Wisconsin Square & Round Dance Convention

media release: August 11-13, Friday 3-10pm, Saturday 9am-10pm, Sun 11am-3pm, at  Madison Marriott West, Middleton

Free for visitors; $30 a day for dancers or $55 for weekend

http://wisquaredanceconvention.org/

The Southwest Square Dance Association of Wisconsin is hosting the 64th Annual State Square and Round Dance Convention on August 11-13, 2023 at the Madison Marriott West Hotel and Convention Center in Middleton. The three-day convention moves around the state each year and was last held in Middleton in 2019. Square dancers from around Wisconsin (and from around the US) will gather at this convention to dance, learn new calls, and make new friends. Dances are led by a caller (someone who provides instruction to the dancers to the beat of the music), and Wisconsin is proud to bring in a national caller to feature each year at their convention. This year, they have brought in national caller, Jet Roberts, from Owens Cross Roads, Alabama. He will be joined by 26 other callers for the square-dancers’ enjoyment. There are 9 round dance cuers (someone who instructs the dancers who dance as a couple in a circle, in a similar fashion to ballroom dancing), attending for the round dancers. Each year, there is a new theme for the convention, that will be brought to life with decorations, music and the outfits the dancers wear. This year’s theme is the 1950s and “Let the Good Times Roll.”

Next year’s event will bring square dancers from around the world to our state. For the first time since 1979, the National Square Dance Convention will be hosted in Milwaukee. In 1979 there were 22,170 dancers in attendance.

The convention includes three days of interactive learning sessions covering topics such as line dancing, round dancing, caller education, sewing, camping and square dancing, and many more. There will be dancing in four halls throughout the convention covering different levels and styles of dance. There are dancers ranging in age from 5 to 105. Singles and couples come to dance. Callers, cuers and dancers are coming from around the US—current registrations include Alabama, California, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

At the special program on Saturday night, two dancers and two callers will be recognized this year for their special achievements in square dancing. Those selected are unaware of their nomination. Community members are encouraged to attend the event for free to see what square dancing is all about. The event is open to the public for viewing. However, Saturday night at 8pm the public is invited to try square dancing for themselves to see what it is all about. Square dancing has been around since the 19th century.

“We have been busily organizing this over the past year and we are anticipating 450 dancers from 17 different states. This event is a programmed weekend of dancing, education, and friendship to Share the Joy of Dance Variety.” Kathy Nickel, General Chairman 2023.

Visit http://wisquaredanceconvention.org/ for the schedule, registration, and more information.

About the SW-SDAW

The Southwest Area Square Dancers’ Association of Wisconsin (SW-SDAW) is a non-profit organization. Square dance clubs in the southwest region of the state are members of the organization. The SW-SDAW is one of the members of the SDAW, the Square Dance Association of WI. A committee functions alongside delegates from each area club. Both callers and dancers are represented. One of the purposes of the organization is to promote the welfare of square dancing in Wisconsin by helping new square dance groups in the Southwest Area become established and supplying information and advice concerning square dance activities to everyone interested. Visit http://www.swsdaw.com for more information.