71st National Square Dance Convention® Kicks Off in Evansville June 22

Evansville – More than 2,000 dancers from across the world will meet in Evansville for the 71st National Square Dance Convention® June 22-25.

The event will be held at Old National Events Plaza and the DoubleTree by Hilton Evansville. It is the fourth time that Indiana has hosted this prestigious event, and the first time in convention history to be held in Southwestern Indiana.

The convention will showcase five levels of square dancing, Social Square Dancing, Mainstream, Plus, Advanced, and Challenge. In addition to square dancing, it will feature Rounds levels 2-6, Contra, and Line Dancing.

Other activities include a pre-convention Grand Square International (GSI) Caller School to be held June 19-22 in the Locust meeting rooms at Old National Events Plaza. Live music will be performed nightly beginning June 22 and features nationally known artists Ghost Riders Square Dance Band, Critter Du Jour, and Supertrad. Two exhibition dance groups will provide entertainment as well. The River City Riders from Oregon square dance riding steeds made from plastic barrels decorated to look like horses. The California Heritage Dancers bring the history of square dancing to life through routines representing the evolution of this uniquely American dance form while wearing colorful, period-appropriate outfits.

The local community is invited to join the dancers, “Down by the River,” and experience the convention firsthand. Members of the public may enter the Old National Events Plaza through the ‘Exhibit Hall’ Doors off Locust Street, sign in at Registration, and receive a visitor’s ribbon.

FULL LIST OF EVENTS WITH DATES AND TIMES:

Sunday 6-19-2022

12 -10pm Grand Square International Caller School Locust ABCD

Monday and Tuesday Grand Square International Caller School Locust ABCD

10am-10pm Grand Square International Caller School Locust ABCD

Wednesday Grand Square International Caller School Locust ABCD

10am-2pm Grand Square International Caller School Locust ABCD

Tuesday 6-21-2022 Trail In Dances

7-10pm Energizer Contra Dance with Critter du Jour-Live Music ONEP Ballroom D

8-10pm Square Dance: Tuesday Night Trails End Dance with Tony Oxidine, ONEP Ballroom A

Jet Roberts, Jack Pladdys, Ted Lizotte

Wednesday 6-22-2022 Convention Activites

9:00am Laying of plastic flooring ONEP Walnut A

12-1pm Market on Main Street Square Dance Demonstration Corner of Main Street

5-7:30 pm River Rat Stomp Dance ONEP Exhibit Hall A

5pm Opening Ceremonies Bally's Las Vegas Room

5:30-7 pm Wednesday Night Special Dinner Bally's Riverfront Event Center

7:00 PM Felix and Fingers Dueling Pianos Bally's Riverfront Event Center

Welcome to Evansville Trail End Dances- River Rat pack

8:00-10:00 pm Dance Mania Advance Hall DoubleTree Ballrooms A and B

Plus Hall ONEP Exhibit Hall A

Mainstream with Ghost Riders Square Dance Band ONEP Exhibit Hall B

Rounds ONEP Ballroom A ONEP Ballroom

Thursday 6-23-2022

7:45AM Media Recognition Event-Breakfast ONEP Grand Tier Lounge

Square Dancing, Round Dancing, Line Dancing, Contra

10:00 am-10:00 pm Dancing

10:00 am-12:00 noon Showcase of Rounds ONEP Ballroom A

10:00 AM Making Waves Education Sessions begin

Social Square Dance: The Path to Growth with Barry ONEP Locust C

Johnson

11:00-11:10 am River City Riders Exhibition Group Oregon ONEP Exhibit Hall A

3:00-3:10 pm California Heritage Dancers Exhibition Group ONEP Exhibit Hall A

7:00- 10:00 pm Mainstream with Ghost Riders Square Dance Band ONEP Exhibit Hall B

7:00-10:00 pm Contra Dancing with Critter du Jour DoubleTree Ballroom C

10:00-11:00 pm After Parties

Friday 6-24-2022

9:00 AM Convention Bid Session ONEP Aiken Theatre

10:00 am -12:00 noon Showcase of Rounds ONEP Ballroom A

11:00 AM Keynote Speaker Tom Davis “Let’s Make Some Waves!” ONEP Aiken Theatre

11:00-11:10 am River City Riders Exhibition Group Oregon ONEP Exhibit Hall A

12:00 noon -3:00 pm Making Waves Education Sessions begin ONEP Locus B

Dancer Mike Time with Betsy Gotta

2:00pm Square Dance Competition -Last Square Standing ONEP Exhibit Hall B

3:00-3:10 pm California Heritage Dancers Exhibition Group ONEP Exhibit Hall A

7:00-10:00 pm Social Square Dance with Ghost Riders ONEP Exhibit Hall B Square Dance Band

7:00-10:00 pm Contra Dance with Supertrad DoubleTree Ballroom C

10:00-11:00 pm After Parties

Saturday 6-25-2022

10:00 am-10:00 pm Dance programs

10:00 am 12:00 noon Showcase of Rounds ONEP Ballroom A

10:00 am 12:00 noon Making Waves Education Sessions begin ONEP Locust E

Fitting and Sewing Men’s Shirts with Karen Reichardt

11:00-11:10 am California Heritage Dancers Exhibition Group ONEP Exhibit Hall A

1:00 PM Moonlight Stroll by the River Fashion Show ONEP Aiken Theatre

1:00-3:00 pm Contra Dance with Supertrad DoubleTree Ballroom C

2:00-3:00 pm Fun Dance Public Watch ONEP Walnut BC

3:00-4:00 pm Fun Dance Public Invited to Dance ONEP Walnut BC

3:00-3:10 pm River City Riders Exhibition Group Oregon ONEP Exhibit Hall A

5:30 Parade of States and Closing Ceremonies ONEP Aiken Theatre

7:00-10:00 pm Contra Dance with Supertrad DoubleTree Ballroom C

7:00-10:00 pm Mainstream with Ghost Rider Square Dance Band ONEP Exhibit Hall B

10:00-11:00 pm After Parties

Dance Halls

Variety and Band ONEP Exhibit B

Entry Level (SSD, relaxed mainstream), Rounds ONEP Walnut BC

Plus ONEP Exhibit A

Advanced DoubleTree A and B

Challenge DoubleTree D

Youth ONEP Walnut D

Contra DoubleTree C

Lines ONEP Walnut A

10 am-10pm Registration daily