Barclay Brook second-graders dosado with their parents and grandparents.
By: Elaine Worden
MONROE Bouncing around the Barclay Brook School gym while dressed in a skirt, petticoat and dancing shoes, physical education teacher Jackie Winters sang as she clapped her hands.
"Stomp, two-three-four, clap your partner’s hands for four," she said rhythmically.
She was singing to a group of second-graders who were dancing Wednesday with their parents and grandparents as part of the school’s Country Western Square Dance Day. During the festivities, each second-grade student spent gym class square-dancing with an adult guest of his or her choice.
Second-graders had been practicing promenading as a part of their gym curriculum, and now had an opportunity to strut their stuff for their family members.
"It’s really good physical exercise, and it’s really fun," said Ms. Winters. "It keeps you happy."
Students from Kristin Raniere’s class, clad in plaid shirts, pigtails, braids, red paisley bandannas, overalls and straw cowboy hats, stood in five different circles throughout the gym. Each student was partnered up with his or her guest.
Ms. Winters prepared the dancers with some words of encouragement and a little description of her square-dancing history.
"We have had such a good time every year we’ve made it an annual event," she told the students and guests.
Ms. Winters said she had taken square-dance lessons and thought it was so much fun and such good exercise that she’d make it an event for students. The program has been going on for eight years.
Students hugging their parents around the waist and arms stood in their circles waiting for instructions.
Ms. Winters started with the basics, explaining that gentlemen always stand on the left and ladies on the right, and pointing out how to find home position, square their set and honor their partner by bowing or curtsying.
"Now, could everybody please square your set, and that means you face the center of the circle," Ms. Winters said.
Following the lead of Ms. Winters and fellow physical education teacher Stacy Fleisher, the dancers began walking around their circles, joining both hands with their partners and circling around one another.
"Very good, you’re warming up nicely," Ms. Winters said to the guests and students.
Every few minutes, Ms. Winters would show the group a few more steps, each getting a little more advanced. Dancing to music played on a turntable, Ms. Winters sang along with the square-dancing calls, encouraging the dancers to sing and shout "hee-haw" as each step led up to their grand finale.
Afterward, Ms. Winters thanked the parents and guests for coming, as the students hugged and kissed them goodbye.
Student Hailey DeSalvo said her favorite part of the event was "the parents coming and dancing with us."
Hailey had invited her grandfather to come and dance with her.
"It was fun," said Alex Widom, whose favorite dance move was the dosado.
Before the students left the gym, Ms. Winters asked if they thought they got a good workout, and if they got hot and sweaty, to which they all enthusiastically replied with nods and a unanimous shout of "Yes!"

