the night we had two squares on the floor for SSD. A couple of times, Matt called to accommodate a six couple rectangle when a few dancers wanted to sit out. 

The wrap up to the year included a lucky door, lucky spot and multiple raffle prizes. The raffles consisted of a choice from a variety of Christmas hampers.

Our Aussie theme night was held a week later than planned to celebrate with George on his 90th birthday. 

George has danced with the club for many years and still comes almost every Friday to be part of the social aspect of the club and help at the sign in table.

George was presented with a birthday card signed by club members and visiting dancers. The cake looked and tasted great, decorated with blue and white icing.  

We had a very good turn out with two squares on the floor most of the night. The hall was covered with Australian flags and green and gold balloons.

Lots of green and gold or Aussie flag colours were worn on the night along with Aussie themed outfits.

Sandy often reads a poem on theme or event nights. This time she was a little nervous reading in front of visiting family. 

A basket was put out on the front table to start collecting donations towards a Christmas hamper for the end of the year.

Matt wore a novelty tie saying “Kiss me I’m Aussie” and called to a lot of Aussie themed songs and songs by Australian artists.  

Lots of photos and video were taken on the night. To see more photos click here to go to the 2022 photo galley. The videos will be uploaded in the next few days. Click here to see our videos from 2022.

We’re all mad here…. painting of the Cheshire cat and large brightly coloured hats covered the walls of our dance hall on Friday night. 

Hats of all shapes and sizes were worn by dancers with some especially creative examples. We saw Minions, The Caller’s Pet and Crochet teddy bears. Large flowers and ribbons adoring others.

It was a great turn out as October 7th was also a celebration for our graduating SSD (club 50) learners. Now dancing with us on Friday nights, Alan & Shirley Rowe and Gay Fraser received certificates and cut their graduation cake for supper. It was lovely to see everyone dressed up with Shirley spending most of the day making a petticoat for the event.

As part of our theme nights Sandy read another humours poem and Matt rated it as one of the top 10.

Check out our 2022 photo gallery for lots more photos of the nights dancing and plenty more hats that didn’t make it onto the dance floor.

On Friday 2nd of September the hall was decorated in flowers for our Spring theme night. It was a good turn out with two squares on the floor for SSD and Mainstream and one square for Plus. 

Most came dressed in floral or leafy green outfits. Sandy used two different interpretations of ‘spring’. Wearing a floral skirt and a metal spring hat decorated with flowers, the ensemble was completed with a necklace and earrings made of metal springs.

Matt tried to find songs with a Spring theme or at least a reference to warmth or weather. Some of the songs for the night included, On The Sunny Side Of The Street, Bonfire Heart, Ready For The Times To Get Better and Walking On Sunshine.

The first Friday in July saw us get more use from our Christmas outfits with the addition of a few jackets.

 

Despite the rain and being a little colder than we are used to, we managed to get one and a half squares on the floor for SSD level and one square for Mainstream and Plus.

The hall was adorned with red and green balloons (not leaving with Matt), tinsel and other Christmas decorations. A bottle of wine was the lucky door prize with a large fruit tray as the raffle.

Members and visitors dressed in red and black for our annual Heart Dance fund raiser on the 6th of May.

It was great to see members that have been away for health reasons, come along as spectators for the night, supporting the fund raiser and the club Life Member Award being presented to Alan Wright.

Sasha and her children were visiting from Victoria and the other surprise of the night was Carla arriving with her new baby. There was no shortage of babysitters, giving her a chance to dance without carrying him.

The night started with a six couple rectangle to suit all dance levels and alternated with one square of Plus dancing throughout the evening.

Supper included some heart shaped chocolates with silver wrappers and some very cute (and delicious) little cupcakes. After supper, Matt asked different kids to draw each of the raffles and the lucky door prize, with a Mother’s Day theme.

Alan Wright was presented with our life member award. Matt spoke about some of Alan’s long history with Cane Country Squares and the beginning of square dancing in Queensland with Alan’s family. 

Alan told us of the only time a square dance event was held at Parliament House, on the 25th of April 1994. Alan, with a group from Bundaberg all got to be included in the 1000 square dancers participating.

These videos are small sections from recordings of the 1994 event in Canberra. 

Check out our 2022 photo page and our 2022 video page to see more of Cane Country Squares Heart Dance.

Our next theme night is on this Friday the 13th – Lucky or unlucky? Black Cat theme.

Our club birthday dance went ahead on Friday the 25th of March 2022. 

We started the night with a six couple rectangle including our learners.
With later arrivals we had two squares on the floor for leaners and one square for Plus. 

It was fun to watch four ladies make up a second Mainstream ‘half square’ and fill in moves for the missing half as a team. Check out our 2022 video page to see how that went.

Jo L and Jo K, who do a lot behind the scene with catering and decorations, cut the birthday cake. 

Jo R made an appearance to take photos and video and Sandy had a poem ready to read later that night.

Matt also included a bush dance as something different for our birthday.

Visit our 2022 photo gallery to see more photos from the night.

We are ready to start dancing again with some new Covid Safe Practices.

Learners will start on Tuesday the 15th to revise and continue their program. 

Friday social Mainstream Learners, Full Mainstream and Plus dancers will start back on the 18th.

The new Covid Safe Practices will be emailed to members before we start and printed flyers will be available at the sign in table. Or download here.

Cane Country Squares
– Covid Safe Practices

Please Note: These recommendations will be updated by the committee in accordance with current government policy.

1. Vaccinations: It is strongly recommended that dance members have received all the required vaccinations.

2. Masks: These should be worn when dancing, but not necessary when social distancing when seated.

3. Hand Sanitiser: Please continue to use hand sanitiser after each dance bracket.

4. Friday Night Supper: There will be supper provided in the same format as in 2021. 

The Kitchen Convenor only in the kitchen.

Disposable cups only to be used and pre-packaged biscuits provided.

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Please remember that the majority of our members are considered to be part of a high risk group, due to their age and health, making them more vulnerable to serious illness.

If you have any cold or flu like symptoms, PLEASE STAY AT HOME.

Thanking you,

Cane Country Squares Committee (Matt, Pam, Jo K, Jo L, Jo R, Marilyn)

Tuesday the 15th for learners and Friday 18th for Mainstream and Plus dancing.

Our Club Birthday is still planned to go ahead but will now be held on Friday 25th of March.

More information will be sent to members via text or email later today.