NEWS
The Executive Committee met and decided to delay our return to dancing again due to the Delta Variant and the risk it poses. We'll revisit this later in September to consider if October is viable.
When we start up again the program will run from 7:00-9:30 pm, with the guidelines and requirements listed below. These are based on the preferences that Square Heels members expressed in our survey, model guidelines proposed by various dance groups, and Binkley's requirements for groups that use their campus.
1. All dancers, guests, callers, cuers and line dance leaders will be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination will be submitted to the Club President before coming or when arriving at Binkley. Attendees may submit proof of vaccination via email of their vaccination card.
2. All dancers, guests, callers, cuers and line dance leaders will sign an Assumption of Risk and Liability Waiver. This form can be downloaded here. Print it, sign it, and bring it to be admitted to dance or email it ahead of time. There will also be copies available to read and sign at our dances. Submitting the waiver and showing proof of vaccination will be recorded by the club and they are only required to be submitted once.
3. We will take attendance at the door, as we are limited to a maximum of 50 persons per event by Binkley. This will also help in the event we need to do contact tracing and will assure that only those who have submitted proof of vaccination will be admitted to the building.
4. All dancers, guests, callers, cuers and line dance leaders will wear masks that cover the mouth and nose, and keep their masks on while inside the building, as required by Binkley. People who remove their masks will be asked to leave the building.
5. We ask dancers to stay home if they have any of the following new or worsening signs of symptoms of possible COVID-19: cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, chills, repeated shaking with chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, diarrhea, feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit, known close contact with a person with a lab confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days, or sudden loss of sense of taste or smell.
6. All dancers, guests, callers, cuers and line dance leaders will wash or sanitize their hands upon entry to the building, another Binkley requirement.
7. Hugging and close physical contact (other than dance calls) is discouraged. We know--what is the point if we are holding hands and in close contact when we dance? The idea is to minimize risk as much as possible while still dancing.
8. Community snacks and drinks are not permitted, so attendees must bring their own water and snacks, not to be shared with other dancers. The kitchen is off limits for the time being.
9. Binkley asks all groups to sanitize surfaces after the meetings. We would appreciate dancers' help at the end of the night to sanitize the chairs. Cleaning supplies will be provided.
We realize we have listed many rules. We hope that these guidelines will not provide too much of a barrier to enjoy our return to dancing. It will probably feel awkward at first, and we ask for your tolerance as we feel our way through this restart. The goal is to return to dancing in a way that is as safe as possible.
Please note that member dues will be unchanged this year, $20 per month per dancer, and the club will cover the Square Dancers Insurance Program cost for 2021 ($4.85 per dancer). We are raising guest fees by $1 to $7 per dancer.
All of us are probably rather rusty, so we’ll start slow, with lots of review -- and just squares for now, with rounds and/or lines to be added later. We look forward to seeing you on the dance floor soon.
Feel free to email or call any of us on the Executive Committee if you have questions.
Yellow Rocks!
Glen & Lynn, Rebekah, Cort & Ellen, Jim & Laurie