Square dancers will try to break record at July festival in Murfreesboro

A dancer twirls her skirts during square dancing at Allemande Hall on Standifer Gap Road in Chattanooga.
A dancer twirls her skirts during square dancing at Allemande Hall on Standifer Gap Road in Chattanooga.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Rehearsals are underway in Murfreesboro leading to an attempt in July to break the Guinness world record for largest square dance.

The Daily News Journal says participants don't have to know how to do-si-do to be involved. Square dance newbies and aficionados joined for a recent practice on the Public Square.

"You don't have to do the rehearsals to participate in the world's largest square dance, but we encourage you to do that," said Gloria Christy, president of Uncle Dave Macon Days old-time music and dance festival, which is July 8 and 9.

The attempt to break the dance record is July 7. To accomplish that, 808 dancers are needed, but Christy is hoping for 1,000. About 50 stewards are needed to help organize the groups and officiate the number of dancers.

Longtime Grand Ole Opry square dancer and WSM broadcaster Marcia Campbell served as caller for the inaugural practice session on May 15.

"We had a wonderful turnout, and the square dance style and the set we've chosen (for the record-breaking event) is very basic. Anyone can do it at any age. We encourage anybody from 4 to 99," Campbell said. "Everybody absolutely conquered the square dance."

More practices are scheduled June 16 and 26. There's also an instructional video posted at http://uncledavemacondays.com/the-worlds-largest-squaredance.

Dance groups from the region will participate in the event, but Christy encouraged amateurs regardless of expertise to join the square dance.

"You can learn while you square dance. It's not difficult at all," she said. "We're going to work through it and keep working through it until we get it."

Besides trying to break a world record, Christy said she wants to make sure it's fun.

"We still want everyone to enjoy themselves," she said. "We're making history. We're having fun, that's all we really want to do. We're going to make history, regardless. This might officially be the first square dance on a town square."

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