August 13, 2026
Message from the President
Welcome to all new and returning dancers! I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer and is looking forward to begin a fun fall session of friendship and dancing. Here is what you need to know for this fall.
For new dancers: Mainstream / Social Square Dancing (SSD)
Social Square Dancing (SSD), now rebranded “Mainstream”, is our introductory program on Tuesday evenings for new dancers and those who have been away from dancing for some time. We have two free open house nights planned to introduce new dancers to the activity, on Tuesdays, September 1 and 8, at the J.A. Dulude Arena, (941 Clyde Ave), from 7:00 to 9:00pm. Wendy VanderMeulen will begin teaching this program the following Tuesday, September 15, 2026. We will have “angels” (experienced dancers) on hand to help introduce new dancers to square dancing. Mainstream is specifically designed to be easy and fun to learn and to dance.
Dancers will learn the entire program in 14 weeks for a fee of $135 (about $10 a night) and will have opportunities to dance at this level after they complete the program in December. Mainstream is a stand-alone dance level that is available at regional and international dances. Dancers who travel south for the winter can continue to dance the Mainstream program while away. Bring comfortable indoor shoes and a water bottle.
For those dancers who have completed the Mainstream program
Once you have completed the Mainstream program, taking the class a second time will be easier and will allow you to solidify your base and relearn any move you may not completely remember, in addition to learning a few new calls that have been reclassified as Mainstream level calls. While perfecting your moves and style you will be helping real newbies as an angel. Wendy will be calling challenging variations by definitions every third tip on Tuesday evenings, at the J.A. Dulude Arena, (941 Clyde Ave), and for a half hour following the teach session (9:00 to 9:30 pm). Angel dancers who participate in this option can do so as many sessions as they like. It’s OK if you miss a few nights because you already covered all the calls.
There is no requirement to ever move to another level! Besides perfecting your moves, you are helping new dancers learn the moves and helping them helps you. I particularly find this a lot of fun and very rewarding.
The fee for all dancers is $135 for the season. If you are joining us from another club, the drop-in fee is $12 per night. The first night of Mainstream teach and full Mainstream dancing is Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. But I hope you come to the September 1 and 8 open houses too.
For Experienced Plus Dancers
Welcome back! Your first evening will be Thursday, September 10 and will be a full evening of review and dusting off the cobwebs. As the fall progresses, John Charman will be teaching a number of calls that have been reclassified at the Plus level from the Advanced program in addition to dancing the Plus calls you are familiar with. Also remember that you can always ask John to go over the definition of any call you find challenging. John will work it through in the tips being called and you will probably notice that a few other dancers are also struggling with the same call. We will be dancing Plus at Westminster Presbyterian Church (470 Roosevelt Ave). The fee for Plus is $135 for the season or $12 per night for drop-ins. As an added bonus, dancers registered for the full Plus session can dance on Tuesday evenings for free as Mainstream angel.
REMEMBER: EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO DANCE WITH US!
You don’t need to be a registered Meri Squares member. Come for one or more evenings. We are happy to see you!
Dance schedule
See our Meri Square 2026 Fall Dance Calendar for special themed dances in addition to regular dance nights.
Registration Forms
The Mainstream and Plus Registration forms for the 2026-2027 dance season are available online. Please print and bring your completed form and payment to the first night of dancing: Plus – September 10, Mainstream – September 15. We accept e-transfers, cheques and cash.
Dancers bring dancers
Word of mouth is our best way to grow square dancing. Tell your friends and neighbours how much fun you are having on dance nights. Invite them over on September 1 or 8 to try it out for free on our Open Houses dance nights. Give them a copy of the poster or postcard found on our Club Document webpage.
See you on the dance floor!
Guy Quesnel
President of Meri Squares Dance Club