Now is the time to shake off the winter cobwebs and move. Timothy Brown looks into dance forms around Dunedin. Today he looks at square and round dance.
Square dancing is a multicultural melting pot in a dance hall with a touch of cowboy romanticism.
That variety is what makes it such a popular form of dance throughout the world, Wagon Wheel Square and Round Dance Club caller Stuart Reid says.
''It's kind of like a structured barn dance,'' he said.
''It's very logical in its moves.''
When the dancers perform publicly they wear prairie skirts and bolo ties - ''formal country western'', Mr Reid said.
It helped conjure the association between the cowboy image and square dancing in people's minds.
Square dancing developed in England in the 17th century, but it was in the US where it flourished. Nineteen of the 50 states have square dance as their state dance.
The dance form developed due to the multicultural make-up of the US, Mr Reid said.
''Being very multinational in America, they didn't have a community dance for people to dance to and so there's moves that are French, German, English - a bit of everywhere,'' he said.
Square dance is performed by four couples. Their moves are specified by the caller.
The caller can be a dancer, but is often on stage at the front of the room solely concentrating on the dancers below.
The moves were now standardised and called in English throughout the world, Mr Reid said.
''Whatever country you are in you can look up an organisation and go and have a dance,'' he said.
The feeling of community among dancers was a big part of its appeal.
It was also a dance which could be learnt on the fly, which made it more appealing, he said.
''The big advantage is you can have fun while you are getting to grips with the moves,'' he said.
''You can learn a new move each week and build up like that.''
While square dance provided good exercise it was not particularly taxing and dancers young and old could learn the moves.
''For kids, it's when they can know their right [foot] from their left they can learn,'' he said.
The oldest member of the club was 86 and she began learning when she was 80, he said.
''We are looking forward to new members coming along and joining in,'' he said.
''The club is 62 years old. It's the oldest club dancing on a weekly basis in the southern hemisphere.''
Square dancing
Does square dance make a good wedding dance and how quickly could a couple master a routine? Only if you are into square dance, but absolutely you could. A couple could pick up a routine almost immediately. We have had people who have never done any form of dancing at all and we have always got them dancing.
Describe square dance in three words? Fun, fitness and friendship.
Why square dance? It's got some structure and challenge to it, but it's fun.
What is the perfect song for square dance? Lullaby of Broadway, by Frank Sinatra.
How many people are required for a performance of square dance and what is the maximum number that can be involved? It's normal to do it in eights, but it can be done with four people. There's no limit to the groups of eight you can have.
