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Corkscrew Curliques continue their square-dancing tradition

By LIANE SMITH (Contact)

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The lady on your left is your corner and the lady on the right is your partner, Corkscrew Curliques Square Dance Club caller Howard Cole announces through a microphone last Friday at Corkscrew Woodlands Park, a 55 and up community.

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Ray Lee, who helps orchestrate the square dance club, and his wife, Clarice Lee, dance the afternoon away.

"Now, bow to your partner, and your corner, too," Cole said at the club's first free square dancing lesson of the season.

"Now, circle to the left... circle to the right," Cole continued. "Swing and whirl with the pretty little girl."

According to club organizer, Ray Lee, the group of square dancers that gets together every Friday afternoon for lessons and Friday evenings for dances is getting smaller and smaller.

"This is our final dying cast," Lee said.

The club, which has about 42 members, 16 of whom cannot dance more than a few steps, graduated 18 new members last year from the square dancing club.

Lee, from Ohio, said he's been whirling his lady, Clarice Lee, around for 30 years. The two, who spend their winters in Estero and summers in Ohio, have danced in places like China and Hawaii.

"We danced all over the world," Lee said. "The calls are in English no matter where you go."

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Square dance caller Howard Cole explains to first time square dancers who their partners and corners are.

Although there are a few places in town to square dance, Corkscrew Curliques is one of the only clubs offering free lessons in the area. According to Lee, there used to be about eight parks that held weekly dances, but now there are only about three or four.

Carl and Shirley Magee, of Naples, drove to Estero last Friday to try out square dancing, after a friend turned them on to the free lessons.

"It'll be fun to try it," Shirley Magee said.

Jerry Kaufman, who joined the club last year, showed up on the first day's lesson eager to dance again. Kaufman used to square dance in high school.

"I love it," Kaufman said. "I've been dancing quite a bit. It's a lot of fun."

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About 15 new couples showed up at the Corkscrew Curliques Square Dance Club last Friday for free lessons.

On New Year's Eve, Kaufman and his dance partner went to a dance and two-stepped till after midnight.

"You meet a lot of nice people," Kaufman said.

According to Lee, many of the club members join to exercise in a fun way.

"You not only get exercise for your body, but also your mind," Lee said.

While partners stand side by side in a large circle, Cole, who calls the dance prompts, stands in the middle. According to Lee, square dancing exercising the mind and body at the same time, because you have to comprehend the dance calls while dancing.

"You're exercising to music," Lee says.

Photo by LIANE SMITH / Banner

Shirley and Carl Magee, of Naples, take their first whirl at free square dancing lessons last Friday with Corkscrew Curliques Square Dance Club at Corkscrew Woodlands Park in Estero.

Cole, who started out last Friday's lesson with some of the basic rules to square dancing, explained to the crowd that they'd have to learn to count steps.

"You're really lucky, though, because you only have to count to five," Cole said.

And, just because you're asked to swing your partner, doesn't mean it's the dance partner who came with you, or the one you might go home with, Cole explains.

Partner is always on the male's right, while the corner is always on the male's left. Cole also taught the class that a square dance caller is always talking to the male, unless he specifically says "ladies."

Friday, about 15 new couples laughed their way around the circle from 1 until about 2 p.m. Generally, the Friday lessons, which will have open enrollment for the next two weeks, last until 3 p.m. According to Lee, beginning dancers will learn the basics during this time, but afterward anyone new will have too much catching up to do. Lessons and dances run throughout the winter season. The club operates during the winter months, having its last big dance in April. Every Friday evening, the club dances from 7 to 9 p.m.

Corkscrew Woodlands Park is located off of Corkscrew Road in Estero. For more information on Corkscrew Curliques Square Dance Club contact Ray Lee at (239) 992-0164.