PARIS — The Swinging’ Bears Square Dance Club celebrated 60 years of dancing at the Paris Fire Department on August 10 with seven squares of dancers and many visitors watching. Former and current callers, cuers, and members were in attendance celebrating with the current club members and visiting dancers from Maine and surrounding states. The club invited Ted Lizotte to call the squares and Phil Gatchell to cue the rounds for this Anniversary dance.

A history of the club was shared by Immediate Past President Dick Deans. Dick shared that in 1962, a group of friends got together at the Bear Mountain Grange in South Waterford. They invited Bob Hersey, caller, to speak to them about learning to Square Dance and they soon decided to begin a club. In the Summer of 1963, the members fixed up the one-room schoolhouse at Hunts Corner in Albany for Square Dancing.

It was big enough for four Squares, but at times there were seven Squares dancing. Members of the refreshment and hospitality committees had to get there early to start the fire in the big wood-burning stove that could overheat the place.  The relief station was attached to the building but might as well have been outdoors. This did make for short visits to get back to dancing.

As the club grew, they then moved to Norway to the American Legion Hall, where lessons were held. Dances continued to be held in Albany. Dances at the time were held twice a month, on the second and fourth Saturdays. Lots of nights, the only pay the caller received was a few dollars and all he could eat.

Callers soon were demanding more money, and the old school was no longer large enough as attendance continued to grow. The club then moved to the West Paris Gym at the Agnes Gray School. The Fall of 1974 found the club moving again. The schools were no longer allowing the club to use the school, due to the energy crunch. At this point, they moved to the Legion Hall in Paris and could use this location, as long as they didn’t turn the heat up! By this time the club was dancing once a month on the second Saturday.

In the 1980s, Round Dances were taught by Dick and June Stouch, former residents of Hebron. Club instructors for Square Dancing were Cal Mains, Dave Stewart, Cal Weeks, Joe Perham, Chuck Hart, John Tompson, Al Hipkins, Roberta Beal and the current caller and teacher, Ray Hilton.

Over the course of time, classes have been held at the Stone Church, the gyms at the old Paris and Norway High Schools, and we used the cafeteria at the Middle School in Paris when we were associated with the Adult Education Program.

The Club now holds classes the first, third and fourth Wednesdays of the month, along with a dance on the second Saturday of the month, at the American Legion Hall in Paris. Our next dance will be Sept. 14 from 7 – 9:30 p.m. We would like to welcome old friends and new to come and share this experience, and the start of our next 60 years.

Classes for new dancers, or those who would like to renew their skills, will begin on Sept. 18 and will run from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Paris American Legion Hall.  If you have questions, please call our new President, Liz Hamilton 207-415-8199.