Members of the Clinton County Country Squares dance club recently attended the four-day 59th National Square Dance Convention held at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky.

An estimated 6,300 dancers were at this year’s event including 558 dancers from Ohio. The Ohio delegation was the largest. The convention featured not only square dancing and calling, but also line dancing, clogging, contra and round dancing.

The dancers were allowed to participate in open competition square dancing and dancing to the Ghost Riders, a square dance band from California. The Ghost Riders band has been playing for national conventions since 1972. In addition to dancers from all 50 states, there were dancers from several foreign countries including Japan, China, England, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Canada and Australia.

All western square dance calls are in English regardless of the country where the dancing occurs.

The local dancers also had an opportunity to dance to their club caller, Ken Roberts of Kettering, who called several dances at the convention in the Mainstream, Solo and Plus dance halls.

A highlight of the convention was a luncheon cruise on the Ohio River aboard the Belle of Louisville steamboat. During the cruise the local dancers joined in an exhibition dance.

The Clinton County Country Squares dancers are now making plans for next year’s national convention which will be held in Detroit, Mich.

Also, they will be starting square dance lesson classes in September for anyone interested in learning western square dancing.