“Square dances are the closest things we have left to the old traditional 18th century dances,” said my mom. 

I have not been the same since hearing that comment, and now neither will you! Sorry about that. I bet you can guess what I’m reporting on, though! 

Last Friday, students arose from their evening tasks to attend this year’s hoedown in Lot I. They wore copious amounts of flannel, plaid, ripped jeans, and a surprising number of jorts. They were ready to be there and…be square (sorry, bad pun, can’t help it). 

“I could have been a CEO or an entrepreneur,” shouted our dancecaller, “but I chose to be a square dance caller! Are you ready to dance?”

“YES!”

And then I realized that I had no idea what was going on. Thankfully, most of everyone else realized that same exact thing. 

Listen: we all love the “Cotton-Eyed Joe.” In fact, the whole reason I attended the hoedown was because my boyfriend and I wanted to do one of the only dances we know how to do. But, my friends, there’s more to life than Rednex; even at a hoedown. 

“Bow to your corner! Now do-si-do!” she called. 

Square-dancing is a lot more difficult than it looks– in the beginning at least. It is worse still if the music is louder than the caller (which was unfortunately the case last Friday). There are a fair amount of people dancing in each square, and the goal is not bump in anyone else. In addition, everyone on the dance floor has to accomplish this learning curve– not just you. There’s a lot of awkwardness involved. 

But I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen so many people smiling in one place. 

There’s something to be said about a group of individuals learning something together. (Forgive me; I’m an Ed major; it’s an occupational hazard to talk about learning at a time like this.) The fact that everyone is in the same boat, trying to figure it out, and feeling generally a bit weird– especially if the learning is of the kinetic type– conjures up a recipe for community. Learning this kind of dance all together created a  kind of commonality where you laughed out loud even though you just bowed to your partner instead of your corner, and then ran around the circle instead of skipping. Our hearts connected like bulbs on fairy lights. 

Other important elements of the night included other hoedown activities, such as the eating of apple pie and pumpkin pie and the drinking of apple cider. Unfortunately, the latter was cold, and several people exclaimed that they felt gypped in not receiving hot apple cider on such a cool night. Firepits warmed the bystanders who watched us make fools of ourselves. Others still revealed that they still knew Hannah Montana’s “Hoedown Throwdown” by memory– which made me feel young again. 

And of course, we all did the Cotton-Eyed Joe. 

To conclude: a sweaty, hilarious night of kinship was had by all.