Teaching locals how to promenade, swing, and do-si-do, the Middletown Ramblers Square Dancing Club held a free “Barn Dance.”
The Middletown Ramblers, founded in 1970, is an active square dancing club that teaches and promotes Western style square dancing in Monmouth County, according to information provided by the club.
More than 100 people attended the club’s dance on Sept. 22 at Thompson Park’s Activity Barn No. 2, located at 805 Newman Springs Road in Lincroft.
Rich Yachel and his wife Beverly Yackel are the co-presidents of the Middletown Ramblers.
“We actually have three Barn Dances every year. One is held during July and a second one is held during August. Both of these are hosted by the Middletown Ramblers Club and are held at Middletown’s Croydon Hall. The Barn Dance in September is sponsored by the Monmouth County Parks System,” Rich Yackel said.
Locals of all ages learned how to square dance from members of the club who danced with them during each round of dancing.
Before the club was officially created Rich Yackel explains that, “Norm Meier was the instigator and advisor. The initial group that founded the club knew little about square dancing and less about teaching it. However, through perseverance and self education they successfully got the club up and running in the early 1970s.”
The club provided professional square callers and refreshments for the guests. According to Yackel, this year the callers were Chuck Hardy and Gerry Hardy from New York.
According to the club’s Class Instructor Larry Sherwood, he has been teaching square dancing for the club since September 1984.
“It’s wonderful exercise, and it opens up a world of possibilities. Through meeting a diverse group of people, I learned to sail, ice boat, camp and shoot trap. There is a worldwide activity. Clubs are listed on the internet and when you contact dancers, you have inside knowledge of the area where their club is,” Sherwood said.
The club offers square dance classes through the Monmouth County Parks System. The parks system sponsors the classes. The classes are advertised in their catalog and they provide the classroom and handle the student fees, according to Beverly Yackel.
“I love a participatory activity for any party that I throw and so it’s just super fun for the guests. We square danced a few weeks ago and when this was coming I thought let’s just invite everybody down to the big public hall and everyone can have fun and that’s why we are here,” Taormina said.
Ocean Township resident Nancy Ehrlich and her husband Bob Jaroszewski also attended the square and helped Taormina celebrate her 40th birthday.
“We had a great time swinging our partners and learning the dances. It’s fun to be square,” Ehrlich said.
Like many of her fellow club member, Treasurer Mary Batistick throughout the dance helped attendees get involved in each square dancing set.
“The Barn Dance was well attended and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves,” Treasurer Mary Batistick said. “Everyone has plenty of time to converse between each set of dances. Of course, the purpose of the Barn Dance on Friday was to have fun and to introduce our guests to the enjoyment of participating in this type of group dancing.”
For more information about the Middletown Ramblers visit www.middletownramblers.org.
Contact Vashti Harris at vharris@newspapermediagroup.com.
