NEW ALBANY —
There is a National Square Dance Convention at Freedom Hall in Louisville this week, with dancers and callers from around the world. Among them is Samuel Mestel, a 14-year-old homeschooler from New Albany with a passion for both square dancing and calling, the art of leading square dancers through their moves.
Mestel, who also enjoys taking computers apart and rebuilding them and playing piano, said he hopes to talk more youth into getting involved in square dancing and in calling — and is willing to talk to anyone about why his old-fashioned interest has a modern appeal.
QUESTION: How did you get interested in square dancing?
MESTEL: My mom came home one day and took us to square dance lessons. I was 9, I believe. I really liked it. It was fun, learning how to dance. It’s different every time you do it.
Q: How did you start calling dances?
MESTEL: Midway through lessons, our caller noticed I was singing along with him and he asked me if I wanted to learn the songs. So, I got a Fisher Price record player and began to practice. Square dance records are on 45s, vinyl. On one side the caller shows you how to do it, then on the other side is the song to practice with. Most callers still use 45s, but a lot are switching to laptops with MP3 players, or using CDs and CD players, or mini-discs.
Q: What do you like about square dancing and calling or do you prefer one over the other?
MESTEL: I’m doing both. I’m a member of Sunnyside Square Dancers in New Albany. As for calling, I don’t have my own club yet, so I’ll go out and dance and I’ll get to guest call for tips. A “tip” is two songs. You typically have two songs, then two line dances in between. Other callers let me guest call, so I can get some mic time, then I dance the rest of the night. I’ve also been hired to call for other clubs when their caller is away. I have 16 bookings this year, to date. I’ll be calling in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois. Q: What do other kids think about it?
MESTEL: They say, “Oh, cool.” But most of them aren’t very interested. There is a Kids Club (Southern Stars near Florence, Ky.) two hours north of me. I’m a member, but I only get up there a couple times a year. There are kids that square dance. I do meet a lot of kids.
Q: You recently finished a four-day workshop at the National Square Dance Convention, what was that like?
MESTEL: Five national callers are doing a school. It’s really intense. You go from 9 a.m. to 10:45 at night. But it’s really fun to do. They teach both types of calling, patter and singing. Patter calling, is just when callers call moves to the music, and they move the dancers wherever they want. It’s a little more difficult to get into it. You have to call off the top of your head. The toughest part is, during each patter call, you have to get the dancer back to their (original) partner and all the way back home (where they started). Singing calls, the caller calls the moves, and while the dancers do the moves, you sing part of the song that’s playing. There’s a set series of moves, seven sections of 64 beats each. During the second, third, fifth and sixth sections they are dancing more, and each lady rotates to the next man, until everyone has danced with everyone else. At the very end, before the last section, you get them back to their partner. I mostly do singing calls, but a year and a half to two years ago, I started patter.
Q: I understand you are doing some special things for the convention. What are you doing and how did you get chosen?
MESTEL: I’m part of the opening ceremonies and I’ll be doing the pledge, the invocation and then they are going to have two squares of youth dancers. The theme is to promote youth dancers. I’ll call for those dancers. I was chosen, because I’m the only youth caller in this area. Later in the convention, I’ll be calling seven tips at different halls and places, and act as master of ceremonies in some places.
Q: Why do you enjoy calling and square dancing?
MESTEL: When you’re dancing, if you get a really good caller, it’s really fun. He’ll make you move all over the place. And, as my dad put it, it’s the only place you can find a 6-year-old dancing with a 96-year-old. I get to go out and meet a lot of people (at the dances).
Calling is fun. You get to tell adults what to do, and they do it. It’s helped me in front of people. I like it better than doing a speech, where everyone is sitting there, boring their eyes into you. People are moving and having fun and there’s an excitement in the air.
Q: Will you do this in the future?
MESTEL: I’d like to keep on doing it. I’d like to get more youth in it. During the last few years, dancing has gone down and not as many people are coming. A few people have made a career out of it (calling). If you can get really good, you can go all over the world — all around the world, square dancing is called in English. A lot of time that’s all the English they know. You can make a thousand dollars a dance. But most of the time, callers don’t make a whole lot. A lot of callers lose money on it, because they just enjoy it and want to have fun.
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