Square Dance: New dance moves leave the first-years spinning

“It was like a drunken night with mistaken steps and unnamed faces,” said Preston Peraota ’14.

Many incoming Midd Kids agree with Peraota’s description of the first-year orientation square dance that took place September 1. Students donned plaid shirts, jeans and cowboy boots for the event, gathering in Forest Quad to move to the twang of Run Mountain, a local string band. Like many other events taking place during orientation week, the dance served as an ice-breaker.

“It was something new for a lot of people,” said Sarah Boyd ‘14, “It was fun to learn how to square dance with people who didn’t know how.”

International students asked their American peers if square dancing was a common event here in the states, although most (yes, even the southerners) were largely unfamiliar with the moves of the dance, so for some, the dance was just as confusing as it was fun.

“Ridiculous isn’t the first word that comes to mind, but it’s definitely the second,” said Pippa Stanley ’14.

Run Mountain definitely set the right mood and left an impression on its audience.

“The band was so cool,” exclaimed Molly Benedetto ’14, “If I could play any instrument, it’d be the banjo.”

Some felt that the event didn’t aid in meeting new people because it was so dark that it was hard to attach names to faces the next day, however, as Asia Stuerznickel ’14 noted, “It was less awkward than a dance because no one knew how to square dance.”

Despite the minor chaos, those who participated seemed to fully enjoy throwing their nameless companions all around the Forest Quad.