This is not your grandma's square dancing! At Rosetown Ramblers, an LGBT identified club, we whoop it up with no special rules. No dress code. You don't have to bring a dance partner, there is always someone to join the square and dance with you. Want to dance the men's role (Dancer on the left)? The women's role (Dancer on the right)? You choose. After getting one role learned well, many gay and lesbian dancers learn to dance both positions!

Our club follows CallerLab square dance programs: Basic, Mainstream and Plus. Basic Level covers the first 51 calls. Mainstream Level covers the next 17 calls. Plus Level is another 30 calls. We offer Basic/Mainstream/Plus square dance classes on Wednesday night.

This year we offer THREE 9-week Basic Level classes held on Wednesdays at 7:30pm. Class dates are as follows:

• September 1st, 2010 - October 27, 2010 (7:30-9:30pm)
• November 3rd, 2010 - December 29, 2010 (7:30-9:00pm)
• January 5th, 2011 - March 2, 2011 (7:30-9:00pm)

Once you complete any one of the Basic Level classes, you can re-take any Basic Level classes at no additional cost. It is a great opportunity to strengthen the moves you just learned.

When you're comfortable at dancing Basic Level, you can proceed to take the Mainstream Level class. Once you complete any one of the Mainstream Level classes, you can re-take any following Mainstream Level classes at no additional cost.

This year we offer THREE 9-week Mainstream Level classes held on Wednesdays from 9:00-9:30pm. Class dates are as follows:

• November 3rd, 2010 - December 29, 2010
• January 5th, 2011 - March 2, 2011
• March 9th, 2011 - April 27, 2011

Graduation date for 'Mainstream Class of 2011' is planned for Saturday May 7, 2011. After graduation, you can dance with us as a Rosetown Ramblers member.

Tuition: $50 for each class level. Total scholarship money is available by seeing our club president confidentially. Tuition also includes the student's club membership through June, a Rosetown Ramblers name badge and free admission to all club dances through graduation.

New to Square Dance? Don't worry. Here are Tips for Square Dancers - Tips for class members (and the helping Angels too), courtesy of El Camino Reelers

Below is the list of ANIMATION WEBSITES. Don't be intimidated by the number of calls. Remember: it's a barnyard activity, so it's not meant to be rocket science. So even if you forget the steps, people will still like you.

1. Square Dance "people picture" animations by Hiroshi Yaoko

• Basic
• Mainstream
• Plus

2. www.opensquares.de a German/English website written English descriptions and "birds-eye" view of animated dancers (like German clock figures)
Levels:Basic, Mainstream, Plus and A-1.
Speed: one speed with replay option.
Scroll down to the middle of the page and click on Basic or Mainstream for a list of calls and animations

3. www.saddlebrookesquares.com vocal descriptions and video of actual dancers doing each call.
Levels: Mainstream and Plus.
Speed: one speed with replay.
Scroll down to click on the call you would like to review.

4. www.tamtwirlers.org a comprehensive site with written descriptions and "birds-eye" block animations.
Levels: Mainstream, Plus, Advanced & Challenge C1-C3a
Speed: adjustable speeds, stop-motion, replay each call animated from a choice of all starting positions
*Java software needed for animations (it may take a while for the animations to appear)
Click on Mainstream (top), then the specific call

How to do 'Fluff'

Over the years, creative square dancers add extra flourish to the way they dance, and gay square dancing is clearly no exception! The fluff is not usually taught to new dancers until they are dancing calls confidently without fluff. What is popular as fluff can change over time. Some of the fluff most commonly used by Rosetown Ramblers is described in this document (PDF file).